During this talk, the Upaddha Sutta, Half (Of The Holy Life), was quoted, (translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu). In the sutta, the Buddha tells Ananda, his personal attendant, that relationship is a core aspect of the practice of the Four Noble Truths. Peter related this observation to current research which demonstrates that mindfulness of breathing meditation builds strength into the neural pathways associated with secure relationship bonds. The actual practice of attending to the breath, checking divergent thoughts and regulating emotional reactivity was explained. Daniel Goleman’s book “Social Intelligence” was also quoted to support this approach to relationship security. This was followed by discussion of the topic.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: MINDFULNESS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Next week’s topic will be “What Is The Self?”, which will explore what we call “ego” from a contemporary perspective.