Closing talk - A reflection of the many ways that life and practice in a retreat setting supports and protects life in a larger world outside of the retreat setting.

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The talk begins with the stories and teachings of the Thai Forest meditation masters, and continues with personal stories and the teaching of 'taking the one seat'. How to work with hindrances, pleasant and unpleasant, and allow the knowing quality to shine forth; 'sitting in the center' of all things.

A description of what makes concentration Wise concentration. How it fits into and supports vipassana practice. A description of the the two major methods of cultivating shamatha.

Using stories from the time of the Buddha to modern day, the talk takes us on a tour of the 7 factors: mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy, calm, concentration and equanimity; in their ordinary and extraordinary aspects. The tour includes "side trips" to explore the 4 Noble Truths, the 4 Wise Efforts and many practical techniques.

The hindrances are not enemies to be pushed aside. Their deepest intention is to protect us...albeit in misguided ways. Attending and befriending these energies is the pathway to stronger concentration and internal healing.

These instructions accentuate relaxation and self compassion creating a sense of ease for the concentration practices

This two part series explores the evolutionary conditioning of fear and judgment that contracts us away from love and acceptance, and the quality of mindful presence - in relating inwardly and in communicating with others - that awakens and frees our hearts. At end of talk - La Sarmiento shares "Holiday Dharma" as part of Solstice celebration.

At the Winter Solstice, we can learn better to embrace the dark-in multiple ways, and to invite the light. Using poetry, stories and teachings, we explore how practicing with darkness and light can deepen and illuminate what Mary Oliver calls our one "wild, precious life."

Exploring the purifying and beautiful current of concentration/Samatha...the teachings current of concentration/Samatha...the teachings and the practice. ...the basis, the process and the fruits of concentration.

If we review where the exploration of Dependent Origination has brought us over the course of this series of talks, we will notice four perceptional shifts that Dependent Origination has encouraged. The first is that through Dependent Origination we perceive there are an infinite number of influences on every event and that existence itself arises from multiple factors, and therefore there is no separate existences. Everything is tied together through the web of relationship. But Dependent Origination moves it even further by its second perceptual shift in which it shows how the web of somethingness was generated by the mind from nothing. Out of nothing, form arises and becomes the world of connected relationships with "me" arising within it. The "how did that happen," is explained by Dependent Origination, as the links build upon themselves to reveal a world of appearances that have no inherent substance. The third perceptual change from Dependent Origination is a variation of the second in which the world arises directly from "my" projections. In essence the world does not have a fundamental existence of its own. It is dependent upon "me" and what I know, for it to be. The fourth shift is the acknowledgment of struggle that is inherent in the arising of form from formlessness. We are birthed from that struggle and ultimately must grow old and die because of it.

This sitting group provides instruction in insight meditation and fosters mutual support and understanding among the growing community of people of color who find nourishment and inspiration in the practice.

Dharma Talk