This Dhamma talk, comments, questions and responses was offered on September 19, 2026 for “How do I apply the Dhamma to THIS!?!” 00:00 - DHAMMA TALK 32:22 - COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & RESPONSES

Short Reflection & Guided Meditation including a poem from the Sioux Nation | Earthworm Practice for the Anthropocene IV | Online Wednesday-Morning

We review the importance of giving attention to ethical practice, and how it has often been marginalized in Western Buddhism, with meditation typically being at the center (as is evident in speaking of “meditation centers” and “meditation groups”). Wise Speech, as one of the three aspects of ethical practice named in the Noble Eightfold Path, is particularly important in contemporary Western practice; we can have an opportunity for many hours a day of spiritual practice if we bring Wise Speech practice into our lives! The Buddha’s four guidelines for Wise Speech were truthfulness, helpfulness, care and kindness, and appropriateness (especially good timing). We focus, in this second talk on the first guideline of truthfulness, on how we understand and practice being truthful in our relational and social lives, with reference also to how truthfulness is understood in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. We see how truthfulness is crucial in communities and societies, what the consequences are of a lack of truthfulness, and how one dimension of our Wise Speech practice is helping to develop more truthfulness in our communities and societies. The talk is followed by discussion.

First, there are basic instructions in developing concentration offered, including the optional "three-part breath" technique which can help with avoiding controlling the breath and with developing more continuity. Then basic mindfulness instructions are given. The last minutes bring in reflection and inquiry questions related to our practice of wise speech, including the guideline of truthfulness, related to the talk that follows the guided practice. This is followed by discussion about different aspects of our practice.

In a Sunday Dhamma talk at Parayana Vihara, Ayya Anandabodhi explains how taking refuge in the Three Jewels and practicing ethical conduct creates the causes for happiness.

A talk on muditā, the joy that isn't ours alone. After days steadying the heart through warmth, tenderness, and spaciousness, we turn toward the brahma vihara most easily overlooked: the capacity to feel glad simply because someone else is. Through stories of borrowed delight, dancing tigers, and the quiet gladness of showing up to practice, we look at what gets in the way (envy, and its louder cousin, toxic cheer) and what it might mean to let another's happiness warm us too.

This guided meditation, dhamma talk, comments, questions and responses was offered on the 12th of September, 2026 for “How do I apply the Dhamma to THIS!?!” 00:00:19 - GUIDED MEDITATION 0:17:22 - DHAMMA TALK 0:59:24 - COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & RESPONSES

This meditation, dhamma talk, comments, questions and responses was offered on September 12, 2026 for “Eastbay Dhamma” 00:00 - 5 PRECEPTS 07:12 - MEDITATION 27:50 - SUTTA STUDY AND DISCUSSION Sutta link: https://suttacentral.net/dhp179-196/en/buddharakkhita?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false

The theme of this Sunday talk: Right effort, cultivating the skillful, and abandoning the unskillful. Luang Por reflects on right effort, and effort as a skill, rather than wholesome and un-wholesome, as it is sometimes referred to. Everything that arises, is natural, even a "murderous impulse". But whether we follow and cultivate it, is what is important. When the skillful is cultivated, we experience benefit for ourselves, and others, when the unskillful is followed and cultivated, it leads to harm, for ourselves and others. The practice of right effort then, lies, in first recognising fully, and discerning what is arising, and secondly, knowing how to follow the skillful, and abandon the unskillful.

Reflections on compassion, 20 minute guided meditation exploring various methods of compassion, followed by Q&A

Pain is unavoidable; suffering is what we add by resisting it. This talk traces that distinction through a rage-filled retreat, an ongoing war with invasive shrubs, and the near enemies — pity, overwhelm, "fierce compassion" — that masquerade as care while keeping suffering at arm's length.

Teachings and Guided Practice on practicing loving-kindness for oneself.

For many, wishing well and extending metta to others can come relatively naturally. The hard part is not sending out love, but letting it in. This is one of the most supportive practices for counteracting self-judgment and developing kindness and metta for ourselves. This talk will explore this topic and practice together.

An introduction to the Brahma Vihāras and to metta as the atmosphere of practice — exploring how kindness gathers us, heals the places where the heart has closed, and liberates.

The Buddha taught four guidelines for Wise Speech (as a core aspect of ethical practice): truthfulness, helpfulness, care and kindness, and appropriateness (especially good timing). We explore the first guideline, partly in connection with the other three guidelines, in four dimensions of practice. First and most basically, we explore how we practice with truthfulness in our individual practice with others. Secondly, we look at how truthfulness is also a central ethical guideline in our communities, organizations, and societies, making possible trust and safety; yet often this guideline is not followed. Thirdly, we look at our contemporary society in terms of truthfulness and the lack of truthfulness. Fourthly, we ask how we might respond, as part of our ethical practice, to develop more truthfulness in the society: What can help? The talk is followed by discussion.

Teachings and guided practice on settling, integrating, arriving.