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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Jill Shepherd's Dharma Talks
Jill Shepherd
Wisdom and compassion are two themes that inform my current exploration of the dharma, and I aspire to integrate these as fully as I can in both formal practice and daily life.
2021-12-31 03 instructions: mindfulness of breathing 14:34
Beginning instructions for developing mindfulness (sati) and steadiness of mind (samadhi) using the breath as our primary object
Sydney Insight Meditators :  Healing the heart, refining the mind, finding freedom
2021-12-30 02 meditation: mindfulness of breathing 14:37
A short meditation settling in to the body, and bringing awareness to breathing
Sydney Insight Meditators :  Healing the heart, refining the mind, finding freedom
2021-12-30 01 talk: retreat opening, dana and sila 35:29
Sydney Insight Meditators :  Healing the heart, refining the mind, finding freedom
2021-11-18 Wise View p2 16:48
A short talk looking at how views are formed, starting with contact at the sense doors, moving into perceptions and mental formations. Includes a brief guided meditation exploring seeing.
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-10-31 04 talk: challenges to mettā practice 27:48
An overview of some of the difficulties that can get in the way of cultivating mettā, and some strategies for working with these
Auckland Insight Meditation Brahmavihāra workshops
2021-10-24 02 meditation: mettā for the benefactor or easy being 21:15
Beginning by establishing ease in the body, then offering mettā to a benefactor using reciting phrases and radiating energy
Auckland Insight Meditation Brahmavihāra workshops
2021-10-20 Befriending the Mind 42:02
One common misperception of meditation is that it aims to stop thinking, but the true purpose of insight meditation is to develop a more skilful relationship to every aspect of our experience, including our thoughts and emotions. During this talk, we will explore some ways to let go of unhelpful mental habits and to cultivate helpful ones: states of heart and mind that lead to greater ease, happiness, peace and freedom.
Cambridge Insight Meditation Center
2021-10-18 Muditā or gladness as a support for samādhi, unification of mind 24:10
Part two of an exploration of samādhi, unification of mind, and how opening to gladness can support deeper calm and ease
Sydney Insight Meditators
2021-10-07 talk: Wise Samadhi 32:35
Finishing our series of talks on the Noble Eightfold Path with an exploration of Wise Samādhi, unification of mind
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-10-07 meditation: mindfulness of breathing to develop calm and ease 27:12
Settling in to the body then bringing awareness to the rhythm of the breath to support deepening ease and calm
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-08-28 41 meditation: compassion for a good friend then oneself 24:50
Beginning by settling the body, before orienting to compassion for a good friend, then extending that compassion to oneself, closing with compassion for all beings
Te Moata Retreat Center :  Connecting through silence, solitude, stillness: cultivating the heart of freedom
2021-08-28 40 instructions: compassion practice 14:23
An introduction to compassion practice, with some suggestions of how to stay balanced when connecting with pain, distress, dukkha
Te Moata Retreat Center :  Connecting through silence, solitude, stillness: cultivating the heart of freedom
2021-08-11 27 meditation: choiceless attention 29:10
Beginning with mindfulness of breathing to steady the mind, then letting go of the primary object or anchor to connect with whatever experiences are predominant, using mental noting to help stay present with changing experiences
Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre Finding the Heart of Freedom
2021-08-11 26 instructions: mindfulness of mindfulness 19:36
Exploring some different approaches to mindfulness, and how different mindfulness methods can be used to maintain a balanced practice
Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre Finding the Heart of Freedom
2021-08-09 17 meditation: practising with physical discomfort 29:48
Beginning by bringing awareness to physical sensations, practising non-reactivity to discomfort, then exploring how opening to neutral and pleasant feeling-tones can support the mind to stay balanced
Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre Finding the Heart of Freedom
2021-08-09 16 instructions: working with pain 12:53
Some different approaches to working skilfully with pain in meditation
Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre Finding the Heart of Freedom
2021-07-29 talk: Wise Mindfulness or sati 30:59
Short talk on what makes mindfulness Right or Wise, then a group guided meditation/contemplation exploring different aspects of sati, based on questions from Gregory Kramer's book A Whole-Life Path
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-07-15 talk: Wise Effort p2 - cultivating skilful mind-states 18:43
Exploring appreciation and gratitude as aspects of mudita, to support the development of Wise Effort
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-07-15 meditation: opening to appreciation and gratitude 26:03
orienting to appreciation and gratitude as a support for gladdening the mind, an aspect of Wise Effort
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-07-04 06 meditation: mindfulness of the body and thinking 14:25
Short meditation establishing mindfulness of the body, then noticing the effect of getting caught in thinking and returning the awareness to relaxing physical tension
Auckland Insight Meditation Right View – Wrong View – Self View – No View What is the point of view in Buddhism?
