Dharma Seed - dharmaseed.org: Winnie Nazarko's most recent Dharma talks: Recent Episodes
dharmaseed.org
Our potential as humans is vast and deep, and can be intentionally developed. There is a way that we can learn to open to all of our experience with kindness and clarity. As we begin to find this stability of heart and mind, wisdom will emerge.This emergence of wisdom, and strengthening of compassion, are the road to our individual and collective happiness and well-being.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talks describes the Buddha's realization that all things arise and pass away because of causes and conditions. He saw specifically how suffering/dukkha came to be. Once he understood the causes of the arising of suffering, he was able to "reverse engineer" the process, and see how suffering could be brought to an end. He specifically pointed to the vedana (feeling tone) of experience as a specific arising to relate to wisely. On a larger scale, his teachings on the 8 Fold Path to end the clinging which causes dukkha to arise.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk explores how retreatants practice the whole of the 8-Fold Path while on a 3-month retreat
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk explores what the Buddha meant by "renunciation" why its important, and how it can be practiced.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk discusses some of the motivations which can present in meditation practice, and encourages wisdom about which to act on.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Finding inner resources to strengthen the mind/heart when it is challenging. The uses of reflection for self-support.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) Half of the sixth step of the eightfold path deals with unwholesome states, but the other half relates to the less discussed practice with the wholesome
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) This talk was offered during a month-long teaching period at the Forest Refuge. Its themes are the role, wise intention, and wise attention play in doing meditation practice and purifying the heart/mind
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) This talk was offered during a month-long teaching period at the Forest Refuge. The theme is how training mindfulness and concentration fit into the teachings of the 4 Noble truths and the eightfold path.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A discussion of the Buddhist teachings on morality, in an examination of how these fit into and relate to meditation practice
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) An explanation of the six step of the noble eightfold path, wise effort. This talk discusses what efforts are to be made, and how to skillfully apply oneself to practice! Yin and yang styles are both discussed.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Ae discussion of the way, Metta supports insight practice and a guided Metta meditation to include the "neutral person"
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk discusses what equanimity is, and the role it plays in liberating the mind through wisdom
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) What "wise effort" is, how it fits into the eightfold path, and what characterizes it. The road, Sati (mindfulness) plays in supporting wholesome states, and undercutting the unwholesome.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) In meditation practice, particular places of hurt me arise repeatedly. These places may be is by mindful reflection on the theme of forgiveness and the wisdom of letting go.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk reflects on the deep causes and conditions for what arises in our individual experience. This view supports an understanding of "not self" and compassion
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Is thinking/thought inside or outside of meditation practices? This talk explores how to consider thought, and how do use it to wake up
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk discusses wise intention, the second step on the eightfold path, and why it is essential to liberation
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Introductory walking instructions at a Mahasi Vipassana retreat
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk matches key suttas is related to samadhi development and to poems and stories of people trying to apply these teachings
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) On the role of concentration in the Buddhist path to awakening. Discusses what distinguishes "wise concentration" from other types
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Integrated meditation instructions are reviewed, on the seventh day of a 10-day retreat.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) There are five states which may arise in meditation practice that can derail progress. This talk advises how to work with them.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk addresses the quality of equanimity – what it is and is not – and how to cultivate it
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The importance of compassion in the Buddhist path. Discussion of its relationship to Metta, and a description of its near and far enemies. Examples of its applicability including in the situation in Ukraine
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We can train the mind to recognize and rejoice in the happiness of others, experiencing happiness ourselves. But to be able to do this, we need to confront human tendencies to compare ourselves to others, and sometimes strong resistance. This talk discusses the beautiful quality of Mudita (Empathetic Joy), and how we can develop it.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) The path to liberation can be walked only with sustained effort. However, effort applied to meditation needs to be skillful in order to bear fruit. This talk discusses the role of Wise Effort (Viriya) in Buddhist practice, and how to recognize common misapplications of energy.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) This talk was offered at a month long insight meditation retreat, where most of the day is devoted to sitting and walking practice. The discussion acknowledges and explicitly points out the larger framework within which these meditations are done. It briefly reviews the 4 Noble Truths and the 8 Fold Path, especially focusing on Mundane Wise View and Wise Intention. These place in context, and inform, why and how these practices support the heart/mind in finding release.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) This is the initial sitting meditation instruction for a month long retreat. It supports people in settling in, finding the body and its sensations, and identifying a primary object/anchor.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) The motivation for practice changes as our initial ideas about what we "get" out of it, meet frustration. As delusion is exposed and let go of, real practice begins.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) The idea of cultivation (Bhavana) is the key to Buddhism. This talk relates this concept to the development of the four foundations of mindfulness, especially the first.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) Motivations powers dharma practice. Its depth and purity determine what other mental factors and paramis are brought forward in meditation. This talk contrasts what "mainstream" motivations provide, contrasted with a deeper drive to understand.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk discusses how to practice mindfulness externally as a participant in the world. Buddhist principles for social engagement are reviewed
