This weekend, a new weekly session of teachings and meditation began in the Kitisuru area of Nairobi with the arrival of Lama Tenzin Yongdu to guide the sessions. On Saturday, the first session began with a ceremony to purify and dedicate a shrine to H.E. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche. Afterwards, there was a group meditation and then the first in a series of teachings on ‘Lojong’ or the Seven Points of Mind Training. Lama Tenzin spoke this week of the first Point, ‘Train in the Preliminaries’. I found this to be most interesting. The preliminaries are the foundation of mental development consisting of reflections on the nature of this existence and on the opportunity to be free from this endless cycle of confusion and suffering. These reflections turn the mind in the direction of the Dharma. Traditionally, the four reflections are:
- The Difficulty of Finding a Human Birth
- Death and Impermanence
- The Infallible Law of Cause and Effect (Karma)
- The Inherent Tragedies of Samsara
I seems to me that these are like the initial and very necessary establishment of Right View leading to Right Intention, as found in the Noble Eight Fold Path. These reflections create the correct and necessary platform from which we can develop the mind and successfully overcome the obstacles that we will face in our practice.
Lama Tenzin will be continuing his teaching on ‘Lojong’ and I will be joining him each Saturday during his stay with us. Lama Tenzin will also be joining me every Sunday for our weekly Teaching and meditation in the Kilimani area of Nairobi where we will continue to examine the Dhamma Discourses of the Buddha. Everyone is most welcome to join us on either or both days each weekend. Please contact me for more information. Saturday was a wonderful start to these new weekly sessions in Kitisuru, with many more to follow. Join us.
