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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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2024-09-13 Closing Session (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 1:42:27
with Eve Decker, Howard Cohn, James Baraz, Jane Baraz, Stephanie Antoine
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Founders Retreat: Insight Meditation with the Spirit Rock Founding Teachers
2024-09-12 Awakening Joy: Inclining the Mind toward Well-Being (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 63:52
The Buddha advised us to not only cultivate wholesome states but to maintain and increase them when they arise. How can we do that without attachment? This talk explains how to cultivate and strengthen wholesome states not only in retreat but in daily life. James explains the Buddhist principles and practices he shares in his Awakening Joy course.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Founders Retreat: Insight Meditation with the Spirit Rock Founding Teachers
2024-09-12 Instructions: Breath and Body (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 57:10
Expanding the meditation field beyond the breath to include the whole physical realm of experience.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Founders Retreat: Insight Meditation with the Spirit Rock Founding Teachers
2024-09-10 Morning Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 1:12:25
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Founders Retreat: Insight Meditation with the Spirit Rock Founding Teachers
2024-09-09 Spirit Rock Founders Remember the Early Days (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 1:45:10
with Eve Decker, Howard Cohn, Jack Kornfield, James Baraz, Jane Baraz, Stephanie Antoine, Sylvia Boorstein
This opening night "Founders Retreat" talk includes Jack Kornfield, Sylvia Boorstein, Howie Cohn, Jane Baraz and Jane Baraz reminiscing about the early days of Spirit Rock.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Founders Retreat: Insight Meditation with the Spirit Rock Founding Teachers
2024-08-29 The Miracle of Mindfulness (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 11:13:16
The Buddha taught that mindfulness is the most direct way to overcome suffering and realize the highest happiness. This talk explains power of mindfulness and why it is so liberating.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Meditation Retreat
2024-06-20 Intrinsically Empty, Naturally Radiant Ceaselessly Responsive: Awareness and Compassion (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 64:23
Awareness is not only spacious and wakeful, compassion is also an inherent component. Expressing care to address the suffering in the world is understood to be an essential part of practice. This talk explores the greater implications of this understanding especially at this critical time of global dukkha on so many levels.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center The Magic of Awareness
2024-06-19 Big Mind Meditation (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 57:15
This meditation shifts from focusing on objects in our experience to the awareness in which all objects appear and disappear.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center The Magic of Awareness
2024-06-17 The Magic of Awareness (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 61:37
By opening to the perspective of everything arising and passing away in the space of awareness we see through the illusion of separation, directly experiencing anatta, the selfless nature of reality. We also let go of identifying with hindrances and and other ways we identify with the natural unfolding of experience. This talk includes an exploration of the Kashmir Shaivism text "Realization of Our True Heart."
Spirit Rock Meditation Center The Magic of Awareness
2024-06-17 Instructions Including Breath, Body Sensations and Sounds (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 51:09
Spirit Rock Meditation Center The Magic of Awareness
2024-06-13 Inspiring Motivation for Practice: The Four Mind Changers 55:26
I look forward to being with our community and exploring the teaching on the "Four Mind Changing Reflections." These four reflections become a great motivation reminding us to use our time wisely to deepen our practice. I hope it gives a boost to your own practice.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2024-05-23 Thursday is Wesak! Thursday is Wesak! Honoring the Life and Teaching of the Buddha 49:51
This Thursday, May 23rd is Wesak, the most special day in Theravada Buddhist countries (Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka). The full moon in May is said to be the day that the Buddha was born, became enlightened at the age of 35 and died at the age of 80. The three holiest of days all rolled into one! On this Wesak, we can reflect on who this person was, what he discovered on his journey and the legacy he's left us.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2024-05-02 The Power of Collective Intelligence: The Magic in Community 48:35
The Buddha spoke of like-minded friendship as "the whole of the spiritual life." He encouraged us to take refuge in the Sangha. What makes community so powerful? Have you ever been part of a group that felt quite magical, where it was more than merely a collection of individual members? What are the ingredients that make a group like that come together?
