James talks about the new book he co-authored with classroom teacher, Michele Lilyanna, and the importance of planting seeds of wisdom and compassion in the hearts of future generations.

Even when we see how the mind and heart are contracted and caught, we might still be stuck. Seeing clearly how we're identified with the "story" doesn't necessarily reduce the suffering. It's a good and important start. The real shift occurs when, at some point, the heart releases and truly opens to access genuine metta.

The Buddha was called "The Happy One." Though he taught about suffering, the purpose was to experience true happiness.

Guided metta practice with introductory remarks.

Understanding just what mindfulness is and how it works, as well as the attitudes that support its cultivation by learning to open to experience.

Mary Oliver wrote: "Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too was a gift." When life brings us unwanted suffering it's sometimes possible to use the experience to deepen our wisdom and compassion, what has been called "grace disguised as obstacles."

Strong identification with self often leads to an insecurity that can manifest in two extremes: someone hungry for recognition, validation and praise or someone who is shy, lost in self-judgment, and afraid of being exposed as an impostor. Both of these are all too human. There is a middle path where one knows ones worth and appreciates their wholesome qualities while not identifying with them. This talk explores how practice can support a wise understanding that allows us to just be ourselves and know that is enough.

It seems that the interplay between ignorance and consciousness is an on-going dance--within ourselves, in our relationships and within our society. Understanding this dance can help us hold it all with greater equanimity. (At the time of the talk James was under the impression that the UK vote in process would have the country remain in the EU. As it turned out the vote ended up the other way.) This link below goes along with the theme for this week’s talk: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/broadway-stars-orlando-tribute-song_us_5768ea6de4b0fbbc8beb8b7b?sectio=

The paradox of awareness is very profound and yet very simple. Sometimes it comes naturally to the surface when we are fully present in the moment and no longer lost in thoughts or mental projections. Pure consciousness is neither high nor low, neither pleasant or unpleasant, neither good nor bad.

Ajahn Chandako, an Amaravati monastic who is the abbot of Vimutti Buddhist Monastery in New Zealand. Ajahn, who is US born, has been a monk for 25 years and brings a deep, clear, playful attitude toward practice. Join us for a rich evening of dharma.

Most of us know the feeling of self-consciousness when faced with a new situation or meeting new people. How can we relax, just be ourselves and really enjoy the connection? We’ll explore simple practices to allow our authentic self to shine through. Join us for an evening of practice and dharma.

It's hard not to view ourselves through our accomplishments, possessions or attributes, even when circumstances change. How can we see through those temporary conditions to realize our true nature?

Opening our hearts to ourselves to others with loving-kindness and compassion are central to awakening the joy that's right inside us.

In order to cultivate true well-being we need to learn to open to all the suffering in our lives. Living with integrity and learning how to forgive ourselves and others are essential supports in this process as well.

The process of awakening joy starts with the intention to place well-being at the center of your life. Mindfulness is then utilized as the basic tool of a joyful life.

Ayya Yeshe has developed the Bodhicitta Foundation to support the empowerment of women and children from the previously ‘untouchable’ caste in Central India. The talk started with this YouTube video at ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCOpZ3kpIJU ) of her work. To learn more about her work, go to the Bodhicitta Foundation at ( http://bodhicitta-vihara.com/ ) Bodhicitta Foundation is a socially engaged charity that helps ex-untouchable Indians – a community that was previously enslaved and forced to do the most demeaning kinds of work for little pay. They also help slum people, offer a women’s job training center, sewing, English computer classes and have a children’s study center. In addition they offer counseling for domestic violence, have a malnourished children’s program and offer basic medical and housing assistance.

Devadatta, the Buddha's cousin and brother-in-law, joined the Order in the early years with good intentions. Over time his jealousy and obsession with power turned him into the Buddha's main enemy. This dramatic story, reading like a Hollywood screenplay, gives us lessons in just what hunger for power can drive someone to do and the Buddha's wise responses to the various threats he faced.

This daylong includes general talks on the theme of cultivating equanimity into your dharma practice. In addition to the talks and discussion, I offer the following practices with instructions that can be used to incline the mind toward equanimity (edited to remove lengthy periods of silence during the guided meditations): Practice #1 - Seeing things as they are Practice #2 - Looking through the lens of impermanence Practice #3 - Looking through the lens of vedana (feeling tone; 2nd foundation of mindfulness) Practice #4 - Equanimity with Big Mind meditation Practice #5 - Equanimty using traditional Brahma Viharas phrases

Andrew Harvey's seven mystical laws that both define what sacred activism is and shape its mysterious power and success in the world.

