Summary of Basic Mindfulness

Einstein said he knew he was on the right track when the equations became beautiful and symmetrical. He also pointed out that sometimes things aren’t as simple as we would like them to be. 

So one way to look at scientific creativity might be as an interplay of contraction and expansion – trying to get things to be as simple as possible but at the same time not glossing over significant subtleties and complexities. 

From time to time, I like to explore different ways of organizing what I’ve learned over my years of study and practice—see how simple I can get things to be. I look upon my formulation, which I call the Basic Mindfulness System, as a contribution to a world-wide “program.” Not program in the computer science sense but rather program in the sense of an ongoing endeavor that may take generations to realize. In other words, program in the sense that landing a human on the moon was a program. The ultimate goal is to create a true science and an effective technology of enlightenment. It may take humanity decades to complete this program but at least the vision is clear now.

Just for fun, here’s my latest attempt at presenting in a beautiful and symmetrical way a “grand theory of everything” regarding human contemplative spirituality. 

Basic Mindfulness: Summary of the System

Vive Les Geeks!

I just got back from Buddhist Geeks. It was great. Got a chance to reconnect with a lot of my old friends and to make a few new ones.

Here are some pics and description. (A huge thanks to Har-Prakash Khalsa – he took all of these photos except where otherwise noted.)

With Leigh Brasington and Har-Prakash Khalsa 

Horsing around with Daniel Ingram

With Gary Weber 

With Diane Hamilton. I lent her my signature Blues Brother’s hat.
(For more about the hat, see the comments I made on this blogpost.)

With ~C4Chaos

(pic courtesy of ~C4Chaos)

Dave Vago reports on our Harvard results

I mount our Harvard results within the framework of history

Visual summary of the Basic Mindfulness System. (I’ll blog about the meaning of this summary soon.)

A visual outline of our Harvard results 

(Drawn by KellyKingman)

Another view with ~C4Chaos

(pic courtesy of ~C4Chaos)

I pontificate on the The Meaning of Life

A visual outline of the Meaning of life
(Drawn by KellyKingman)

The ABCs of Being a Good Human Being  

(Detail from Meaning of Life drawn by Kelly Kingman)

5 Factors Involved in Positive Behavior Change
(Detail from Meaning of Life drawn by Kelly Kingman)

Interplay of Emptiness and Form
(Detail from Meaning of Life drawn by Kelly Kingman)

Transparent Dharma Dialogue

There's a growing group of people worldwide who advocate what might be described as "transparent dharma dialogue."  Transparent dharma dialogue has two characteristics:

1. A willingness to speak openly and frankly about anything and everything one personally experiences in the course of practice, and 
2. a willingness to question the standard formulations of historical Buddhism.

I think that this is a very good trend but I also think that it is best carried out from a place of lightness and humor (and, therefore, by implication, a place of genuine humility).

Among bloggers in this field, my friend ~C4Chaos provides a great example of the lightness and humor criterion. If you want to have some fun, check out his latest:

 http://www.c4chaos.com/2013/08/touch-the-groove-of-my-kickass-dharma-mix/