Four Great Efforts

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At present there are 32 entries in this list.

Source / Teacher
Day
Index
Question
Singapore QA December 2003
Steve
1
5
The forces of hindrances in our life are plenty. How do we get rid of these?
Ref: 2003.12.x.01.05
Written answer
Singapore QA December 2003
Steve
1
14
How will we know when we have reached the full meditative state, what will it feel like?
Ref: 2003.12.x.01.14
Written answer
Special Retreat Germany September 2005
Rosemary
7
2
How can one deal better with the feeling of failure?
Ref: 2005.09.x.07.02
Written answer
Special Retreat Germany September 2014
Rosemary
17
14
Can you please talk about the effort to prevent?
Ref: 2014.09.x.17.14
Audio answer
Special Retreat Australia April 2004
Steve
3
10
How should I react towards cruel, raw, immoral actions which I would never ever commit, let alone intend to do, thought of it or dreamt of, yet which seemed to overflow my mind?
Ref: 2004.04.x.03.10
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand January 2007
Rosemary
6
6
Could you please explain the 7 suitables?
Ref: 2007.01.x.06.06
Written answer
- Four Great Efforts
- Seven Suitable Conditions
Special Retreat Thailand January 2007
Rosemary
6
1
You've said the Noble Eightfold Path is like a spiral. Could you please explain this in a little bit more detail?
Ref: 2007.01.x.06.01
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand January 2007
Rosemary
2
2
Could you please talk about self-control?
Ref: 2007.01.x.02.02
Written answer
Special Retreat Germany September 2010
Steve
4
4
There is a very old and strong condition in my mind, thoughts of regret coming up, followed by feelings of self-hatred. Could you, please, say something about that?
Ref: 2010.09.x.04.04
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand January 2008
Rosemary
2
6
Sometimes I find myself in problems trying to help someone else, but cannot give the help that is expected or even keep my own promise. What is best to do?
Ref: 2008.01.x.02.06
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand January 2008
Steve
4
4
The Four Great Efforts were mentioned recently. I think they are: to Prevent, to Let Go, to Develop and to Maintain. Could you talk a little about these, please?Perhaps give examples of how we can put them into our practice?
Ref: 2008.01.x.04.04
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand January 2003
Steve
8
10
In the Sutta called "The Great Forty", the Buddha talks about the Noble Eightfold Path, and he explains what right view is and wrong view, what right thought is and wrong thought is etc. But he doesn't explain what wrong effort, wrong mindfulness and wrong concentration are. Is it to use effort, mindfulness and concentration for an unskillful action?
Ref: 2003.01.x.08.10
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand January 2009
Rosemary
9
5
What techniques do you advise for working with letting go of feelings of unworthiness, low self-esteem, self-hatred, feeling guilty, blaming oneself? Balancing these with good actions I know already.
Ref: 2009.01.x.09.05
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand January 2009
Rosemary
2
4
In the Day 1 Evening Talk in the regular Retreat, Steve talks about the different stages of Mindfulness exampled before, during and after a situation has happened. Concerning before, he refers to being aware of the causes and conditions that bring about certain reactions in us. Could you please talk about the causes and conditions stage of Mindfulness.
Ref: 2009.01.x.02.04
Written answer
Special Retreat Germany July 2019
Rosemary
17
10
Should one avoid situations that bring about most desire and aversion, if possible, that is food is not possible to avoid, or should one be mindfully in these situations that bring about most desire and aversion and practice/cultivating equanimity?
Ref: 2019.07.x.17.10
Audio answer
Special Retreat Germany September 2006
Rosemary
9
5
How can we always understand what is appropriate and beneficial?
Ref: 2006.09.x.09.05
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand July 2005
Steve
8
9
Is the perfection of the Ten Paramis more an accumulative practice or an attempt for moment to moment to keep them all high?
Ref: 2005.07.x.08.09
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand July 2005
Steve
8
13
Can you tell me more about determination, please?
Ref: 2005.07.x.08.13
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand July 2005
Rosemary
2
10
In which way can the letting go of ignorance be reached?
Ref: 2005.07.x.02.10
Written answer
Berlin QA September 2008
Steve
8
1
How can I balance restlessness in everyday life?
Ref: 2008.09.x.08.01
Written answer
Special Retreat Germany July 2018
Rosemary
15
10
Could you explain renunciation?
Ref: 2018.07.x.15.10
Audio answer
Special Retreat Australia April 2005
Rosemary
7
2
My compassion has a long way to go. On hearing a barking dog or a noisy engine my first reaction is usually anger and a desire to fix it. Only later and often through clenched teeth can I arise compassion.
Ref: 2005.04.x.07.02
Written answer
Special Retreat Australia April 2005
Steve
8
4
Sometime I play the same painful story over and over again in my head. I know intellectually it is a ridiculous thing to do as it causes me great suffering. I go to the breath - I get settled and next thing I know I'm doing it again. There's got to be some way to get out of it but I can't see it.
Ref: 2005.04.x.08.04
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand July 2007
Rosemary
6
1
Can you talk about Effort and Morality, such as making the effort to go buy your own bucket, rather than borrowing and then forgetting to return it to your neighbors?
Ref: 2007.07.x.06.01
Written answer
Special Retreat Germany September 2007
Rosemary
7
2
Please talk more about idealistic wishes, judgment, and their relation to Right Effort. Are there any special questions we can work with to find the truth of right and wrong effort?
Ref: 2007.09.x.07.02
Written answer
Special Retreat Germany September 2007
Rosemary
9
10
Can you please talk more about the Noble Eightfold Path?
Ref: 2007.09.x.09.10
Written answer
Special Retreat Germany September 2007
Steve
4
9
How detailed should we make our mental noting?
Ref: 2007.09.x.04.09
Written answer
Special Retreat Germany September 2007
Steve
5
6
Things don't change overnight. Even if I have made a strong resolution to change, which methods help me to resist in situations when confronted with temptation, for example being offered chocolates, alcohol or other people making unbeneficial jokes about other people?
Ref: 2007.09.x.05.06
Written answer
Special Retreat Germany September 2003
Steve
5
7
Please explain in more detail how the mind process works when we try to increase beneficial qualities and try to decrease unbeneficial ones? How does sense contact, thought, work in-between? Are beneficial qualities processed in-between right thinking and some wise reactions and mental formations? Is consciousness just guiding this process?
Ref: 2003.09.x.05.07
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand January 2005
Rosemary
2
2
Could you please explain investigation into mental objects?
Ref: 2005.01.x.02.02
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand January 2004
Rosemary
7
4
How to reflect on the Seven Factors of Enlightenment?
Ref: 2004.01.x.07.04
Written answer
Special Retreat Thailand January 2004
Steve
3
8
Can you please explain what is meant by choiceless awareness?
Ref: 2004.01.x.03.08
Written answer
- Four Great Efforts
- Choiceless awareness