Donate  |   Contact


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.
     1 2 ... 6 7 8 ... 19 20
2018-05-22 Day 1 Talk/Experiential Practice (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 53:53
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Awakening Joy
2018-05-17 "It's All in Your Mind" 63:43
In the opening line of the Dhammapada the Buddha teaches: "We are what we think with our thoughts we make the world." Although we have limited control over what happens to us, we can hold our experience with a wise perspective that makes all the difference. Famed Buddhist writer Christmas Humphreys put it this way: "The one miracle this path has to offer is a change of heart." We can change our relation to experience and make the shift from suffering to clear seeing, wisdom and compassion. In this talk James sings a song he wrote in his 20's entitled "It's All in Your Mind".
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-05-10 "Clear Comprehension Part 2" 59:30
In the Satipatthana Sutta (MN#10), the Buddha's discourse on mindfulness, the Buddha instructs us to contemplate mindfully, ardent and clearly comprehending each of the four foundations. "Clear comprehension" also translated as "clearly knowing" includes four areas of context for our mindfulness practice. In Part 1 we explored the first two elements of Clear Comprehension: "Clear Comprehension of Purpose" and "Clear Comprehension of Suitability of Action". In this talk we discuss the second two aspects: "Clear Comprehension in the Domain of Meditation" and "Clear Comprehension of Reality". With metta, James
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-05-03 "A New Dawn for the Dharma" 63:46
James in a conversation with Dawn Mauricio, a fresh dharma presence based in Montreal. Dawn is in the current Spirit Rock Teacher Training and is also on the West Coast assisting some upcoming Spirit Rock retreats. James invited Dawn to share her perspective on how the Dharma might unfold in the coming years and her experience teaching as a young strong female voice and teacher of color.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-04-26 "Voter Registration as Engaged Dharma Practice" 58:17
James invited Barbara Gates, co-editor for 31 years of Inquiring Mind journal, to discuss how she brings her dharma practice to her voter registration work which is her service commitment for the Buddhist Chaplaincy Program. They discuss bridging the divide between you and those with a very different perspective including skillful listening, engaging with metta, curiosity, non-separation and commitment to making a difference in the world.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-04-19 "Clear Comprehension Part 1" 51:40
In the Satipatthana Sutta (MN#10), the Buddha's discourse on mindfulness, the Buddha instruct's us to contemplate mindfully, ardent and clearly comprehending each of the four foundations. "Clear comprehension" also translated as "clearly knowing" includes four areas of context for our mindfulness practice. In this talk the first two aspects of Clear Comprehension are explored: "Clear Comprehension of Purpose" and "Clear Comprehension of Suitability of Action."
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-04-12 "Remembering What We Know" 53:46
Often our meditation practice helps us understand or see for the first time something that’s never been clear before. That experience of insight where exclaim to ourselves “Aha!” It can have a profound impact that genuinely shifts our perspective. However, even after this powerful glimpse of seeing with new eyes, the old habits and thought patterns still have their influence and we can forget what we know to be true. This is particularly frustrating and can lead to great doubt. How can we both honor our familiar old friend, confusion, and remember to access the wisdom in our new understanding?
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-03-29 Dalits Buddhist in India (formerly Untouchable Caste) 54:51
Joining James to discuss his work is Gautham Prabu, co-founder of FSHM an NGO for social transformation whose work has primarily supported Dalits (formerly India's "Untouchable" caste) many of whom have become become Buddhist practitioners and the Tamil Buddhist Society based in Tamil Nadu, India. He is a member of International Network of En
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-03-22 "Personal and Collective Karma" 57:59
Karma, the unfolding situation of our individual lives, is often understood to be dependent on our actions. These are, in turn, based on the intention of our underlying mind state. But what about societal conditions—including prejudice and inequality—that affect people’s lives? Is there collective karma? If so, can we affect it?
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-03-10 Discovering the Buddha Within 6:38:18
with Carley Hauck, James Baraz
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2018-03-08 "The Buddha’s Words on How to Skillfully Give Feedback." 67:31
Do you ever find yourself needing to communicate something that will be hard for someone else to receive?
