Dharma Seed - Dharma Talks

2015-12-31 Widening the Circles of Compassion 68:44
Tara Brach	Download Listen
The archetypal figure of the Bodhisattva (“awakening being”) reflects our potential to realize our connectedness with all beings, and care for this living world with an open tender heart. This talk explores the four types of patterning that keep us stuck in the pain of separation and the key heart practices that evolve us on the bodhisattva path. "Compassion arises when you see the truth behind the veils."
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC : 2015 IMCW New Year Retreat: Awakening the Heart of Compassion

2015-12-29 Mental Feeling Always Surpasses Physical Feeling 56:41
Ajahn Sucitto	Download Listen
Bear this in mind when meditating. With unpleasant or painful mental feeling, the tendency is to contract. Try opening up instead. It stops the cycle of agitation and resistance that keeps the pain there. Use the body to do this, as a source of strength and energy to stop the mind spinning out into story. In order to withdraw and stand back, we must have a place to stand back into. That’s what the body is for.
Uttama Bodhi Vihara : Meditation Retreat with Luang Por Sucitto in Uttama Bodhi Vihara (UBV)

2015-11-19 "Gratitude" 49:37
James Baraz	Download Listen
"The grateful heart not only includes appreciation for all the wonderful blessings in our life but also opening up to our pain in the context of gratitude."
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley : IMCB Regular Talks

2015-11-18 Co-teaching with Toni Bernhard on How to Live with Chronic Pain and Illness 41:55
Sylvia Boorstein	Download Listen
Spirit Rock Meditation Center : Monday and Wednesday Talks

2015-09-09 Releasing Limiting Beliefs 1:11:49

Tara Brach

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If we investigate patterns of emotional suffering or “stuckness,” we’ll discover that under our pain is a fear based belief. Until these beliefs are brought into the light of compassionate awareness, they control and confine our lives. This talk reviews key steps of inquiry and mindfulness that help us realize the freedom that comes with awakening from the grip of beliefs.

Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC : IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks

2015-09-09 Equanimity: Equally Close To All Things 48:22
Shaila Catherine	Download Listen
Equanimity allows us to remain present and awake with the fact of things—equally close to the things we like and the things we dislike. Shaila Catherine describes the importance of developing equanimity in two arenas: 1) in response to pleasant and painful feelings, and 2) regarding the future results of our actions. Equanimity develops in meditation and in life. We can use unexpected events that we cannot control to develop equanimity. Our job is not to judge our experiences, but to be present and respond wisely. Equanimity is a beautiful mental factor that can feel like freedom, but if "I" and "mine" still operate, there is still work to be done. This talk includes many practical suggestions for cultivating equanimity.
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley

2015-09-01 On vedana 68:34
Patrick Kearney	Download Listen
Here we explore the Buddha’s concept of vedanā, or feeling, more thoroughly. We see the intimate link between contact (phassa), the immediacy of experience, and feeling. All experience is already accompanied by feeling; or, we can say that we are already moved by this experience. We are moved toward holding by pleasant feeling (sukha vedanā), toward rejection by painful feeling (dukkha vedanā), or toward delusion by neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling (a-dukkha-(m)a-sukha vedanā). Feeling presents us with a world that we have already assessed as requiring response, and have already responded to.
Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre : Month Long Retreat led by Patrick Kearney

2015-08-26 Awakening from Trance - Embracing Unlived Life 1:15:02

Tara Brach

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When physical or emotional pain is too much, our conditioning is to pull away and avoid direct contact with raw feelings. The result is a trance - we are split off from the wholeness of our aliveness, intelligence and capacity to love. This talk explores how this dissociation shows up in our lives and a powerful way that mindfulness enables us to integrate cut-off parts of our being.

Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC : IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks

2015-07-08 The Dance with Pain 1:15:38

Tara Brach

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“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

2015-06-02 Cultivating Mindfulness, Working with Pain 52:47
Sally Armstrong	Download Listen
Pain in sitting meditation is a common experience. Instead of reacting with aversion and moving away from it, it is possible to open to the sensations with mindfulness and compassion.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center : Essential Teachings of the Path of Awakening