Life comes as it comes. We do not know what events will arise and impact us. Struggling to stay in charge of what is occurring is exhausting while letting events determine our situation is unwise. The Buddhist Middle Way indicates that we can rest in open awareness while avoiding the extremes of over-involvement and under-involvement. We will focus on the Dzogchen teachings of relaxing and releasing our habitual patterns of reactivity so that our participation is both spontaneous and precise – contactful, yet neither invading nor abandoning.

Dates: 16-21 June 2025

Location: Emerson College, Hartfield Road, Forest Row, East Sussex RH18 5JX

Talking: James Low

Organiser: Huw Wyn

Audio Recording: Gareth Williams

Gareth initially prepared 3 taster sessions, 6/8/25

Original teachings published at https://simplybeing.co.uk/audio-records/retreats/otherengland/emerson-college/open-to-life-emerson-college-16-21-june-2025/

Life comes as it comes. We do not know what events will arise and impact us. Struggling to stay in charge of what is occurring is exhausting while letting events determine our situation is unwise. The Buddhist Middle Way indicates that we can rest in open awareness while avoiding the extremes of over-involvement and under-involvement. We will focus on the Dzogchen teachings of relaxing and releasing our habitual patterns of reactivity so that our participation is both spontaneous and precise – contactful, yet neither invading nor abandoning.

Dates: 16-21 June 2025

Location: Emerson College, Hartfield Road, Forest Row, East Sussex RH18 5JX

Talking: James Low

Organiser: Huw Wyn

Audio Recording: Gareth Williams

Gareth initially prepared 3 taster sessions, 6/8/25

Original teachings published at https://simplybeing.co.uk/audio-records/retreats/otherengland/emerson-college/open-to-life-emerson-college-16-21-june-2025/

July 2nd 2025. James Low had invited questions from people watching his Zooms, which he began to answer.

Note: the constant cuts in this video result from the removal of James Low's periods of silence, while waiting for the consecutive translation from the German translator.

"(0:00) I am a US citizen seriously dismayed by the current state of politics particularly in the US. I am so upset by the prospects that I completely exclude all news and refrain from discussions on the topic. Withdrawing in this way is good for my blood pressure but is it wise to withdraw to this degree?"

"(9:05) James says the guru yoga of the White A is enough yet he also describes the bo??. So do I need to do more to prepare myself for that?"

"(16:37) If I do the guru yoga of the White A, the energy of the practice tends to linger with me. I prefer to just sit without this structure. What is the difference between elaborated and unelaborated forms of open sitting?"

"(31:40) When recognizing a strong dislike for something or someone, what would be a skillful way on the relative level to manage this to continue to engage with the person or situation or to simply move away?"

"(43:07) We can discover the nature of the mind in the gap between the object which is perceived as external and the consciousness which perceives that object. However, when a thought arises, we perceive it immediately without a gap. Thought is consciousness. The object and the subject are inseparable. Could you please explain how to free thoughts?"

English: youtu.be/090SUATHtAo (you are here)

English (without silence cuts): youtu.be/lVuU-5T6NmY

German: youtu.be/Vc6xmCDJIRQ

Russian: youtu.be/PSL516QWrGw

Polish: youtu.be/iU7FkxSM47c

Spanish: youtu.be/U1FF_2nFhv4

Portuguese: youtu.be/pT-NQkZhtbI

Romanian: youtu.be/HdJIpaIuq1M

Turkish: [soon]

Full transcript of these teachings: https://bit.ly/47lIxeE

Audio file of this video: https://bit.ly/3TSElLp

List of all questions and YouTube links to each one: https://bit.ly/JamesLow-QnA-questions

Playlist “Questions & Answers. Zoom 07.2020 –”: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv-KZQo9b6hRc2WtJW4KWXp8GefCiVa-R

📱 Instagram of excerpts: https://instagram.com/SBSangha_JamesLow

🎧 Poscasts of some teachinhgs: https://simplybeing.co.uk/news/podcasts/

📆 Learn more about future events: https://simplybeing.co.uk/events

Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=090SUATHtAo

July 2nd 2025. James Low had invited questions from people watching his Zooms, which he began to answer.

1) I am a US citizen seriously dismayed by the current state of politics particularly in the US. I am so upset by the prospects that I completely exclude all news and refrain from discussions on the topic. Withdrawing in this way is good for my blood pressure but is it wise to withdraw to this degree?

2) James says the guru yoga of the White A is enough yet he also describes the bo??. So do I need to do more to prepare myself for that?

3) If I do the guru yoga of the White A, the energy of the practice tends to linger with me. I prefer to just sit without this structure. What is the difference between elaborated and unelaborated forms of open sitting?

