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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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2011-05-19 Embodying Passion Through Expression 53:52
There is a certain aliveness that comes when we speak honestly in a vulnerable, yet clear communication. It aligns us with our truth and we become authentic and wisely powerful. But it's often not easy to do that. I've based this talk on my son Adam's final thesis from Naropa University where he recently graduated with a B.A. in somatic and contemplative psychology. I was quite impressed and moved by it. It made me think. I wanted to share it as we explore Wise Speech together.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-04-28 7. Equanimity (upekkha) 54:04
Seventh and final talk in an 8-week series on the 7 Factors of Awakening that began with an overview on March 10, 2011.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-04-21 6. Concentration (samadhi) 51:57
Sixth talk in an 8-week series on the 7 Factors of Awakening that began with an overview on March 10, 2011.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-04-18 Bringing Practice Into Daily Life 0:10
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-04-14 5. Calm/tranquility (passaddhi) 51:28
Fifth talk in an 8-week series on the 7 Factors of Awakening that began with an overview on March 10, 2011.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-04-07 4. Joy/rapture (piti) 50:23
Fifth talk in an 8-week series on the 7 Factors of Awakening that began with an overview on March 10, 2011.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-03-31 3. Energy/effort (viriya) 55:33
Fourth talk in an 8-week series on the 7 Factors of Awakening that began with an overview on March 10, 2011.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-03-24 2. Interest/investigation (dhamma vicaya) 56:36
Third talk in an 8-week series on the 7 Factors of Awakening that began with an overview on March 10, 2011.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-03-17 1. Mindfulness (sati) 51:30
Second talk in an 8-week series on the 7 Factors of Awakening that began with an overview March 10. James highly recommended the booklet The Power of Mindfulness by Nyanaponika Thera as a precise and concise guide for "tidying the mental household."

The talk ends with a homework assignment for the week.

Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-03-10 Overview of the 7 Factors of Awakening 55:53
The 7 Factors of Awakening are the Buddha’s list of qualities that need to be developed in order to fully awaken. This eight-week series begins with an overview of all 7 Factors followed by a discussion of each individually in greater depth over the coming weeks. Besides exploring them theoretically, James encourages us to take them on as practices as we go through the weeks seeing how we can consciously cultivate them and bring them into our daily lives. The seven factors are:
  1. Mindfulness
  2. Interest/investigation
  3. Energy/effort
  4. Joy/rapture
  5. Calm/tranquility
  6. Concentration
  7. Equanimity
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-03-02 Opening to the Moment 61:49
Open9ing to the moment and being with things as they are is easier said than done. This talk explores what gets in the way and the qualities and attitudes that support opening to the moment including forgiveness, patience, contentment and a sense of humor.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Monthlong Insight Retreat
2011-02-25 Working with Thoughts & Skillful Discernment 56:42
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Monthlong Insight Retreat
2011-02-21 The Joy of Wholesome States 61:04
How the practice is a path of real happiness through cultivating wholesome states and being present for them.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Monthlong Insight Retreat
2011-02-17 Working with the Judging Mind 64:30
A reflection on the comparing and judging mind highlighted with stories and readings. Includes a useful practice based on a quote from the 3rd Zen Patriarch: "The burdensome practice of judging brings annoyance and weariness." The evening ends with a brief discussion with the sangha. This talk was also given at the February 2011 month-long retreat at Spirit Rock: Working with the Judging Mind

Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-02-15 Working with the Judging Mind 56:07
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Monthlong Insight Retreat
2011-02-10 Humility and Confidence 57:37
How being humbled can deepen our capacity to open to all of our experience and strengthen our confidence and trust.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Monthlong Insight Retreat
2011-02-03 Enlightenment Part 4 52:07
James continues his series on Enlightenment by exploring the Path of Devotion or Bhakti path as a vehicle for awakening.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-01-30 Kalyana Mitta / Dharma Friends Facilitators Workshop: Part 1 of 3 1:31
Workshop for current and potential Kalyana Mitta / Dharma Friends facilitators or hosts.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Kalyana Mitta / Dharma Friends Facilitators Workshop at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery.
2011-01-30 Kalyana Mitta / Dharma Friends Facilitators Workshop: Part 2 of 3 1:28:51
Workshop for current and potential Kalyana Mitta / Dharma Friends facilitators or hosts.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Kalyana Mitta / Dharma Friends Facilitators Workshop at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery.
2011-01-30 Kalyana Mitta / Dharma Friends Facilitators Workshop: Part 3 of 3 29:31
Workshop for current or potential Kalyana Mitta / Dharma Friends facilitators or hosts.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Kalyana Mitta / Dharma Friends Facilitators Workshop at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery.
2011-01-27 Enlightenment Part 3 54:43
A presentation of non-Buddhist perspectives on enlightenment through stories and quotes of Advaita (non-dualistic) teachers such as Ramana Maharshi, Poonjaji, Eckhart Tolle, and Adyahshanti. The talk ends with a brief guided meditation.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-01-20 Enlightenment Part 2. 54:15
Enlightenment: It's already here...and right now.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-01-17 Discussion with Mirka Knaster, author of "Living This Life Fully: Stories And Teachings of MUNINDRA" 64:45
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks
2011-01-13 Enlightenment Part 1. 54:22
The classic Theravadin meditative path to freedom, including progress of insight and stages of enlightenment.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2011-01-06 What really matters 54:52
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-11-18 Reflections on Bhikkhunis 51:27
James examines some of the recent history surrounding Bhikkhunis and Western Buddhist practice.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2010-10-24 The Joy of Letting Go, part 2 1:17:06
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2010-10-24 The Joy of Letting Go, part 1 48:19
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2010-10-23 The Hard Things That Open The Heart 34:51
Opening AM Session
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2010-10-21 The Big E. What does it mean to you? 50:25
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-09-23 Compassion is a verb 30:21
Caring for the earth 10/10/10
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-09-16 How We Hold Ourselves with Others 45:45
The ability to let go of the past and to forgive depends on how we hold ourselves with others. This talk explores how we affect others and how we can move to a greater connection.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-09-09 Personal and Global Responsibility 46:04
Personal and Global Responsibility
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-09-05 Trusting Your Buddha Knowing 59:45
Working with thoughts including the Buddha's methods for dealing with distracting thoughts. How to discern the voice of wisdom from the voices of confusion and fear.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Retreat
2010-09-02 Relaxed Interested Kind Awareness 56:04
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Retreat
2010-07-29 The Secret Ingredient for Equanimity 49:51
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-07-20 Awakening Joy and Mudita 59:04
How the metta practice awakens happiness and well-being, including the mudita practice of sympathetic joy.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Metta Retreat
2010-07-15 This Business of Wanting. 51:10
This Business of Wanting.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-07-08 Suffering is Grace 50:37
Suffering is Grace
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-07-01 Independence Day: True Independence and Its Wider implications 45:04
What does it mean to be truly independent? Independent from what? And if we are genuinely independent how does that affect the way we live our lives?
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-06-24 How to get what you want...and not get what you don't want. 54:58
How to get what you want...and not get what you don't want.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-06-10 Responding to the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill 45:31
Talk on the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-05-20 Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 4, with guest Kevin Griffin. 59:01
with James Baraz, Kevin Griffin
Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 4, with guest Kevin Griffin. Beginning introductions of Inquiring Mind publisher Alan Novidor and editor Barbara Gates.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-05-13 Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 3 53:46
Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 3
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-05-10 3 Principles of Awakening Joy 60:51
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks
2010-05-06 Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 2 45:46
Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 2
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-04-29 Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 1 52:15
Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 1
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-04-22 Earth Day: 40th Anniversary 48:46
Earth Day: 40th Anniversary
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-03-25 Elders (including his Mom) 24:43
James interviews his mom, Selma Baraz (or maybe it's the other way around).

For more from Selma, see also the YouTube video of Selma entitled: Confessions of a Jewish Mother: How My Son Ruined My Life!
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2010-03-18 A Life Well Lived 55:22
A Life Well Lived
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks

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