Howard Cohn's Dharma Talks
Howard Cohn
The more I rest in present awareness, and don't separate myself out from life, the more I appreciate the impact that I have on others. Only when I am present am I sensitive to my connection to the world, am I able to feel how important it is to be non-harming in my words and actions. When I am lost in thought, I lose that simplicity and sensitivity.
I continually point toward this secret of the present moment, for if I am really present, I don't suffer as much, I don't cause as much suffering, and I am less afraid. I may experience intense pain or pleasure, but the degree of mental suffering lessens. Practicing mindfulness de-conditions the habits that prevent me from being centered in the present. This in turn gives me a more stable awareness, which allows me to recognize my inherent peace and freedom.
It is this taste of nowness--introducing people to the living quality of the present moment and its sense of freedom--that most engages me in my teaching practice. I find no evidence of suffering, in my mind, unless I remind myself of some event that is not in the present. Suffering arises when I am lost in my imagination, reviewing the past or fearfully anticipating the future.
I feel tremendous gratitude and love for the dharma, and the practice of awareness. Knowing my mind a little better, and being less preoccupied with my internal drama, makes me more available to the suffering of others. Consequently, I am moved to give to others rather than focusing on what I can get. In spite of being more attuned to suffering, staying present allows each day to become more joyful, compelling and intereesting. My desire to run from this moment, by running after an imagined, better future, or away from a past fear, has diminished. It is present wakefulness that helps me recover my capacity to live with balance and ease in the world.
--
Select from Howard Cohn's
263
talks
--
VIEW ALL
2016-01-07
Day Two, Instructional Sit
2012-04-04
4 Noble Truths in Real Time
2011-12-17
A Case of Mistaken Identity
2015-09-05
A Case of Mistaken Identity
2011-05-03
A Wise Relationship with Suffering
2008-12-11
Against The Stream
2011-01-18
Against the Stream
2015-06-19
Aim for the Highest Happiness
2010-06-25
All About Me
2013-03-26
Altruistic Joy
2012-01-21
An Overview of the Eightfold Path
2008-02-14
At The Still Point Of The Turning World
2014-10-10
Awakening this Natural Mind of the Buddha
2013-04-22
Awareness is Natural
2011-04-27
Awareness of Body
2013-04-16
Awful - Responding with Compassion after the Boston Marathon Bombing
2011-08-16
Back to Nature
2012-06-21
Back To Nature: Mindfulness of the Body
2012-09-04
Back to School
2012-03-13
Beyond I, Me, Mine
2015-05-16
Big Mind
2008-02-23
Big Mind Meditation
2014-08-31
Big Mind Meditation
2008-08-31
Big Sky Meditation With Bells
2012-05-17
Buddha's Way To Happiness
2015-05-14
Buddha's Way to Well Being And Happiness
2012-07-14
Calming the Restless Mind
2016-08-21
Calming the Restless Mind
2011-04-15
Cast Your Votes for Dancing
2012-10-02
Connecting Lovingly with Yourself and Others
2010-11-30
Connecting with this Very Moment
2012-09-18
Cultivating Wholesome Actions and Realizing a State of Awe
2012-01-24
Dana, Sila and Bhavana
2017-05-31
Day 1: Morning Sit with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2017-09-01
Day 2 Metta Practice (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-05-19
Day 2 Sitting/Instructions
2017-06-02
Day 3: Morning Sit with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-05-21
Day 4 Sitting/Instructions
2016-01-09
Day Four Instructional Sit
2016-05-03
Day Four Instructions
2016-05-01
Day Two Metta: Body Metta
2015-01-04
Daylong Retreat talk - The Buddha's Path to Well-Being
2015-01-04
Daylong Retreat talk - The Buddha's Path to Well-Being
2015-01-04
Daylong Retreat talk - The Buddha's Path to Well-Being
2017-01-07
Dharma Duet: The Essential Teachings of the Buddha (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
...
