James Baraz in Conversation with Romy Schlichting (Part 1)

Good day. [bell] Yeah. Guns hat. So James, welcome, James. So great to see you again here. Third time in a row. Um and yeah great to see all of you here. Some of you from the Tuesday evening kalyana evening and some of you from James SA European SA >> I thought it's good for us all definitely helps me James my heart is a bit pounding [laughter] >> to start with a short silence guided by names if that's okay. >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And maybe you want to say something before we start with a silence. >> Yeah. >> Um you've hugged already many persons but >> not everyone. >> Hi. Hello. Hello. Um, it's so nice to be here for the third time in a row. Uh, thank you so much, Romy, for inviting me and bringing us all here together. Um, I love coming to Munich. I stay with my dear friends uh, Robert and where is Sabine? Oh, there you are, Sabine. Yanaki and Sabine is going to be um teaching a retreat that we're starting on Sunday. I think there it's just there might be a space or two uh available in case somebody is raring to go on a retreat. Um, and um, and Sabina is a wonderful teacher and I just want to let people know [laughter] she's great. Um, and um, so I love coming to Munich both to stay with Robert and and Sabina and um, and with my dear friend Burnernhard. Bernhard was the translator of the the German edition of Awakening Joy. >> So he holds a a very special place in my heart and besides he's uh he's a a good friend uh and I I love being with him and with his wife Andrea. So I have friends here and it's always great to be with old friends and it's always great to make new friends. So thanks for coming here and sharing the evening. Um >> yes >> this lady here has a hearing >> to speak louder. >> Okay. [clears throat and laughter] Shall I speak louder? >> No. >> Uh as far as how much to share? is equinimity. >> [clears throat] >> Yeah, this very high for the flow. Okay. Um yeah on the spot. for James. for this. Yeah, in terms of organization, maybe if we need a little break, short PE break, we do it. >> Yeah. >> Um and and [clears throat] otherwise we just go with the flow. >> Sounds good. >> And start with silent. >> Yeah. But one one more thing I just want to say about Romy who uh I met uh through well she did the awakening joy course that I teach and went through the teacher training and um it's been a real pleasure to uh uh to [clears throat] meet you and just to see all the good work that you do and uh you you meet here every Tuesday night. >> Yeah. Um and um she's a Rome is a teacher in the um uh Buddha house and uh Ayaka >> uh >> context >> tradition um and but she is her own teacher who brings her own spirit and uh so nice to to be with you and thank you for all your work. >> Thanks a lot. >> Yeah. [laughter] So, are you we ready for a little quiet and then we have some conversation? I'll just share a few words just to settle us in. Romy asked if I'd share my style of just gathering people. So, I'll say a few words and then we'll be quiet. So what I like to do is uh just to arrive here, feel yourself sitting here on the ground or in a chair and feel the earth underneath you supporting you and appreciate that you're being held by our beautiful mother earth. And then as you sit here, let go of the day. Let go of the past. Let go of the future. And arrive here in the present moment. The best moment to be alive. the only moment to be fully alive. I like to take a few deeper breaths and breathing in a calming energy. Let it fill your whole your whole body, your whole being. And as you breathe out these deeper breaths, just relax and let go. Let go of anything that you don't need and let yourself be at ease and rest. And then when it feels right to just let the breath find its own natural energy, let the breath breathe you without needing to force or make anything happen. Yeah. The breath can be a place that you can connect and rest in the moment. Uh if you prefer uh you might find that sitting and feeling your body posture is a another uh a more helpful way for you to come back. But just being here in the present moment knowing that you're sitting here alive and breathing. Uh let that be a place of home for you. And as you settle into the present moment, let the awareness allow for whatever ever is here to be here. If there are sounds, just allow for the sounds. Here's sounds hearing. If there are sensations, then you can simply notice that. If there are [snorts] feelings, emotions, make space for them and meet them with kindness. If there are thoughts, and there probably will be, whenever you realize that your mind has wandered, no judgment at all. Don't take it personally. It's just what minds do. And when you realize you've been gone, appreciate that you're here knowing that. And then bring your attention back with a lot of kindness and patience and be here once again knowing what's happening now. And whatever is here meet it with kindness and presence and a a relaxed