4) When recognizing a strong dislike for something or someone, what would be a skillful way on the relative level to manage this to continue to engage with the person or situation or to simply move away?

5) We can discover the nature of the mind in the gap between the object which is perceived as external and the consciousness which perceives that object. However, when a thought arises, we perceive it immediately without a gap. Thought is consciousness. The object and the subject are inseparable. Could you please explain how to free thoughts?

English: youtu.be/090SUATHtAo

English (without silence cuts): youtu.be/lVuU-5T6NmY

German: youtu.be/Vc6xmCDJIRQ

Russian: youtu.be/PSL516QWrGw (you are here)

Polish: youtu.be/iU7FkxSM47c

Spanish: youtu.be/U1FF_2nFhv4

Portuguese: youtu.be/pT-NQkZhtbI

Romanian: youtu.be/HdJIpaIuq1M

Turkish: [soon]

Russian translation: Marina Samarina

Playlist “Вопросы и Ответы. [RU] Zoom 04.2023 –”: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv-KZQo9b6hR-O5pCcz4jrfHv5eRKsMqU

📱 Instagram of excerpts: https://instagram.com/SBSangha_JamesLow

🎧 Poscasts of some teachings: https://simplybeing.co.uk/news/podcasts/

📆 Learn more about future events: https://simplybeing.co.uk/events/

Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSL516QWrGw

July 2nd 2025. James Low had invited questions from people watching his Zooms, which he began to answer.

1) I am a US citizen seriously dismayed by the current state of politics particularly in the US. I am so upset by the prospects that I completely exclude all news and refrain from discussions on the topic. Withdrawing in this way is good for my blood pressure but is it wise to withdraw to this degree?

2) James says the guru yoga of the White A is enough yet he also describes the bo??. So do I need to do more to prepare myself for that?

3) If I do the guru yoga of the White A, the energy of the practice tends to linger with me. I prefer to just sit without this structure. What is the difference between elaborated and unelaborated forms of open sitting?

4) When recognizing a strong dislike for something or someone, what would be a skillful way on the relative level to manage this to continue to engage with the person or situation or to simply move away?

5) We can discover the nature of the mind in the gap between the object which is perceived as external and the consciousness which perceives that object. However, when a thought arises, we perceive it immediately without a gap. Thought is consciousness. The object and the subject are inseparable. Could you please explain how to free thoughts?

English: youtu.be/090SUATHtAo

English (without silence cuts): youtu.be/lVuU-5T6NmY

German: youtu.be/Vc6xmCDJIRQ

Russian: youtu.be/PSL516QWrGw

Polish: youtu.be/iU7FkxSM47c

Spanish: youtu.be/U1FF_2nFhv4

Portuguese: youtu.be/pT-NQkZhtbI

Romanian: youtu.be/HdJIpaIuq1M (you are here)

Turkish: [soon]

Romanian translation: Viorica Constantinescu

Playlist “Questions & Answers. [EN-RO] Zoom 01.2025 –”: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv-KZQo9b6hSUA6_TORD9dM-sgIQsS-tx

📱 Instagram of excerpts: https://instagram.com/SBSangha_JamesLow

🎧 Poscasts of some teachinhgs: https://simplybeing.co.uk/news/podcasts/

📆 Learn more about future events: https://simplybeing.co.uk/events

Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdJIpaIuq1M

July 2nd 2025. James Low had invited questions from people watching his Zooms, which he began to answer.

1) I am a US citizen seriously dismayed by the current state of politics particularly in the US. I am so upset by the prospects that I completely exclude all news and refrain from discussions on the topic. Withdrawing in this way is good for my blood pressure but is it wise to withdraw to this degree?

2) James says the guru yoga of the White A is enough yet he also describes the bo??. So do I need to do more to prepare myself for that?

3) If I do the guru yoga of the White A, the energy of the practice tends to linger with me. I prefer to just sit without this structure. What is the difference between elaborated and unelaborated forms of open sitting?

4) When recognizing a strong dislike for something or someone, what would be a skillful way on the relative level to manage this to continue to engage with the person or situation or to simply move away?

5) We can discover the nature of the mind in the gap between the object which is perceived as external and the consciousness which perceives that object. However, when a thought arises, we perceive it immediately without a gap. Thought is consciousness. The object and the subject are inseparable. Could you please explain how to free thoughts?

