Sally Armstrong's Dharma Talks
at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Sally Armstrong
Sally Clough Armstrong began practicing vipassana meditation in India in 1981. She moved to the Bay Area in 1988, and worked at Spirit Rock until 1994 in a number of roles, including executive director. She began teaching in 1996, and is one of the guiding teachers of Spirit Rock's Dedicated Practitioner Program. Sally has always been inspired by the depth and the breadth of the Buddha’s teaching, as presented in the suttas of the Pali Canon, because the truth and power of the Buddha’s words still speak to us today. Her intention in teaching is to make these ancient texts and practices accessible and relevant to all levels of practitioner, from the very new to the dedicated meditator.
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Select from Sally Armstrong's
184
talks
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2014-08-20
Morning Instructions Day 5
2012-12-01
Morning Session The Five Aggregates Are Empty and Q&A
2017-02-23
3 Kinds of Intention (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2014-12-07
4th Foundation of Mindfulness Part 1 of 3
2012-10-28
4th Foundation of Mindfulness, part 1
2012-10-28
4th Foundation of Mindfulness, part 2
2012-10-28
4th Foundation of Mindfulness, part 3
2012-10-28
4th Foundation of Mindfulness, part 4
2012-10-28
4th Foundation of Mindfulness, part 5
2019-02-04
A Venn Diagram of Practice(Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2013-02-13
Afternoon Brahma Vihara Practice
2023-01-29
An Overview of Practice on a Long Retreat (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2014-09-17
Bad Hair Cuts, Teenage Acne and Body Odor: Freedom from Identification with the…
2014-08-19
Beauty, Happiness and the Breath
2016-07-18
Befriending the Mind
2015-02-09
Brahma Vihara Day #9
2015-02-17
Brahma Vihara Day 17
2015-02-23
Brahma Vihara Day 23
2015-02-26
Brahma Vihara day 26
2013-02-19
Brahma Vihara Practice
2013-02-24
Brahma Vihara Practice -Mudita
2015-02-03
Brahma Vihara Practice Day 3
2011-07-18
Brahma Vihara: Karuna/compassion
2021-08-24
Brama Vihara Meditation: Karuna (Compassion)
2012-02-12
Bringing Kindness and Wisdom to the Judging Mind
2008-02-10
Choosing Kindness Rather Than Judging
2010-02-20
Clinging and Identification with I, Me and Mine
2008-02-16
Coming Out Of The Fog Of Delusion
2012-12-04
Compassion is Empty
2010-11-17
Compassion Needs Emptiness
2017-08-23
Concentration and the Development of the Path (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2015-08-17
Concentration and the Path of Practice
2016-01-31
Cultivating Mindfulness
2015-06-02
Cultivating Mindfulness, Working with Pain
2015-07-09
Day 1: Morning Instructions - Mindfulness of body, breath and sounds
2019-02-12
Day 10 Brahma Vihara Guided Meditation - Metta for the Difficult Person (Retrea…
2016-02-09
Day 10 Brahma Vihara Instructions: Metta-Neutral Person
2016-02-11
Day 12 Morning Instructional Sit: Standing Posture
2019-02-17
Day 15 Guided Meditation (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-02-19
Day 19: Brahma Vihara Practice: Mudita for Benefactor, Dear Friend and Self
2016-02-01
Day 2 Morning Instructional Sit
2016-07-15
Day 2 Morning Sit with Instructions: Metta for Self and Easy Person
2015-07-10
Day 2: Afternoon Instructions - Metta for self and benefactor/easy person
2018-05-15
Day 2: Sitting Meditation and Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-02-02
Day 3 Brahma Vihara Instructions
2018-05-16
Day 3: Brahma Vihara Guided Meditation (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-07-17
Day 4 Afternoon Sit with Instructions: Compassion
2018-05-17
Day 4: Brahma Vihara Guided Meditation (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2018-05-17
Day 4: Sitting Meditation and Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2019-02-07
Day 5 Sit with Morning Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2015-07-13
Day 5: Morning Instructions
2016-02-05
Day 6 Morning Instructional Sit
2016-07-19
Day 6 Morning Sit: Metta Practice - The Difficult Person
2018-05-19
Day 6: Big Mind meditation (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2019-02-10
Day 8 - Morning Sit w/ Instructions - Mindfulness of the Mind
2010-04-10
Day for Experienced Students: Dependent Origination
2010-04-10
Day for Experienced Students: Dependent Origination
2010-04-10
Day for Experienced Students: Dependent Origination
2010-04-10
Day for Experienced Students: Dependent Origination
2010-04-10
Day for Experienced Students: Dependent Origination
2010-04-10
Day for Experienced Students: Dependent Origination
2015-06-04
Day three: Guided loving-kindness practice
2012-07-07
Deepening Kindness
2010-07-21
Deepening Metta and Concentration
2023-11-08
Dependent Arising and Emptiness
2012-12-02
Dependent Origination
2010-11-15
Dependent Origination As a Pointer to Emptiness
2018-08-23
Developing a Skillful Relationship to Happiness in Practice and in Life (Retrea…
2014-08-15
Developing Concentration
2015-02-24
Diagnosing the Predicament: The 10 Fetters
2010-07-17
Dimensions of Metta
2015-04-20
Discomfort
2010-02-26
Easing into the Boundless, Just Where it Touches Us
2016-04-08
Equanimity and Kamma
2018-05-18
Facets of Equanimity (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2015-08-13
Factors of Awakening
2009-05-12
Factors That Support and Hinder Concentration
2016-02-10
Factors that Support the Deepening of Meditation.
