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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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2007-02-08 Five Spiritual Faculties: How Awakening Happens 61:59
The five Spiritual Faculties describe the importance of balance as well as explain the process of intensive practice. Faith leads to effort which develops mindfulness, which cultivates concentration which flowers as wisdom.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2006-09-26 Awakening Joy 68:04
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge September 2006 at IMS - Forest Refuge
2006-09-23 Tronsforming Suffering Into Happiness 61:07
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge September 2006 at IMS - Forest Refuge
2006-09-16 The Power Of Intention 57:34
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge September 2006 at IMS - Forest Refuge
2006-09-09 Beyond The Judging Mind 56:16
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge September 2006 at IMS - Forest Refuge
2006-09-09 The Buddha's Prescription For Happiness: Seven Factors Of Enlightenment 62:11
The Seven Factors of Enlightenment are mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy, calm, concentration and equanimity. When brought to fruition they lead to the highest happiness we can experience. How can we cultivate these qualities consciously in our meditation practice and in our life?
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2006-07-19 Happiness - part 4: Letting Go 58:25
The joy of letting go includes restraint expressed as sitting with integrity as well as letting go of stories, expectation & experiences. This letting go is not a sacrifice but rather releasing the burden of holding onto the things that cause us suffering.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2006-07-15 The Buddha's Prescription For Happiness: Seven Factors Of Enlightenment 57:34
The Seven Factors of Enlightenment are mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy, calm, concentration and equanimity. When brought to fruition they lead to the highest happiness we can experience. How can we cultivate these qualities consciously in our meditation practice and in our life?
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2006-03-27 Transforming Suffering Into Happiness 60:29
Cultivating an open heart through the Dharma.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2006-02-27 Happiness - part 4: Letting Go 61:52
The joy of letting go includes restraint expressed as sitting with integrity as well as letting go of stories, expectation & experiences. This letting go is not a sacrifice but rather releasing the burden of holding onto the things that cause us suffering.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2006-02-22 Happiness - part 3: Transforming Suffering Into Happiness 59:04
In every moment of mindfulness we defeat the forces of greed, hatred & delusion and develop a heart of generosity, kindness & wisdom--the three sources of karmic happiness.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2006-02-14 Happiness - part 2: Opening To Suffering As Well As To Joy 59:23
Opening to suffering is essential if we are to find true happiness. The Buddha's teaching on how suffering can lead to faith, gladness, joy and freedom is explored. Gratitude as a way to hold our suffering is also discussed.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2006-02-08 Happiness - part 1: Wise Effort And Wholesome States 55:40
Where does happiness lie? In this first of 4 talks we explore the intention to be happy particularly with regard to developing and increasing wholesome states. Wise effort in terms of Dharma practiced is explored.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2005-09-05 Aligning Our Life With The Dharma 1:12:39
This closing talk from a silent retreat points to the integration of our practice in daily life, with mindfulness as the golden thread that runs through all things.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2005-09-04 The Power Of Intention 52:02
Intention is the source of all karma. Accessing the sincerity of heart that fuels our practice and inclining it towards freedom is the basis for profound awakening.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center
2005-07-11 Forgiveness: The Doorway To An Open Heart 61:33
In order for metta to flow unobstructed, we need to be able to forgive—ourselves for ways we don't measure up to our high standards or unskillful actions, others for past hurts and life for the disappointments we experience. This talk explores these different levels of forgiveness.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2005-05-25 Wise Effort 58:00
Wise Effort is a key issue in Dharma practice. Am I doing enough or too much. This talk explores how to develop balance with regard to effort as well as the classical Four Right Efforts pertaining to wholesome and unwholesome states.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center
2005-04-24 Wise Intention (Sutta On The Two Kinds Of Thought) 45:52
Working consciously with intention is the key to creating wisdom and happiness in our lives.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2005-04-22 Five Spiritual Faculties: How Awakening Happens 64:46
How the process of awakening unfolds in meditation practice starting with faith and culminating in wisdom.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2005-02-21 Sudden Awakening, Gradual Cultivation: The Purification Process 60:34
Although freedom is found in the moment, there is a continual process of purifying the heart and mind. This process is discussed including facing our fears, deepening our commitment, learning to love ourselves while seeing through our sense of self, culminating in practice being our gift to the world.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2005-02-16 Trusting Your Buddha-Knowing 60:23
The source of our awakening is right inside us. As we learn to listen deeply to the wisdom and purity of heart that is connected to the truth we are following the Buddha's instructions to be "be a lamp unto yourself."
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2005-02-12 Gladness Of The Wholesome - Awakening Joy 60:21
The Buddha spoke of maintaining and increasing wholesome states as an integral part of Right Effort. In this talk we explore why this is important and how to incline the mind to experience what he called "gladness connected with the wholesome."
