“Truthfulness” with Jane this Sunday at Minneapolis Insight

Dear Community,

Sunday 10am Community Practice & Discussion

In the book Pay Attention for Goodness Sake, Sylvia Boorstein offers her down to earth, day to day approach to the Paramitas or as she describes them, “qualities that are natural, built-in inclinations of the human heart” that can be developed through practice and reflection and “could be seen as gifts that people give each other…. mutual gifts (in which both) the givers and the receivers benefit.” She talks about how, when we practice the Paramitas, we offer others the gift of safety and we offer ourselves the opportunity to be untroubled by the “pain of guilt”.

The Paramitas are: Generosity, Morality, Renunciation, Wisdom, Energy, Patience, Truthfulness, Determination, Lovingkindness, and Equanimity.

This Sunday we will have the opportunity to delve more deeply into the Paramita of Truthfulness. Often, we think of truthfulness as what we say to others, but Sylvia states that truthfulness starts with being honest with ourselves and seeing our present moment experience clearly.

“To perfect my Truthfulness I need to be able to tolerate seeing clearly all of who I am and all of what is happening. I need to not feel ashamed or afraid. If I pay attention calmly and steadily, my mind will be unbiased and its secrets will reveal themselves to me in an honest, gentle way. The experience I will experience by not hiding from myself will inspire me to create the intimacy of nonjudgemental, gentle honesty with everyone.”

These words are a powerful invitation to a life-long practice of being honest about the illusions we hold and the stories we tell ourselves, and the effect they have on our lives. Sylvia goes on to say that this practice, along with a commitment to Right Speech and goodwill towards ourselves and other, opens us to an ever deepening intimate and authentic way of being in the world.

All are welcome to join this exploration on Sunday! Registration and Zoom information available here.

With mettā,
Minneapolis Insight