“Aversion is like a bowl of water that was heated by fire, boiling and bubbling.”
Cooling the Fever of Aversion
Daylong Retreat
With David Bornstein
IMT Dharma Leader
“No!,” “Make it stop!,” “How can I get rid of this, or fix it?” These are some ways we often react to unpleasant things. They’re a few examples of the mind state of aversion, which the Buddha talked about a great deal. Aversion sits at the root of so much struggle, of wresting with life, and is one of the primary ways in which we suffer. There are many variations of the aversive mind — anger, fear, irritation, worry, blame, to name a few — and they arise every hour of every day. What to do?
The path of liberation is one of learning to meet all experiences, be they pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, with balance and disenchantment. Tara Brach says, “This too belongs.” Meeting the moment in a more balanced way is a practice, a skill that can be developed. We begin with small things: an itch, a little ache, an unpleasant sound, crankiness. Rather than moving to overcome or solve, the Buddha offered the radical instruction to compassionately observe. Even after his awakening, the Buddha experienced countless unpleasant things. But having removed the layer of “this shouldn’t be happening,” he did not struggle. The same is possible for us.
HYBRID
Available In-Person and on Zoom
In-Person location
Pima Friends Meeting House
931 North Fifth Avenue
Tucson AZ, 85705
SCHEDULE
9:30am - 4:00pm
COST
$10 registration plus danā (generosity) for the teacher.
All are welcome. No one will be turned away for financial reasons.
REGISTRATION
Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email within 48 hours. Please click below to register and make your donation.
MEET THE TEACHER
David Bornstein, MSW began meditating in 1997 and has worked with many teachers including Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, and Anna Douglas. He graduated from Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Dedicated Practitioner’s Program in 2016 and completed the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program created by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, in 2019. In January 2025 David began Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leader (CDL) program, a two-year training that, for over 20 years, has been preparing the next generation of dharma leaders.