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2024-04-18 Loving the Earth through Joyful Connection 56:26
April 22 is Earth Day. How can we express our care and appreciation for life on this planet through meaningful action? I look forward to exploring this with you at our Thursday sangha. I hope you join us.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2024-03-21 Great Female Disciples of the Buddha 50:09
Most of the Buddha's disciples whose names we are familiar with, such as Ananda and Sariputta, are men. The Buddha also had women disciples who were wise and profound practitioners like Mahapajapati, the Buddha's aunt/foster mother, responsible for the establishment of the order of nuns or Patacara, revered teacher, who tragically lost her family and eventually became fully enlightened. “If the measure of a human life is a chance to have significance that extends beyond itself, then we’ve hit the jackpot. We are alive at game time on the planet, when everything we value is genuinely threatened, when it’s time for all hands on deck.” —Terry Patten, A New Republic of the Heart
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2024-03-07 Groundlessness: A Doorway to Liberation 60:09
Pema Chödrön writes: "It's not impermanence per se, or even knowing we're going to die, that is the cause of our suffering, the Buddha taught. Rather, it's our resistance to the fundamental uncertainty of our situation. Our discomfort arises from all of our efforts to put ground under our feet, to realize our dream of constant okayness. When we resist change, it's called suffering. But when we can completely let go and not struggle against it, when we can embrace the groundlessness of our situation and relax into its dynamic quality, that's called enlightenment, or awakening to our true nature, to our fundamental goodness." Let's investigate the underlying feeling of insecurity to see how it can be used as a path to real freedom.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2024-02-29 Transitions as a Focus of Practice (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 58:30
We can easily lose our mindfulness when we are experiencing a transition from a change of activity in our daily experience to major shifts in our life. In truth we are always in transition. This talk explores the power of bringing consciousness to transition as focal point of our practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation Retreat--1 Month
2024-02-22 Compassion (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 51:58
Compassion practice including all categories.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation Retreat--1 Month
2024-02-21 Devotion to the Sacred (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 64:44
Although devotion plays a significant role in Monastic Communities and Tibetan practices it is not something often discussed in lay communities. Yet devotion can be a major source of inspiration which can fuel our practice. How can we access it and have it moisten our sincerity of motivation?
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation Retreat--1 Month
2024-02-19 Big Mind Meditation (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 60:37
This guided meditation, originally created by Joseph Goldstein, shifts the subject of attention from objects to the awareness that knows.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation Retreat--1 Month
2024-02-16 Trust (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 59:47
With so many strategies and messages about how to practice, how do we know the "right" way to practice? The Buddha said ultimately you should "be a lamp onto yourself." This comes down to trusting the wisdom inside. How can we discern the wisdom voice from the voices rooted in fear and confusion? This talk includes the 5 strategies offered by the Buddha to work skillfully with distracting thoughts.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation Retreat--1 Month
2024-02-10 Wise Effort: Balance and Cultivating Wholesome States (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 63:13
Wise Effort points to the importance of balance as well as the weakening unwholesome and cultivating wholesome states. This talk explores both aspects of this key practice issue.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation Retreat--1 Month
2024-02-04 Opening to the Whole Show (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 58:27
The Journey of Awakening is a process of discovering all the beautiful qualities that are uniquely expressed through you--the Buddha within that you take refuge in. It also involves understanding all the habits of mind that get in the way--including our fears, resistance, and identification with our experience. This talk describes the importance of opening to all of these places we usually hide from and the beneficial qualities that support that journey.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation Retreat--1 Month
2024-02-01 Sudden Awakening, Gradual Cultivation: The Process of Purification 52:56
Sometimes it feels as if our practice is taking one step forward and two steps back. Or two steps forward and two steps back. In this talk I want to explore the process of awakening in the context of understanding the trajectory of practice. Even though it might not seem as if much is happening or that you're truly growing, it's happening anyway. However, there are some things to know about how the process works that can help you develop patience, confidence and inspiration.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2024-01-18 On Having No Head: A Simple, Effective Anatta Practice 53:07
We all know the unpleasant feeling of self-consciousness. It is one thought away from self-judgment, self-criticism and a whole spectrum of “Selfing” thoughts. This week I want to share with you a simple and effective practice to cut through this painful negative mental habit which, when utilized, takes the “self” out of self-consciousness.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2024-01-04 Your Heart Was Made For This 55:30
with James Baraz, Oren Jay Sofer
Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed an uplifting transition to 2024. I'm delighted to invite you to join me in welcoming author and Dharma teacher Oren Jay Sofer for an evening of online practice and exploration based on his new book, Your Heart Was Made For This: Contemplative Practices to Meet a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love. What does the contemplative path have to offer our aching hearts in a rapidly changing world beset with challenge? What can our practice offer beyond personal benefits?
