Paramis: Dana / Generosity with Alex Meyers this Sunday

Dear Community,

Tomorrow, several members of our community will be heading to Spirit Rock in California to begin the March month-long retreat. We wish them all fruitful retreats, with deep bows to their practice! Much mudita (sympathetic joy) to Benjamin, Kirsten, and Jean!

Sunday 10am Weekly Meditation & Discussion: Paramis: Dana/Generosity with Alex Meyers

This week Alex Meyers will continue the ongoing discussion of the Ten Paramis, the wholesome qualities of mind and heart that the Buddha is said to have perfected along his way to Buddhahood. This week we will be exploring the first of the ten: dana, or generosity. If you would like to read along, we'll be discussing the chapter on dana in Ajahn Succito's book Parami: Ways to Cross Life's Floods, which is freely available at the link. You can keep this link handy, as we'll continue using this book throughout the year.

Regardless of whether you read the full chapter or not, here is an excerpt to consider as we meet:

"As a meditation, the cultivation of generosity is about bringing people to mind and sharing the goodness of one's life with them. It means developing a sharing intent, and from there learning to see one's life as part of a whole system rather than as an individual fragment thrown together with others in a haphazard way."

Consider how your mind-heart respond to the idea of generosity on initial reflection. In what ways do you "share the goodness" of your life most often? And when do you feel most an "individual fragment" or part of the broader system and community of life?

Looking forward to practicing with you all.

With metta (loving-kindness),

Minneapolis Insight

‍