A talk on training the heart in a time of heat: drawing from the Fire Sermon, the Sutta Nipata, and lived stories – showing how equanimity and compassion meets suffering without collapse, numbness, or bypass.
We all have teachers who've inspired us to see life in a new way. Who have been your inspirations?
What have you learned from them? I thought I'd share some ways that instructions from two of my
teachers--Ram Dass and HWL Poonja (Papaji)-- have shaped how I see the world and how I practice.
The talk includes a recording of a significant dialogue from 1990 with Poonjaji that reconnected me
with my joy.
Here is a link to the dialogue of the Poonjaji satsang where James asked the question
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16TnL2Zev-6r_mZPrgdSxSTaYLoyzdLOg3CnJ2U3D6C8/edit?tab=t.0
Here is a link to the video on Youtube that is over an hour long
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrjspK5fHiQ. James is at 23:38
Life is sometimes like a roller coaster. You can choose to scream at the ups and downs or apply a balanced mind and enjoy the ride. How do we stay calm and balanced in the face of happiness and pain?
This dhamma talk, and questions and responses was offered on November 8, 2025 for “How do I apply the Dhamma to THIS!?!”
00:00 - DHAMMA TALK
18:16 - Q&R
