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Dharma Talks
2025-04-09 Presence or Absence of the Seven Awakening Factors 59:36
Martine Batchelor
Gaia House The Path of Mindfulness : The Fourth Foundation

2025-04-09 Talk: The Practice of Developing Samadhi (Concentration) 61:45
Donald Rothberg
This talks focuses on one of the three areas of practice discussed a week before, on developing samadhi (or concentration), the theme of Donald's four weeks of practice in March. We begin by more generally discussing the nature of samadhi, including short account of the etymology in Pali, and the Tibetan sense of samadhi as "staying," as developing in the nine stages of the "Elephant Path." We look at the place and importance of developing samadhi in our practice and its relationship to insight practice; developing samadhi is one of the eight factors of the Noble Eightfold Path and appears in many of the Buddha's core teachings. We discuss some ways to practice developing samadhi, and then focus especially on several challenges of such practice and how to work with such challenges. The talk is followed by discussion, including further exploration of the relationship of cultivating samadhi and insight practice, the nature of skillful effort, and the joy that can arise in the development of samadhi.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2025-04-09 Guided Meditation: Developing Samadhi (Concentration) 2 40:26
Donald Rothberg
This guided meditation gives more detail on developing samadhi than the guided meditation from a week ago. First, after a brief overview of the nature of samadhi (usually translated as "concentration"), instructions are given for a practice session developing samadhi, including on posture, gaze, possible objects of focus, and skillful effort. Midway through the session, some further guidance is given on "intensifying," which helps both to deepen samadhi and to cut through background thinking as well as foreground thinking.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2025-04-09 Dhammānupassanā: contemplating the process & conditionality of experience. 59:35
Bernat Font
The 4th satipaṭṭhāna in formal practice & in daily life. Includes guided meditation.
Gaia House The Path of Mindfulness : The Fourth Foundation

2025-04-09 Wednesday morning instructions 61:00
Jeanne Corrigal
Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community Liberative Dependent Origination: Supporting Awakening in the Mind and Heart

2025-04-08 The Pyramid of Mindfulness 35:21
Bernat Font
An overview of the four satipaṭṭhānas, with emphasis on the fourth.
Gaia House The Path of Mindfulness : The Fourth Foundation

2025-04-08 Liberative Dependent Origination: Sukha and Samadhi 55:23
Jeanne Corrigal
The sukha of tranquility supports the mind in happiness and contentment, decreasing the mind's movement away from this moment, and thereby supporting the gathering of samadhi. The 5 jhanic factors also support the decrease in the hindrances and the deepening of samadhi. The pitfall of clinging to samadhi and also the role of samadhi in cultivating insight close the talk.
Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community Liberative Dependent Origination: Supporting Awakening in the Mind and Heart

2025-04-08 Bodhicitta - For the welfare of all 53:22
Yuka Nakamura
Bodhicitta—the mind of awakening—is the aspiration to attain awakening for the benefit of all. Seeing our practice in this light can be a source of inspiration and counteract the tendency to self-centeredness. The talk discusses the historical development of the concept and explains what it means.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-08 Presence or Absence of the 5 Hindrances When Meditating (Simile of the Bowl of Water) 30:26
Martine Batchelor
Gaia House The Path of Mindfulness : The Fourth Foundation

2025-04-08 Loving kindness to all beings 26:46
Tim Geil
Bring the vastness of the earth and spaciousness of air in offering metta to all aspects of ourselves and all beings.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge April 2025 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2025-04-08 Metta and Hatred: Simile of the Saw 26:17
Tim Geil
Exploring how to not hold hatred in our hearts using this sutta.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge April 2025 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2025-04-08 Introduction to the Hindrances; Seated Meditation; Walking Meditation 57:22
Martine Batchelor
Gaia House The Path of Mindfulness : The Fourth Foundation

2025-04-07 Opening Talk & Guided Meditation 53:45
Martine Batchelor, Bernat Font
Gaia House The Path of Mindfulness : The Fourth Foundation

2025-04-07 Liberative Dependent Origination: Joy, Rapture, Calm 58:40
Kristina Bare
This talk explores the transformative links of joy, rapture, and calm, highlighting how these interconnected experiences support the mind’s natural progression toward freedom and ease.
Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community Liberative Dependent Origination: Supporting Awakening in the Mind and Heart

2025-04-07 Where the heart gets stuck - upādāna and the consequences 69:02
Akincano Marc Weber
Upādāna in different Buddhist Teachings: – Clinging as fuel for renewed becoming (punabbhava) – Clinging in the 5 aggregates (khandha) – Clinging in Dependent Arising (paṭiccasamuppadā) – Clinging as four specific forms: (i) kāmūpādāna – clinging to and identification with sensuality (“Seeking” experiences) (ii) diṭṭhūpādāna – clinging to and identification with views (“Being right, being competent“) (iii) sīlavaṭūpādāna – clinging to and identification with virtue, practices and ritual (“Having the right technique“) (iv) attavādūpādāna – clinging to and identification with doctrines of a self / Self (“Being someone”)
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-07 Monday afternoon metta 45:40
Jeanne Corrigal
A short talk and guided practice offer easy doorways to metta, along with guidance with the acronym CARE for the abiding and radiating practices.
Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community Liberative Dependent Origination: Supporting Awakening in the Mind and Heart

2025-04-07 Guided Meditation: Equanimity 44:42
Yuka Nakamura
Introduction and guided meditation
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-07 Monday morning instructions 56:33
Jeanne Corrigal
Continuing with the first foundation of the body, and folding in faith - placing our heart on the practices of simplicity and calming. Also includes ways of meeting the hindrances through mindfulness and kindness.
Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community Liberative Dependent Origination: Supporting Awakening in the Mind and Heart

2025-04-07 Morning reflections - challenges to contemplation of mind states 48:10
Akincano Marc Weber
Training and understanding the mind happens with the mind already affected by the very states it wishes to understand and transform
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-07 Be Joyful Though You've Considered the Facts 1:50:49
Jack Kornfield
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2025-04-06 Liberative Dependent Origination: Suffering and Faith 57:49
Jeanne Corrigal
This talk celebrates the conditions that support the move from the Dependent Origination wheel of suffering to Liberative Dependent Arising. Faith can develop naturally, especially as we meet the hindrances with wisdom and begin to see the three insight themes. In this way, we can begin to taste liberation, even at this early stage in the 12 links.
Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community Liberative Dependent Origination: Supporting Awakening in the Mind and Heart

2025-04-06 Questions from the basket (three teachers take turns). 1:14:30
Akincano Marc Weber, Thimo Wittich, Yuka Nakamura
Thimo, Yuka and Akincano respond to practitioner's questions.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-06 Muditā Practice: Intro followed by Guided Practice to cultivate sympathetic joy. 41:39
Akincano Marc Weber
How wonderful you are in your being! I delight that you are here! I take joy in your good fortune! May your happiness continue and increase! (From a Sinhalese Ms of the 19th century. Monks' and nuns‘ practice upon receiving alms).
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-06 Overcoming Fear and Dread 13:18:17
Ayya Santussika
This dhamma talk and Q&A was offered on April 5, 2025 for “How do I apply the Dhamma to THIS!?!”
Karuna Buddhist Vihara

2025-04-06 Morning instructions: Mindfulness of mind states 56:20
Yuka Nakamura
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

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