Yuka Nakamura has practiced Buddhist meditation since 1993 in the Theravada, Dzogchen and Zen traditions, and has been trained as a teacher by Fred von Allmen. Living in Switzerland, she teaches meditation and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.
The Buddha emphasized intention as the key to happiness and peace. However, often we are not aware of the intentions behind our choices and actions. Based on the Dvedhāvitakka Sutta the talks discusses the unwholesome intentions of sensual desire, ill will and cruelty and the wholesome intentions of renunciation, lovingkindness and compassion. It also discusses central aspects of mental cultivation.
Compassion is a central quality of the heartmind that enables us to meet and to respond to suffering in a skilful way . It is both the ability to deeply resonate with suffering and the motivation to alleviate it - in ourselves and in other beings. Compassion frees the mind from unwholesome mindstates, opens the heart to the interconnectedness with all beings and in this way also supports the unfolding of wisdom.
Vedana - the feeling tone of every experience - has a huge influence on our choices and behaviours and plays a crucial role in the creation and perpetuating of suffering. For this reason it needs to be recognized and understood. Based on the Salla-Sutta, the sutta about the dart, the talk explores how the mind gets caught in reactivity and thus adds further layers of suffering. It is through the understanding of the impermanent and conditioned nature of Vedana that the mind attains liberation from these reactive patterns and finds equanimity with regard to all Vedana.
What are the roles of mindfulness - sati - on our path? The talk describes five central functions of mindfulness on the basis of the similes that the Buddha used in the Pali canon. It also touches on the development of sati.
How can we meet the ecological crises facing our planet without falling into denial, grief or cynicism? Acknowledging the Dukkha can awaken a sense of urgency, samvega, that gives us the energy and courage to rise to the challenge and seek ways of responding skilfully. The talk addresses three areas: Developing wisdom and skills, acting from wisdom and compassion, connecting with others and engaging in our communities and societies.
Durch die Praxis von Vipassana erkennen wir die bedingte und fabrizierte Natur unserer Erfahrung. Wir erkennen, wie jegliche Erfahrung in Abhängigkeit vieler Bedingungen entsteht und gestaltet wird. Ein entscheidender Faktor dabei ist die Sichtweise, durch welche wir unsere Erfahrung betrachten. Im Wissen um diese Bedingtheit können bewusst mit verschiedenen Sichtweisen experimentieren, die zu mehr Freiheit und Glück führen. Im Vortrag werden die Sichtweisen der drei Charakteristika, die Sichtweise der liebenden Güte sowie symbolische, imaginale und mystische Sichtweisen als mögliche Sichtweisen besprochen.
Unsere Wahrnehmung schafft unsere erlebte Welt. Probleme entstehen, wenn wir uns dieser Tatsache erstens nicht bewusst sind und zweitens, wenn die Wahrnehmung in einer leidschaffenden Weise verzerrt ist. Der Vortrag bespricht die vier Verzerrungen, welche unsere gewöhnliche Wahrnehmung kennzeichnen und Leiden verursachen. Durch die Praxis des Satipatthana-Sutta können diese Verzerrungen korrigiert werden.
Der Vortrag erläutert die Lehre von den Vier Edlen Wahrheiten, der grundlegenden Lehre Buddhas: Die existentielle Tatsache des Leidens, die Ursachen des Leidens, die Möglichkeit, das Leiden zu beenden und der Weg, der zum Ende des Leidens führt.
Brief description: How can we hold and meet the challenges of our time? Rather than falling into helplessness and despair, we can metabolize our fears and worries into energy and courage, allowing ourselves to be stirred up and to feel a sense of urgency. One specific area of practice is to see through our ways of perceiving and conceiving the world and self. Understanding the dependent and fabricated nature of all experience we can consciously and creatively play with ways of looking that contribute to peace, happiness, and harmony.
