The Heart Of Practice

Be the Light

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2025 14:44

Upon his great awakening, Sotesan, our founding master, said: When the moon rises while a fresh breeze blows, the myriad forms become naturally clear. In this dharma talk, Reverend WonGong teaches us the meaning of this short verse and reflects upon the role of light in Won Buddhism.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Self Examination

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 11:41

In this talk on using the Dharma to combat depression, Anne Freeman imagines a conversation between herself, Master Sotesan, the founding teacher of Won Buddhism, and Emily Dickinson. What do these two figures say about dealing with difficult emotions and the evening blues? How can we use meditation to clear the weeds of disturbance from our mind field?www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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The Mirror of Practical Practice

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 16:04

This talk explores mindfulness tracking using diaries, apps, or small objects like beans. Kathleen Herr (Won HerrJu) shares personal experiences with tracking habits, including arriving early and speaking kindly. By observing patterns, they show how setbacks can lead to growth in mindfulness.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Numinous Awareness

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 20:43

Reverend WonGong explores the concept of numinous awareness, a deep knowing beyond ordinary perception. She connects it to Buddhist teachings, nature, and meditation, emphasizing its role in understanding our true nature. Through reflection and practice, she encourages us to recognize this awareness in everyday life.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Il Won Sang Vow: A Review

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 15:58

In this immensely helpful dharma talk, longtime practitioner Michael Macklin (HyoungSan-nim) beautifully guides us through the meanings and highlights of Won Buddhist teachings and philosophy woven together in the Il-Won-Sang Vow. In addition to sharing useful background information, Michael also points out how these teachings interconnect.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Everything I Thought I Knew About Gratitude was Wrong

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 9:30

Longtime temple practitioner Rod Cartier shares his journey of discovering that true gratitude is not just about recognizing blessings but about actively giving back, leading to peace and deeper connections.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Sangha Garden

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 18:02

Rev. WonGong reflects on all of the time and energy she has put into the gardens at our temple. Both the literal garden and the garden of our beautiful Sangha community.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Learning to Practice Equanimity

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 12:46

Understanding the true meaning of equanimity can sometimes feel elusive, but even when its meaning is clear, the path to its practice may not be. In this informative and insightful dharma talk, longtime practitioner, Pete Warshaw (Won JeeHo), shares his journey to find equanimity's meaning and practice, as well as a helpful tool he discovered along the way.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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How to Care for Hungry Ghosts?

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 11:51

Hungry Ghosts, according to Temple Member Shauna Hay, are often desires that have never been satisfied and the “if only” mindset that comes with the fear of missing out. In her dharma talk, she discusses how we can love our hungry ghosts back to wholeness.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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The Practice of Going Beyond

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 11:23

In the heart sutra, we chant a mantra that translates to “Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond, now awakened!” This mantra is a powerful reminder that awakening comes from moving beyond. But beyond what? What is it that we must go beyond to awaken?www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Letting Go of Single Point of View

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024 9:25

Master Sotesan taught us that to cling to a single point of view is a pitfall on the spiritual path. Won JahYoo, Holly North, discusses the way in which strong views can cloud us from seeing what is truly right or wrong.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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All is Grace

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2024 9:32

Our Won Buddhist Scripture teaches us that All is Grace. But some things can definitely be unpleasant at times. How do we find Grace, even when things seem to cause us harm?www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

Post Election Musing

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2024 7:47

In a divided world, deep listening and letting go of attachments to outcomes bring clarity and peace. Becky Daniel reflects on embracing diverse perspectives with humility and staying calm through life's changes. Through love, compassion, and respect for all, we can all find hope and strength in practice.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Keeping Hope Alive

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2024 11:37

Hope is a powerful force that can transform and sustain us during challenging times. In this personal and inspiring dharma talk, Rev. WonGong shares her perspectives on hope's expansiveness and depth, and she reminds us that hope is not a naive wish but an important practice.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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From Bias to Awareness

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2024 10:06

A Spiritual Pride Service inspired reflections on embracing diversity and confronting biases with an open heart. Drawing on Won Buddhist teachings, Rev. Shaun Song highlights the importance of staying focused (single-practice samadhi) in both challenges and comfort, urging compassionate action for a more inclusive world.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Living an Abundant Life

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 11:43

What does it mean, "to live an abundant life?" Won Buddhist practitioner, Jo Ann Reeves (JooAhn), dives into this question and reminds us that no matter what stage of life we are in, setting cornerstones of gratitude, contentment, and purpose are key. When developed through our practice, these living cornerstones become the foundation for a rich and fulfilling existence.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Catalyzing Enlightenment

