Table of Contents
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xvii
1 Joining the Great We 1
Four Pure Insights 4
Releasing the Delusion of Separateness 6
Admitting Our Suffering, Opening to Community 9
Entering the Field in the Fellowship of Others 10
Mindfulness Practice for Step One: Resting in the Field of Awakened Ones 11
2 Coming To 15
Seeing Our Internal Response to Events 17
Awakened Beings Are Just like You and Me 20
Restored to Sanity by Touching Our "True Face" 21
Accessing Our True Nature through a Still Mind 22
Mindfulness Practice for Step Two: Prepare for Sitting 24
Mindfulness Practice for Step Two: Breathing and Noting Meditation 25
3 Taking Refuge 27
Step Three as Taking Refuge in the "Three Gems" 29
Taking Refuge in Awakening (Buddha) 31
Taking Refuge in the Path of Mindfulness, Understanding, and Love (Dharma) 34
Taking Refuge in Community (Sangha) 36
Mindfulness Practice for Step Three: Three Refuges Prayer 40
4 Entering the Green Dragon's Cave 43
Three Sources of Shame 45
Entering the Dragon's Cave-a Path beyond Shame 48
Facing Our Ambivalence about Step Four 49
The Eightfold Path as a Moral Inventory 53
Mindfulness Practice for Step Four: Inventory of the Eight Gates 55
5 Placing Ourselves in the Cradle of Kindness 63
A Release from the Burden of Self 65
Step Five as Loving Kindness 67
Growing Loving Kindness through Meditation 70
The Ancient Structure of Call-and-Response 71
Mindfulness Practice for Step Five: Loving Kindness Meditation 72
6 Turning Over a New Leaf 77
Cutting through Confusion with Awareness 78
Seeing the Anatomy of a Character Defect 79
Defects as Delusions-the "Daughters of Mara" 82
The Delusion of Skandha-Mara-a Distorted Sense of Self 83
The Delusion of Klesfia-Mara-Unskillful Responses to Emotions 84
The Delusion of Devaputra-Mara-Escaping into Pleasure 87
The Delusion of Yama-Mara-Thinking We're in Control 88
Recognizing Our Delusions 89
Asking God to Remove Defects Starts with Mindfulness 93
Mindfulness Practice for Step Six: How Does Mara Hook You? 93
7 Vowing with the Help of All Beings 97
Hitting the Pause Button 98
Step Seven as Touching Our Buddha Nature 99
The Power of Aspiration 100
Aspiration and Determination Create Our Vow 102
Releasing Shortcomings through Vows 103
Examples of Vows 104
Mindfulness Practice for Step Seven: Write a Personal Vow 106
8 Finding Pearls in the Dust-Bin 109
Seeing Our Shadow, Ending our Isolation 111
Just the Right Amount of Remorse 113
Starting with the Smallest Desire to Make Amends 116
Making Direct Amends Wherever Possible 118
Making Amends by Speaking Up 120
Experiencing the Grace of Forgiveness 121
Mindfulness Practice for Steps Eight and Nine 122
9 Standing on the Ground of Our Deeds 125
Three Times to Reflect on Our Actions 126
Taking an Evening Inventory with Naikan Practice 132
Mindfulness Practice for Step Ten: Taking a Naikan Inventory 139
10 Making Conscious Contact 143
Breathing into Prayer and Meditation 145
Going against the Grain of Unmindful Living 146
Watering the Seeds of Our Buddha Nature 147
Living from a Full Cup 148
No Striving-Just Sit 152
Conscious Contact Lets Our True Self Emerge 153
Mindfulness Practice for Step Eleven 155
11 Remembering Our True Face 163
Awakening the Mind of Love 164
Two Levels of Bodhichitta 166
Awakening in the Space between Thoughts 167
Notes 171
About the Author 183
