May 2019 Soryu Forall Retreat - Audio Package

The Buddha took a very, very long time to become the Buddha. He spent countless lifetimes - about as long as it would take to turn a mountain to dust with a toothbrush - refining his virtue and wisdom before his final birth as Siddartha Gautama. But what does that ancient, fantastical story have to do with modern meditation practitioners?

In this retreat from May 2019, Soryu Forall shares some of the shocking and colorful tales of the Buddha’s previous incarnations and connects them to how we should be practicing right now. The Buddha’s feats may seem far beyond our capacities or even our aspirations as meditators. But his past lives and final awakening provide a clear road map to insight that we can reference again and again as we walk the path.

Just like the sheltered prince, Siddhartha Gautama, we are culturally sheltered from the realities of growing old, getting sick, and most importantly - dying. And just like him, if we really want awakening, we must face the inevitability of death.

Just like Siddhartha, if we want to find the kind of truth most people spend their entire lives avoiding, we have to commit to the practice with a desperate yet faithful vigor.

Just like Siddhartha, who devoted eons to the practice of ethics, we cannot pretend that virtue is not an integral part of this path. If we want clear minds and hearts capable of helping a hurting world, we must do more than just meditate; we must change our lives to reflect the dictates of our conscience - without compromise.