2021-07-01 talk: Wise Effort part 1 27:17
Looking at Wise Effort generally, how it is supported by Wise View, and some of the common challenges of maintaining momentum in daily life practice
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-06-17 talk: Wise Livelihood 24:50
A beginning exploration of how "livelihood" includes every aspect of how we live our lives, grounded in the orientation to non-harming
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-06-03 talk: Wise Action part 2 15:07
short talk looking at the second aspect of Wise Action, not stealing or taking what is not freely offered, in relation to our individual lives and our collective impact
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-05-30 05 talk: spiritual friendship 8:59
A short intro exploring the challenges and rewards of spiritual friendship as the foundation of sangha or community
Auckland Insight Meditation one-day celebration of Vesak and the Auckland Insight community
2021-05-30 03 talk: Heavenly Messengers 16:14
Looking at the legend of the Four Heavenly Messengers, and finding parallels in the context of our own lives
Auckland Insight Meditation one-day celebration of Vesak and the Auckland Insight community
2021-05-30 02 talk: short introduction to celebrating Vesak 11:02
Exploring ways of celebrating Vesak and the Auckland Insight community
Auckland Insight Meditation one-day celebration of Vesak and the Auckland Insight community
2021-05-30 01 meditation: cultivating mudita as a foundation for the day's practice 15:25
orienting to appreciation and gratitude as a foundation for this day of celebration
Auckland Insight Meditation one-day celebration of Vesak and the Auckland Insight community
2021-05-27 talk: Wise Action 16:32
A short introduction to Right or Wise Action
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-05-27 meditation: compassion 27:21
Mostly silent sitting with a few minutes orientation to compassion at the beginning
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-05-06 talk: Wise Speech p2 18:27
Looking at lesser-known aspects of Wise Speech, including how the Buddha at times endorsed harsh speech if necessary to prevent harm; also exploring the role of wise listening to help discern when and how to speak
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-04-22 tallk: Wise Speech and the power of truth 18:16
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-04-22 meditation: arriving and steadying 29:14
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-04-21 short meditation orienting to mudita, appreciation and gratitude 15:01
Auckland Insight Meditation
2021-04-08 05 talk: Wise Intention p2 - metta, kindness 22:24
Exploring the second aspect of Wise Intention, metta or kindness, as a support for understanding anatta, not-self
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-04-08 04 meditation: simple mindfulness of the body and breathing, with an orientation to metta 30:08
Beginning with chanting the Karaniyametta Sutta in English as an invitation to orient towards kindness while settling into mindfulness of the body and mindfulness of breathing
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-03-25 03 talk: Wise Intention and the bliss of renunciation 29:48
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-03-17 32 talk: working with afflictive thought patterns 52:01
Looking at common afflictive thought patterns such as lack mind and comparing mind, using the wisdom of anicca dukkha anatta to help them release, and the practice of mudita, appreciative joy, to help prevent them from re-arising
Te Moata Retreat Center :  Finding the heart of freedom
2021-03-16 27 talk: anatta / not-self and the five clinging-aggregates 44:10
Te Moata Retreat Center :  Finding the heart of freedom
2021-03-15 24 talk: impermanence 33:23
An introduction to the three universal characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and not-self, focusing on impermanence then briefly touching into death contemplation
Te Moata Retreat Center :  Finding the heart of freedom
2021-03-14 21 talk: the five hindrances 41:07
Te Moata Retreat Center :  Finding the heart of freedom
2021-03-13 16 talk: the Two Wings of Awakening, wisdom and compassion 37:07
How wisdom and compassion work together to support progress towards freedom, with an exploration of some of the challenges to cultivating compassion and self-compassion
Te Moata Retreat Center :  Finding the heart of freedom
2021-03-12 13 talk: the clinging-aggregate of feeling tone or vedana 38:24
Te Moata Retreat Center :  Finding the heart of freedom
2021-03-11 08 talk: six supports for deepening retreat practice 43:05
Safety, Silence, Solitude, Simplicity, Slowing down and Stillness (note: this talk was completed the following day due to a technical error)
Te Moata Retreat Center :  Finding the heart of freedom
2021-03-04 02 Talk: Wise View and Freedom 20:49
A short introduction to Wise View, and an exploration of how different views of Nibbana might affect our practice
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-03-01 19 talk: working with difficult emotions 20:04
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-03-01 18 meditation: equanimity for a "difficult" person 17:49
Cultivating equanimity towards someone we're close to, but we experience as challenging in some way, using the phrases: I care about you, but cannot live your life for you Your happiness or unhappiness depends upon your actions, not upon my wishes for you
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-03-01 17 instructions: equanimity as a brahmavihara 20:44
An introduction to equanimity as a brahmavihāra practice, how it's traditionally cultivated, and instructions for exploring it in relation to a so-called "difficult person"
