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Dharma Talks given at Seattle Insight Meditation Society
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2011-09-27 Satipatthana Sutta, Fourth Foundation: Independent Seeing 65:21
  Rodney Smith
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The Kalama sutta fits very nicely into the discussion on freeing awareness completely from any inward or outward authority. In the most radical statement possible the Buddha severs all ties from any dependency, essentially saying that freedom is not possible if one leans in any direction whatsoever.
In collection The Satipatthana Sutta

2011-09-13 Satipatthana Sutta, Fourth Foundation: The Lions Roar 59:42
  Rodney Smith
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Accessing the Fourth Foundation is as easy as abiding in wonder. A question that is interesting to you but does not immediately resolve itself into an answer holds that wonder. When you hold a question without trying to immediately find the answer, you will feel the pull of form (needing to know the answer) in conflict with the formless (the wonder within the mystery of the question itself).
In collection The Satipatthana Sutta

2011-08-30 Satipatthana Sutta: Questions and Answers 62:08
  Rodney Smith
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In collection The Satipatthana Sutta

2011-08-16 Satipatthana Sutta, Fourth Foundation: An Overview (2) 65:28
  Rodney Smith
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A quality of awareness is discernment, which can be active or passive. Passive discernment is seeing, "just this" without doing anything about it, while active discernment is uncovering what is hidden and unconscious. It uses an energetic and curious probing to broaden the expanse of awareness and welcome it beyond its egoic boundaries.
In collection The Satipatthana Sutta

2011-08-02 Satipatthana Sutta, Fourth Foundation: An Overview (1) 1:38
  Rodney Smith
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The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness is the ability to discern what limits freedom and to see the value of open awareness when it is not limited. It encourages a complete examination and investigation of mind until there is existence without obstructions.
In collection The Satipatthana Sutta

2011-07-12 Satipatthana Sutta, Third Foundation: The Personal and Impersonal 56:49
  Rodney Smith
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The personal evolves into the impersonal with time and exposure to awareness. The less "you" do about this process, the quicker it happens on its own. Simply say when a state of mind arises, "Is this about me?" In one way it is, in another way it is not. Be willing to see both tendencies and investigate each.
In collection The Satipatthana Sutta

2011-06-28 Satipatthana Sutta, Third Foundation: Division Through Arrogance 1:26
  Rodney Smith
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Arrogance is a remnant from the pain of the self that wants to be seen and heard as special and privileged. It is our spiritual work to watch not only the subtle grasping and aversive formations of self but its gross manifestations like arrogance as well. What is the pain behind this mental display, and what are the assumptions that move arrogance forward?
In collection The Satipatthana Sutta

2011-06-14 Satipatthana Sutta, Third Foundation: Division Through Boredom 1:12
  Rodney Smith
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Boredom tries to convince you that you must wait for life to be interesting enough to live and that now is not worth paying attention to. Boredom has you bypass the present for the excitement of a future possibility. Ask yourself when boredom arises, "When is life better than now?"
In collection The Satipatthana Sutta

2011-05-24 Satipatthana Sutta, Third Foundation: Division Through Worry 59:12
  Rodney Smith
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Worry attempts to protect us from every contingency. It becomes a pattern and view of life where I am the guardian and protector of my security. Worry is actually a process of self-affirmation because we keep affirming our power over what life brings forth. If I let down my guard, life would be chaotic and out of control, and therefore I need to worry to have everything turn out as I wish. Worry and planning elevates us to the status of a god while we are actually being controlled by fear.
In collection The Satipatthana Sutta

2011-05-10 Satipatthana Sutta, Third Foundation: Division Through Judgment 58:55
  Rodney Smith
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Judgment is seeing the world in quantifiable terms. There a holistic way of seeing that is not partial and comparative but becomes inaccessible when we believe in judgment. Let the presence of judgment remind you that your thinking and emoting is arising from an incomplete perception. Quiet yourself to the inward narrative and allow the whole mind, undivided by judgment, to arise.
In collection The Satipatthana Sutta

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