When external conditions begin to fluctuate and spin at a fast pace, we need to know how to ground and stabilize ourselves internally. This is what the four foundations of mindfulness are pointing towards. Knowing how to establish mindfulness is an empowerment. It creates agency in oneself and allows us to move through challenging situations with strength and integrity.

In the Honeyball Sutta (MN 18), it says, "What one perceives, that one thinks about. What one thinks about, that one mentally proliferates (or complicates)." And this mental proliferation often leads to "evil unwholesome states" which can cause harm and suffering. When we bring mindfulness to the subtle realm of perception, we start to see more clearly without adding anything extra. This is where equanimity comes in, allowing us to meet life with fewer preferences and with greater mental balance.

In our fast-paced, confusing, unjust world, it's easy - perhaps even natural - to feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or caught in cycles of reactivity. Fortunately, the Buddha's Middle Path offers us another way (namely Wise View, Wise Intention, Wise Speech, Wise Action, Wise Livelihood, Wise Effort, Wise Mindfulness & Wise Concentration). This Dharma talk will explore and illuminate how the eight trainings of the Middle Path can help us establish a more balanced and embodied approach to life's many challenges. We could sum it up as resilience. Drawing from our traditional practices and of sitting and walking meditation, we'll delve into a re-embodying approach that fosters buoyancy, clarity, and compassion, even in the most difficult situations. The teachings will be suitable for both beginners and seasoned practitioners seeking to enrich their practice with embodied mindfulness. The evening's session will help practitioners ground their meditation in the felt sense of the body, making the profound teachings of the Dharma more accessible and alive in everyday life, with all its joys, sorrows and surprises.