This is a recorded dialog between Shaila Catherine and John Kelly. Shaila is a Dharma Teacher in San Jose, California who leads local and online sutta study courses; John Kelly is a Pali Scholar in Australia. John assisted Bhikkhu Bodhi on the production of the English translation of the Numerical Discourses. Shaila and John share their impressions and insights regarding of this ancient text, highlighting the practical relevance of these teachings for contemporary lay people.

Monday Night Meditation Class Dharma Talk from January 4th, 2016

1. Ache, pains, and aging 2. “Choiceless awareness”; 3. Is intensity necessary? 4. How to let go; 5. The nature of the citta 6. Benefits of each the four main postures; 7. Progress in terms of abandonment?

1. On energy and breathing; 2. On 'traffic lights' 3. Moderating the practice 4. On dealing with rapture; 5. On world-weariness & death; 6. On choiceless awareness; 7. Mindful responses to sense contact; 8. On 'not being good enough'; 9. On fatigue

This talk by Shaila Catherine is the first in the speaker series "Doorways to Insight." Shaila Catherine describes the importance that is placed on recognizing and contemplating impermanence. This is one of the three main characteristics that we observe in insight meditation practices. We see and know that things change. Everything is changing—thoughts, emotions, feelings, perceptions, sensations, tastes, and emotions. But when we don't see the impermanence of things, we tend to grasp and cling to them. We tend to want to make them to last, and thereby we identify and become attached. As a result of attachment, we suffer, because they are changing anyway. Can we see beyond things that change, and realize what might be called changeless or deathless, to awaken with insight, to realize nibbana?

1. On trust; 2. On “acceptance”?; 3. On developing strong will; 4. On disadvantages of being a householder?; 5. On citta and mind

1. On daily life: dealing with anger and hatred, and calming down. 2. On a balanced approach? 3. On overwhelming thoughts 4. On negativity towards others 5. On rapture 6. On being attracted to samsara. Renunciation? 7. Do I need to get more disenchanted? 8. On stress in spiritual friendship 9. Does the citta connect to other cittas? 10. What to do with the unknown? 11. Is the citta “the self”? 12. On “awareness” and “citta”.

Monday Night Meditation Class with Nikki Mirghafori

Mindfulness meditation leads to insight into the nature of our hearts and minds, revealing an inherent clarity, openness, and ease. This course includes exploration of the intention behind practice, an introduction to insight (vipassana) meditation techniques, instructions for working with common obstacles, an overview of the practices of lovingkindness, and a discussion on how mindfulness can be part of one’s daily life.