Jodi Pirtle Bowers
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Some personal reflections on Lineage –
On my shrine is a photo of my Geshe and primary teacher of that lineage of Buddhism.
On my shrine are images of Buddha Tara and Vajrayogini and the Dharma Protector.
On my shrine are photos of my Dad holding me when I was a baby with my uncle, his twin, a photo of me and my sister as small children, and a photo of a very dear friend when we were in our 20s at a Buddhist Meditation “Festival” 20 years ago.Lineage in Buddhist circles can also get so political. Yuck. Let’s just focus on the pure Dharma from pure teachers please and move on from that.
Lineage to me is the lineage of my spiritual path, those teachers who I have a heart connection with and those deities whose qualities I admire. And, Lineage to me is also family, ancestors, benevolent guides, and allies. I have family images on my shrine also as a form of requesting blessings to protect and guide us on our paths.
That’s all for now. Thank you. – Jodi
Kristin – I appreciate your personal experience and reflections of nihilism as a scientist and your deeply personal reflection of this essay topic in general. – Jodi
Let’s first lay some groundwork. Nihilism is a belief that life is meaningless. Existentially, because nihilism denies knowledge, and even more extreme that nothing exists, this view can lead to feelings of apathy, or can be used as a vehicle for apathy. Personally, this view is a waste of precious human life. It is completely devoid of magic. It is also so confused about the nature of existence (i.e., not nothingness, rather, interdependent, interconnected, dependent on causes and conditions, and constantly changing, spacious and full of endless possibility – magic).
Eternalism, and I understand we are applying it here theistically, is a view that God is the eternal ordering principle that sets the Cosmic Plan and gives everything a specific meaning. I did not grow up in an overly religious family. This view, while inviting magic only derives that magic from “God”, and invites the removal of agency from one’s life (lives). Rather, the path of relying on a Spiritual Guide provides agency, applies wisdom, asks to investigate and then decide if you are “buying it”, and also comes with so much magic.
I am in love with the magic of life all around me. This is why I am a scientist. Science is a methodological process to investigate the world around us; a process of discovery. Through science I have never found nothingness or lack of meaning, but rather an expansive experience of greater magic and meaning in life. This is the opposite experience of nihilism.
We used an example in class of applying scientific investigation of the body’s response to meditation as an example of nihilism. However, the scientific investigation of the body’s response to meditation is not in itself nihilistic. Rather, the conclusion that one could choose to make as a result of that scientific investigation that e.g., there is no deeper meaning to meditation other than the body’s reaction, reduced to mere electro-chemical reactions in cells, is a nihilistic conclusion. I offer this observation with the intention of clearing some confusion around the process of science, as our discussion, or at least the chat discussion seemed to reveal some different views of what science is and is not (science is not nihilism, but nihilism can be applied through science depending on one’s view).
That’s all for now. Thank you. – Jodi
Week 1 Essay:
What does it mean to support discovery?
* For me, when I embody the seat of the teacher:
Presence is of primary importance. I am there with the students, my mind is not elsewhere, and I give myself time to arrive in this space for them before they show up.
Caring with boundaries; not taking care of them in their experience, allows for their own experience.
Experience of the practice; two aspects are being able to share it with others correctly as it is meant to be offered, and then sharing my personal experience of the practice is not sharing knowledge, but offering my experience of the practice through my own heart connection thereof.What are the primary tools?
* Container. The technique of the Practice itself is the container.
* Boundaries. As a teacher, boundaries are one aspect of how I gently hold the container, safely, for myself and the students. Boundaries are not only necessary. Boundaries are a kindness to ourselves and others.
* Listening. Support their discovery by listening (presence).
* Inquiry. Support their discovery with inquiry, not just by offering knowledgeable responses or reflections based on my own experience of the practice, help them uncover, dig deeper, discover on their own.Hi Joe – Your emphasis of boundaries resonates with me. As a teacher, boundaries are one aspect of how I gently hold the container, safely, for myself and the students. Boundaries are a huge kindness to ourselves and others. Well said. – Jodi
Hi Alexandra – I am moved by your experience of “knowing from a place other than your mind”, which I interpret as your heart connection to the practice and your deeply personal experience, thereof. – Jodi
Hello. My name is Jodi Pirtle (she/her). I live in Juneau, Alaska with my husband and chocolate Labrador retriever. Some of my identities include, ocean scientist, yoga teacher, berry harvester, pie baker, auntie, wife, dog mom, friend. I look forward to meeting you and connecting with Sangha. This will be my first live training with Susan. See you all tomorrow.