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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
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Dharma Talks
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2015-09-05
The “Thinning” of the Self: Exploring and Practicing Anattā (“Not-Self”) 1: Introduction and Overview
45:58
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Donald Rothberg
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The teaching of anattā (“not-self”) points to one of the three fundamental areas of liberating insight taught by the Buddha (along with the teachings on impermanence and on suffering or dukkha). Yet anattā can very challenging and confusing for contemporary practitioners. Is there “no self” (as anattā is sometimes translated)? How do we make sense of our feelings of individuality, identity, ancestry, and vocation? How do we address our own personal experiences of woundedness, trauma, and oppression? Are these all simply to be “transcended”? How is a sense of self actually in many ways important for contemporary spiritual development, and how is working with our own individual conditioning, whether psychological or social in origin, central to our liberation? How do we integrate attending to such conditioning with opening as well to the power and energy of experiences beyond the habitual sense of self?
In this daylong, we will explore these vital questions primarily in a practical way. Using the metaphors of “thinning the self” and working with a “thick” sense of self, we will cover three aspects of practice: (1) cultivating, in several ways, the “thinning” of the self, both in meditation and in everyday life, including working with the Five Skandhas or “aggregates” of experience; (2) tracking and working with different manifestations of a “thick” sense of self, both as appearing in experience and as hidden to awareness; and (3) opening to experiencing beyond a fixed sense of self, as awareness, compassion, and responsiveness deepen.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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2015-08-17
Ignorance and Delusion
28:12
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Shaila Catherine
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Shaila Catherine discusses how ignorance (sometimes referred to as delusion) is the root of all unwholesome activities. Ignorance is present any time that we fail to see the three characteristics of experience: impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self. The wisdom that develops through insight meditation practice can overcome and uproot even deeply conditioned ignorance. Wisdom helps us to understand suffering and the cause of suffering, and awaken compassion for ourselves and others who suffer due to ignorance.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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2015-07-21
Ethics, Action, and the Five Precepts
3:26:01
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Jason Murphy,
Shaila Catherine,
Sharon Allen,
Steve Gasner,
Tony Bernhard
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This series explores virtue as the indispensable foundation of Buddhist practice. It is structured according to the five training precepts. These precepts are not rules to be followed obediently; rather, they serve as guidelines for the intentional development of compassion, mindfulness and wisdom. These five precepts offer us a joyful method to cultivate the heart, nurture harmony in our relationships, and free the mind from inner forces of greed and hatred that if left unrestrained might cause suffering for ourselves and others.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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2015-05-06
Othering & Belonging 1
58:06
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Donald Rothberg
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In the contexts of our practice of examining the nature of self and of a recent conference on "Othering and Belonging," we look at ways that we create an "other." We may do this in terms of social groups (according to race, age, gender, religion, ability/disability, educational level, etc.), interpersonally, or in terms of parts of oneself (I "other" my fear or shame or brilliance). This week we focus on "othering" (the "other" is often noticed, but not really known or seen), how to track our own ways of othering, and how to work with and transform othering, opening to greater compassion, wisdom, and connection.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2015-04-30
Mindfulness of Pain, Illness, and Death
44:11
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Kim Allen
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This talk was given as part of the series “Strengthening Mindfulness.” Dukkha, or suffering, includes pain, illness, and death; yet these are inevitable visitors to our lives. It is our practice to gently turn towards what’s difficult and painful in our lives, and understand truly these human experiences. When we are mindful, we become aware that there are the bodily sensations of pain and discomfort that we may not control, and there are our mind’s reactions to these sensations that we may observe and change. Mindfulness of death can lead us to a sense of spiritual urgency, and help us to cultivate compassion for this shared experience among all human kind. This knowledge of commonality can also help us to overcome fear.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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In
collection:
Strengthening Mindfulness
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2015-03-29
Listening to the Heart - Sun
2:46:34
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Kittisaro,
Thanissara
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This Dharma teaches “our heart / mind (citta) is already pure, luminous, free and endowed with wisdom.” Realizing this is the fruit of practice while the embodiment of this truth is the path of practice. To walk this path is a life time undertaking which is made all the sweeter through fellowship within “beloved community.” This weekend we explore teachings and practices of freedom while deepening support of ourselves within community. Besides drawing from classical teachings of Dharma and meditation, we will also focus on practices and teachings from Kuan Yin bodhisattva of deep wisdom and compassion, who is a metaphor for our true heart. There will be Dharma teachings, meditation practice, discussion, chanting, ceremony and cultivation of authentic inquiry.
