The Heart's Intention: Guided Meditation and Dharma Talk with Teresa Miller

The Heart's Intention

Guided Meditation and Dharma Talk

with Teresa Miller

“The Heart’s Intention is a reflection on how wise intention operates in real life. Seated on the cushion, alone at home or on retreat, we understand what wise intention is - 'being resolved on freedom from ill-will, on harmlessness. This is called wise intention.' But in our work settings or with family interactions, what understandings about intention might help us navigate the muddled, churning elements in "the sea of change and impermanence?"

Dharma Talk Transcript

Resources:

[The Buddha to his son:] "What do you think, Rahula: What is a mirror for?"
[Rahula:] "For reflection, sir."
[The Buddha:] "In the same way, Rahula, bodily acts, verbal acts, and mental acts are to be done with repeated reflection.”
“And what is wise intention? Being resolved on freedom from ill-will, on harmlessness: This is called wise intention.”

"The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character.
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love,
Born out of compassion for all human beings.
As the shadow follows the body,
As we think, so we become."

“Hatred is never ended by hatred. By non-hatred is hatred ended. This is the eternal law.”
Have compassion for everyone you meet,
even if they don’t want it. What seems conceit,
bad manners, or cynicism is always a sign
of things no ears have heard, no eyes have seen.
You do not know what wars are going on
down there where the spirit meets the bone.
(“Compassion” by Miller Williams)

“May we gather to remember, may we gather the pieces,
may we gather to repair, and may we gather to liberate together.”