Joseph Goldstein: The True Nature of Mindfulness
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Tami Simon speaks with Joseph Goldstein, who is the cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and has been teaching insight and lovingkindness meditation worldwide since 1974. He is the coauthor of the Sounds True audio learning course Insight Meditation (with Sharon Salzberg), and has recently released the third volume of his landmark audio course of advanced teachings and practical guidance on the Satipatthāna Sutta, Abiding in Mindfulness. In this episode, Tami speaks with Joseph about his study of the Satipatthāna Sutta as the Buddha’s central teaching of mindfulness meditation, the evolution of his own practice over the past four decades, and what it might mean to live without any sense of there being an “I” or a “me.” (60 minutes)
Download »
Read Transcript »
more from Joseph Goldstein:
NAMASTE!
In listening to J. Goldstein [with my best towards non-judgmental mindfulness] pondered his quest to escape his own mind and his edge being one of “renunciation”.
Though I understand where he’s going with non-clinging feel as separate human entities
we have an innate yearning to ‘belong’ more than even possess—or cling
and believe we can express our uniqueness without self-centered interest to generously share our gifts with heartful desire to expand and embrace one another. If there’s an “emptying” is it not to be filled with something more true and worthy?
In Goldstein’s quest to be mind-full doesn’t there need to be a singular container to fill
perhaps he should be seeking ‘mindlessness’ a shattering of our clay pots but either way 36 CD’s could perhaps be more gently replaced
by simple mindfulness of a “tree”—–
in all its [impartially] infused ease, beauty, generosity and non-clinging
and why try to question or dissect a rainbow
why not just be there hushed in all its transformative jubilant majesty—even if it doesn’t exist.
I find becoming non-existent quite labor intensive still gained much from Mr. Goldstein’s acquired wisdom along with admiration for his diligence and practice. THANK YOU!
ps Tami you ARE a “Rainbow” and one of the finest [most mindful] interviewers to date. LAINE
Comment by LAINE COTE' — August 27, 2011 @ 2:37 pm
Joseph has kindly shared some useful practices with us;
• We could rest in an awareness that;
Breathing in I am breathing in
Breathing out I am breathing out
• Acceptance
If this fear or grief is here for the rest of my life it is ok
• No self
Nothing is to be clung to as I, me, or mine
At the same time there is my personality which is a non chaotic pattern of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Joseph has been a legendary practitioner and teacher. I am curious to learn more about how his life journey has been.
Comment by Stanley — September 11, 2011 @ 1:27 pm