The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Dharma Talks given at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2022-09-03 Metta Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 32:10
James Baraz
Some aspects of metta practice along with metta for self, loved one, neutral and all beings
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Meditation Retreat

2022-09-02 Hindrances: An Origin Story (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 55:10
Leslie Booker
This classic talk on the hindrances dives into the story of the Buddha's awakening, and his interaction with Mara.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Meditation Retreat

2022-09-02 Metta for this Body (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 29:14
Howard Cohn
After reading the Metta Sutta, guiding our loving attention through our body from the top of the head to the tips of the toes.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Meditation Retreat

2022-09-02 Morning Sit with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 63:15
James Baraz
Opening the meditation filed to include breath, sensations and sounds
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Meditation Retreat

2022-09-01 Five Spiritual Faculties (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 61:06
James Baraz
A description of how the meditation practice unfolds
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Meditation Retreat

2022-09-01 Guided Metta (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 31:06
Leslie Booker
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Meditation Retreat

2022-09-01 Celebrating the Gifts of the Heart 52:46
Grace Fisher
Begins with a 30m meditation followed by a Dharma Talk
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Thursday Morning Women’s Group

2022-09-01 Putting our mind in our Body (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 60:23
Howard Cohn
First Morning of the retreat instructions
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Labor Day Insight Meditation Retreat

2022-08-31 "I Teach Dukkha and the End of Dukkha"--2 63:43
Donald Rothberg
This is the second of three talks in successive weeks on the "dukkha and the end of dukkha," at the center of the Buddha's teachings. Last week was an introduction and focused on individual practice; this week gives a review and then focuses on relational practice, with others. In the review, we once again point to the multiple meanings of "dukkha" in the Buddha's discourses, all but one of which don't help us to make sense of the "end of dukkha.". Rather, only an interpretation of dukkha coming out of the teachings of the Two Arrows and Dependent Origination, in which dukkha is understood as reactivity, as grasping or pushing away habitually in a variety of ways, can help us understand what "the end of dukkha" means (see the attached PDF file on the sequence from contact to grasping in the teaching of Dependent Origination). We then look at a number of ways of practicing with reactivity, and open to exploring the nature of reactivity in relational contexts, followed by pointing to a number of ways of practicing with reactivity in our relationships. The talk is followed by discussion.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks
Attached Files:
  • The Sequence of Contact to Grasping in the Buddha’s Teaching on Dependent Origination by Donald Rothberg (PDF)

2022-08-31 Guided Meditation Exploring Reactivity and Feeling-Tone 35:00
Donald Rothberg
After brief basic meditation instructions related to stabilizing attention with an anchor, and then being present to the anchor or whatever else is predominant, there is an 8-minute or so period of settling and stabilizing. Then there is guidance to notice and be mindful of any kinds of reactivity (manifesting in the body, emotions, and thoughts), if in the workable range. After another 10 minutes or, there is guidance to notice a moderate or greater level of the pleasant or unpleasant (as long as it is workable), staying with the sense of pleasant or unpleasant, noticing any tendencies to reactivity (wanting and grasping, or not wanting and pushing away, at the levels of body, emotions, and/or thoughts).
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

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