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk discusses the role of concentration in meditation, and how to skillfully cultivate it
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The 8 fold path emphasis moral restraint. This talk discusses the hows and whys of this set of practices.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Two of the great endeavors involve foreclosing and abandoning unwholesome states. But the other two efforts involve the less discussed summoning and developing of the wholesome.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk reviews the role continuity of practice has in strengthing mindfulness. The practice day is reviewed, with specific places of opportunity identified.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) An opening talk for a 6-week retreat. This discusses four qualities necessary for success in practice. These are: strong motivation, renunciation, metta/compassion, and patience.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk discusses sources of non-sensual happiness including the wholesome state of gratitude. A guided gratitude reflection concludes this talk.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A discussion of the reasons people come to practice and how "mindfulness" turns into insight.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk discusses the nature of the heart practices of metta, karuna, mudita and upekkha and how they support wise response. The heart of the talk explains forgiveness as a manifestation of wisdom and compassion.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The Buddha says that clarity about what is "wholesome" and what is unwholesome" is important. We are encouraged to cultivate qualities like Metta (loving kindness) for our own benefit and that of others.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk is about how what upekkha (equanimity) is, and how it is developed in practice.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The role of renunciation, compassion, and goodwill in practice is explored in this talk.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk describes how meditation lets us connect more fully with our lived experience.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) This talk was offered during a month-long concentration retreat. It summarizes some area of retreatant learning during this extended practice period.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk was offered at the month-long concentration retreat. It discusses how faith, effort/energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom develop and support each other.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) Welcome, Introductions, Winnie and Marcia: opening remarks/short Dharma talk, Winnie: Refuges and Precepts discussion and offering
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The Buddha lived and taught in a time of violence and strife. His teachings offer some ky advise for our own social development.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The Buddha says to develop goodwill and compassion as the second step of the 8-fold path. Steps 3-4-5 show specific ways to practice this.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A friend who sat the 3-month retreat 17 times, has passed away. As she was preparing, this talk by Ajahn Chaah was offered to her.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk describes how one can develop certain "mental factors" which lead to awakening. Mindfulness initiates a beneficial cycle which does so.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The Buddha describes Wise Effort in specific ways. But we have our own particular ideas of what we want to accomplish. How to practice"when worlds collide?"
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Our schedule alternates walking and sitting meditation practices periods which take up many hours. But there are still many other times in the day to practice mindfulness in activities.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The schedule on retreat emphasizes walking and sitting meditation. But we also practice all the other parts of the 8 fold path. The talk describes how.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) Our minds all manifest craving, aversion, and delusion but we tend to specialize in one. This talk describes the tendencies of each type and how to practice with each.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) We often practice from self-view and this can limit our development. Yet, we cannot just drop it. This talk discusses how to practice with self-view to remove it as an obstacle.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) Buddhism talks a lot about suffering, so the question arises: "Where is there happiness on the path?" This topic is explored from various perspectives
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk discusses how sila is linked to liberation and to human happiness. Discusses how sila is part of Wise View and Wise Intention, steps on the 8 fold path.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk clarifies the differences between concentration meditation and insight meditation, their different instructions, and overlap.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk describes the quality of equanimity (upekkha) and how it can be developed in practice.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Some comments about forgiveness, followed by a guided meditation.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Both "untrained worldings" and the "well trained noble disciple" experience both pleasant and unpleasant experiences. But how they relate to these differs greatly.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This is the opening talk for a six week practice period at Insight Meditation Scoiety
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) This talk discusses what forgiveness actually is, and what it is not. It also reviews why one might move towards forgiveness, which is an intentional process.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) A typical meditation retreat consists of a schedule of alternating sitting and walking periods.But there are other meditation practice opportunities during the day, in informal activities.This talk discusses how to see these opportunities, and practice with them.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) Describes how meditation practice addresses our fundamental human delusions, and puts us in wise connection with reality.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) How meditation practice transforms the minds relationship to its experience. Explains how we can tell whether we have "good practice"
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk describes how faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom function in anapanna practice.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Duet by Winnie and Anushka on the retreat theme of establishing presence.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A consideration of the how/why of meditation instructions
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk discusses what is meant by the "Enlightenment factor" investigation. How does one use mindfulness to "investigate"? How is this different from psychotherapy?