2010-11-15
Don't Believe the Second-Hand Story
2010-10-26
Embracing your Mollyness
2010-02-24
Empty of Self / Full of Everything
2007-06-22
Empty Of Self, Full Of Everything
2008-02-18
Equanimity: The Eye Of The Storm
2018-01-23
Evening Q & A Metta Day 2 (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2012-10-09
Faith
2016-05-04
Fall into life: Simple Mindful Presence
2008-01-24
Finding A Reliable Refuge
2008-01-24
Finding A Reliable Refuge
2012-11-13
Finding Peace in this Sea of Insecurity
2011-09-02
Following the Buddha's Way to True Happiness
2009-12-16
Footsteps of the Buddha: The Highest Happiness is Peace
2011-03-01
Forgetting and Remembering
2011-10-11
Forgiveness
2012-07-10
Freedom from Clinging
2014-05-23
Freedom from the Prison of Self
2011-06-14
Freedom is Right Here
2013-06-11
From Me to We
2012-08-21
Generosity and Lovingkindness
1999-03-24
Happier and Freer
2012-02-21
Happiness Free of Hunger
2011-11-29
Happiness Now - Why Wait for the Weekend
2013-01-31
Happiness Of A Buddha
2000-03-10
Happiness of the Buddha
2007-05-24
Healing Power Of Mindfulness
2011-10-25
Here and Now
2009-08-19
Hindrances as a Door of Awakening
2015-06-17
Housebuilder, You Have Been Seen
2010-09-03
In Harmony With The Truth
2013-01-10
In The Footsteps of The Buddha
2011-10-18
Inclusion and Exclusion
2012-01-10
Insight and Clear Perception
2017-01-05
Instructions and Sitting Meditation Day 1 (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2017-01-07
Instructions and Sitting Meditation Day 3 (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-06-25
Introduction to Insight Meditation
2013-06-29
Introduction to Insight Meditation, Part 1 of 4
2013-06-29
Introduction to Insight Meditation, Part 2 of 4
2013-06-29
Introduction to Insight Meditation, Part 3 of 4
2013-06-29
Introduction to Insight Meditation, Part 4 of 4
2017-07-22
Introduction to Meditation (Daylong at Spirit Rock) part 1
2017-07-22
Introduction to Meditation (Daylong at Spirit Rock) part 2
2015-11-15
Introduction to Mindfulness - Part One
2015-11-15
Introduction to Mindfulness - Part Two
2007-12-14
It's All About Me
2011-02-02
It's all Miraculous
2014-06-12
Joy of Awakening
2011-06-30
Jumping into the Midst of Everything: Realizing the Four Noble Truths
2012-07-31
Keep it Simple
2013-07-02
Let Go and Find Unshakeable Peace and Freedom
2012-10-30
Let the World Adjust to You
2010-12-09
Let Your Difficulties Become the Path
2012-06-23
Let's Grow Up: Exploring The 4 Noble Truths
2012-10-16
Letting Go of Attachements
2011-03-15
Letting Our Hearts Break
2011-08-23
Liberation through Non-Clinging
2012-02-28
Live a Life that Leads to Freedom
2012-03-06
Living with Calm Abiding and Don't Know Mind
2012-02-07
Living with Ease
2012-08-31
Look Around: Wake Up to Reality
2011-12-15
Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places
2011-04-05
Loss, Grief, and Love
2012-02-14
Love
2011-03-08
Love - The Reason we Practice
2016-09-02
Loving Kindness Practice
2010-05-07
Loving The House That Ego Built
2011-01-29
Loving The House That Ego Built
2015-07-26
Loving the House that Ego Built
2016-03-19
Loving the House that Ego Built
2013-01-20
Loving The House That Ego Built, Part 1
2015-07-26
Loving the House that Ego Built, Part 1 of 2
2013-01-20
Loving The House That Ego Built, Part 2
2015-07-26
Loving the House that Ego Built, Part 2 of 2
2013-10-10
Meeting Your Life as it Is
2011-02-08
Metta - Reteaching a Thing its Loveliness
2011-03-29
Minding the Gap and Stepping into Life
2013-02-01
Morning Instructions - Day 2
2014-02-08
Morning Instructions and Guided Meditation
2018-01-22
Morning Instructions Day 1 (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2018-01-25
Morning Instructions Day 4 (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2011-09-13
Music of the Heart
1998-01-02
Nature of Self, Nature of Mind
2015-01-08
No Mud, No Lotus
2017-01-04
Opening Night Talk (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2012-01-03
Opening to Life
2012-04-17
Pacify the Bully
2008-02-08
Papanca - Why I Can't Be Happy Now
2017-07-25
Path of the Buddha (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2011-08-30
Planting Seeds
1999-03-11
Practical People make a Peaceful World
2012-05-22
Practicing the Dharma with Others
2009-06-09
Practicing with the Four Noble Truths
2010-09-21
Purity and Happiness
2011-03-22
Q&A - The Road Less Traveled
2012-03-27
Questions and Answers
2013-03-19
Questions and Answers
2012-01-31
Rains Retreat
2015-01-10
Rediscovering Your Mollyness
2013-01-22
Reliable Refuge
2010-11-23
Rest in Natural Great Peace
2012-05-29
Rest in the Mind's True Nature
2013-02-26
Seconds Away from Freedom
2008-08-30
Seeing Through The Self Illusion
2009-06-12
Seeing through the Self Illusion
2012-05-19
Seeing Through The Self Illusion
2014-06-20
Self, No Self and Freedom
2013-07-16
Selflessness and Interconnection
2011-11-15
Simplicity of the Quiet Mind
2008-11-15
Simply Waiting
2012-12-11
Skillfully Responding to the Voices of Mara
2012-12-04
Solving the Case of Mistaken Identity
2011-01-07
Song of Awakening: Confronting the Three Marks of Existence
2012-05-01
Soothing the Anxious Heart
2012-12-31
Spirit Rock Meditation Center, No Self, No Problem: An Exploration of Self-View
2016-12-10
Spirit Rock, The Buddha's Path of Well-Being and Happiness
2013-03-05
Spring Cleaning
2011-07-26
Stay Where You Are
2011-09-06
Stay Where you Are
2010-10-19
Stepping Out of Our Identities
2012-05-15
Taking Refuge in the Laughing Buddha
2011-11-22
Thanksgiving
2012-11-20
Thanksgiving
2010-02-18
The Awakening of Equanimity
2016-01-03
The Buddha's Path of Well Being and Happiness - Morning Session
2016-01-03
The Buddha's Path of Well-Being and Happiness - Afternoon Session
2008-04-04
The Buddha's Way To Happiness
2010-05-25
The Buddha's Way to Happiness
2009-04-11
The Buddha's Way To Happiness and Freedom
2012-07-03
The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha
2013-03-12
The Clear Light of Your Existence - In Memory of Carlos Ramirez
2009-04-13
The Complicating Nature of the Self View.