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-28 16 meditation: mudita for a good friend 17:55
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-28 15 talk: mudita / appreciative joy 29:28
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-28 13 meditation: compassion for a good friend then oneself 16:19
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-28 12 instructions: compassion 15:04
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-28 11 meditation: radiating metta 20:13
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-28 10 instructions: radiating metta 4:59
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-28 08 meditation: embodied metta 9:34
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-28 07 very short instructions: embodied metta 3:25
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-28 06 meditation: metta for the benefactor 18:43
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-27 04 meditation: orienting to kindness 14:19
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-27 03 talk: an overview of the four brahmavihara 26:02
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-27 02 talk: introduction and orientation to the online retreat form 11:32
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-27 01 meditation: arriving together online 11:28
A short guided meditation to help arrive together online
Insight San Diego :  Coming home to the heart: A Brahmavihara retreat
2021-02-18 01 talk: Living a life of mutual benefit - introduction to the Noble Eightfold Path 31:00
Beginning talk of a series on the Noble Eightfold Path
Auckland Insight Meditation Living a life of mutual benefit: Exploring the Noble Eightfold Path
2021-01-28 28 talk: Working with afflictive mind-states, including comparing mind 40:29
Southern Insight Meditation (Staveley Camp) Southern Insight Summer Retreat: Finding the Heart of Wisdom
2021-01-27 24 talk: an overview of the four brahmavihara heart qualities 47:49
How kindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity reinforce and strengthen each other as a support for deepening insight
Southern Insight Meditation (Staveley Camp) Southern Insight Summer Retreat: Finding the Heart of Wisdom
2021-01-25 15 talk: Wise Effort and the middle way 36:48
Looking at Wise Effort and common ways our effort gets unbalanced; includes a brief overview of the five hindrances that get in the way of insight
Southern Insight Meditation (Staveley Camp) Southern Insight Summer Retreat: Finding the Heart of Wisdom
2021-01-24 10 talk: frameworks for understanding - an overview of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path 47:28
An overview of some of the key teachings of the Buddha, as a framework for "finding the heart of wisdom"
Southern Insight Meditation (Staveley Camp) Southern Insight Summer Retreat: Finding the Heart of Wisdom
2020-12-17 meditation: breathing, then contemplating the benefits of sangha 27:02
A guided meditation for the end of year, beginning with settling into the body breathing, then after some silence, reflecting on the year as it ends, attuning to and acknowledging any benefits that have come from practising together in community
Auckland Insight Meditation
2020-12-03 talk: the clinging-aggregate of consciousness 22:39
Finishing the series of talks on the five clinging-aggregates with a short overview of consciousness as a clinging-aggregate
Auckland Insight Meditation Deepening Insight - a series of talks for Auckland Insight
2020-12-03 meditation: body then mind and mental activity 29:10
Beginning by settling attention in the body, then bringing awareness to the mind, noticing mental activity centred around a sense of "I"
Auckland Insight Meditation Deepening Insight - a series of talks for Auckland Insight
2020-11-19 talk: the clinging-aggregates of perceptions and mental formations part 2 26:55
Looking at the role of perceptions and mental formations in creating self-referencing thoughts, and some ways to help these constructs release
Auckland Insight Meditation Deepening Insight - a series of talks for Auckland Insight
2020-11-19 meditation: mindfulness of mind 29:32
Opening to mental activity, particularly noticing if/when the mind gets caught in I AM thoughts
Auckland Insight Meditation Deepening Insight - a series of talks for Auckland Insight
2020-11-16 15 meditation: recognising the hindrances of desire for sense pleasure, and aversion 19:49
A short meditation exploring the hindrances of sensual desire and aversion or ill will, together with their antidotes
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-11-16 14 talk: a short introduction to the five hindrances 24:33
A short overview of the five hindrances, particular mental qualities that get in the way of clear seeing
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-11-09 13 meditation: mindfulness of thoughts and emotions 20:31
Beginning with stablising mindfulness in the body, then opening to sounds, thoughts, and any emotions that might be present
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-11-09 12 talk: mindfulness of mind, including emotions 18:25
A short overview of working with emotions in meditation
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-11-07 14 meditation: recognising skilful states 15:15
A short meditation tuning in to skilful qualities of heart and mind
Auckland Insight Meditation Cultivating resilience in challenging times: Learning from the "heavenly messengers"
2020-11-05 talk: the clinging aggregates of perceptions and volitional mental formations 13:32
A short introduction to the clinging-aggregates of perception and volitional formations
Auckland Insight Meditation Deepening Insight - a series of talks for Auckland Insight
2020-11-05 meditation: mindfulness of mental activity 26:40