English: youtu.be/090SUATHtAo

English (without silence cuts): youtu.be/lVuU-5T6NmY

German: youtu.be/Vc6xmCDJIRQ

Russian: youtu.be/PSL516QWrGw

Polish: youtu.be/iU7FkxSM47c

Spanish: youtu.be/U1FF_2nFhv4

Portuguese: youtu.be/pT-NQkZhtbI (you are here)

Romanian: youtu.be/HdJIpaIuq1M

Turkish: [soon]

Portuguese translation: Milton Petruczok

Playlist “Perguntas & Respostas. [PT] Zoom 07.2020 –”: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv-KZQo9b6hR2vHQ9K1blx96gzj1wprrS

📱 Instagram of excerpts: https://instagram.com/SBSangha_JamesLow

🎧 Poscasts of some teachings: https://simplybeing.co.uk/news/podcasts/

📆 Learn more about future events: https://simplybeing.co.uk/events/

Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT-NQkZhtbI

July 2nd 2025. James Low had invited questions from people watching his Zooms, which he began to answer.

1) I am a US citizen seriously dismayed by the current state of politics particularly in the US. I am so upset by the prospects that I completely exclude all news and refrain from discussions on the topic. Withdrawing in this way is good for my blood pressure but is it wise to withdraw to this degree?

2) James says the guru yoga of the White A is enough yet he also describes the bo??. So do I need to do more to prepare myself for that?

3) If I do the guru yoga of the White A, the energy of the practice tends to linger with me. I prefer to just sit without this structure. What is the difference between elaborated and unelaborated forms of open sitting?

4) When recognizing a strong dislike for something or someone, what would be a skillful way on the relative level to manage this to continue to engage with the person or situation or to simply move away?

5) We can discover the nature of the mind in the gap between the object which is perceived as external and the consciousness which perceives that object. However, when a thought arises, we perceive it immediately without a gap. Thought is consciousness. The object and the subject are inseparable. Could you please explain how to free thoughts?

English: youtu.be/090SUATHtAo

English (without silence cuts): youtu.be/lVuU-5T6NmY

German: youtu.be/Vc6xmCDJIRQ

Russian: youtu.be/PSL516QWrGw

Polish: youtu.be/iU7FkxSM47c (you are here)

Spanish: youtu.be/U1FF_2nFhv4

Portuguese: youtu.be/pT-NQkZhtbI

Romanian: youtu.be/HdJIpaIuq1M

Turkish: [soon]

Polish translation: Bartłomiej Czajkowski

Playlist “Pytania & Odpowiedzi. [EN-PL] Zoom 07.2020 –”: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv-KZQo9b6hQe263kW-j5ZmxrgMShNo4b

📱 Instagram of excerpts: https://instagram.com/SBSangha_JamesLow

🎧 Poscasts of some teachings: https://simplybeing.co.uk/news/podcasts/

📆 Learn more about future events: https://simplybeing.co.uk/events/

Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU7FkxSM47c

July 2nd 2025. James Low had invited questions from people watching his Zooms, which he began to answer.

1) I am a US citizen seriously dismayed by the current state of politics particularly in the US. I am so upset by the prospects that I completely exclude all news and refrain from discussions on the topic. Withdrawing in this way is good for my blood pressure but is it wise to withdraw to this degree?

2) James says the guru yoga of the White A is enough yet he also describes the bo??. So do I need to do more to prepare myself for that?

3) If I do the guru yoga of the White A, the energy of the practice tends to linger with me. I prefer to just sit without this structure. What is the difference between elaborated and unelaborated forms of open sitting?

4) When recognizing a strong dislike for something or someone, what would be a skillful way on the relative level to manage this to continue to engage with the person or situation or to simply move away?

5) We can discover the nature of the mind in the gap between the object which is perceived as external and the consciousness which perceives that object. However, when a thought arises, we perceive it immediately without a gap. Thought is consciousness. The object and the subject are inseparable. Could you please explain how to free thoughts?

English: youtu.be/090SUATHtAo

English (without silence cuts): youtu.be/lVuU-5T6NmY

German: youtu.be/Vc6xmCDJIRQ

Russian: youtu.be/PSL516QWrGw

Polish: youtu.be/iU7FkxSM47c

Spanish: youtu.be/U1FF_2nFhv4 (you are here)

Portuguese: youtu.be/pT-NQkZhtbI

Romanian: youtu.be/HdJIpaIuq1M

Turkish: [soon]

Spanish translation: Juan García Lázaro ( @juanb.garcialazaro )

Playlist “Preguntas & Respuestas. [EN-ES] Zoom 07.2020 –”: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv-KZQo9b6hS7c0fyRpIUppfblqzUKho2

📱 Instagram of excerpts: https://instagram.com/SBSangha_JamesLow

🎧 Poscasts of some teachings: https://simplybeing.co.uk/news/podcasts/

📆 Learn more about future events: https://simplybeing.co.uk/events/

Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1FF_2nFhv4