Donald Rothberg: Toward Freedom and Awakening--Individually and as a Society: A Fourth of July Talk

Spirit Rock Meditation Center: dharma talks and meditation instruction

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) A day before the Fourth of July and two days after Canada Day, commemorating establishing Canada, we explore the possibility of connecting the vision of individual awakening and freedom and the vision of social freedom and justice. We look at the "shadows" of these visions, of how greed, hatred, and delusion, whether individual or collective, as well as other factors, stand in the way of realizing these visions. We point to the importance of staying connected to these two visions in difficult and challenging times, and of how they can be brought together. After the talk, we have a group discussion.