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk was call by a retreatant "an evenings tour through Dukkha" "Dukkha" has many meanings and implications: this talk explores these.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) How personal agendas and motivations can be reframed as part of the practice path.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This talk being held by the community nothing I got my iPhone
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) What forgiveness means, Why it's valuable, And how to go about considering it. At end of talk discussion racism and reconciliation on the collective level
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) On retreat you don't control what you experience, But you can develop skill in working with what would otherwise derail your practice
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A description of what embodied mindful presence actually looks like, and how one can cultivate this presence
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This is a very important quality in Buddhism. The questions are: what is this exactly, and how can it be developed
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) The last talk of a series of three, this discusses practicing in the "Dukkha Nanas". stages of distress and difficulty which arise before equanimity emerges.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) A brief review of the previous talk (The Progress Of Insight - Part 1) followed by a discussion of what is called "The Arising and Passing Away Of Phenomena" stge. The "Ten corruptions Of Insight" are described, and how to relate to these with skill.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) What are the "insights" which Insight Meditation cultivates? This talk, first of three on "The Progress Of Insight" teachings, explains what the practice discovers, and what needs to be in place for these discoveries to be possible. Review of the first three insights.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) Motivation is the key to practice. As we actually do practice, our initial hopes, desires and questions may deepen, be replaced, or be refined in light of emerging understanding
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A description of the nature of mindfulness (sati), why it is key in Buddhist practice and how it's trained in meditation practice. Given at short IMS retreat
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A version of the Metta Chant, by the retreatants at a June 2015 IMS retreat
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Comments about our hopes before going on retreat, and how we tend to evaluate what happens. The usefulness of wise reflection and what it is - in reviewing the retreat.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A discussion of the quality of faith is a necessary ingredient for spiritual opening. And a discussion of what faith (saddha) is not what we may think it is
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) In loving-kindness practice, we learn to gradually extend goodwill to those we don't organically like. Insight (vipassana) practice follows a parallel progression, as we learn to include more of our "stuff" as meditation objects.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) This talk reviews how "thought" fits into meditation practice. It also examines why it is skillful to learn to practice with thought, and not attempt to cut it off completely
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Metta chant using five traditional ways of describing "all beings." Done call and response style at the end of a one month practice period.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) How people coming to the end of a long meditation retreat describe their experience to others, and to themselves.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Buddhism describes conditioned experience as being dukkha (unsatisfying/suffering) in the First Noble Truth. Yet practice leads to happiness - how does this paradox resolve? This talk describes how happiness arises in/through the Eightfold Path of practice.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) The practice of cultivating mudita (empathetic joy) helps us share in the happiness and well-being of others. It counteracts envy, jealousy and the tendency to compare self to others. This moves us away from resentment and feelings of scarcity towards gratitude and generosity.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) This talk discusses how to apply mindfulness to the mind and body. Clarifies what kind of attention is called for in working with thoughts/emotions. Distinguishes mindfulness meditation from psychotherapy, and discusses the relationship between them. Explores "which tool is right for the task."