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-03-02 "Getting Perspective On Our Perspective" 59:20
The Buddha taught, "We are what we think with our thoughts we make the world." It important to understand how our thoughts create our reality. And it's also vital to realize that our reality is just the way we're seeing the world at a particular moment in time. Others may have different realities. And in time our own perspective might change. Seeing this is a key to genuine freedom and support for choosing wisely the thoughts we want to empower.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-02-23 Seeing Our Practice in a Wider Context (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 57:22
We’re not practicing for ourselves alone. The world needs more consciousness and our practice allows us to become an agent of consciousness that in a very profound way affects everyone around us and the planet itself.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-02-22 “Facing the Unacceptable Without Burning Out” (James was on retreat this day but invited guest speaker Suzie Brown for the talk. 56:25
"How the Dharma urges us to take wise action to try to change the wrongs that we see in our world." ------------ Suzie Brown has recently moved with her family from Melbourne, Australia. She is co-founder of the Melbourne Insight Meditation Group and has taught Mindfulness to medical students at Monash University. Suzie has also been a facilitator, trainer and educator for over a decade in the areas of environmental sustainability and organizational strategy, running her own consulting business for the last 8 years.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-02-19 Day 23: Sitting Meditation with Brahma Vihara Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 37:36
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-02-15 Day 19: Sitting Meditation with Brahma Vihara Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 38:22
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-02-11 Day 15: Sitting with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 44:10
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-02-10 The Journey of Awakening- From Personal to the Universal (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 59:33
The journey of awakening often begins with learning to open up to all the hidden places inside. Facing our demons, learning to accept and eventually embrace the whole package of who we are. That's when the process gets truly interesting-when we move to the bigger perspective tuning into the awareness that can hold it all.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-02-09 Day 13: Sitting Meditation with Brahma Vihara Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 38:16
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-02-06 Day 10: Sitting Meditation with Brahma Vihara Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 36:52
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-02-05 Day 9: Sitting Meditation with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 39:45
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-02-04 Transforming Suffering into Happiness (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 61:53
Every moment has flavor tone of experience: pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Typically, we react without thinking and act from attachment, aversion or delusion-the seeds of suffering. When we bring mindfulness to the moment we have the choice to respond with non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion. Those are the seed of true happiness.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-02-01 "Belonging" --- (James was on retreat this day but invited two guests speakers for the talk: Rene Rivera and Fresh! White.) 49:55
(James was on retreat this day but invited two guests speakers for the talk: Rene Rivera and Fresh! White.)
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-01-29 Day 2: Sitting Meditation with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 41:11
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-01-28 5 Spiritual Faculties (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 63:44
The Five Spiritual Faculties explain the unfolding of practice as well as highlight major issues in practice: Faith leads to making the effort to be mindful leading deepening concentration and wisdom.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February Insight Meditation 1-Month Retreat
2018-01-25 "Struggling is Extra" 56:13
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-01-18 Special Guests: Harold Hedelman, Lee Ballance and Mary Selkirk from Citizens Climate Lobby, which is one of the most respected environmental organizations. 53:17
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2018-01-04 "Three Principles for Living a Good Life" 53:03
This talk was inspired by Frances Vaughan, a true woman of wisdom, who recently passed. Frances was a pioneer in the field of Transpersonal Psychology, served as President of both the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and the Association for Humanistic Psychology, authored many books including Awakening Intuition and The Inward Arc. At her recent memorial service we heard the three main principles that guided her life. The talk contained a moving short video of her life that can be accessed here: https://vimeo.com/246379817 (password: GratitudeDec9).
