Cultivating a Warm-Heart: A Meditation Retreat with Elaine Jackson (Afternoon Session)

Ultimately, the purpose of meditation in Tibetan Buddhism is to eliminate all suffering and the sources of suffering completely and permanently from one’s mind, and to empower this pure mind to gain enlightenment. Learning about one’s mind and transforming the mind is essential since it is mind alone that determines whether we experience happiness or suffering from the events in our life. Meditation is the tool we use to examine the mind. When we pause to see what is actually true in the moment, clarity may arise as love, compassion and all the other noble qualities of our awakened humanity. Purposefully cultivating a warm, compassionate heart undermines the causes of suffering. Mindful self-reflection and developing concentration, motivated by a wish to benefit oneself and others, undermines the causes of suffering. Our attachment to emotions begins to lose intensity and fade away. We are free to create a world of joy. In other words, if we generate and express positive energy, thoughts, and attitudes in our mind and life, we create a mental space in which there is no place whatsoever for negativity to abide. This is the transformative practice of Buddhism. During our day-long practice we will engage in developing our concentration and cultivating our warm heart through meditation and discussion. Please join us.