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Dharma Talks
2015-07-22 That Bird Got My Wings 1:17:46
Tara Brach
This talk looks at how we are imprisoned by a limited sense of who we are, and how the wings of mindfulness and heartfulness enable us to realize the spirit that is our essence. We then look at how we can bring the wings of freedom to our engagement with others. The talk’s title is the name of a book written by Jarvis Masters, a deeply wise and inspiring African American man currently on death row at San Quentin prison.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks

2015-07-22 Attention and Perception 51:18
Martine Batchelor
An exploration of concentration and anchoring, and also of perception and how we perceive, with a link to experiential enquiry.
Gaia House Secular Buddhist Meditation Retreat

2015-07-22 Ways of getting lost - At the Bhikkhunī's Quarters - Directed and Undirected Meditation 44:53
Akincano Marc Weber
(SN 47.10 / S v 147) Finding the entry to the Spiral Path through the inspiring sign.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-22 Practicing the Fourth Precept 2 - Empathy 68:35
Donald Rothberg
In the context of our ethical practice we took a look at a second aspect of speech practice - practicing empathy through an overview and a practice with guidance in the last part of the session. Roughly 68 minutes in duration.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2015-07-22 Instructions - Letting Go of Reactivity 31:56
Stephen Batchelor
Gaia House Secular Buddhist Meditation Retreat

2015-07-21 Ethics, Action, and the Five Precepts 3:26:01
with Jason Murphy, Shaila Catherine, Sharon Allen, Steve Gasner, Tony Bernhard
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.
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley

2015-07-21 Precepts: The Gift of Fearlessness 28:24
Shaila Catherine
This talk by Shaila Catherine is the first in a speaker series titled Ethics, Action, and the Five Precepts. It offers an over view of the five precepts (sila) as training tools for bringing mindfulness and restraint into our actions, relationships, and daily life activities. These basic guidelines for living an ethical life, and the power of restraint are as relevant in the modern world as they were in ancient India. Taking care with our actions can be a source of joy and happiness. When our actions are clear, the mind is free from regret, guilt, and remorse; we gain self-respect, self-esteem, and confidence. The four bases of success (iddhipadas) can be used to strengthen these training precepts. With the support of desire, energy, consciousness, and investigation we can fully commit to abstain from unwholesome actions, and develop wholesome states, thereby gaining sovereignty over our own mind.
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
In collection: Ethics, Action, and the Five Precepts

2015-07-21 On Being Specific, on being Universal 56:36
Pascal Auclair
Talk on the art of practice starting from being lost in thoughts, to noticing the specific characteristics of phenomena to finally opening to the 3 universal marks of existence.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Insight Meditation Retreat

2015-07-21 What Am I Defending? 34:53
Howard Cohn
Mission Dharma

2015-07-21 The Elephant's Footprint 64:48
Stephen Batchelor
Gaia House Secular Buddhist Meditation Retreat

2015-07-21 Instructions - Listening Meditation 30:18
Martine Batchelor
Being aware of feeling tones when in contact with the music of life
Gaia House Secular Buddhist Meditation Retreat

2015-07-21 Reflection-cittānupassanā-Working with the nature of the territory. 36:34
Akincano Marc Weber
Cittānupassanā needs dhammānupassanā. The smelly bag.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-20 Grasping, Contact, Feeling Tone 52:40
Martine Batchelor
Exploring the importance of mindfulness of feeling tones in connection with grasping and creatively engaging with contact through the senses.
Gaia House Secular Buddhist Meditation Retreat

2015-07-20 Buddhist Studies Course - Mindfulness of Body - Week 5 - 32 Body Parts Reflection 64:23
Mark Nunberg
Common Ground Meditation Center Buddhist Studies Course - Mindfulness of Body

2015-07-20 As Practice Matters 61:59
Phillip Moffitt
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2015-07-20 Guided Meditation 33:02
Phillip Moffitt
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2015-07-20 Instructions - Fully Embrace Life 30:05
Stephen Batchelor
Gaia House Secular Buddhist Meditation Retreat

2015-07-20 Morning reflection - Sati 26:00
Akincano Marc Weber
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-19 An Ethical Life 59:33
Stephen Batchelor
Gaia House Secular Buddhist Meditation Retreat

2015-07-19 Parami - The Ten Perfections - Generosity - Week 3 57:12
Mark Nunberg
Common Ground Meditation Center Weekly Dharma Series
In collection: Dharma Series - Parami - The Ten Perfections

2015-07-19 Instructions - Appreciative, Altruistic Joy 25:00
Martine Batchelor
Gaia House Secular Buddhist Meditation Retreat

2015-07-19 Morning Reflection 45:21
Akincano Marc Weber
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-18 The Skate Park of Your Mind 46:16
Anushka Fernandopulle
What is dharma practice, dealing with challenges to meditation, meeting life with friendliness.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Insight Meditation Retreat

2015-07-18 Grasping and Identification - 4 forms of upādāna 63:48
Akincano Marc Weber
Role of upādāna in generation of suffering - Fire imagery and vedic background; Text of S 44,9 / S iv 398; Explaining the specifics of the 4 forms of grasping (attavādūpādāna) touched only briefly.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-18 Don't know mind 57:19
Narayan Helen Liebenson
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Mindfulness, Insight, Liberation: Insight Meditation Retreat

2015-07-17 Contemplating Death 59:32
Yanai Postelnik
Reflections on the benefits of contemplating our mortality.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Mindfulness, Insight, Liberation: Insight Meditation Retreat

2015-07-17 Reflection-Nimitta-2: The theme of beautiful (subha-n.) and the repulsive (paṭigha-n) 27:35
Akincano Marc Weber
Follow-up from last night with addendum
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-16 The Wise Response of the Heart 59:11
Sally Armstrong
The flavor of Metta is kindness, which is such a beautiful and powerful attitude, but the other Brahma Viharas of compassion, joy and equanimity allow us to meet all of life with openess and connection.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-16 "On the Subject of Faith" 61:35
Kate Munding
Tonight I will be giving a talk on the subject of faith. The Buddha talked about the different types of faith and how, as our practice evolves and our heart-mind becomes more clear, it is our verified faith that becomes a source of strength and refuge in the face of difficulty and life challenge. Unlike blind faith when one relays on what others tell them, the Buddha taught that we should “see for ourselves”, through practice and inquiry, what is truth and worth having faith in. We’ll explore all of this tonight.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks

2015-07-16 Nimitta-1: On the different uses of the term nimitta 64:59
Akincano Marc Weber
meanings of nimitta in the sutta
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-16 Reflection: vedanā-review for last intake 17:18
Akincano Marc Weber
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-15 Love and Wisdom Develop Each Other 57:25
Tempel Smith
Clarity can only develop our Freedom so far unless we also cultivate a warmth and kindness within. Our Final Freedom will taste as kind as it is clear.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-15 Bodhisattva Aspiration 47:06
Pamela Weiss
San Francisco Insight Meditation Community

2015-07-15 Day 7: Afternoon Instructions 44:09
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-15 Equanimity and the Brahmavihāras 9:06
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-15 Practicing the Fourth Ethical Precept - Wise (or "Right") Speech 1 63:31
Donald Rothberg
We continue with our exploration of ethical practice, set in the context of the overall training to awaken. We focus in this first session on Fourth Precept ("Right" or "Wise" Speech) on the four core ethical guidelines for speech (truthfulness, helpfulness, speaking from the heart, and good timing/appropriateness of the speech), in the context of the general importance of speech practice, suggesting a number of ways of practicing.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2015-07-15 Day 7: Morning Instructions 30:55
John Martin
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-15 Reflection-Instruction: Engaging with the story rather than trying to get out of it. – Breath: 5 qualities. – Beginning: 3 magical questions. 54:12
Akincano Marc Weber
Reflection–Vertical and Horizontal: On East and West meeting the individual's process in different ways. Instruction- Becoming more intimate with the experience of breathing; using the centering questions.+
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-14 Generosity: an expression of freedom 46:13
John Martin
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-14 Pas attentif aux choses mais à leur nature (changeante) 52:14
Pascal Auclair
True North Insight TNI Regular Talks

