Eve is a long time student of the dharma. She began practicing Vipassana in the early 1990s, trained in mindfulness-based social action through the two-year Path of Engagement program at Spirit Rock. and is a certified meditation teacher through the Community Dharma Leader Program. Eve is also a performing artist and co-founded the feminist folk trio Rebecca Riots(1993-2009). They were dubbed “Best Band with a Conscience” by the SF Bay Guardian, toured nationally, and released five CDs. In 2006 Eve released a solo CD, “Commentary on the Perfections of the Heart”, ten original songs based on a Buddhist list of qualities that promote a contented heart. A review of the CD in Tricycle magazine said, “Decker’s melodies, and her luscious, inventive phrasing, give her songs the power of a transmission”. Here's what James Baraz has to say, "Listening to Eve’s songs are often just what I need to remind myself of the truth inside. They’ve been a big part of my daily life practice to inspire and open my heart. I love Eve Decker’s music!"
The Buddha taught transcending (and not identifying with) the thinking mind through present moment awareness. He also taught about using the thinking mind skillfully to incline toward wholesome, well-being inducing states. These two bodies of practice are different but each crucial in their own way, and support each other. This talk looks at working with both mindfulness of the present moment and using imagery (a form of the thinking mind) to skillfully invoke peaceful states.
The Buddha taught that the two wings of awakening are wisdom and compassion. Compassion is much more than a concept, and it's more than a feeling. It's an understanding, a motivation, and an ever-growing collection of pragmatic responses to distress that we have available internally for ourselves and others.
The Buddha taught that the two wings of awakening are wisdom and compassion. Compassion is much more than a concept, and it's more than a feeling. It's an understanding, a motivation, and an ever-growing collection of pragmatic responses to distress that we have available internally for ourselves and others.
The Buddha's teachings point to the need for clear understanding of our own minds and hearts, along with intention, compassion, and practice. As the adage goes, we must become the ones we seek while we work to change (or even consistently comfort) the world. To do that, we need to know what's going on for us internally and know how to wisely self-soothe when we are experiencing distress. The Buddha taught this, and this teaching is pretty precisely echoed in neuroscience and current psychology, including (but not limited to) Compassion Focused Therapy; Polyvagal Theory; and Internal Family Systems. The Buddha observed reality and neuroscientists are doing the same.
The Buddha said that "Hatred will never end by hatred, by love alone will it end". He also taught that we can exacerbate our suffering with the stories and beliefs we have going on in our minds. The remedies he shared to cope with suffering fall under the umbrella terms 'wisdom' and 'compassion'. Join Eve for a look at some specific teachings and practices to help us work with painful mental/emotional states.
The Buddha's third foundation of mindfulness - mindfulness of mind states - give us directions that allow us to see mental-emotional patterns clearly without negative judgment or identification. This approach to habits we often identify as "self" gives us a very helpful way to work difficult emotions. The motivation that the Buddha stated repeatedly for his teachings and practices was to find direct ways to end suffering. This intention applies as much today as it did in his time almost 2,600 years ago.
The Buddha's second foundation of mindfulness - vedana in Pali or 'feeling tone' - is a powerful and often under-utilized teaching and practice that can help us work skillfully with difficult emotions. The motivation that the Buddha stated repeatedly for his teachings and practices was to find direct ways to end suffering. This intention applies as much today as it did in his time almost 2,600 years ago.
An exploration of emotions, and the Buddha's teaching on mindfulness as an antidote for working with them. The motivation that the Buddha stated repeatedly for his teachings and practices was to find direct ways to end suffering. This intention applies as much today as it did in his time almost 2,600 years ago.
The Four Noble Truths were called "Dependent Origination, telegram-style" by Buddhist teacher Venerable Ayya Khema. Dependent Origination has also been called a 'mysterious rune'! We will take a look at this foundational teaching/insight and see if it has useful application for us in our pursuit of experiencing and offering well-being. The motivation that the Buddha stated repeatedly for his teachings and practices was to find direct ways to end suffering. This intention applies as much today as it did in his time almost 2,600 years ago.
We will look at the general teaching and then apply it to the distress of anxiety. The foundational motivation that the Buddha stated repeatedly for his teachings and practices was to find direct ways to end suffering. This intention applies as much today as it did in his time almost 2,600 years ago.
Wise Speech.
The foundational motivation that the Buddha stated repeatedly for his teachings and practices was to find direct ways to end suffering. This intention applies as much today as it did in his time almost 2,600 years ago.
The foundational motivation that the Buddha stated repeatedly for his teachings and practices was to find direct ways to end suffering. This intention applies as much today as it did in his time almost 2,600 years ago.
This talk looks at the first factor in the Buddha's Eightfold Noble Path: Wise Understanding.
The foundational motivation that the Buddha stated repeatedly for his teachings and practices was to find direct ways to end suffering. This intention applies as much today as it did in his time almost 2,600 years ago.
Noble Truths 3 and 4
We will continue our exploration of the Four Noble Truths.
The foundational motivation that the Buddha stated repeatedly for his teachings and practices was to find direct ways to end suffering. This intention applies as much today as it did in his time almost 2,600 years ago.
This talk discusses the Four Noble Truths. The foundational motivation that the Buddha stated repeatedly for his teachings and practices was to find direct ways to end suffering. This intention applies as much today as it did in his time almost 2,600 years ago.
This talk includes reflections, practice, and a song pointing to the essential practices that support integrity. Known as "sila" in Pali, wise speech, action, and livelihood and the Five Things (precepts) both lead to and express awakening. Let's look at why and how.
Reflections and practices pointing to the important insight into interconnection. The realization of "anatta" - no separate self - is foundational to the Buddhist teachings. It becomes available with mindfulness practice and is a part of both our own awakening and our ability to courageously act on behalf of Earth and her inhabitants.
Called to engage with, and do what we can to alleviate, suffering in the world, it's essential that we include ourselves and our own suffering in our circle of care. If we don't, our own suffering will be added to the larger suffering. Habituating practices and tools for grounding and coming back to presence is wise action born from wise understanding. Thich Nhat Hanh said, "Everyone knows that peace has to begin with oneself, but not many people know how to do it." Our calm is a gift we give. Join Eve in exploring some teachings and practices that help us return to calm, so we can engage as skillfully as possible with life's suffering.
Thich Nhat Hanh, beloved Vietnamese monk and peace activist, coined the term "Engaged Buddhism" when, during the great suffering of the Vietnam war, it no longer felt appropriate to many monastics to stay inside the monastery. There was a need to take action. However, as practitioners directly addressed the suffering, they stayed grounded in and guided from practice. We will be exploring staying connected to and moving from wisdom and compassion as we engage with daily life and the suffering we encounter.
This talk examines some frameworks and practices that can help us return to equanimity (a sense of balance in the midst of things as they are, from which wise response can more easily arise).
This talk examines some frameworks and practices that can help us return to equanimity (a sense of balance in the midst of things as they are, from which wise response can more easily arise).
This talk examines some frameworks and practices that can help us return to equanimity (a sense of balance in the midst of things as they are, from which wise response can more easily arise).
