Listen "Taking Refuge"
Episode Synopsis
Tonight, we will discuss the practice of “taking refuge” as it relates to the question of suffering and the ending of suffering. During discussion I want us to clarify the difference between psychological suffering and what we might describe as our natural emotional responses that arise from being creatures who become attached to each other. I don’t think that grief should necessarily be problematized, however, it can get complicated by the thinking mind.
So, in some ways, I want to suggest, that we can, at times at least, bring an end to psychological suffering but natural emotions such as grief, we don’t want to bring an end to them, because they are simply manifestations of our love; but neither do we want to complicate them or dissociate off from them. We can add an unnecessary layer of psychological suffering on top of the raw grief. So our core practice of nonseparation from this moment is the key guide to how we approach this experientially. We will explore what it means to take refuge experientially, and what it means to clarify suffering and the ending of suffering experientially.
So, in some ways, I want to suggest, that we can, at times at least, bring an end to psychological suffering but natural emotions such as grief, we don’t want to bring an end to them, because they are simply manifestations of our love; but neither do we want to complicate them or dissociate off from them. We can add an unnecessary layer of psychological suffering on top of the raw grief. So our core practice of nonseparation from this moment is the key guide to how we approach this experientially. We will explore what it means to take refuge experientially, and what it means to clarify suffering and the ending of suffering experientially.
More episodes of the podcast Andrew Tootell's OzZen Podcast
Meditation: Bodhisattva's vow
07/10/2025
Meditation: Inner spring cleaning, by Shinso
28/09/2025
Meditation: Cook your Life, by Phil Genkai
09/09/2025
Our Core Practices Part Two
17/08/2025
Meditation: Labelling, by Louise Shinsho
12/08/2025
Our Core Practices Part One
20/07/2025
Meditation: The Five Remembrances, by Sono
15/07/2025
Finding peace and joy amidst climate grief
06/07/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.