1. Welcome to the Joseph Goldstein Insight Hour.

This podcast is an expression of our shared interest in self-discovery.

Join Joseph as he shares his deep knowledge of the path of mindfulness.

If you are interested in supporting this podcast,

please go to be here now network.com slash Joseph.

Buddha opens the Satipatana discourse, that is the four foundations of mindfulness,

with a very bold and unambiguous statement.

He says, this is the direct path

for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and grief, for the attainment

of the true way, for the realization of Nibana, the highest peace, namely the four foundations

of mindfulness. Pretty straightforward. This is the direct path.

But an obvious question which follows is, how does this path of mindfulness,

feeling our

thoughts and emotions.

How in fact does it lead to liberation?

You know, what's the process by which it leads to the highest peace to the highest

freedom I think this question has particular relevance these days when secular

mindfulness is so widespread. Now mindfulness is amazingly popular these days and to good effect.

But in the more secular context,

it's not really held with the aspiration necessarily of liberation, of freedom.

So as we're practicing here following the Buddha's instructions, it's helpful to keep in mind what the purpose

of doing the practice is. Now what are we learning from being mindful?

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