So I always think of the first Wednesday of the years as particularly special, because

we've developed a kind of ritual of exploring what are known as the three refuges in spiritual

life.

So it will be a talk on that and some reflections and then we'll have a ceremony that I think

helps you to deepen bringing the refuges alive during your day.

And the understanding behind this inquiry tonight is that throughout all history and

on every continent, humans have experienced a kind of vulnerability that no matter how

well things are going, there's a kind of background hum of anxiety because there's

a sense that we're out of control.

Anything can happen, these bodies will die, we'll lose that which we love.

And so even when things are like life's cooperating, there's still a sense of unease.

And William James spoke to this and I bring this up often because I think it's a great

way to describe it.

He said that the beginning of every religion is the cry help.

And that in some way, each of us is trying to get through the day and senses that there's

something inherently challenging about being embodied on this planet.

Now I find it interesting that our new religion of the last whatever decades technology, every

new app begins with the cry help, right?

You know that.

And you know, because technology is our way now of as well as possible trying to control

and manage life.

And some of you might have heard of the website, LiveZone, well I found this really interesting.

...