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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
James Baraz's Dharma Talks
James Baraz
I try to convey that the wisdom and compassion we are looking for is already inside of us. I see practice as learning how to purify our mind and heart so we can hear the Buddha inside. In doing so, we naturally embody the dharma and help awaken that understanding and love in others we meet.
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2013-04-20 From Me to We 53:12
with Bob Doppelt, James Baraz
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Responses to Climate Change: Awareness, Action and Celebration
In collection: Responses to Climate Change: Awareness, Action and Celebration
2013-04-20 Responses to Climate Change: Awareness, Action and Celebration 4:05:21
with Bob Doppelt, Donald Rothberg, James Baraz, Joanna Macy, Malcolm Margolin, Nina Wise, Paul Hawken
2013-04-20 (1 day) Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Responses to Climate Change: Awareness, Action and Celebration
In collection: One Earth Sangha
2013-04-18 1st Part: Working with our Habits, 2nd Part: Boston Marathon Bombings 51:02
The first part of this talk is about our Habit discussion we've had over the last two weeks. The second part is about how we deal with the Boston Marathon Bombings.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2013-04-11 The Power of Habit - Part 2 51:57
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2013-04-04 The Power of Habit - Part 1 52:48
Talk based on Charles Duhigg's book on why we do what we do and how to strengthen or change our habits.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2013-03-28 Facing in the Right Direction 47:46
Social change happens slowly in our society but usually moves in the direction of greater inclusion and acceptance of progressive ideas. Includes Mark Morford's column "Your Evolution is Totally Gay."
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2013-03-21 Community Sharing: Questions and Answers 56:27
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2013-03-14 The Five Reflections 50:07
The Five Reflections from the Upajjatthana Sutra are: 1 - I am subject to old age, 2 - I am subject to illness, 3- I am subject to death, 4 - I must be parted and separated from everyone and everything dear and agreeable to me, 5 - I am the owner of my karma and the heir of my karma.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2013-03-02 Contentment 57:07
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-25 Afternoon Brahma Vihara Practice - Mudita for All Beings 57:05
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-24 The Comparing Mind 60:03
The tendency to compare and judge ourselves with others or regarding our ideas of good practice runs very deep. How to work with these patterns and see through them to realize our true nature is explored.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-22 Afternoon Brahma Vihara Practice - Part 1 44:22
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-22 Afternoon Brahma Vihara Practice - Part 2 13:50
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-18 Cultivating Wholesome States - Part 2 60:29
Suffering itself can lead to genuine well-being and happiness when we know how to transform it. Other wholesome states: how to have metta for self and letting go into simply being are explored.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-12 Brahma Viharas - Forgivness 46:25
Neutral Person
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-12 Morning Instructions, Day 9 9:27
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-11 Cultivating Wholesome States, Part 1 63:55
The Buddha taught that the cultivating of wholesome states (Kusala) creates conditions for awakening. This talk explores the importance of this cultivation, its place is Wise Effort and how to "maintain and increase" these states as he encouraged.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-08 Afternoon Brahma Vihara Instructions 62:17
Metta: forgiveness
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-05 Morning Instructions, Day 2 20:28
The Breath
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-02-04 An Ode to Mindfulness 58:21
Why did the Buddha describe mindfulness as the direct path to overcome sorrow and lamentation, end suffering, discontent and realize the highest happiness? This talk reminds us what mindfulness practice is, why it is so profound and describes attitudes that optimally support mindfulness practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2013-01-31 Seeing Through Views. 50:58
"Seeing Through Views: A Doorway to Liberation" As the Buddha said in the Paramatthaka Sutta: On Views: "A person who associates himself with certain views, considering them as best and making them supreme in the world is not free from contention (with others)." This talk explores the power, freedom and potential for deeper love that comes when we realize that our view is just one reality.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2013-01-24 Why I teach Awakening Joy. 55:01
In the talk, I share what motivated me to teach Buddha Dharma as a path of happiness. Some of the teachings might obscure this fact through misunderstanding, as well as the underlying teachings that lead to genuine well-being.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2013-01-17 The Power of Generosity 56:47
James is joined by Phil Catalfo, who runs the Berkeley Neighborhood Food Project, for a rich discussion about the power of generosity. Giving not only benefits the recipient but the giver as well. While BNFP alleviates the suffering of those who are “food insecure;” it also alleviates the suffering of the donors by providing them a means to process their feelings, thoughts, and memories about food, hunger, abundance, guilt, and so on. Participants report a vastly expanded sense of themselves and become profoundly grateful for the opportunity to experience that. They see that “everybody wins” is an actual option in this world.
BNFP Website

Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2013-01-10 Shifting perspectives 47:46
When life is difficult or frustrating the teachings advise us to practice equanimity. One simple but potent way to do that is to take a step back and hold things with a wider perspective. We'll be exploring different practices that incline towards equanimity through this method.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2013-01-03 Embracing Change 52:20
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-12-27 Past, Present and Future. 54:44
As 2012 comes to a close, this is a time to reflect on the lessons from the past year, where you are now and what your vision is of the New Year.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-12-20 A Time For Healing 51:58
Dealing with the tragedy of Newtown, Conn.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-12-13 Practicing With Difficult Emotions. 61:36
Exploring themes from the current issue (Volume 29/Number 1/Fall 2012) of Inquiring Mind with guest editor of the issue, Kevin Griffin.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-11-29 Who we really are 49:28
Who You Really Are Walt Whitman wrote: “I am larger, better than I thought; I did not know I held so much goodness." A key aspect of genuine awakening is realizing the basic goodness that is our true nature (when we're not confused or lost in our stories). What gets in the way of accessing this basic goodness? What supports it?
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-11-15 Cast Aside the Costume 49:44
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-11-08 Empathy: The Key that Unlocks the Heart 49:19
The ability to put oneself in someone else's shoes is the doorway to compassion. Once there is compassion then forgiveness, connection and genuine metta naturally follow. This talk includes a teaching from Thai master, Ajahn Maha Boowa, on the power of empathy.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-11-03 Trust and Surrender is Available in Any Moment 57:17
While many wholesome states are experienced by cultivation, the state of peace and wholeness that is possible comes from relaxing all doing and simply allowing ourselves to just be. This state of being emerges from equanimity, involves trust and surrender and is available in any moment.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Awakening Joy: Dharma Practice as a Path of Happiness
2012-11-01 Buddha Dharma as a Path of Happiness 62:34
The Four Noble Truths are usually presented as the truth of suffering, its cause, its end, and the path that leads to the end. This talk presents these truths with an emphasis on well-being: 1) There is happiness, 2) There is a cause of happiness, 3) Happiness is possible, and 4) There is a path that leads to the highest happiness.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Awakening Joy: Dharma Practice as a Path of Happiness
2012-10-18 A Simple Twist of Fate 50:46
Our lives are filled with turning points that can steer us in different directions. To have found the Dharma and be facing in the direction of greater consciousness is extraordinarily good karma that can powerfully fuel and inspire our practice with sincerity and gratitude.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-10-04 No Credit, No Blame. 56:40
"In this world no one escapes from blame," said the Buddha. How can we deal with blame from others skillfully without getting crushed by criticism or react to it in a way that causes more suffering for ourselves and other? The key to not being lost in Praise or Blame is non-identification, not taking ownership of your experience. This includes not identifying with your body or mind. We can appreciate the gifts we've been given as well as our shortcomings without taking them personally. This is the natural by-product of understanding anatta, the selfless nature of existence.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-09-27 No Place to Land 57:17
Advaita teacher H. W. L. Poonja spoke of emptiness as "No place to land." This follow-up talk on Praise and Blame, discusses how understanding the Buddha's teaching on Emptiness—the selfless nature of the process—we can appreciate the positive impact we have on others without taking personal credit when praise comes our way.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-09-20 Praise and Blame 59:04
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-09-13 Titrating our Dukkha. 54:40
Though mindfulness meditation instructions generally suggest paying attention to what is predominant, focusing on overwhelming emotions especially those rooted in trauma is often not beneficial. This talk, which includes the Buddha's teachings on working with difficult emotions as well as theory from Somatic Experiencing (SE)—an approach to working with trauma—explores how to work with intense emotions by touching them a little at a time.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-09-02 Transforming Suffering into Happiness 64:22
The magic of mindfulness is how it weakens unwholesome (akusala) states of suffering and strengthens wholesome (kusala) states of well-being. This talk explains this process of alchemy: how greed, hatred and delusion are trnsformed into generosity, loving-kindness and wisdom.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Retreat
2012-08-30 What Am I Doing Here and Why Am I Doing It? 56:49
How mindfulness practice works on retreat, the benefits that it produces and helpful attitudes that support intensive retreat practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Retreat
2012-08-23 Teaching what we need to learn. 54:56
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-07-19 Stewardship and Intention as Gaia Practices 52:25
This is part 4 of the series 'Appropriate Response at the Tipping Point' that began 6/14. In this talk, James discusses the last two of the five transformational commitments in Bob Doppelt's book From Me to We:

