10 Ways of Transforming Reactivity - Donald Rothberg

What does the Third Noble Truth really promise when it speaks of "an end to dukkha?" Does it mean an end to unpleasant experiences? In this rich talk, Donald Rothberg shares that the end of dukkha actually means the cessation of our REACTIVITY to unpleasant experiences. He relates the analogy of "the second arrow" to our reactivity (both clinging and aversion) rather than the typical translation of "suffering." He introduces 10 guidelines for working with reactivity: Understand the nature of reactivity and how it becomes institutionalizedAssess your level of reactivity and determine an appropriate responseBe mindful of your patterns of reactivityExplore how you react to both pleasant and unpleasantDevelop a regular heart practice, such as loving-kindness, compassion, joy, equanimity, forgiveness, gratitude, and empathy Recognize the insight offered by our reactivity and transform it rather than strive to eliminate itLearn alternatives to reacting through mindfulnessBring conscious intention to our habitually reactive mindLook at the roots and history behind our reactive patternsLearn to develop non-reactive ways of speaking and acting ______________Donald Rothberg, Ph.D., a member of the Teachers Council at Spirit Rock Center, and a teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center, teaches retreats and groups on concentration and insight meditation practice, loving-kindness practice, transforming the judgmental mind, mindful communication, working skillfully with conflict, and socially engaged Buddhism. He has practiced insight meditation since 1976 and received training in Tibetan Dzogchen, body-based psychotherapy, and trauma work. He has helped guide many six-month to two-year training programs in socially engaged spirituality, both Buddhist-based and interfaith. He is the author of The Engaged Spiritual Life: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World, and the co-editor of Ken Wilber in Dialogue. Find him at donaldrothberg.com ______________  To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/There you can:   Donate  Learn how to participate live  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers  Join our mailing list or discussion forum Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995CREDITSAudio Production: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter