“A Path of Least Resistance” with Benjamin This Sunday at Minneapolis Insight

Dear Community,

This Sunday, we’ll explore the theme “A Path of Least Resistance,” based on Rodney Smith’s use of this phrase in his book Stepping Out of Self-Deception (p. 31):

The means of our practice cannot be different from the ends we seek. Whatever we do in the beginning and in the middle will become our ends. If we long for the end of suffering, we cannot use self-abusive methods to end conflict and struggle. In the same way, if we understand our dissatisfaction is generated from a false view of self, we cannot use that false view to end dissatisfaction.

In its place we need another perspective to keep us on track. In Buddhism this is called Wise View, and we use this wiser view to set a course correction and give our life an aim and purpose outside of self-centeredness. Wise View offers an alternative to selfishness and conceit and allows a context for working with the sense-of-self as it arises in actions of body, speech, and mind. This new view understands the interconnectedness of life, and continually works to include all experiences by eliminating the mental argument that the self imposes to maintain its separation.

The Eightfold Path is a path of least resistance. It is not about welding or forcing things together but relaxing, observing, and allowing what is already here to be together. All our strategies and tools can be governed by one simple fact: the more resistance we apply to the problem, the more we allow the problem to have an unfounded reality, and the further from the truth we stray.

All are welcome to join this exploration on Sunday! Zoom information available here. (We updated our website so it’s no longer necessary to register in advance.)

With mettā,
Minneapolis Insight

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