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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Tara Brach's Dharma Talks in English
Tara Brach
A pervasive but often invisible source of suffering in our culture is self-aversion. We are a busy culture, and we move through our life feeling anxious and dissatisfied, but not fully conscious of how we neglect or judge our inner experience. We suffer from a lack of belonging: to our own bodies, to each other and to the earth. When we practice Buddhist meditation, we learn how to listen deeply and hold our life tenderly.
2023-03-08 The Wings of Awakening – Self-Honesty & Love (retreat talk) 63:21
We evolve our consciousness by bringing a clear and kind attention to the tangles of suffering. This talk explores how the “second arrow” of self-judgment imprisons us in emotional reactivity, and the pathways of awakening awareness that reconnect us with our full human potential. (This talk was given at the 2016 IMCW fall retreat.)
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2021-09-01 The Wise Heart of Radical Acceptance 62:44
When we are caught in self-judgment we forget the truth of who we are – our wholeness, awareness and love. This talk examines how we take the imperfect waves of our being personally, and become imprisoned in the trance of unworthiness, a limited and distorted reality. We then look at how the practice of Radical Acceptance enables us to come home to a fullness of being, and live from a growing sense of loving connectedness with all beings.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2023-11-08 The Wise Heart of Radical Acceptance 68:26
When we are caught in self-judgment we forget the truth of who we are – our wholeness, awareness and love. This talk examines how we take the imperfect waves of our being personally, and become imprisoned in the trance of unworthiness, a limited and distorted reality. We then look at how the practice of Radical Acceptance enables us to come home to a fullness of being, and live from a growing sense of loving connectedness with all beings.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2012-04-25 The World in Our Heart 1:24:54
Some contemporary evolutionary theories track our development from survival of the fittest to group selection whereby we have the capacity for cooperation and empathy. This talk explores how our meditation practice of attending and befriending consciously facilitates the unfolding of our full evolutionary potential. The talk includes a guided meditation that helps us widen the circles of belonging to include all beings.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
1998-05-19 There's No Place Like Home 51:34
Aspiring to be awake; taking refuge in caring presence.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center
2008-07-09 Three Attitudes That Awaken And Free Our Spirit 1:13:12
Our predicament is intuiting our true nature--love, awareness--and yet regularly contracting into the self-identity conditioned by wants and fears. This talk explores three essential and liberating ways of relating to our human conditioning: forgiving that it arises, interest in what is true, and regarding experience with friendliness and kindness.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2016-02-03 Three Attitudes that Nourish a Liberating Practice 1:18:16
A key spiritual inquiry is, “In this moment, what most serves awakening?” Rather than a particular style of meditation practice, it is our way of relating to our experience - our attitude - that frees our hearts. This talk explores the attitudes that are an expression of our innately open, wakeful and loving awareness, and that carry us to realization.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2018-12-05 Three Attitudes that Nourish a Liberating Practice 52:41
A key spiritual inquiry is, “In this moment, what most serves awakening?” Rather than a particular style of meditation practice, it is our way of relating to our experience – our attitude – that frees our hearts. This talk explores the attitudes that are an expression of our innately open, wakeful and loving awareness, and that carry us to realization. (a favorite from the archives)
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2022-08-03 Three Blessings in Spiritual Life – Part 1: Forgiveness 49:53
This 3-part series explores three capacities we all have, that when cultivated, bring spiritual awakening and serve the healing of our world. Drawing on an ancient teaching story from India, we explore together the power of a forgiving heart, the inner fire that expresses as courage and dedication, and the inquiry of “who am I” that reveals our deepest nature.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2017-08-02 Three Blessings in Spiritual Life – Part 2: Inner Fire 46:20
This 3-part series explores three capacities we all have, that when cultivated, bring spiritual awakening and serve the healing of our world. Drawing on an ancient teaching story from India, we explore together the power of a forgiving heart, the inner fire that expresses as courage and dedication, and the inquiry of “who am I” that reveals our deepest nature.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks

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