2010-06-22
The Cure for Pain is in the Pain
2013-06-25
The Desire for Awakening
2013-05-21
The Dharma is Not an Escape - The Way Out is In
2012-09-25
The Dharma of Non-Postponement
2015-05-16
The Door Is Wide Open
2012-05-08
The Dukkha of Praise and Blame
2013-05-28
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness
2012-06-26
The Four Noble Truths
2011-01-11
The Four Noble Truths - Kickoff of the 100 Day Retreat
2008-02-22
The Four Reminders
2013-04-09
The Four Wise Efforts
2012-07-24
The Graveyard of Memory and Q&A
2010-04-01
The Happiness Of A Buddha
2002-02-03
The Happiness of the Buddha
2014-02-06
The Highest Happiness
2016-09-03
The Highest Happiness
2012-09-11
The Home of Experience
2013-07-08
The House of Self
2013-02-05
The Idea of You is Not You
2013-07-05
The Immediacy of the Four Noble Truths
2013-05-07
The Innocence of Identity
2016-05-20
The Joy of Awakening
2014-05-03
The Light of Wisdom
2012-07-17
The Manure of Bodhi
2013-01-15
The Miracle of the Present Moment
2010-02-03
The Obstacles are the Path
2007-04-18
The Open Secret
2012-11-05
The Open Secret
2013-01-29
The Paramis
2014-08-29
The Pathless Path
2012-04-07
The Preciousness of Life
2013-06-04
The Promise of Awakening
2011-07-12
The Search for Safety
2013-05-14
The Skylike Nature of Mind
2009-09-05
The Thoughts Keep Coming
2011-07-19
The Topic for Every Day is Love
2010-01-21
The Transformative Potential in our Difficulties
2011-01-25
The Triple Gem
2011-11-08
The True Happiness of Freedom
2016-01-25
The Way to the End of the World
2017-02-26
The Wings of Awakening: Wisdom and Compassion, afternoon session (Daylong at ...
2017-02-26
The Wings of Awakening: Wisdom and Compassion, morning session (Daylong at Sp...
2012-01-19
The Wisdom of Vulnerability: Working with the Four Noble Truths
2011-04-12
The World, the Cause of the World, the End of the World
2014-01-11
There is no Big Dipper
2011-02-15
This Body, The Path
2016-01-08
This Gift of Awakening
1999-03-18
Time
2010-05-27
To Be Realized in the Here and Now
2010-10-12
Touching our Fear
2010-02-12
Trance of Time
2013-01-01
Transcendence, Connection to the Timeless, and New Year's Intentions
2016-06-18
True Happiness
2012-06-05
Trust in Awareness
2017-06-01
Turn Your Existence Into Joy (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2014-05-20
Wake Up, You're Behind a Farting Camel
2011-01-27
Walking The Buddha's Path Of Happiness
2000-05-27
We Are All Doing Time
2010-12-14
We are the Ones we are Looking for
2011-09-27
We Are What We Practice
2013-02-19
What Can I Give to the World Today?
2012-06-19
What is Your Next Step?
2000-03-16
What We Need Is Here
2016-01-06
What You Need is Here
2012-08-28
What's Happening Now?
2013-04-30
When the Heart-Mind is Open
2012-10-23
When We Have No Preferences
2011-09-20
Widening our Circle
2011-12-06
Working with the Hindrances
2012-03-20
You are a Buddha
2017-09-02
You are Beautiful as You Are (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2013-02-02
You Are Buddha-Ful
2011-02-22
You are Indescribable
2018-01-24
You Are Not A Problem to be Solved (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2013-10-12
You are not what you think
2017-07-28
You Are Not What You Think (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2010-10-05
You are that Gleam
2010-12-11
You are the Buddha
2001-05-02
You Are the Buddha
2001-05-20
You Are the Buddha
2013-01-12
You are the Nameless and the Formless
2011-10-04
You Are What You Are Looking For
2017-01-06
You Are What You Are Looking For (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-10-12
You are Worthy of Respect
2010-11-09
Your Basic Goodness
2013-08-30
Your Difficulties are Your Path
2014-01-09
Your Medicine is the Four Noble Truths