2008-08-21
Falling In Love With The Breath
2017-02-18
Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness
2013-02-22
Freedom Here and Now - The 3rd Noble Truth
2012-11-29
From the Three Characteristics to Emptiness
2012-08-21
Gladdening the Heart, Training the Mind
2008-02-27
Growing Goodness
2011-07-20
Growing Your Own Happiness
2012-12-04
Guided Compassion Meditation
2011-02-09
Inner Cultivation, Outer Expression
2015-04-02
Intro to Insight
2008-07-15
It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This
2019-02-11
Judging, Fixing & Comparing (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2015-07-12
Kindness and the Steady Heart
2014-07-10
Kindness is What Matters
2018-07-12
Kindness is What Matters (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2011-05-01
Letting go of Disturbance, Deepening Stillness
2012-08-17
Letting Go of Disturbance, Finding Stillness
2008-02-03
Looking For Happiness In All The Wrong Places
2010-11-14
Meditation on the Aggregates
2014-07-14
Metta for the Difficult Person
2021-02-06
Metta for the neutral person
2011-07-21
Metta Instructions: All Beings
2014-08-18
Metta Practice, Day 3
2014-08-22
Metta practice, Day 7
2012-07-11
Metta, Equanimity and Concentration
2011-07-17
Metta: Self and Benefactor
2014-06-09
Mindful Happiness
2016-04-04
Mindfulness and Metta
2015-02-01
Mindfulness includes everything
2015-02-07
Mindfulness includes everything, including star showers
2021-02-03
Mindfulness of Body, Breath, and Sounds
2013-01-14
Mindfulness of the Body
2011-01-03
Mindfulness When It Matters
2021-10-18
Monday Night Dharma Talk - Mudita and Uppekha (Joy and Equanimity)
2011-01-03
Monday Night Meditation Lead
2017-11-06
Monday Night Meditation Talk (Drop-in at Spirit Rock) Basics of Meditation with…
2013-06-17
More than an amoeba...
2013-02-15
Morning Instructions - Day 12
2013-02-09
Morning Instructions - Day 6
2015-02-13
Morning Instructions #13
2015-02-08
Morning Instructions Day #7
2014-08-16
Morning Instructions Day 1
2015-02-02
Morning Instructions Day 2
2012-08-19
Morning Instructions Day Six
2012-08-15
Morning Instructions Day Two
2021-07-11
Mudita practice
2010-02-07
No Part Left Out
2014-12-29
Open Heart, Clear Mind
2016-08-21
Opening Night Talk
2014-09-18
Part 3 on 32 Parts of the Body
2014-09-19
Part 6 on the 32 Parts of the Body
2016-04-06
Patience and Equanimity
2017-02-04
Patience in Practice and Life (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-08-29
Patterns of Practice
2017-05-29
Paying Attention to What We Pay Attention To (Drop-in at Spirit Rock)
2014-08-23
Power and Purpose of Concentration
2021-02-09
Practicing with Vedana or feeling tone
2013-02-14
Quenching the unquenchable thirst
2010-11-17
Reflections on Compassion
2011-07-16
Relaxing into Kindness
2016-02-04
Renunciation as a Support for Practice
2012-02-07
Renunciation as Letting Go of What No Longer Serves Us
2014-07-13
Responding with Kindness
2018-07-17
Responding with Kindness (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2011-03-03
Right View and Intention: The Heart of the Path
2014-09-20
Sally Armstrong and Richard Shankman
Last Night's Dharmettes
2016-11-28
Sally Armstrong at Spirit Rock - Living in an Imperfect World
2014-05-25
Sally Armstrong Suttas on Concentration Practice
2017-08-19
Skillful development of pleasure in practice and life (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2009-05-16
Supports for Samadhi: An overview of the Buddha’s teachings on some of the beau…
2021-07-08
Supports for Steadying the mind: The Jhana Factors
2010-11-17
Teachings on the Practice of Reflection
2011-06-20
The Art of Mindfulness...
