BRN Academy

Indigenous societies recognize individuals holding our personal power as original medicine. The shadow of our false self is purified as we strengthen our authentic self through the practice of coming home to our truth and power. The teachings of the Buddha and indigenous wisdom build this foundation of truth, trust and love.

This month in our Buddhist Recovery Workshop series Vimalasara led us in a guided meditation and Dharma talk.

Life is naturally difficult and disappointing. All living creatures are programmed to seek security and safety, and as humans, we also seek certainty. As a result, we often live life as unconscious prisoners of fear.  Fear of this world and of a next world, fear of sickness and of death, fear of insecurity and of...

 Myokei Caine-Barrett currently holds the position of Bishop of the Nichiren Shu Buddhist Order of North America.  She is the first woman and the first American to hold this position.  She is also the first American woman and first person of African American-Japanese descent to be fully ordained, having completed this process in 2007 with ...

  Our bodies hold so much that we’re not aware of. Our shoulders are tight, our jaws are clenched. This tenseness is often a reaction to cravings, aversions, and other habits of mind that we’re also unaware of. In this meditation and talk, Mary will invite us to relax the body and mind which allows...

So much of our lives can be driven by unconscious reactivity: the endless struggle to avoid painful or negative feelings. With mindfulness meditation, we can develop the skill of patience and presence, so that we can experience calm and contentment even in the midst of all of the challenges of our lives.

With any experience, there is a felt sense that arises within us before the onslaught of stories and emotions. It often happens so quickly that we are unaware of it. These feeling tones set in motion the habitual reactions of our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that we get caught up in.   The Buddha taught us...