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2005-02-05 The Comparing Mind 58:44
Seeing through the judging mind awakening us to our true nature.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2004-12-27 Past, Present, Future: A Journey Through Time 57:36
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2004-11-20 Saturday Night Closing Session 35:00
The Saturday night session of the lawyers retreat. What's going on in mindfulness and law. Right livelihood.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2004-11-19 The Power Of Mindfulness 53:50
This talk was given at the Lawyer's Retreat. It focused on a description of four characteristics of mindfulness - seeing things clearly, permanence, being present and watching the judging mind.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2004-04-26 Practice As A Path To Happiness 54:28
We can often focus on suffering in our practice and forget that this path is about cultivating happiness.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2004-02-25 Awakening To Joy - part 2 61:07
This talk continues the exploration of how the practice cultivates happiness and joy. Topics include mindfulness as appreciation, wonder, gratitude, bliss of blamelessness, letting go, mudita, friendship and liberation.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2004-02-20 Awakening To Joy - part 1 61:46
The Buddha valued "gladness connected with wholesome states." This is the first of two talks on the importance of inclining the mind toward happiness and joy as well as how to do it.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2004-02-15 Inclining Our Mind Towards Freedom: The Power Of Intention 60:57
The power of intention helps us envision a fulfilled spiritual life, helps us see through our limiting beliefs, and helps us trust our deepest wisdom.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2003-08-31 Trusting Your Buddha-Knowing 60:07
The source of our awakening is right inside us. As we learn to listen deeply to the wisdom and purity of heart that is connected to the truth we are following the Buddha's instructions to be "be a lamp unto yourself."
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center
2003-08-31 Trusting Your Buddha Knowing 59:36
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2003-08-28 What Is Mindfulness 56:45
Why be mindful? Different aspects of mindfulness including seeing clearly and non-judging as well as benefits of mindfulness practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2003-02-19 Passion For Practice 58:25
The place of passion in practice is expressed in the Iddhipadas (Bases of Power): zeal, effort, love of Dharma and preciousness of this opportunity to practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2003-02-10 Seven Factors Of Enlightenment 61:54
The seven factors of enlightenment are being cultivated as we practice. This talk explores how they can be consciously brought into balance and how they work together.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2002-10-02 Body of Fear Mind of Wisdom 66:02
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2002-03-20 Resting in Awareness 1:10:30
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2002-03-05 Faith: Bring The Heart To Practice 58:41
Developing faith as a quality of heart that is essential for our selves, our practice, and releasing the angst of doubt and the illusion of suffering. What is the place of faith in practice? How can we cultivate faith, trust and confidence? What is faith and how does it work?
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center
2002-03-05 Faith: Bring The Heart To Practice 53:01
Developing faith as a quality of heart that is essential for our selves, our practice, and releasing the angst of doubt and the illusion of suffering. What is the place of faith in practice? How can we cultivate faith, trust and confidence? What is faith and how does it work?
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2002-03-05 Faith: Bring The Heart To Practice 59:22
Developing faith as a quality of heart that is essential for our selves, our practice, and releasing the angst of doubt and the illusion of suffering. What is the place of faith in practice? How can we cultivate faith, trust and confidence? What is faith and how does it work?
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2002-03-04 Comparing Mind 59:17
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2002-02-19 Opening To Experience: Forgiveness, Patience & Humor 1:33:53
Using forgiveness, patience, and humor as we open up to what is unpleasant without experiencing aversion, and to what is pleasant without experiencing grasping.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2002-02-19 Opening To Experience: Forgiveness, Patience & Humor 60:57
Using forgiveness, patience, and humor as we open up to what is unpleasant without experiencing aversion, and to what is pleasant without experiencing grasping.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2002-02-16 Clear Comprehension: The Context For Practice 57:35
Mindfulness as bare attention is supported and developed by bringing the content of clear comprehension, or full awareness, into practice. This includes clear comprehension of purpose, of suitability, of domain of meditation, and of reality.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2002-02-12 Reporting To The Mother Ship: Wonder, Awe, Interest, Investigation 61:00
While Dharma practice takes courage to open to suffering, one also can bring a spirit of wonder and awe to the quality of investigation. We can open to the moment with interest, discovering reality in a fresh, new way.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2001-11-28 Non-Greed, Hatred, Delusion 61:00
Exploring the different spiritual paths that use the fundamental themes of non-greed, hatred, delusion, love, service, and remembrance.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2001-11-28 Non-Greed, Non-Hatred, Non-Delusion 60:19
Connecting the Buddhist values of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion with another spiritual axiom: "Love everyone, serve everyone, and remember God."
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2001-10-27 Letting Go Of Knowing 58:34
Most of us want to know the right answer to complex situations. This post-September 11th talk explores the value of letting go of prematurely trying to figure things out, and replace it with patiently listening inside to our wisest understandings and responses when they are ready to be heard.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
In collection: In Response to September 11
2001-10-24 Finding Refuge in Trust 59:13
2001-10-24 Finding Refuge in Trust 52:48
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

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