Talk 32a: Ease and Dis-ease - Easwaran is talking on the Buddha’s birthday, on the theme of change. We can all change ourselves completely through the practice of meditation. If we accept change as the very fabric of life, and as an opportunity to remake ourselves for the better, life brings the joy of self-mastery, a sense of ease and well-being even amidst the most difficult transitions.
Talk 32b: Charles the Cat - Easwaran helps us see life’s many changes as reminders to start changing ourselves. The passing away of Charles, one of the cats that lived in the BMCM community, provides the occasion for Easwaran to reflect on the meaning of death. If we are practicing passage meditation with dedication, the death of loved ones (and by extension all serious change) can be a goad to help us overcome the petty distractions or lack of will that hold us back on the spiritual path.