interested awareness. One moment at a time. Just as we end the meditation before we we do um have the intention for our time here together to support us all in as much well-being as as possible. [music] >> [bell] [music] >> Yeah. Don, thank you, James. You too. I'm going to say to give people who are not familiar with you a few biographical uh pieces of information but the essence of [snorts] what inspires me [sighs] about you as a teacher. The essence of your path was already in this meditation. These are meditating. Yeah. Yeah. Fore [sighs and gasps] for me in kite. Alice and James Le. You're teaching almost five decades. You have been teaching for almost five decades. Um, yeah. >> That means I'm an old man >> and you started very young. How how [clears throat] young were you when you started? when I started teaching. >> When you started teaching >> so long ago, um 1978 >> I know. >> Oh, almost 50 years ago. Just did use 50 years. But you >> Yeah, I I was 31. >> 31. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um Spirit Rock Centers of Mention. spirit rock. I think what's important about spirit rock, it's not just for yourself, it's also about how you can put that into life. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. communities. James, the heavenly messenger group. network Community Dharma leader program. What is that actually? The community dharma leader program. Senior students who are nominated by teachers uh dharma teachers come together and uh go through a two-year training about um deepening practice learning but also going back to their communities around >> the US and abroad >> so that they can develop be be leaders in their communities and bring people together like this. >> It's a bit like a large scale uh awakening joy teachers training. >> That's true. Only we started it close to 30 years ago. >> Yeah. training. [laughter] Awakening Joy [clears throat] this is very helpful you know to also uh in the awakening joy program we can meet you regularly on zoom I'm still in touch with Linda my mentor and my deeply appreciated mentor and there is meetings uh Sylvia Plantatis organizes amongst our teachings so community sa is inund Earth Dharma is a kugish motivated. Maybe you could explain about um your activities and one earth dharma as an organization. Mhm. Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Well, one um as as Rome was saying, uh besides deep deepening practice at Spirit Rock where there's retreats around around the year, one after another after another. Uh there are programs applying the dharma. Uh and one area that I am very um caring about is uh is climate and the environment and loving [snorts] our earth. Um so one earth sa you can see it online one if you it's it's in English but um oneearsa.org or um fabulous [snorts] programs, trainings, teachings um and people can um can find it's a what is it called? A virtual ecodharma center in response to uh climate change uh dharma response to climate change. fabulous teachings. Uh I'm I'm one of the um teacher adviserss to one earth sa and also in the last year now almost two years spirit rock was given a grant um by a foundation in in the US to um create a very um uh robust uh dharma program for um climate activists, leaders and dharma students who want to um apply their dharma practice to climate. So we put on this is at spare rock. This is a different than one earth but it's the ecodharma transformational cultural program etc. And we put on um retreats and trainings and uh workshops sponsored by this grant. So people come, climate leaders and activists can come free and their transportation is covered. It's really good. Young people and climate leaders. So that's something. Um there are eight teachers in the the teaching team and we have wonderful inspiring uh teachers that we bring in as well. So uh yeah, climate I think is a very important thing to keep in mind if we're all about reducing suffering. Um there's going to be um a lot of suffering to be reduced. Um there is now as you can see. So um that gives an additional meaning to the practice. It's not just about being quiet inside but how can we share the teachings in a meaningful way. >> It's so great to know that these movements exist in the United States because what we hear in the news at the moment >> is mostly well nothing about that. it's the opposite. It's great to have you here and um all these topics I cover them now roughly but please note down questions um and in the first part I will ask a few questions I want to ask James I have wanted to ask James for a long time and then it's great if you come in with your questions about whatever born earth dharma whatever uh comes to your mind >> okay >> I will say one other new uh project that I've been that I'm involved with uh we are starting a a men's program for consciousness in men if that's not an oxymoron um [laughter] that um um for um happening with two two uh very wonderful leaders in the men's movement starting in October for nine months with some