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Elaine Yuen

Contemplative Chaplaincy – Buddhist Chaplaincy

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Generosity is the virtue that produces peace

July 10, 2020 By Elaine Yuen

Generosity is the virtue that produces peace.
By this generosity one has power over the bhūtas.
By this generosity one is free from enemies.
Generosity is the transcendent friend.
Therefore, generosity is said to be essential. 

Generosity is the ornament of the world.
Through generosity, one turns back from the lower realms.
Generosity is the stairway to the higher realms.
Generosity is the virtue that produces peace.

The prosperity of the bodhisatvas Is inexhaustible, filling the whole of space.
In order to obtain such prosperity,
Completely propagate that generosity.

Tibetan meal chant, also used in Oriyoki meals within Shambhala community

I’ve been thinking a lot about generosity lately – watching the news, cheering the medical personnel, the meal delivery folks, the grocery store clerks –who are generously giving their time – and sometimes risking their health – to serve us.  

What has been resounding is the verse from our oriyoki (Buddhist meal) chants “generosity is the virtue that produces peace”. Perhaps familiar to you if you’ve ever done an intensive meditation retreat at a Buddhist center.

But what might this mean in our current context? How might peace come about from generosity? Turning to texts on the paramitas, generosity is the first one that is listed among the 6. It is the door that opens one to the other 5.

Paramita literally means “the vessel that takes one to the other shore” – and also translated as “transcendent action.” Thinking about this in a more ordinary way, i see these as actions we can take as Shambhalians in our everyday lives to “walk the talk” of acknowledging and expressing our basic goodness – for ourselves as well as for others.

So, generosity – Gampopa tells us that there are three types of generosity – of material things / of fearlessness / of the dharma.

I think we’re pretty used to think of the generosity of material things – giving money and / or food to those who are underserved – or to our children. And it’s ok to include ourselves as well – for me it’s buying ice cream sandwiches in the midst of our lock-down.

The gift of fearlessness is also something very apparent at this time – to contemplate the fearlessness of the doctors and nurses in the ER, or the mail delivery people handling our packages. There’s something fearless – in a unself-conscious way – about these actions. And we’re asked to be fearless as well – to dwell in a space and time of not exactly knowing what will be happening next – in our country – in Colorado – to our society.

The Shambhala core teachings refer to the fearlessness of not being afraid to be who you are – to show our soft beating heart – not only to others, but to ourselves. To recognize the need for self-compassion – to slow down, To simply be in the present moment, completely, demands a bravery and fearlessness beyond the expectation of hope – of knowing what the next moment might bring – and the barrier of fear that shields us from the world and creates our cocoon.

This brings us to the last type of generosity – that of the dharma – or as I like to refer as “what has been taught and what has been experienced.” So we are open to the words of the dharma – the books we read, words we hear – but we also are open to our lived experience of these teachings – how we practice and digest them in our day to day lives. how for example the experience of fearlessness is riding on a roller coaster of emotions and uncertainty.

That brings me to our current context – how might generosity produce peace?

I believe when we are generous to ourselves and others – in all of these ways – not just the material way – but also in an uncompromising open fearlessness that is contextualized by our study and practice – that brings a tremendous connection with our larger world – the everyday phenomena of reading the news, cooking, being with family and friends. this connection, in the most absolute sense IS peace. Not peace in the sense of a pacific sense, but that we are not conflicted – at war – with our relationships. We are content.

There might be tremendous negative emotions, but to be completely generous with ourselves – and our relationship(s) with the world – there is an authenticity that is laid bare through an understanding of how we’re connected materially, emotionally, and dharmically. We understand that connection to our community – but also to our government, other governments, people across the globe.

The peace is that we are in authentic and genuine relationship having been open on the different levels of material being, fear and fearlessness, and the teachings – and becomes “the ornament of the world.”

Elaine Yuen
May 1, 2020

 

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Upcoming workshops and classes

So, What’s It Like To Be Asian In The Shambhala Community?

