Dharma Seed - Dharma 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

2015-04-30 Mindfulness of Pain, Illness, and Death 44:11
Kim Allen	Download Listen
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.
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
In collection: Strengthening Mindfulness

2015-04-18 Question/Response - Working with Pain and with Recurring Thoughts 9:05
Tara Brach	Download Listen
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC : 2015 IMCW Spring Retreat: Intimacy with Life

2015-01-28 Suffering and Gratitude 53:14
Norman Fischer	Download Listen
Developing compassion requires us to learn to face pain rather than run from it. Gratitude practice helps us to see that we are connected to every thing- Good and bad. In the end we're grateful even for our pain, which turns out to be the gateway to a deeper love.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center : Developing Compassion: The Fruit of Our Practice

2015-01-15 Lovingkindness, Compassion, and Forgiveness 65:37
Donald Rothberg	Download Listen
On Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, we explore how to extend the awakened heart of Metta when there is pain or distress or difficulty. In particular, we examine the practices of compassion and forgiveness, with Dr. King's work and life as a reference point.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center : Metta