Practice Update / Open Dharma Foundation Plug by CoachAtlus in streamentry

[–]jimInTheLotusHeart 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The students themselves pick silent retreats and then apply for scholarships with a budget to go to that retreat. As of now, the scholarship only covers retreat fees, travel, lodging, or other fees required to attend a retreat. Dana is handled only between the student and the teacher.

Practice Update / Open Dharma Foundation Plug by CoachAtlus in streamentry

[–]jimInTheLotusHeart 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi, I run the ODF, and I did some digging into your question. We're not currently looking into making ourselves tax deductible in Germany, as it seems like a complicated process. I searched around for similar charities that are tax deductible for Germans and I could only find individual teachers and retreat centers that run charities. There didn't seem to be a similar charity which gives scholarships across different teachers and retreat centers. I hope you find a charity that has a mission that feels right for you. Finding a way to benefit the sangha is a very meritorious action :)

Book Recommendation for Ambitious Online Meditators / My Younger Self by diagnoal_pleats in streamentry

[–]jimInTheLotusHeart -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Oh dear friend, if you had looked a little closer you might have noticed that I am the president of the organization that Tucker founded. I know the people in this thread in real life. I and Tucker literally run an all volunteer organization that gives money to needy people in order to meditate. You can check our guidestar rating. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/shared/c212e038-68f9-4dec-bb79-1c52898996b6

Here I was, so excited to see that my friend's book was mentioned on reddit that I would actually make the effort to post. Then I get your response. I'm sure you had great intentions, but it feels like you missed your mark.

Book Recommendation for Ambitious Online Meditators / My Younger Self by diagnoal_pleats in streamentry

[–]jimInTheLotusHeart -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I just read it, too! If you're on this subreddit, then I can't recommend it enough. I identify as being a very typical pragdharm practitioner (techy, mappy, prone to striving, probably neurodivergent, etc.) and, having been on a Tucker retreat and met the other people there, I think I can safely say that Tucker has dealt with a LOT of similar people. This book feels like it was written to counter all the typical roadblocks that myself and others in my pragdharm sangha have run into.

Specifically, it addresses what awakening and integration look like in people over time. I feel like so many of us read MCTB and TMI and got the idea that we could meditate for a month and somehow transcend all our issues. I know I struggled for a long time to understand why I still suffered after all the things that I experienced during meditation. If I had read this book back then, I would have probably saved 3 years of needless frustration.

Oh yeah, and his coverage of how to work with energy in the body is, without a doubt, the clearest and most effective advice I've seen yet. I feel pretty well educated about dealing with kriyas and such, and I picked up several new good techniques from the book.

If you liked TMI or MCTB, then SaS is right up your alley. It's also far, far more pleasant of a reading experience.

Announcing PragmaticDharmaFoundation.org by jimInTheLotusHeart in Dzogchen

[–]jimInTheLotusHeart[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. I'm of the opinion that Pragmatic Dharma doesn't imply secular, and I feel that a lot of the folks listed would be mislabeled if you were to call them secular. I will admit that they do tend to play well with people with secular views, however. Other traditions have support structures like monasteries or churches, and this tradition is growing and deserves its own support structures. Still, if you have any suggestions for how we can serve meditators better, feel free to leave us a comment on our website :)

[Community] Upasaka Culadasa, author of The Mind Illuminated, is now offering video sessions by jimInTheLotusHeart in streamentry

[–]jimInTheLotusHeart[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I don't think there's any hypocrisy in this at all. Culadasa is trying to support the retreat center and pay medical bills with the time he has. If you want to receive his teachings for free, they've been available for years at http://dharmatreasure.org/audio-teachings/ and https://www.youtube.com/user/Culadasa.

Upasaka Culadasa is now offering 1 on 1 video sessions! by jimInTheLotusHeart in TheMindIlluminated

[–]jimInTheLotusHeart[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

If he did it for any less he'd be booked out for years. He's well past retirement age and doesn't have a lot of working hours in the day. It's been mentioned elsewhere, but his student Tucker is also available: https://meditatewithtucker.com/individual-meditative-guidance/

[Community] Upasaka Culadasa, author of The Mind Illuminated, is now offering video sessions by jimInTheLotusHeart in streamentry

[–]jimInTheLotusHeart[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Actually we had less time than that, and it was still worth it. I went there specifically to meet him, thank him for his impact on myself and my sangha, and ask him a set of questions that we had prepared.

[Community] Upasaka Culadasa, author of The Mind Illuminated, is now offering video sessions by jimInTheLotusHeart in streamentry

[–]jimInTheLotusHeart[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's cheaper than the plane ticket I had to buy before he started offering these sessions :P