Dharma Seed - Dharma Talks from Retreats

Cultivating Clear Seeing, Opening the Heart

In this retreat we will emphasize the development of wisdom and compassion through practices that help us to quiet our minds, strengthen mindfulness and lead to insight, as well open our hearts and ground us in our bodies. There will be a special emphasis on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and the Divine Abodes--lovingkindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.

2010-10-12 (8 days) Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-10-12 Why do we practice? 18:34
Donald Rothberg	Download Listen
It is helpful to connect with our deeper aspirations to practice - at the beginning of a retreat as well as before practice sessions. Twelve different responses to the question of why we practice are explored.

2010-10-13 Mindfulness-What it is and What Makes it Difficult. 50:49
Donald Rothberg	Download Listen
Mindfulness plays a central role in our practice of living with wisdom and compassion. We explore a number of the qualities of mindfulness as well as the obstacles to mindfulness.

2010-10-14 Wisdom-suffering, impermanence and the Heart 52:07
Donald Rothberg	Download Listen
Wisdom across many traditions is understood as a clear and deep seeing of human experience; a seeing that cuts through conditioning and delusion. We look at the relationship of wisdom to mindfulness and the caring heart, particularly at how we see more clearly suffering, its roots and impermanence.

2010-10-15 Metta practice and the Transformation of the Heart 45:37
Donald Rothberg	Download Listen
An exploration of metta practice and how it works-to develop the capacity to lead with the heart, develop in concentration, purify our being and touch our deeper nature.

2010-10-18 Continuing the Momentum of the Retreat in Daily Life Practice 33:54
Donald Rothberg	Download Listen
We explore a number of resources, support structures, and guiding perspectives that can help our daily life practice come alive.