Judy Lief

Buddhism – Shambhala – Profound Treasury – Making Friends with Death

Dharma Glimpses Podcast

In this new podcast series, Judy gives a series of short talks on different aspects of meditation practice. Based on Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s unique presentation of meditation, these talks are particularly applicable to modern western practitioners. Topics include different aspects of the basic view of the buddhadharma, as well as some of the unique themes that run through Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s teachings. The title of the podcast includes the word “dharma” because it focuses on the question of what is true experience; and it includes the word “glimpses” because breakthroughs on the path usually happen in the form of subtle glimpses, sudden breakthroughs, and flashes of inspiration… sometimes after a great deal of struggle.

PLEASE NOTE: Dharma Glimpses will be available on podcast players (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) in early March; until then you can listen to the first six episodes below. If you are already on Judy’s mailing list, you’ll receive an announcement when it goes live. (If you haven’t signed up yet, you can do so here.) Once the podcast goes live, new episodes will be released every Tuesday morning.

 

Episode 2 – Meditation Practice

The importance of setting clear boundaries • start with a clear beginning • sit down, slow down, and come into your body • take a relaxed, dignified, upright posture • breathe naturally and place your mind on the breath • focus on the outbreath with a light touch, yet with persistence: out, dissolve, gap… out, dissolve, gap • when you get distracted, simply bring the mind back, without judgment • end clearly, with the intention of taking the gentle, open, dignified attitude of meditation into your day

Episode 3 – The Role of Posture

Learning to come into our body in a simple and direct way • psychological body vs. sensory body • start with just being still • “perching” vs completely settling in like a rotting log • noticing the effect of posture on your state of mind • feeling embodied whether sitting, walking, standing, or lying down • accepting your own body and posture with tenderness and appreciation

Episode 4 – Sitting Like a Mountain

Sitting like a mountain: solid, immovable, content • meditation posture provides a container within which you can relax • sitting with uprightness and dignity (“head and shoulders”) • senses relaxed • soft front, strong back • bringing strength and vulnerability together creates greater stability • emphasizing awareness of the space around the body • letting the space reflect back on you

Episode 5 – Being Intimate with the Breath

Our breath is our most intimate connection with life itself • we are continually in a process of exchanging inside and outside • the inbreath is taking in, and the outbreath is letting go • the breath is the central issue that we work with in this style of meditation practice • synchronizing mind and breathing means identifying with the breath as closely and intimately as possible • in meditation we are being still, but we are also connecting with the energy and movement of the breath

Episode 6 – Letting Go with the Outbreath

We place our mind on the outbreath, and then we let go • this form of mediation is based on dissolving outward, looking beyond ourselves • a rhythm of relaxing and regrouping, relaxing and regrouping • at the end of every breath there is a little momentary gap, which is a very important part of the practice • we place our mind on the breath, and then as it goes out, we let go • every breath is a mini-meditation