wonderful guest speakers Jack Kornfield and Chris Gurmer and other really wonderful um people um and to to really it's called Strength with Heart and what it means to be a real man in these times because uh that seems to be a very important thing to have a another orientation about um being a man and honoring the power but not power over power [clears throat] with and um so I'm I'm actually very excited about that. That's a that's a new stretch for me. I don't know if I shared that with you. >> That's great. No, you >> you can go to the Spirit Rock website. If you're a man or [laughter] if you're a woman who thinks a man would be helped by this, uh just go to uh spiritrock.org and go to um strength with heart. That's it. Maybe I can share it with you. So uh is it possible to participate in these programs even via Zoom? >> It's that it's all online. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And some of the programs that we many of the programs that we do are online. Um so uh if you come to California, >> come to Spirit Rock. It's a really great place, but there's many things that you can you can do online. >> Yeah. Great to know. I would love to meet these men. >> [laughter] >> They are somewhere around here. >> Okay. Maybe we we found a branch here. We we have to talk about that >> with a man. Of course. With a man as a >> teacher. Yeah. [sighs] Um may I ask you a few personal questions about your first of all, do you still live in Berkeley? I do. >> California. >> Berkeley, California. A great place to [laughter] live. >> Yeah. Uh with your wife Jane? >> Yes. Uh, probably your two adult sons have a home of their own. >> One [snorts] nearby and one down in Los Angeles. Yeah. Okay. >> I have two sons. Yeah. >> And the one with the grandchildren. Do both have children? >> Just the one? >> Just the one? >> Mhm. >> Because I read you've got three grandchildren. >> Is that still the number? Yeah. Okay. >> As far as I know. Yeah. >> Congratulations. [laughter] >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. Uh James, first of all, you've been practicing and teaching the dharma for, as we said, almost five decades. Um looking back, what has been the greatest transformation in your own life because of this practice? Um, and Romy had had sent these some questions. She said, "I have some questions for you >> yesterday night." Yesterday night [laughter] >> and I uh and I was thinking about that. you know, it's it's hard to say just one thing, but I'd >> um I'd say one of the one of the things that besides having a deep trust in life and um feeling so grateful to be alive and to be exposed to the dharma. I'd say the one one major shift from when I started to now that I like to share in the awakening joy course and and the book which you know uh is that um I didn't I didn't like myself a whole lot when I started this. I mean there was I knew it was a good thing. I knew it was uh it was good to to be kind to oneself. Um but um that was one thing that motivated me that um I I wanted to somehow learn to not only express my love for everyone but to uh somehow directed towards here. Um, when I was younger, I'd look in the mirror and go, "Ooh, I don't like what I see." But I can say, and what I try to communicate to, um, to people to invite them, uh, there is a Buddha or whether you call it a Buddha or Quanin or the kingdom of heaven in all of us. And um and so I'd say a major transformation is um I like myself. It seems so silly that it's so little, but I I'm so grateful for who I am and um for being having the life I've lived and that um I love to invite others to do the same. So when I first started that was the major thing. Can I be a my my own good friend? And um and that that's clearly >> happening. >> Yeah. This radiates for me so strongly. It allows me and probably your sa uh also to come more into the liking yourself feeling accepted as you are and then this whole potential can open up. It's like finding the magic key for this Buddha potential. As you say, >> it's like finding the source right inside of you. There's a uh I'm just my mind can go anywhere. So, forgive me. Right now, it's just gone to a a a lyric from an old band. You have to be old enough to know the Moody Blues. Has anybody ever heard of the Moody Blues here? >> And there's one lyric in the Moody Blues that kind of says it all. [clears throat] Forgive me. It says um and when you stop and think about it, you won't believe it's true that all the love you've been giving has all been meant for you. And when you tap into that, you see, oh, everybody else can benefit. So that's what I love to um to communicate and and help awaken. >> Yeah. Thanks. And um you know, have you got a formal or informal practice or both um that either has changed over the years or that has stayed the same? >> Mhm. >> Um yeah. Can you give us a bit of insight into your >> take this >> maybe your daily practice? Yeah. >> Yeah. My my daily practice um I have an agreement with myself that I will get into the posture and sit