APPAMADA

Zen practice and inquiry

Resident teachers:
Flint Sparks and Peg Syverson

Zazen is offered:
Weekdays 6:30-7:30 AM
Sunday 8:00-10:40 AM
Wednesday 7:30-8:45 PM

Inquiry:
Tuesday 12:30-1:30 PM

Please see the calendar
for additional offerings.

Location:
913 East 38th St.
Austin, TX 78705
Map

Phone: 512.689.5301

Guidelines
Calendar
Join the email list
Appamada wiki
A curriculum for study

Notable Books

Loading feed

 
Appamada is a Pali word that means mindful, active care. According to the earliest recorded teachings of the Buddha, it was a common theme in his teaching and the last word that he used, encouraging his followers to fare forward with appamada—with care. He often compared appamada to an elephant's footprint, which is so large that it can contain the footprint of all the other animals. In the same way, the Buddha said, mindful, clear care contains the heart of all of his teachings.

We have adopted this name for our community of practice and inquiry because it reflects not only our aspiration as teachers, but our sense of the community as a whole, and its contribution in the world. (You can read more background here.) In our teaching we draw on the Zen teachings and tradition we were trained in, as well as other Buddhist teachings and contemporary work in psychology, interpersonal neurobiology, language, the sciences, and philosophy.

Zazen—meditation in silence and stillness—and shared inquiry are at the heart of everything we do, and everything we teach. Through your participation and sincere practice you help create this community for deep inquiry into our lives and the timeless wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. This realization permeates the world through our everyday actions, words, and thoughts. Our community is connected not by ritual, dogma, or obligation, but by our aspiration and mutual care. Together we cultivate this dynamic process of waking up and growing up. This is our offering to a troubled world.

Blog Posts

Flint Sparks

Poems from Inquiry

Dear Sangha. Here are two poems from today's Inquiry - one by Mary Oliver which I read, and another by RIchard Wilbur that Krzys mentioned when he came up. We are indebted to these two authors for their work and their wisdom, borne of their practice. It was lovely to be with everyone and reconnect.

Terns
Mary Oliver

Don't think just now of the trudging forward of thought,
but of the wing-drive of unquestioning affirmation.

It's summer, you never saw such a blue sky,
and here they are, those w… Continue

Posted by Flint Sparks on February 2, 2010 at 4:00pm — 1 Comment

Flint Sparks

Taos Retreat

I am sitting in Love Field in Dallas waiting for a delayed flight back to Austin after a week of retreat in the snowy mountains of Taos, New Mexico. As I type these words, the irony of "sitting in a field of love" suddenly captures my awareness and re-centers me, drowning out the harsh and garbled flight announcements, the overstimulated screams of running children, and the patchwork sounds of one-sided cell phone conversations (not to mention the penetrating smell of Cinnebons). Amidst all this… Continue

Posted by Flint Sparks on January 30, 2010 at 6:46pm — 1 Comment

Robin Bradford

Precepts Ceremony

Thank you everyone for your kind wishes for my precepts ceremony tonight. The "script" is quite daunting - I wish I had been able to join everyone else last fall but my son was sick. So I will go it alone (repeating "Yes, I will" 3 times!) - but not really alone since you will all be there in one fashion or another.

Namaste,
Robin

Posted by Robin Bradford on January 27, 2010 at 5:08pm — 1 Comment

Forum

Hannah Thornton

Where to park? 2 Replies

Hello! I would like to come to Zazen tomorrow, but I'm not sure where to park. I drove by the house on 38th street three time last weekend without coming to an answer :) Any advice?Many thanks,Hannah

Started by Hannah Thornton in Other Events. Last reply by Hannah Thornton 17 hours ago.

Robin Bradford

December Intensive

Is there anyone doing the intensive who has a room I could stay overnight in for the Thurs, Fri & Sat nights of the retreat? Coming home to family life will be challenging for me - and my dear o…

Started by Robin Bradford in Uncategorized Nov. 8, 2009.

Notes:

You can create new discussion topics in the Forum by clicking the link "start discussion." You may also respond to topics others have created.

You may also add Appamada events to the events list on the right. Please don't add outside events to this list. Add them in the Other Events group.

Please note that there is a live chat function at the bottom of the window. It will show you who is online and the window can be expanded collapsed with the icons there.

Let Peg know if you have any questions or suggestions for the site!
 
 



Appamada is not just the occasional mindful thought or attentive state of mind, it’s actually a commitment to being attentive. It’s more than just a meditative state of mind, it’s more than just being mindful. It has to do with that primary ethical or moral orientation we have in life, with which we bring into being whatever activity we’re engaged in. Whether in formal meditation, in our interactions with other people, in our social concerns, or in our political choices, it’s the energetic cherishing of what we regard as good.
—Stephen Batchelor

Audio

Loading…

The APPAMADA Flickr Gallery

Swiss Retreat October 2009

Peg Syverson has added a photo to the pool:

Swiss Retreat October 2009

Mountains

Swiss Retreat October 2009

Peg Syverson has added a photo to the pool:

Swiss Retreat October 2009

Spiritually potent, it is bright, vast, and removed; it is
transparent.
Thoroughly illumine that which comes before the
principal essence,
until you reach a state where the light becomes naked
and pure—
Where not a single speck of dust can be attached to.

—Chan Master Hongzhi

Swiss Retreat October 2009

Peg Syverson has added a photo to the pool:

Swiss Retreat October 2009

It is said: "The mind-ground contains every seed.
The rain will universally cause them to sprout.
when the meaning of the blossoming
of the flower of enlightenment is understood,
the fruit of bodhi will ripen of its own accord."

—Chan Master Hongzhi

 

© 2010   Created by Peg Syverson

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Privacy  |  Terms of Service

Sign in to chat!