2015-07-14 Alice and the Four Ennobling Tasks – an appeal. 57:23
Akincano Marc Weber
The Buddha as a healer: the ariyasacca as formula rather than as doctrine; perspectives on a tentative history of "The Four Noble Truths" and how to take their medicine, rather than just believing in its efficacy.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-14 Tender Heart Practice 61:33
Yanai Postelnik
Reflections on the practice of meeting challenging experiences with an open heart.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Mindfulness, Insight, Liberation: Insight Meditation Retreat

2015-07-14 Continua of Practice: From Self-Centeredness to All Beings 58:25
Rodney Smith
A spiritual journey ultimately takes us beyond a self-focused life where “I” predominate, into a life of inclusion where we are not the center of our world. Moving beyond what is best for “me” seems so implausible as to be impossible, but it only seems that way because we do not know what we are or how we are formed.
Seattle Insight Meditation Society Continua of Practice Series
Attached Files:
  • From Self-centeredness to All Beings by Rodney Smith (PDF)

2015-07-14 Day 6: Afternoon Instructions 43:34
Tempel Smith
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-14 Day 6: Morning Instructions 17:10
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-14 Reflection: Breath and it's centrality in life and contemplative life 27:49
Akincano Marc Weber
Breathing and its symbolism - breathing and the lakkhanā - breathing and samatha & vipassanā
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-13 Impartial Kindness 57:32
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-13 Stilling of distracting thoughts – strategies from the Suttas. (M 20) 60:01
Akincano Marc Weber
5 Ways of dealing with tenacious unwholesome thought from the Vitakkasaṇṭhāna-Sutta: Analogie, description, pragmatics of going about it.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-13 Buddhist Studies Course - Mindfulness of Body - Week 4 1:28:52
Mark Nunberg
Common Ground Meditation Center Buddhist Studies Course - Mindfulness of Body

2015-07-13 Day 5: Afternoon Instructions 36:59
John Martin
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-13 The Dharma of Climate Change. 53:45
Mark Coleman
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2015-07-13 Day 5: Morning Instructions 23:18
Sally Armstrong
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-13 Reflection - what the body can reveal 41:39
Akincano Marc Weber
On retreat of the effect of how we live our life can reveal itself
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-12 Kindness and the Steady Heart 54:55
Sally Armstrong
Opening to our experience with kindness allows the heart to steady and deepen into concentration.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-12 Intro-bhāvanā & setting up mindfulness (welcome to the last group) 49:05
Akincano Marc Weber
3 dimensions of changing dukkha through mindfulness
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-12 Embodiment 48:35
Christina Feldman
Embodiment of body - attitudes and insight - are central to the path of awakening
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Mindfulness, Insight, Liberation: Insight Meditation Retreat

2015-07-12 Day 4: Afternoon Instructions 40:16
Larry Yang
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-12 Day 4: Morning Instructions 39:25
Tempel Smith
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-12 Friendship with the Noble (kalyānamittatā) Qualities of the admirable companion (Goodbye to ten participants) 39:42
Akincano Marc Weber
Two sets of 7 qualities of a kalyānamitta. The inner friend through the practice of Refuge. Noble Friendship at the heart of Sangha and Learning.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-12 The Path of Intentionality 53:45
Ayya Tathaloka
Dharma Wisdom: An Evening with Ayya Tathaaloka on "The Path of Intentionality"
Dhammadharini

2015-07-11 Opening talk 64:28
Christina Feldman
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Mindfulness, Insight, Liberation: Insight Meditation Retreat

