Ajahn Viradhammo, speaking for the first time after the three month winter retreat, reflects on the realm of thought and its limitations. There was a tragic loss of lives in the Buddhist community in Ottawa. The feeling in the funeral home was heartbreaking, it was not thinking.

Tension, worry are not resolved with thinking. Try practicing a face meditation where one listens and waits abiding in and awakening to the way things are. The tension, worry opens with the attention of the heart. The tension in the face becomes known and resolved through this deeper feeling - the awareness and compassion available with the heart. The body comes alive, not through thought. This was very liberating, it can bring joy (mudita) to trust in awareness, a path with heart.

Ajahn Pavaro reflects on the expression in the Metta Sutta..." unburdened with duties". He asks how do we regard our duties? How could we simplify and reframe them ?

He references Ajahn Viradhammo's use of the foreground and the background and how the practice of mindfulness helps us to know the background. If we attach to the sensation that arises - we are then in the foreground. By attending to what is happening a wholesome, causal relationship begins to develop (bhavana) awareness of the nuanced movement between the foreground and the background.

Ajahn directs us to the body as a frame of reference and recommends Frames of Mindfulness by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/frames.html