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In Memoriam: Rick Woudenberg


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Retreat Dharma Talks

Steadying the Heart: Refuge through the Four Sublime States

The Buddhist path includes practices to cultivate four powerful and transformative qualities—kindness, compassion, joy, and balance. These qualities are innate human capacities, and can also be developed into more reliable dwelling places for the heart. Known as the brahmavihāra, or “sublime homes,” these states can serve as powerful supports for wellbeing, wholeness, concentration, and the maturing of Insight practice.

In this silent meditation retreat, we will explore techniques for developing each of the four sublime states, as well as ways to release the obstacles that often get in the way of living with more ease, happiness and peace. Our time together will include silent and guided sitting meditation, walking meditation, Dharma talks, instructions, Q&A and small group meetings with the teachers.

This retreat is appropriate for both beginning and more experienced meditators. This retreat is silent except for teacher-led Q&A, small groups, or other practice meetings.

This retreat is silent except for teacher-led Q&A, small groups, or other practice meetings.

2023-09-23 (8 days) Spirit Rock Meditation Center

  
2023-09-25 Reclaiming the Heart's Beauty (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 51:16
Oren Jay Sofer
An exploration of the power of metta to transform our hearts and our world.
2023-09-26 On Karuna (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 42:46
Cara Lai
Some words on compassion; with a focus on ease, trust, letting go, being gentle on yourself and seeing how seeing our own pain can connect us to the whole world.
2023-09-27 Compassion Meditation Instructions and Q&A (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 46:47
Jessica Morey
Guided practice taking our own suffering into compassionate awareness as a point of connection to the suffering of others.
2023-09-28 Touching the Joy and Goodness in Our Lives (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 50:03
Jessica Morey
An exploration of the nature of Mudita, how to cultivate and overcome obstacles to sympathetic joy.
2023-09-29 Sympathetic Joy / Mudita Meditation Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 41:03
Jessica Morey
A classical guided meditation on sympathetic joy.
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