4. Acknowledge your trustee obligations and take responsibility for the continuation of all life
5. Choose your own destiny

Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
In collection: Appropriate Response at the Tipping Point
2012-07-10 It's Really Possible! 60:32
To love ourselves, love others unconditionally to let in the love that comes our way, to realize more and more that love is our true nature -- these are tehe gifts of metta practice. With sincere intention and commitment, we can realize these fruits. We have everything we need to do this.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Metta Retreat
2012-07-05 Karma and Sila as Gaia Practices 53:57
This is part 3 of the series 'Appropriate Response at the Tipping Point' that began 6/14. In this talk, James discusses the first three of the five transformational commitments in Bob Doppelt's book From Me to We:

1. See the systems you are part of
2. Be accountable for all the consequences of your actions
3. Abide by society’s most deeply held universal principles of morality and justice

Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
In collection: Appropriate Response at the Tipping Point
2012-06-28 Seeing the System You Are Part Of 59:40
Sharing a positive vision for the future from Ernest Callenbach’s "Epistle to Ecotopians". We then begin to explore the first of five Dharma principles using systems and sustainability expert Bob Doppelt’s book From Me to We. The ignorance of these principles is what perpetuates the problem and the understanding of them is the key to changing our consciousness and providing a path toward healing the planet. This is part 2 of the series 'Appropriate Response at the Tipping Point' that began June 14.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
In collection: Appropriate Response at the Tipping Point
2012-06-23 What supports Connecting? 1:18:55
with Daniel Ellenberg
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2012-06-23 Obstacles to Connecting in Relationships 62:33
with Daniel Ellenberg
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2012-06-23 The Art and Practice of Connection 1:40:40
w/ Daniel Ellenberg
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2012-06-14 Appropriate Response at the Tipping Point: Concern for the Planet as Dharma Practice 46:36
This is the first of a four-part series inspired by the Spring 2012 issue of Inquiring Mind, entitled 'Earth Now.' In addition to reading this issue, especially the interview with Joanna Macy: Woman on the Edge of Time, James also suggested these readings: Ernest Callenbach’s essay "Epistle to Ecotopians" and Bob Doppelt's book From Me to We: The Five Transformational Commitments Required to Rescue the Planet, Your Organization, and Your Life. The series continues on 6/28, 7/5, and 7/19.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
In collection: Appropriate Response at the Tipping Point
2012-06-14 Appropriate Response at the Tipping Point 3:32:40
A four-part series inspired by the Spring 2012 issue of Inquiring Mind, entitled 'Earth Now.'
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
In collection: One Earth Sangha

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