Personal Practice

• 456Sense Restraint

  Analyze the Buddha’s teachings on sense restraint; evaluate how sensory input influences mental states, thoughts, and emotions; and develop the habit of pausing before reacting to sensory experiences.
• 457Wise Attention

  Analyze the distinction between wise and unwise attention in personal experience; evaluate how different types of mental focus either support or hinder insight development; and implement specific techniques for cultivating wise attention during challenging emotional states or decision-making situations.
• 435The Middle Way between Extremes

  Implement techniques for physical, mental, and emotional balancing, and analyze how equilibrium in each area supports the others.
• 436The Story of the Frog in the Well

  Implement practices that cultivate an expansive, “bird’s eye view” perspective, and analyze the frog-in-the-well parable to illustrate the limitations of narrow viewpoints, and to remember that a bigger perspective is possible.
• 439Right Motivation

  Implement regular motivation checks and adjustments, appreciating the value of benefiting others, and analyze how motivation functions within the eightfold path using personal examples.
• 443Compassion

  Analyze the nature of karuna/compassion; guide unscripted meditation practices to generate this quality; and implement compassionate actions based on understanding beings’ desire for well-being and safety.
• 444Equanimity Overview

  Analyze interpersonal conflicts as learning opportunities, and develop a habit of acceptance and goodwill rather than avoidance and animosity when relating to difficult people.
• 445Pleasure and Pain

  Investigate the experience of practicing equanimity with naturally-arising pleasurable and unpleasurable experiences; and develop some patience and resilience with discomfort and non-attachment toward pleasure.
• 446Praise and Blame

  Analyze the role that praise and blame play in human motivation; evaluate the role of praise and blame in your own motivations; and aspire to act with a motivation free from craving approval or fearing criticism.
• 458Buddhanature

  Analyze how the concept of buddhanature may affect one’s outlook on life; compare and contrast the principle of buddhanature with other religious or philosophical beliefs; and assess how the understanding of innate goodness transforms relationships.