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New York Insight Meditation Center
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2015-03-28
Listening to the Heart - Sat. PM
64:23
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Kittisaro,
Thanissara
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This Dharma teaches “our heart / mind (citta) is already pure, luminous, free and endowed with wisdom.” Realizing this is the fruit of practice while the embodiment of this truth is the path of practice. To walk this path is a life time undertaking which is made all the sweeter through fellowship within “beloved community.” This weekend we explore teachings and practices of freedom while deepening support of ourselves within community. Besides drawing from classical teachings of Dharma and meditation, we will also focus on practices and teachings from Kuan Yin bodhisattva of deep wisdom and compassion, who is a metaphor for our true heart. There will be Dharma teachings, meditation practice, discussion, chanting, ceremony and cultivation of authentic inquiry.
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New York Insight Meditation Center
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Life, Death, Etc. ...All in a Year!
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2015-03-28
Listening to the Heart - Sat. AM
2:25:28
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Kittisaro,
Thanissara
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This Dharma teaches “our heart / mind (citta) is already pure, luminous, free and endowed with wisdom.” Realizing this is the fruit of practice while the embodiment of this truth is the path of practice. To walk this path is a life time undertaking which is made all the sweeter through fellowship within “beloved community.” This weekend we explore teachings and practices of freedom while deepening support of ourselves within community. Besides drawing from classical teachings of Dharma and meditation, we will also focus on practices and teachings from Kuan Yin bodhisattva of deep wisdom and compassion, who is a metaphor for our true heart. There will be Dharma teachings, meditation practice, discussion, chanting, ceremony and cultivation of authentic inquiry.
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New York Insight Meditation Center
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2015-02-18
Thinning of the Self 3
67:32
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Donald Rothberg
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After a brief review of the last two talks - on the general theme of "not-self" and two ways of practicing (opening to the flow of experience, examining the "thick" self) we look at further ways of practicing including being aware of the particular constituents without adding "my" and "mine"; cultivating heart practices such as lovingkindness, compassion, forgiveness and empathy and opening to a "pure awareness" what has been called in the Thai Forest tradition, the "primal" or "radiant" mind.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2014-12-10
Race, Racism, and Spiritual Practice 1
69:15
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Donald Rothberg
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We examine, in the context of contemporary concerns about racism, how we relate teachings about suffering, compassion, transforming ignorance, courage, and skillful action to our responses to racism. We also look briefly at the history of race and racism, and suggest ways of responding to racism individually, relationally, and collectively.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2014-10-17
Five subjects for frequent recollection: what the Buddha encouraged us to think about.
57:29
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Sally Armstrong
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The five subjects or themes that the Buddha considered important for frequent recollection are:
1. I am of the nature to age; I have not gone beyond ageing
2. I am of the nature to sicken; I have not gone beyond sickness
3. I am of the nature to die; I have not gone beyond dying
4. All that is mine, beloved and pleasing, will become otherwise, will become separated from me
5. I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma. Whatever kamma I shall do, for good or for ill, of that I will be the heir.
To contemplate these themes brings us in direct contact with the truth of things, especially the truth of dukkha, or suffering. Fully understanding these truths allows us to open to the reality of our life, and every life, and deepens our capacity for compassion.
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Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge
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October 2014 at IMS - Forest Refuge
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