John explores worldly happiness vs. a deeper inner contentment the Buddha referred to as sukka – an unconditional happiness that is independent of the world.
He discusses how we can cultivate this in our lives by detaching from our preferences and accepting the unreliability of the material world. Specific practices to generate unconditional happiness include:
- Gratitude
- Generosity
- Non-harming
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John Martin teaches Vipassana (Insight), Metta (Loving Kindness) and LGBTQIA+ meditation retreats. He leads an ongoing weekly Monday evening meditation group in San Francisco. He serves as Co-chair of the Guiding Teachers Council for Spirit Rock. His practice has been supported by twelve years as a hospice volunteer: including five years at Shanti Project during the AIDS crisis, and seven years with the Zen Hospice project.