2015-07-11 Patience, Courage, Faith and Renunciation 57:26
Tempel Smith
In developing Loving-Kindness we need to draw upon other beautiful qualities of heart such as Patience, Courage, Faith and Renunciation. With these and other supports, Loving-Kindness deepens to become powerful and boundless.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-11 Four Roads to empowerment (iddhipāda) 65:54
Akincano Marc Weber
The empowerment won by ardency, perseverance and focusing of (i) zeal (ii) energy (iii) consciousness (iv) investigation/discernment
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-11 Compassion for someone who is suffering 24:40
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-11 Mettā for Self, Benefactor, Friend 36:40
Larry Yang
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-10 Right Effort 48:03
Kevin Griffin
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2015-07-10 Sharing the Tenderness of the World - Practice of Compassion 63:54
Larry Yang
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-10 Day 2: Afternoon Instructions - Metta for self and benefactor/easy person 23:19
Sally Armstrong
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-10 Day 2: Morning Instructions - Metta for self and easy person 12:35
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-10 Dhammānupassanā–2 - Approaches to the last of the Satipaṭṭhātthana-s. Tools for formal practice. 37:28
Akincano Marc Weber
Examples; Reading of the Kaccānagotta-Sutta (SN 12.15)
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-09 Fundamental Buddhist Principles 2015 2:59:01
with Bob Stahl, Kim Allen, Robert Cusick, Shaila Catherine
Buddhist tradition offers a rich tradition of wisdom teachings. This series focuses on the philosophy, principles, practices, and instructions that are fundamental to developing a meditative or Buddhist practice. It is intended as an introduction to Buddhism series, with an emphasis on the primary teachings that guide meditators to a liberating understanding of the mind, world, and life.
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley

2015-07-09 Buddhism in Brief 20:10
Shaila Catherine
This is the first talk in a speaker series titled Fundamental Buddhist Principles 2015. Buddha was a human being, whose mind opened to the truth of things, to the nature of life. He understood the causes of suffering, and developed a path of teaching that enables others to realize the truth of things for themselves. He was awakened, which means greed, hatred, and delusion were uprooted from his mind. So when we meditate, we examine our mind with the goal to understand what is really happening in our encounter with experience. What happens in our seeing, hearing, smelling, or tasting? What happens when we feel with our body? What happens when we think or feel emotions? Is that encounter affected by greed, hatred, or delusion? Or are we seeing the nature of these experiences arising and passing away, with a mind free of clinging? This talk also includes basic Buddhist teachings such as the Four Noble Truths, the Three Training (virtue (sila), meditation (samadhi) and wisdom (panna)), and the Three Primary Contemplative Skills that support meditation (concentration, mindfulness, and investigation).
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
In collection: Fundamental Buddhist Principles 2015

2015-07-09 What Is the Goal of Our Practice & How Does What We Do Here, Get Us There? 58:44
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-09 "Exhaustion From a Neurotic Mind" 65:34
Kate Munding
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks

2015-07-09 Middle Ways: Four interpretations of how to understand the metaphor of the Middle Way 62:26
Akincano Marc Weber
(i) between sensory indulgence and self-mortification; (ii) between being and non-being (iii) the monks' and nuns' lifestyle between brahminical family ideals and that of ascetic religious seekers (iv) between shame (hīri - based on self-respect) and fear of social consequences (ottappa - based on understanding good morals)
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-09 Day 1: Afternoon Instructions - Metta for the easy person 37:43
Tempel Smith
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-09 Second Noble Truth Craving is Suffering 41:23
Jason Murphy
Second of a series examining the Four Noble Truths.
Insight Santa Cruz (Insight Retreat Center)

2015-07-09 Day 1: Morning Instructions - Mindfulness of body, breath and sounds 24:19
Sally Armstrong
Spirit Rock Meditation Center July Metta Retreat