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) From Mindfulness of the Breath to Mindfulness of the Body
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) How the quality of metta (goodwill) is core to the Buddhist practice in general, and how it supports and empowers insight meditation.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) The Buddha speaks of the need to apply oneself, in order to wake up. But doing this wisely is key - not all effort is skillful. This talk discusses Wise Effort, and how to discern it.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) The "Peace That Passes Understanding" is a hallmark of many spiritual traditions, when they are practiced in depth. This talk discusses what equanimity is and how it is utilized in meditation practice.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) Mindfulness used investigatively leads to insight. Insight leads to liberation/freedom of mind and heart. this talk describes how to "investigate" in meditation practice.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) The role of specific delusions arising regarding meditations practice and how they can be disabled
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) A reflection on the "five Spiritual faculties", intrinsic capacities of the human mind, open and are known in spiritual practice. Howe the relate to balance and balance each other.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) A reflection on the topic of forgiveness: what it is, why it is wise, what it involves and what ti doesn't.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) The role of Metta (good will) in successful insight/vipassana practice. This talk explains how this quality of mind facilitates opening to all phenomena.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A description of the beautiful quality of Mudita (appreciative joy) and how it can be developed
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A discussion of the truth of Not-Self and how we can see it in our own direct experience. How this seeing comes out of compassion and supports it.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Guided metta meditation with 'neutral' person being added to self, benefactor and friend. Initial comments plus QA
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The hindrance of doubt is difficult to recognize and if unseen can derail meditation practice. How to see doubt and practice skillful relationship to it.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The role of investigation (Dhammavicaya) in opening wisdom, which liberates the mind. a description of the way investigation happens in teacher/retreatant interviews
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Some examples of how things can be noted when practicing "open awareness". Response to a question about "trying" in meditation
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) What are we actually trying to do when we practice insight meditation? What are we making? Why clearly understanding the task makes it much more possible to accomplish it. Meditation practice and tips.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) An exploration of forgiveness, what it is, what it is not, and why it is important.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) An exploration of the practice of mudita, joy at the well being of others. Discusses the rewards of this meditation, and it challenges, giving specific examples.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A description of what makes concentration Wise concentration. How it fits into and supports vipassana practice. A description of the the two major methods of cultivating shamatha.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A reflection and exploration of greed and the downsides of making what is pleasant our primary concern
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) We have a strong tendency to "grade" our practice as we do it. Generally, this does not work well, and this talks explains why.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) How "wise effort" to practice the Dharma is really a kind of receptive letting go. How our usual ways of controlling things can be relinquished.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The "back-story" to Buddha's teaching metta (goodwill)to a community of monks. A chanting (in English) of the Buddha's instructions. Discussion of objections to metta.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A comprehensive review of two weeks of progressive insight meditation instructions. A reminder of the various techniques which can be used to establish presence.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Description of the kind of effort needed to liberate the mind and how to make this effort skillfully. Practical ways to work with motivation. Stories illustrating principles.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Some overview comments about Metta (loving kindness), followed by real time meditation instruction for this practice. Q&A afterwards
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We all have had experiences of impermanence, suffering, and not-self, but we haven't been able to generalize these as universal characteristics of conditioned things. Meditation instructions guide us to do so, allowing insight to arise. Examples of naturally arising "insights" which occur on retreat.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) An examination of wise effort, and how it gets mixed up with our habitual personal and cultural approaches to things. Why surrender is needed and what that might look like.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Understanding Saddha (faith) the first of the 5 Spiritual Faculties.
How this Buddhist version of faith is different from naive faith, authoritarian faith and consumer faith.
What is called faith when we practice this capacity of mind.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) A welcoming talk for retreatants joining an on-going long retreat. Description of the process of forming community, and entering silence. An exploration of the power of motivation as retreatants turn to the Great Task.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) The Buddha clearly taught that effort is necessary to liberate the mind. But we can mix up wise effort with unskillful kinds of striving. This talk is about discerning wise from unwise effort.
(Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge) Faith is a loaded word for many Westerners, yet it is a key quality in Buddhist practice. This talk clarifies what faith (saddha) isn't, and what it is, as part of the eight fold path
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Letting go of the renunciate life at the end of a long meditation retreat. How it is possible to practice as a lay person in the world. Reconnecting to the life left behind.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A discussion of wholesome states, how and why to recognize them. Encouraging the growth of states leading toward liberation.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A description of what equanimity is, and why it is not indeference/ apathy. How equanimity develops in insight meditation, and what the state of "high equanimity" is like.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) A discussion of the place of moral training in the process of liberation. Exploration of the overlap of sila and what is legal. A story about sila during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Reviews the Buddha's teaching on wise Effort, and explores how personal goals can be aligned with insight meditation practice.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Description of the practice of loving-kindness (Metta) meditation. Brief guided meditation, questions and answers
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) At the end of retreat, there are often concerns about how to take "this" back home. If we define "this" too narrowly, with a dualistic mind, we will miss the chance to practice effectively when we return to the conditions of lay life.Lay life is different, and offers the opportunity for practice which is broader, more dynamic, and more relational than that done on retreat. The Buddha himself saw his teachings as useful and beneficial to lay people as well as monastics, sometimes in surprising applications. Some of his teachings for lay people are discussed, clarifying that the 8 Fold Path can be practiced outside of silent retreat, in daily life.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Our relationship with sense pleasure is complicated. Moving towards what is pleasant is instinctual,and we need to be able to experience what is pleasant without clinging, fear or attachment in order to be whole. Yet pleasant vedana (sensation) is not a reliable goal or guide on the spiritual path. Pleasure - like all conditioned things - has its limitations and does not work well as the orienting principle in our practice and lives. Like the Buddha, we need to be able to swim upstream, and not be limited by our conditioning towards ease.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Equanimity - that quality of mind which is balanced, steady, and non-reactive - is developed by learning to open skillfully to the full range of our experience. It is equanimity which allows the heart to feel safe enough to open to our own difficult states, and the difficult states of others. Deep equanimity is " the peace that passes understanding", a wisdom and equipoise which can hold it all.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Wholesome states of mind are often unnoticed, even though they are frequently present. There are reasons to turn the mind toward them, and to acknowledge the goodness they represent. How and why to orient the mind this way, and a discussion of obstacles to this turning.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Effort and energy are necessary to liberate the mind, but the effort needs to be wise and the energy calibrated to the task. Often we don't need to "try harder"- we need to learn to let go, to surrender to things as they are.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) In order to come to clarity and equanimity, the mind must learn to open to all states. Learning how to work with the 5 Hindrances is key to this process, and opens the door to the peace that we seek.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Each of us is an open-ended process, matrixed with everything else. The very open-endedness of our nature allows for transformation in the direction of happiness, once we understand the lawfulness of things and act on that understanding. The fact that we are matrixed with other beinigs/things means our individual development has positive effects on others, beyond what we can directly observe/know.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Our minds have many mixed motivations, and they can be at play in meditation practice. This talk discusses some of the common "ulterior motives" which can be present, how to recognize them and how to re-frame them to make them into skillful supports-not distractions.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Our lives are the raw material for liberating insight to arise. Even outside of meditation, the three characteristics of conditioned things -- impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and not-self -- are present in all experience. Understanding this directly and continuously, in the context of the Buddha's core teachings, leads to liberation.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) The Buddha took effort to its far point, bringing himself close to death in the pursuit of awakening. Then he had a change of understanding, let go of self-punishment and awoke. We too need to discern when our effort is skillful, and when we are out of balance in striving. How to recognize and let go of unskillful striving.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) It is clear that spiritual practice is aimed towards the development of wholesome states. Yet our mind-streams have currents of greed, hatred and delusion - how can we use these very states to our own benefit?
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) This is a brief, concise summary of: the orienting context of meditation practice; basic tasks and principles of meditation; and how to approach challenges.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Reflections on the power and value of loving-friendless practice, and its place on the road to awakening. Guided metta practice for all beings
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The great question, our deepest personal concern, can empower our practice, and motivate investigation of reality. But doubt can undermine our commitment to practice if we do not recognize it.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) The Buddha's life provides insight into the nature of his search, and the framework he used to explain his findings - The Four Noble Truths.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Human beings seek to control their experiences in order to be happy. But when we approach meditation practice with a fixed agenda, we miss the mark. Freedom and liberation comes from learning to harmonize with reality, not in trying to impose our preferences upon it.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) We are deeply connected with others and experience their pain as well as own own. Learning to relate to out own difficulty strengthens our capacity for compassionate presence with others.
(Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center) Being aware of agendas we bring to practice and how they may hinder or support our progress. Letting go of complexification to rest in simplicity.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) When we attempt to extend metta (loving-kindness) to difficult people, things get interesting. In order to expand our capacity to love, we must strengthen our motivation to do so and work with obstacles which may arise. Through reflecting on the value of metta in our families and communities, we find the courage to undertake this spiritual challenges. Includes guided meditation.