Settling in to the body, then bringing mindfulness to thoughts and emotions
Auckland Insight Meditation Deepening Insight - a series of talks for Auckland Insight
2020-11-02 11 meditation: kindness 13:11
A short guided medition introducing the practice of cultivating kindness
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-11-02 10 meditation: beginning mindfulness of mind practice 20:14
Opening up the field of awareness from the body and breathing, to sounds, then to thoughts
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-11-02 09 talk: mindfulness of mind 22:59
An introduction to bringing mindfulness to different types of mental activity, including thoughts, emotions, moods, and mind-states
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-28 no excuses: 15 minute mindfulness meditation 14:58
Just 15 minutes to steady awareness with the body and breathing, as a support for steadying the mind and practising non-reactivity to thinking
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-28 no excuses: 10 minute mindfulness meditation 10:07
Just ten minutes to strengthen mindfulness of the body sitting, as a support for mindfulness of breathing
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-28 no excuses: 5 minute mindfulness meditation 5:10
Just five minutes to prractice mindfulness of the body, breathing
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-26 08 instructions and guided walking meditation 10:55
Short instructions and guided walking meditation, for the whole group walking in a circle together
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-26 07 meditation: mindfulness of hearing 15:47
Practising mindfulness of sounds, settling back and receiving the experience of hearing (includes occasional bell sounds)
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-26 06 talk: mindfulness recap and introduction to mindfulness of hearing 11:25
A recap of mindfulness of the body, plus an introduction to practising different modes of mindfulness; exploring mindfulness of hearing as a way to cultivate relaxed receptivity
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-25 10 meditation: making space for equanimity to arise 15:15
A short meditation orienting to the elements of earth and space, as support for equanimity
Auckland Insight Meditation Cultivating resilience in challenging times: Learning from the "heavenly messengers"
2020-10-22 talk: vedana or feeling-tone 29:03
Feeling-tone as the building block of reactivity, and how learning to relate skilfully to feeling-tones reduces suffering
Auckland Insight Meditation Deepening Insight - a series of talks for Auckland Insight
2020-10-22 meditation: exploring feeling-tone 26:42
Attuning to feeling-tones in relation to physical sensations in the body, and softening any reactivity to them
Auckland Insight Meditation Deepening Insight - a series of talks for Auckland Insight
2020-10-19 05 instructions: relational practice exploring mindfulness of the body 8:49
Short instructions for meditating together in pairs, naming out loud physical sensations in the body with bare awareness
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-19 04 meditation: mindfulness of the body 26:36
Beginning with a body scan, tuning in to areas of the body that tend to habitually store tension and inviting it to relax, then bringing awareness to physical sensations throughout the whole body
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-19 03 short talk: mindfulness of the body 11:29
A short introduction to the benefits of working with the body as a foundation of mindfulness
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-18 09 talk: exploring vedana or feeling-tone and compassion in relation to illness 31:08
How mindfulness of feeling-tones helps protect us from reactivity in relation to physical illness, and instead, can strengthen skilful responses of wisdom and compassion
Auckland Insight Meditation Cultivating resilience in challenging times: Learning from the "heavenly messengers"
2020-10-18 08 meditation: vedana or feeling-tones 17:38
A short guided meditation exploring physical sensations in the body and the feeling-tones associated with them
Auckland Insight Meditation Cultivating resilience in challenging times: Learning from the "heavenly messengers"
2020-10-12 02 meditation: mindfulness of breathing 20:26
A short guided meditation for beginners, starting with mindfulness of the body sitting and breathing
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-12 01 talk: introduction to mindfulness meditation for beginners 14:37
A short talk introducing insight meditation for beginners
Auckland Insight Meditation Introduction to Insight Meditation
2020-10-11 06 talk: Heavenly Messengers 2 - Ageing 23:05
A short introduction to the heavenly messenger of ageing, as an invitation to explore our attitudes to our own ageing
Auckland Insight Meditation Cultivating resilience in challenging times: Learning from the "heavenly messengers"
2020-10-11 Monday moring meditation: body, heart and mind coming together 43:08
Steadying and stilling the body as a support for steadying and stilling the heart-mind
Auckland Insight Meditation
2020-10-08 06 talk: an overview of the five clinging-aggregates 36:08
Continuing the exploration of insight into the three universal characteristics, focusing on anatta or not-self and how the aggregates are aspects of experience that we commonly identify with
Auckland Insight Meditation Deepening Insight - a series of talks for Auckland Insight
2020-10-08 05 meditation: opening to the spaciousness of the body 26:40
Settling into the body, quieting the mind, and experiencing the body as sensations in space
Auckland Insight Meditation Deepening Insight - a series of talks for Auckland Insight

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