2009-07-22
The Beautiful Qualities of Compassion and Equanimity
2018-08-27
The Development and Function of Concentration (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2017-08-15
The development of concentration (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2011-02-13
The Dhamma Gate of Restlessness
2023-02-05
The First Foundation of Mindfulness
2012-08-26
The First Foundation of Mindfulness on the Body: Practicing with the Four Eleme…
2011-02-20
The Five Aggregates & the Search for Self
2010-11-14
The Five Aggregates Are Empty
2012-02-18
The Four Noble Truths
2019-02-24
The Four Noble Truths
2013-02-28
The Journey to Happiness: The Eightfold Path
2016-07-14
The Landscape of the Heart
2023-10-16
The Power of Attention
2009-07-18
The Practice of Metta
2015-02-18
The Radiant Wheel - Dependent Origination
2017-02-12
The Resilience and Strength of a Compassionate Heart (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2018-05-15
The roles of mindfulness, metta and equanimity in our practice (Retreat at Spir…
2019-02-17
The Seven Factors of Awakening (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2010-02-02
The Spiritual Journey
2013-02-08
The Suffering that Leads to the End of Suffering
2006-02-05
The Ten Reflections - part 1
2006-02-10
The Ten Reflections - part 2
2006-02-16
The Ten Reflections - part 3
2010-11-12
The Three characteristics as Pointers to Emptiness
2016-02-24
The three kinds of Wholesome Intention: Sankappa, Aditthana, Cetana
2015-06-05
The Wise Heart Expresses Itself as Compassion
2015-07-16
The Wise Response of the Heart
2016-08-25
Training the Mind
2012-02-24
Transcendent Dependent Arising: The Path to Freedom
2011-02-26
We Live in Illusion and the Appearance of Things
2012-02-02
What is Mindfulness?
2017-01-29
Wise retreat (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2015-02-12
Working with the Discursive Mind
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Select one of Sally Armstrong's 42 retreats
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1900-01-01
Monday and Wednesday Talks
2008-02-01
Insight Meditation 1-month Retreat
2008-07-11
Metta
2008-08-17
Concentration
2009-05-10
Concentration Retreat
2009-07-17
Metta Retreat
2010-01-31
February 2010 Month Long
2010-07-16
Metta Retreat
2010-11-11
Emptiness: A Meditation and Study Retreat
2011-02-05
February Monthlong Insight Retreat
2011-04-25
Concentration
2011-07-15
Metta Retreat
2012-02-01
Insight Meditation Retreat, February Month long
2012-07-06
Metta Retreat
2012-08-13
Concentration Retreat
2012-11-28
Emptiness: a Meditation and Study Retreat
2013-02-03
February Insight Meditation - 1 Month Retreat
2014-05-19
Dedicated Practitioners Program 5
2014-07-09
Metta Retreat
2014-08-15
Concentration Retreat
2014-09-15
Finding Freedom in the Body: Mindfulness of the Body as a Gateway to Liberation
2014-09-27
Four Foundations of Mindfulness
2015-01-31
February Insight Meditation Retreat
2015-03-12
Introduction to Insight Meditation Class Series - Spring 2015
2015-06-01
Essential Teachings of the Path of Awakening
2015-07-08
July Metta Retreat
2015-08-10
Concentration
2016-01-30
February Month-long
2016-04-03
Equanimity: Seeing with Quiet Eyes
2016-07-13
July Metta Retreat
2016-08-21
Concentration Retreat
2017-01-28
February Month-long Retreat
2017-08-14
Concentration Retreat
2018-05-13
Equanimity and Awareness Retreat
2018-07-11
July Metta
2018-08-19
Concentration Retreat
2019-02-02
February Monthlong
2021-02-01
February Insight Meditation Retreat: A Retreat for Experienced Students with Ja…
2021-07-06
"July Lovingkindness Retreat" with Tempel Smith, Bonnie Duran, MPH, DrPH, John …
2021-08-14
Concentration and Awareness
2023-01-28
February Insight Meditation One Month Retreat
2023-11-02
LEAP #2 Emptiness & Liberation
2017-02-23
3 Kinds of Intention (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
57:10
To develop any skill, to fully cultivate any qualities in our lives, particularly on the Buddhist path, we need to engage with three kinds of intention that operate on different time frames. Cetana is the moment to moment intention, the urge to do, that we can bring into the field of our mindfulness practice. The next level, Adhitthana, is usually translated as resolve or determination, and is one of the paramis. The highest level is Samma Sankappa, usually translated as right or wise intention. This is the second path factor, after right view, so it is the kind of intention developed by right view. There are three kinds of Right intention - the intention towards renunciation, non-ill will, and non-harming. These skillful intentions can then inform our choices and actions (Adhitthanas) , which we keep in mind through awareness of moment to moment intentions, or cetana.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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February Month-long Retreat
2017-02-04
Patience in Practice and Life (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
55:25
Patience is one of the paramis, the 10 beautiful qualities of the heart/mind that we develop in our sincere practice. Patience is essential if we are to deepen in meditation, especially on long retreats, as it allows us to be present when things are difficult or not exciting, which can be a lot of the time! True patience not just tolerance, a willingness to put up with things until they get better. Patience is a full body experience, a commitment to being present with care and acceptance. Patience brings with it many other wholesome factors such as contentment and equanimity.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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February Month-long Retreat
2017-01-29
Wise retreat (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
55:49
For some people, the idea of retreat implies some form of escape or avoidance. But actually, meditation retreats, especially long ones, are deep dive into our direct experience, both individual and collective. Though we disengage from the busyness and distractions of our daily life, we are still deeply engaged in understanding the world and our place in it, and can return from retreat more balanced and compassionate, ready to engage wisely with our lives and the issues of our time.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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February Month-long Retreat