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-12-28 End of Year Reflection: Honoring this Moment Together 54:14
As we come to the last gathering of the year, join us online as we will reflect on this moment together--looking back at the past year, seeing where we are right now and getting in touch with our vision for the upcoming year. We will mark this time together with an end-of-year ritual and support each other in our intentions for the New Year. Please bring a candle, some pare and a writing implement.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-12-22 The Light Inside the Darkness: A Winter Solstice Reflection 56:55
This Thursday our meeting will take place just as we arrive at this year's Winter Solstice (7:27pm Pacific Time). This longest night of the year has given rise to many holidays of light (Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Soyal, the winter solstice celebration of the Hopi Indians, and many others). We will explore accessing the light within as we experience the solstice and navigate the shadow within us and in the world.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-11-17 Changing the Channel - Letting in the Good 46:10
The barrage of frightening headlines every day often leave us with feelings of despair, hopelessness and negativity. While it's important to feel connected to the suffering all around us, it is equally important to nourish ourselves by opening to the goodness in life--both inside and around us. This helps us skillfully create a larger container so that we are not overwhelmed by the dukkha but rather can process it with balance and skill.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-11-09 Fnding Refuge - Skillfully holding it all 52:06
Refuge is a word that is often used in Buddhist teachings. We long to feel safe and protected from inner and outer harm. When everything seems out of control where can we find true refuge? How can the practice help us hold it all? This talk refers to a highly recommended conversation on the Mideast situation between two women (one Israeli, one German) who give communication trainings based on Nonviolent Communication: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K16F_lL4N1w.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-10-19 Current Crisis in Israel and Gaza 1:33:07
with James Baraz, Stephen Fulder
Israeli Dharma Teacher Stephen Fulder joins James and shares about the current crisis in Israel and Gaza
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-10-05 The Buddha's Teaching on Not getting Caught in Negative Tendencies 50:17
The Sabbāsava Sutta "All the Taints" (Majjhima Nikaya #2). The Buddha teaches seven methods for restraining and abandoning the "taints", the fundamental defilements that keep us in suffering.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-09-04 Closing Session (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 1:40:58
with Eve Decker, Howard Cohn, James Baraz, Terry Vandiver, Tuere Sala
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Retreat
2023-09-03 Transforming Suffering into Happiness (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 60:05
The Buddha said our suffering is caused by three activities of mind: greed, hatred, and delusion. And he said that the source of all happiness is rooted in their opposites: non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion. This talk explains how our practice transforms that suffering into the true happiness.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Retreat
2023-09-01 Morning Sit with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 61:13
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Retreat
2023-08-31 Beyond the Comparing Mind (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 60:09
We have a deeply ingrained tendency to compare ourselves with others or with an idealized standard that is bound to create suffering in the mind. The Buddha called this tendency mana "the conceit of I am." When we through see through our identification with experience we open to a freedom beyond the comparing mind.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Retreat
2023-08-31 Morning Sit with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 1:14:53
with Howard Cohn, James Baraz, Tuere Sala
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Retreat
2023-08-30 Opening Session (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 1:25:38
with Eve Decker, Howard Cohn, James Baraz, Terry Vandiver, Tuere Sala
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Retreat
2023-08-24 Showing Up as a Joyful Responsibility 43:12
This moment in time is calling us to contribute what we can to bring more consciousness into the world. But rather than acting from anger or despair I believe the key is to come from love and even joy. One of my teachers calls this our "joyful responsibility."
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-06-22 Unhooking Yourself from Suffering 44:49
A practice to shift from being caught in a suffering state to remembering that freedom is just a moment away. This is a way to change the channel from being lost in an unwholesome state to opening to a wholesome state.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-05-25 Compassion - Why and How 50:37
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-05-18 The Buddha's Teaching on "One Fortunate Attachment" 55:03
This discourse by the Buddha' is called "One Fortunate Attachment" (Majjhima Nikaya Sutta #131). Although the Buddha spoke of attachment as being the cause of suffering, he did teach there is one attachment that is wholesome and leads to the highest happiness. We will explore this wholesome attachment and see how it can be applied to everyday life
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-05-15 The Secret Ingredients of Dharma Practice 1:24:51
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks
2023-04-27 SANGHA! In Person and Online, Our First Hybrid Gathering! 50:43
James and Eve are delighted to host the first in person meeting at the Berkeley Buddhist monastery since Covid changed our lives. In addition to a Dharma talk and exploration about Sangha, Eve brings her guitar and shares some music.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-04-06 The Secret to Bringing Out the Best in Others 49:43
Here is a practice that is the secret to bring out the best in others. It's a simple yet powerful practice that puts people at ease and helps awaken a feeling of trust, safety, and loving kindness. And it feels good for the person practicing it as well.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-03-23 The Shift of Practice from “Doing” to “Being” 54:51
While it’s true that it takes effort to come back to the present moment each time the mind wanders, the most profound practice is when we let go of all effort and simply rest in the awareness that’s always here. This shift from “doing” to the complete relaxation of “non-doing” or simply “Being” is what the Tibetans call the deep and subtle practice of “Non-Meditation”.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-03-02 The Cosmic Game of Hide and Seek 53:25
A classical text from Kashmir Shaivism entitled "Realization of Our True Heart" or Pratyabijñāhṛdaya, describes in a few lines how we and everything in physical form is simply an expression of Divine Play of the universe –what in Hinduism is called the lila or dance of consciousness. This talk explores one perspective of the Mystery, that which cannot be named.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
2023-02-23 Devotion in Practice 69:12
Although devotion plays a significant role in Monastic Communities and Tibetan practices it is not something often discussed in lay communities. Yet devotion can be a major source of inspiration which can fuel our practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation One Month Retreat
2023-02-17 Mudita Practice 54:27
Learning to delight in the happiness of others.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation One Month Retreat
2023-02-16 Fear as Practice (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 62:41
Learning to work skillfully with fear can change if from enemy to ally in our practice, since it is often a signal of moving from the familiar to new territory. As we learn to let go of the illusion of control we transform fear into genuine trust.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation One Month Retreat

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