When the Buddha looked for an image to describe the force of grasping and the intensity of suffering, he chose fire. In our moment of accelerating planetary warming and a climate crisis brought on by the burning of fossil fuels, fire as a metaphor for greed, endless consumption, and the cycle of pain they create feels all too apt. As we explore the Buddha’s teachings on fire, we find the core insight of the first two Noble Truths—that grasping is the cause of suffering—relevant both for personal healing and awakening, and the collective challenge we face as a culture trying to rein in the ancient forces of greed, hatred, and delusion in ourselves.

In this month’s Dharma study, we look at the famous “Fire Sermon” of the Buddha, and explore craving in personal and collective practice with talks by Amana Brembry Johnson, DaRa Williams, Rick Hanson, Thanissara, Heather Sundberg, and more.

As guiding teachers for Spirit Rock Meditation Center, we wish to speak personally, from the heart, about the impact of the war in Gaza and Israel. This is a time when practitioners, including ourselves, need the Dharma to hold, support, and guide them. We are heartbroken at the loss of life, safety, and well-being on a devastating scale in both Israel and Gaza, and as individuals we seek the best ways to respond with skillful speech and action.

Aspiration connects us with a sense of what is possible. It is a key that opens the door to healing, spiritual cultivation, and social transformation. Without aspiration—without the sense that things can be different—we don’t bring forth the energy required for change. (Excerpt from Your Heart was Made for This.)

Expansiveness helps broaden our perspective, so we can think more flexibly and with a more open mind. We become better able to focus on the big picture and not feel so discouraged by the constant array of ups and downs we experience every day. When faced with adversity, we can generate more solutions. Expansiveness invites experimentation and imagination. We’re more willing to pour ourselves fully into life’s pursuits. It is the freedom of letting down the burden we have been carrying. It leaves room for our fundamentally loving hearts to uncoil, and lead us onward.