Laura Bridgman began her Dhamma practice in her early teens, and eventually ordained as a nun with Ajahn Sumedho in 1995. She was resident at Amaravati and Chithurst monasteries for eighteen years until moving out to live as a solitary nun in 2010. She has spent extended periods of time with the Burmese teacher Sayadaw U Tejaniya. In 2015 Laura left the monastic tradition to pursue the Diamond Heart (Ridhwan) spiritual path alongside her Vipassana practice. There is much over-lap as it incorporates Buddhist principles and practices.
The mind is a delicate and responsive instrument. Balancing faith and effort, sati uses gentleness and patience and we learn what is peaceful and natural.
Questions are précised and some are read later into the file to protect participants’ anonymity. 00:00 Your explanation of sati as putting a ring around proliferation makes sense to me. How best to do the ring-fencing? 12:46 Q2 Does the Buddha say what the purpose of human life is? 17:39 Q3 What happens when you die? 22:37 Q4 Could you speak more about citta resting in itself. 27:24 Q5 Am I trying to do too much when holding a sense of ground and releasing boundaries for myself? 30:20 Q6 Boundaries in relationships when caring for elderly parents.
Composure is an inner experience of what's arising, not dependent on our normal preferences and reactions. Sometimes called vipassana we’re aware subtle or strong currents, noticing and not reacting.
Understanding and engaging with energies we bring into a retreat can help us to be aware of and shed reactions to them. This transition is an important learning opportunity.
(Questions are précised and read later into the file to protect participants’ anonymity) 00:12 Q1 One-pointedness; 08:22 Q2 Can you comment on the widely taught practice of one pointed concentration; 16:31 Q3 I struggle with narratives filled with self-limiting beliefs I create in meditation and daily life. Can you help with this please?; 30:31 Q4 When do we choose open curiosity versus directed compassion or loving kindness? What is the relationship between them and their utility?