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2017-12-28 "Reflections of the Past ---- Facing the Future" 42:14
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2017-12-07 Looking At Your Life Through a Dharma Lens 46:27
with James Baraz, Kate Munding
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2017-12-01 Day 4: Morning Sit with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 56:24
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Magic of Awareness
2017-11-30 The Magic of Awareness (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 64:48
Mindfulness is one particular aspect of awareness that is shining through us all the time. As we tune into awareness, we connect with a spacious perspective that counteracts the solidification of a small separate self and opens us to connection with all things and true freedom.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Magic of Awareness
2017-11-29 Day 2 - Morning Sitting w/ Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 42:54
Opening up the field to include physical and mental experience.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Magic of Awareness
2017-11-28 Day 1: Morning Sitting with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 40:50
Stabilizing the mind using Awareness of health.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Magic of Awareness
2017-11-27 Setting the tone for Magic of Awareness Retreat (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 1:22:02
Magic of Awareness Opening Night
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Magic of Awareness
2017-11-16 "The Multiplication of Courage" 51:04
Courage is contagious. Nelson Mandela spoke of the "multiplication of courage": When one brave person is willing to speak the truth, even though it might be met with strong resistance, it can spark another voice in the wilderness to do the same. And then other voices can be inspired to join in too. That is often how dramatic change can happen.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2017-11-09 "We are all Connected: Interconnectedness Within and Between Us" 62:58
The Buddhist concept of Anatta points to the fact that there is no separate self to whom life is happening. We are inter-connected. This talk explores different levels of this truth. As individuals, biologically we are not one being but rather a complex ecosystem comprised of many different beings. We are connected to each other through our relationships. And we are societal creatures who form groups. In the best of conditions those groups sometimes create an extraordinary field where the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley IMCB Regular Talks
2017-11-06 From Me to We: How Inter-Connectedness Manifests Intra-personally, Interpersonally and Societally (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 40:42
We are not separate from the rest of life. This is true in a very real sense biologically. We are an ecosystem with countless microorganisms in our body keeping us alive. Our relationships and need to belong determine whether we suffer or experience well-being. And when groups gather and are aligned a field of positive energy can be created where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Waking Up Together
2017-11-04 Day 3: Guided Meditation Q&A (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 1:16:23
Basic meditation instructions including breath, body, sounds as well as working with emotions and thoughts
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Waking Up Together
2017-11-02 Refuge in Sangha (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 57:42
The Buddha said keeping the company of like-minded friends is one of the most important way to cultivate wholesome qualities in ourselves and that good friends are "the whole of the holy life." In this Waking Up Together retreat we explore why this is so and why Sangha is considered a "jewel", one of the Three Refuges in the teachings.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Waking Up Together
2017-10-22 Practice As A Path Of Happiness - Part 4 65:57
Connection with others, compassion and the joy of being as sources of true well-being.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1
2017-10-17 Guided Meditation - First Breath, Last Breath 45:56
How present would you be for your first breath? Your last breath? This guided meditation takes you from birth through the stages of life - to your last breath. To see this moment in a fresh way.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1
2017-10-16 Practice As A Path Of Happiness - Part 3 59:34
Exploring how living with integrity (sila) and letting go of stories, busyness and stuff - can be a source of well being and joy.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1
2017-10-13 Metta For the Difficult 48:19
Why wish happiness for those who've caused us or others suffering? How can we overcome our resistance or hurt to genuinely open our heart to them?
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1
2017-10-10 The Trajectory Of Practice 63:32
The Journey from suffering - to hearing the dharma, to inspiration, to facing fear, acceptance of ourselves, opening beyond self to deep trust, freedom, and sharing our practice.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1
2017-10-03 Practice As A Path Of Happiness - Part 2 64:11
Continuation of the last talk: using intention, mindfulness, difficulties, and gratitude as supports to greater well being in practice.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1
2017-09-26 The Dharma As A Path Of Happiness 62:26
With so much focus on suffering and the end of suffering, it's sometimes easy to forget this is a path of happiness. The Buddha was called the happy one. This talk presents the teachings held in that perspective.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1
2017-09-23 Guided Meditation on Refinement of Mindfulness on the Breath 47:01
Bring a deep investigation of subtleties of experience of breath to aid in developing concentration and interest. Looking with care and sense of wonder so the mind is both curious and relaxed.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1
2017-09-19 Working With The Judging Mind 63:13
We can easily get lost in our self-judgements, believing them to be true. This talk explains how to work with judgements and see through them to wake up to who we really are.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1
In collection: Developing Our Practice
2017-09-17 Morning Instructions - Shifting the focus of attention 45:16
Using breath sensations and sounds. How to turn attention from one to another with ease and attention.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1

     1 2 ... 6 7 8 ... 19 20
Creative Commons License