Developing a Sustainable Meditation Practice
with Elaine Jackson
Shakyamuni Buddha told his disciples not to believe what he taught just because he said it. He told them they must investigate, explore, and examine how the mind fabricates its experience of the world until they have no doubt in their heart. Mind fabricates its experience of the world. How does it do that? What is mind? This is the ultimate question because to see the true nature of mind directly, and unmistakably, is freedom—the freedom to create the happiness we all seek. Meditation is the tool we use to investigate, explore, and examine the mind. Establishing a sustainable meditation practice is how we unlock the door to freedom.
Longtime Buddhist practitioner Elaine Jackson shares her open, honest reflection on life’s potential and the amazing opportunity we all have to generate a joyful attitude and a wish to do something worthwhile with our life. When we understand how we create our world, we have the potential to make choices that will bring joy rather than sorrow. There are uncountable methods and meditation practices to gain this knowledge. In these sessions, Elaine delves into some basic steps that have helped her grow her practice in a sustainable way.
Recording
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About the Teacher
Elaine Jackson is a founding member of Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture located in Boulder Creek, California. She has been a student of Tibetan Buddhism since 1977 and has studied with many of the greatest Buddhist teachers of our time, primarily in the Gelug Tibetan Buddhist tradition of the FPMT.
Elaine has served as executive director of Vajrapani Institute and was also their resident teacher for several years, retiring in 2021.
In addition to engaging in annual month-long solitary retreats for over 20 years, she also completed a three-year retreat in 2014. Currently, she lives a contemplative life off-the-grid in the Santa Cruz mountains, while offering Dharma teachings and meditation support.