every day for decades. Usually I sit with my wife in the morning for 30 or 45 minutes. I'll always ask before I my head hits the pillow, when did you meditate today? And if I didn't, I'll sit up right there because I think getting in the posture and honoring the dharma is the most important thing even if it's for five minutes. But um and when I sit [clears throat] I it depends. Mostly I sit I take a few deeper breaths like I just invited you and um settle in and sometimes I'll start with feeling my breath. Uh sometimes I'll just um let go of any kind of program or trying and just relax and be the moment. Uh if my mind wanders, I bring it back. That's for those who can get frustrated with meditation. As I g as I said in the uh the instructions, the key moment in the meditation as I see it is the moment that your mind has wandered. While it's gone, there's not much you can do about it. But when you realize, oh, I've been gone, it's so easy to get into judging yourself. Oh, what a bad meditator I am. Who am I kidding? My mind is everywhere. Don't take it personally. Like I said, it's just what minds do. And so bringing yourself back in a very loving way and beginning again, that's the training right there. So I sit, I just allow. Uh if I need to develop some concentration, I'll do that. Um but mostly it's just sitting and being is my main practice. >> And when you talk about posture, it's it doesn't matter whether it's on the cushion or on the chair. >> I sit in a chair. >> Yeah. >> Those those days are gone. I used to >> I used to be a samurai [clears throat] sitter. Um now it's like, oh, that's what this body is is like. Okay, I don't have to I don't have to struggle. Struggling, this is one of my key um instructions. Struggling is extra. If you're struggling, there's no way that you can connect in an in an easy way with the moment and really um want to be here. Yeah, there it doesn't mean to be lazy but to be sincere and um not to fight reality but just to open to it uh wisely and kindly. Um so I sit and my mind wonders. Okay, come on back. >> Come on back. >> And posture is reminding yourself or of being awake for the moment. And it's usually upright. >> Yeah. Sitting >> it helps. But if your body is such that it doesn't it doesn't work for you to to be upright. If for you lying down is the the way that works for you. The Buddha said sitting, standing, walking, lying down, four postures. It's harder to stay alert lying down. And if you need to lie down, have your eyes open. Maybe put pick a place on the ceiling so you're alert. Um, but whatever posture it's helpful for the most part to be still and uh what will help you be fairly alert. >> Helpful. >> Thanks very much. Yeah. [clears throat] Um I I've noticed that there is so much meta in your um short instruction. Do you do uh specific meta practice in addition? M >> formal or informal or yeah >> sometimes on retreat I teach meta retreats I do it then um but um meta is kind of the foundation of my mindfulness practice. So whatever I'm meeting I'm meeting with kindness and in my practice my my daily practice um that's my basic aspiration >> to be in relation to the world to just um >> just have that kind of a >> a meta field of just um instead of you know meta was given as a as a protection against danger. Maybe many of you know that story and and instead of feeling oh what do they think of me? If you are just uh tuning into the goodness in everyone and you are wishing them well, you're not so preoccupied with how am I doing. Um and so meta is is a basic attitude that I have not so much formally okay I'm going to sometimes I do >> uh but not so much saying phrases uh but somebody might come to mind and I I wish them well. Um yeah, >> thank you so much because this is very similar to what I have um developed my meditation into and also my guided meditations. Meta is always in the attitude I have towards myself and towards what shows >> and um this is very authentic. Whereas the formal meta practice has uh its justification is really important in order to be less ego centered but it can become a bit um yeah it can lead to meta burnout if you try something that's not really there or it can feel sometimes a bit artificial >> or just it's a method. Yeah. But it it's really a synergy I feel of all the qualities Buddha teaches that can meet in them. Yeah, we often at Spirit Rock uh talk about I for many years I talk about kind awareness >> um or uh in in in recent years uh loving awareness is a term uh Ramdas who was one of my main teachers and a very important teacher in the field Jack Kornfield and and others he talks about loving awareness so um it can't a cold awareness or it can be but you miss the the heart quality. >> So um the meta is there to infuse the mindfulness with a a warmth and a friendliness. Mhm. I've read um yeah banter such I don't know whether you know him he did research in the sutas and uh he found that sati the term for mindfulness uh was also described as soft like I don't know whether the term c