Every January, I notice a sudden increase in the number of runners in my neighborhood. The surrounding gyms and health clubs are also suddenly packed with nowhere to park. And then I remember that we have just celebrated New Year’s Eve. These are all the people who made resolutions to get healthy. Most will be gone by February; both the runners and the parking lots will have cleared out until next year.

When we look at the way the teachings have been shared through time, we see the Buddha used imagination constantly to open the heart, to shift perception, and to awaken compassion and wisdom. How can we use imagination in our practice today?

It turns out that there four different groups of Buddhist followers that have existed since the Buddha’s time. There were the male monastics and the female monastics and the male and female householders. Giving us four distinct communities, each with their own set of concerns. When the Buddha taught, he would focus his teachings to address the needs of these different groups.