Besides learning how to work with various emotions and reactions that come up in response to various events, it's important to hold an inspiring vision of possibilities so that we are motivated to work toward that desired outcome. Dharma concepts such as Clear Comprehension of Purpose can be applied to help us create an inspiring vision. Joanna Macy's Active Hope and Andrew Harvey's outline of current positive developments that give one hope are included.

Hello Friends, I'll be continuing the series of Sacred Activism talks on how to bring our dharma practice to working skillfully with current events. We've explored compassionate action ("The Line Between Politics & Moral Imperative") and humility ("We Don't Know What We Don't Know"). I hope you join us.

In our response to unsettling news we can easily react with self-righteousness, sure that our "dharmic" view is the "right one" and feeling superior to those who act in ways we don't understand. But the Buddha asked us to put aside any such arrogance. Through genuinely trying to understand another's perspective, we can cultivate true humility for our ignorance of their reality and greater understanding about the thinking behind their actions. Then our response, which might be one of fierce compassion, is not coming from hatred and ill will but from compassion and wisdom. This talk includes some thoughts on white privilege as well as Andrew Harvey's brilliant audio clip on Sacred Activism.

These days as the political rhetoric gets heated and a feeling of unpredictability and potential violence grows practitioners may ask: "What is the appropriate dharmic response?" Is there a time when political involvement becomes a dharmic activity? And, if so, how can we be engaged in a skillful way as an integral part of our practice?

James guest is Catherine Ingram, long time vipassana practitioner (with James on his first retreat in 1974 and IMS staff member in the 70's) as well as beloved non-dual teacher. After her talk and dialogues with the audience, James and Catherine have a conversation about applying the non-dual perspective in daily life situations.

In addition to formal meditation, the Buddha gave 5 supports for one's dharma practice (Meghiya Sutta) In addition, other attitude for deepening practice are offered.

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?

Every moment we are planting seeds of suffering or seeds of happiness. Through mindfulness, we are cultivating letting go and generosity (non-greed), kindness and love (non-hatred) and clarity and wisdom (non-delusion)

The Buddha encouraged cultivating, maintaining and increasing wholesome states in his teaching on Wise Effort. He also said to notice the gladness connected with these states. This helps create the conditions for the highest happiness to be experienced.

Most of us have a strong habit of not measuring up to our idealized standards of who we would like to be. Understanding this habit with compassion and learning to skillfully work with it as practice can become a potent doorway to awakening.

In every moment we have a choice of planting seeds of suffering or happiness. We can understand how to meet it skillfully.

We can appreciate good guidance but ultimately we need to learn how to listen to the Buddha or Quan Yin right inside. Includes the Buddha's five strategies for dealing with distracting thoughts.

Holding practice as more than just working with suffering but as a cultivation of wholsesome states that open the heart and create the conditions for the highest happiness.

"James guest tonight is Joseph Bobrow, a respected colleague and Zen teacher, who's work with veterans has been a major contribution in helping them heal from the trauma of war. Joe very movingly talks about his work and his book: Waking Up from War - A Better Way Home for Veterans and Nations.

How we get caught in comparing and judging and skillful ways to work with this practice challenge.

It’s said that it is better to live with a moment of loving-kindness than 100 years without it. We might feel contracted or armored but just one tender moment where the heart softens even a little can be an opportunity to open us.

Sometimes, when the news gets heavy we can overlook all the goodness around us. When things seem overwhelming, it’s important at times to balance out the 10,000 sorrows by tuning into the 10,000 joys and remembering it’s not all one way or the other. Hope you join us.

Like many, I was speechless upon hearing the news of the latest senseless mass shooting in San Bernardino. When we hear such incomprehensible news that breaks the heart or we are going through our own personal heartbreak, how can we hold it all? I don't profess to have the answers, but perhaps we can explore together in a useful way. I hope you join us.

"The grateful heart not only includes appreciation for all the wonderful blessings in our life but also opening up to our pain in the context of gratitude."

This daylong explores the magic of awareness as well as how to access it in meditation and outside formal meditation practice.

This talk is about the importance of courage in our practice. In stretch ourselves beyond our comfort zone, we discover an inner strength and confidence that allows us to transform fear into aliveness, realizing our full potential.