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Date: Sunday, February 6, 2022 (3 PM EST or 15:00 -16:00)
Patron Price: $20.00

I’ve been in the Shambhala community since the early 1970s, but recently, in the midst of current conversations around race, ethnicity, and belonging, took some time to consider my Asian American identity, and how it “shows up” in different contexts. What are the cultural and political differences, and how do I “belong” to diverse social/community groups? Using a personal lens as a starting point, I would like to invite you to join me in considering how our experiences of culture – learned from birth as well as from current contexts – intersects with behaviors and stances that variously evolve into group belonging or political activity. Of particular interest is how Shambhala practices and teachings of meditation and warriorship might support this contemplation.

calendar-details – Shambhala Online

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Being Tara

Interested in visualization practice?  Tara practice encourages us to tune into her quality of compassion that protects from obstacles to health and supports long life.  This talk will explore how Tara practice works with our thoughts, emotions and sense perceptions to create a field of kindness, clarity, and power.  I hope to see you there!

January 9, 2022 at 11 am EST – White Tara Practice (Online) with Dr. Elaine Yuen | Shambhala Meditation Center of Philadelphia

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The Buddhist Journey: An Overview of Teachings and Practices

Part I:  First Turning Teachings – September 16 – October 21, 2021

Part II: The Mahayana Path – November 4 – December 16, 2021

Online from 7-9 pm Eastern Standard Time

Register and info here: The Buddhist Journey: An Overview of Teachings and Practices Part I (Online) with Dr. Elaine Yuen & Thomas Berthoff | Shambhala Meditation Center of Philadelphia

This two-part course will explore the transformational aspects of teachings and practices of the Buddhist Path within the context of Buddhist history, texts and traditions.  Beginning with insights into how humans generate confusion and habitual patterns, we will explore how those insights become the foundation for compassion and skillful means to work with others in contemporary contexts.

Part One: First Turning Teachings will outline historical as well as psychological aspects of early Buddhism found in the Abhidharma.  Buddhist articulations on the nature of mind, along with important practices, will be included in Part One.

Part Two: The Mahayana Path will explore how compassion is engendered, and the path of the Bodhisattva (Awake Being).   An overview of Vajrayana perspectives and practices, such as Dzogchen and Mahamudra, will be included.

Although Parts One and Two are best taken as a sequence, Part One is not a pre-requisite for Part Two, and they may be taken separately.

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Finding Balance in Challenging Times

I’m on a panel with my colleagues in India and Thailand – check it out at  https://www.buddhistdoor.net/news/deer-park-institute-announces-webinar-finding-balance-in-challenging-times

Saturday, 27 February, 19:00–21:00 (New Delhi)
Saturday, 27 February, 08:30–10:30 (Montréal, New York)
Saturday, 27 February, 05:30–07:30 (Los Angeles, Vancouver)

The event is open to everyone and is free of charge. To register, email: info@nulldeerpark.in

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Friday Night Talk: Cultural Humility: Opening the Heart and Listening to Basic Goodness with Elaine Yuen | Shambhala Meditation Center of Boston

January 29 at 7 pm Eastern time, 8 Atlantic, 4 Mountain, 5 Pacific time

Especially these days, genuine communication and connection with all people and their manifestation of basic goodness is key.  Cultural humility is a practice that encourages respectful partnerships through the exploration of similarities and differences between the histories, priorities, goals, and capacities of these groups, and is a lifelong process of self-reflection and self-critique that supports cultural difference. This presentation will explore how we might open our hearts to others, as well as listen and allow for conversation, longings and desires.

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Mindful Communication in Modern Times / October 4 and 18 

In October, I’m zooming in with young folks at Dharma Drum Mountain in Los Angeles.  Contact me if you’re interested!

 

 

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Contemplative Caregiving / October 29 / 7:00-8:30 pm EST / Philadelphia Shambhala Center

In this program, we will discuss specific ways that our Buddhist understandings of suffering and basic goodness directly inform caring for self and others in contemporary times.
For more details and to register: https://philadelphia.shambhala.org/program-details/?id=463743

 

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Contact Elaine Yuen • elaineyuen@aol.com