2015-07-09 Reflection: Dhammānupassanā-1–The concept of dhammā – a practical interpretation 52:16
Akincano Marc Weber
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-08 The Dance with Pain 1:15:38
Tara Brach
“Pain is inevitable and suffering is optional.” In this talk Tara explores the difference between pain and suffering and examines the most common, yet often unconscious, ways we resist pain. She then shares practices that help us find balance, equanimity and awakening in the midst.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks

2015-07-08 Our Burning House 51:48
Pamela Weiss
San Francisco Insight Meditation Community

2015-07-08 Gay Marriage and Charleston 63:45
Eugene Cash
San Francisco Insight Meditation Community

2015-07-08 Grief, Letting Go and Compassion 1:25:24
Rebecca Bradshaw
Common Ground Meditation Center Weekly Dharma Series

2015-07-08 Reflection and Instruction: Cittānupassanā-2 28:18
Akincano Marc Weber
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-07 S’éveiller à 4 aspects d’une expérience, Cours complet 1:22:34
Pascal Auclair
True North Insight TNI Regular Talks

2015-07-07 Brahmavihāras: at the heart of human experience. 64:14
Akincano Marc Weber
4 Dimensions in the teaching on universal Empathy. The Brahmavihara are neither just emotions nor exclusively meditation objects, rather they are intrinsic to any notion of health, growth, maturity, wellbeing, realization and liberation.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-07 Closing appreciations 31:08
Ruth King
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Mindfulness and Metta: A Retreat for Experienced Meditators

2015-07-07 Reflection & Instruction: Cittānupassanā-1: the questions from the Sutta 37:45
Akincano Marc Weber
Citta: Identifiying and Discerning the 16 states of mind that DN 22 and MN 10 refer to.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-06 Evolving Together 43:16
Wes Nisker
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2015-07-06 Buddhist Studies Course - Mindfulness of Body - Week 3 64:59
Mark Nunberg
Common Ground Meditation Center Buddhist Studies Course - Mindfulness of Body

2015-07-06 Meditate and Destroy 21:35
Jason Murphy
Destroy, Greed , Hatred and Ignorance by cultivating there opposite. This is not a passive practice. It takes rebellious effort.
Insight Santa Cruz (Insight Retreat Center)

2015-07-06 Reflection & Instruction: More on Vedanā 41:35
Akincano Marc Weber
Vedana-citta connction; staying with the vanishing.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-05 Parami - The Ten Perfections - Generosity - Week 1 58:31
Mark Nunberg
Common Ground Meditation Center Weekly Dharma Series
In collection: Dharma Series - Parami - The Ten Perfections

2015-07-05 Reflection and Instruction: Vedanā 50:55
Akincano Marc Weber
Connecting vedanā questions with ānāpānasati
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-04 The Paradox of Practice; The Practice of Paradox 61:11
Larry Yang
Hold Tension in our Practice
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Annual People of Color Retreat-Deepen Your Dharma, Deepen Your Freedom

2015-07-04 Kindness and Compassion 50:44
Kirsten Kratz
Gaia House The Wise and Loving Heart

2015-07-04 Instructional Sit Day 5 52:54
Nikki Mirghafori
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Annual People of Color Retreat-Deepen Your Dharma, Deepen Your Freedom

2015-07-04 Reflection & Instruction: Overview of toolkit in meditation – brief strategies for dealing with thought. Guided Standing practice. 49:15
Akincano Marc Weber
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge June 15 to July 31 2015 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2015-07-04 The Bliss of Blamelessness 59:27
Kamala Masters
Cloud Mountain Retreat Center Integration of Wisdom and Compassion

2015-07-03 The Four Noble Truths 56:39
Jaya Rudgard
The four noble truths bring together the Buddha's teaching or wisdom and compassion and offer us a reliable way to navigate in the world.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Annual People of Color Retreat-Deepen Your Dharma, Deepen Your Freedom

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