Ep. 210 - Virya: Courage, Energy and Trust with Buddhist Teacher Trudy Goodman

Explaining Virya, the effort factor of enlightenment, meditation teacher Trudy Goodman explores the courage it takes to trust in our practice and to mindfully face the five hindrances. 

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This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Trudy Goodman explains:Virya, the effort, energy, and enthusiasm factor of enlightenment The courage it takes to be fully present with every life experienceShowing up for our human experience with qualities of heart, courage, and balance An impactful Iraq War story that reveals the power of presence and awarenessHow to work wisely with challenges that block mindful presenceThe five classical hindrances: wanting, ill-will, restlessness, sloth & torpor, and doubtA reading from the Flower Ornament Sutra about freeing the heart and mind from hindrances  How living defensively against pain limits our full human experienceThe positive impact of naming our struggles and how it prevents us from being swept awayMoving through all experiences with steady effort—no halting, no strainingDaily spiritual practice and repetition in order to build trust in life and the dharmaThe four great efforts that the Buddha talked aboutProtecting our hearts by not watering seeds of harm that arise in our thoughts and emotionsWatering the seeds that are beneficial, feeding their growth, and encouraging goodnessHow to stay open to life's potential by expecting goodness, not fearing missed chancesTrusting in the dharma, the natural world, and life’s unseen supportive forcesAbout Trudy Goodman:

Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA. For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel. You can learn more about Trudy’s flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.com

This 2011 recording is from Spirit Rock’s Fall Insight Meditation Retreat and was originally published on Dharmaseed. 

“It takes great effort, great energy, great trust. When we bring that to this practice everyday, the trust is also a kind of confidence that if we just do this, things will unfold naturally without forcing them.” – Trudy Goodman

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