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2024 9:31

The universe is full of catalysts! Some come into our lives in the form of great teachers, while others may appear as brief or subtle shimmers of nature. Rev. Shaun Song provides some wonderful examples of both in this multi-layered dharma talk, and he encourages us to use our minds of open inquiry to discover these special gems as we journey in dharma and practice.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Harvesting the Field of Our Minds

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024 16:09

The way we cultivate the fields of our minds results in the harvest we experience. This truth is beautifully explored by Rev. WonGong in this enlightening dharma talk. She reminds us that diligent cultivation is good, but we must avoid judgment, as it will exhaust and parch the mind-field we are trying to nurture. Rev. WonGong encourages us to follow the instincts of our true mind and to seek support from the community so we can cultivate a healthy mind-field and reap a beneficial harvest.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Being Humbled and Empowered by Grace

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 13:43

The practice of gratitude is fundamental to Won Buddhism, and it means much more than developing a sense of appreciation. In this insightful dharma talk, longtime practitioner, Rebecca Kameny (Won Hee), explores what having a relationship with the essential graces of the universe entails, and she highlights the important roles that awareness, inquiry, and alignment with it play in our practice journey.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Dog Dharma

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 12:42

What is true for both people and dogs is that we can calm our rambunctious minds through training. In this delightful comparison of mind-training and dog-training, longtime Won Buddhist practitioner, John Delconte (Won ShinKeun), shares some essentials for training success: engaging in a positive, consistent, and focused practice; discovering the root causes of our thinking and behaviors; and recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings during times of both grace and challenge.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Where do you find wisdom?

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 11:26

Won Buddhism encourages us to find dharma teachings in both written scripture and in the living scripture of the universe itself. But, if universal truth is everywhere, why don't we simply absorb it without effort? That is the question longtime practitioner, Michael Macklin (HyoungSan), explores in this insightful dharma talk during which he weaves together the relationship of wisdom, practice, and inquiry. www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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The Expanding Truth of Me

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 14:52

Grappling with life's challenges regularly provides Buddhist practitioners with ample opportunities for practice. In this powerful and personal dharma talk, Won Buddhist practitioner, Kelly Denno (Won YeeSuh), shares how an experience of emotional heartbreak catalysed her journey of self-discovery and renewed her respect and appreciation for the power of letting-go.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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3000 Buddhas

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2024 13:48

The gifts that unfold from dharma affinity and dharma community (sangha) are close to the hearts of Buddhist practitioners, and traditionally, a person's geographical location played a significant role in their ability to develop. In this dharma talk, Rev. WonGong shares how the power of the internet can shatter those old restrictions, freeing opportunities for the power and beauty of dharma affinity and sangha to develop unimpeded by time or place.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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My Reflections on Reincarnation

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2024 14:36

The Buddhist teaching of cause and effect is not limited by place, time, a lifetime, or the concept of multiple lifetimes. In this thoughtful and personal reflection, Won Buddhist practitioner, Rupal Yu (Won OhnYu) explores the layers of cause and effect as it unfolds in our everyday world and beyond it.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Belief in an Afterlife?

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2024 11:47

Won Buddhist practitioners embrace the importance of integrating practice with our daily life. Yet, might our perspectives about how such a practice unfolds be shaped by whether we understand each human life as a single one that ends in death or whether we view our current life as one in a coniuum of lives or in an afterlife? It is this question that longtime practitioner, Patty Daniel (Hwa Tawonim), addresses in this thoughtful dharma talk.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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What do Cicadas Chant?

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2024 13:22

The truths selflessly taught to us by nature and cicaadas are beautifully revealed in this dharma talk by Rev. WonGong. The lives of these unique creatures demonstrate perfected interconnectivity and focused purpose, and their enthusiasm for life and sound can inspire our own gratitude for each moment of our ephemeral lives.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Being Unassuming Heroes

Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2024 16:50

We all want to do good. But, at times, we can feel like we are not good enough to take action or to create change. Kathleen (Won HerrJu) shares an insightful talk on what it means to be an unassuming practitioner and to practice despite self-doubt.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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The Whole Inchworm

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2024 7:13

Inchworms are fascinating creatures: When they crawl, the front part of their body moves forward right away, but the rear part takes some time to catch up. This perfect analogy of how our minds sometimes work - especially when they are triggered by language - is beautifully explored in this reflective dharma talk by Won Buddhist practitioner, Laura Billings.www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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Thousands of Insights

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2024 12:17

Are you awake? What does it mean to become awakened? Given on this "Great Awakening Day 2024," Rev. WonGong conveys a number of gems that make up these "Thousands of Insights."www.wonbuddhismnc.org/donations

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