Donate  |   Contact


The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Retreat Dharma Talks

Healing the heart, refining the mind, finding freedom

Traditionally, the New Year is a time to take stock of our lives, to let go of what no longer serves, and to reconnect more fully with our deeper aspirations. This eight-day retreat provides a precious opportunity to settle into silence and with the support of sangha/community, attune more fully to the heart and mind.
Through this process of deep listening to ourselves and others, we can then better understand how to live our lives with more kindness, compassion and clarity.

2021-12-30 (9 days) Sydney Insight Meditators

  
2022-01-03 21 instructions: mindfulness of mind-states 11:54
Jill Shepherd
A short introduction to mindfulness of mind-states or mental qualities, practising vipassanā out loud in pairs
2022-01-03 22 talk: Five Hindrances 49:33
Jill Shepherd
An overview of the Five Hindrances, afflictive mental states that get in the way of clear seeing
2022-01-04 23 instructions: choiceless attention 6:55
Jill Shepherd
Instructions for letting go of having a single meditation object, and moving to choiceless attention, letting the awareness connect with whatever experience is predominant
2022-01-04 28 meditation: awakening factors 25:08
Jill Shepherd
Noticing the presence or absence of each of the seven awakening factors
2022-01-04 24 meditation: choiceless attention 23:49
Jill Shepherd
Beginning by stabilising awareness on the breath, physical sensations and sounds, then opening to choiceless attention, letting the awareness connect with whatever experience is predominant
2022-01-04 25 instructions: metta practice 15:33
Jill Shepherd
Brief instructions for cultivating metta or kindness for a benefactor
2022-01-04 27 talk: Seven Factors of Awakening 43:10
Jill Shepherd
An overview of the Seven Factors of Awakening
2022-01-05 30 talk: working with afflictive thought-patterns 48:45
Jill Shepherd
2022-01-06 31 instructions: mudita p2 6:57
Jill Shepherd
As the retreat comes to a close, noticing the tendency for the mind to go into future thinking, and come back to abiding in the skilful qualities that have been developed here, specifically mudita as a form of appreciation or gratitude
2022-01-06 32 meditation: mudita as appreciation for outer conditions and inner qualities 29:13
Jill Shepherd
Beginning by acknowledging what we can appreciate about the outer conditions of being on retreat, then orienting to the skilful inner qualities that have been strengthened, specifically the seven factors of awakening
Creative Commons License