The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Dharma Talks given at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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

2022-08-29 Awareness Meditation (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 61:12
Mark Coleman
Exploring Open awareness, nature of awareness in this 'Big Mind' meditation
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Loving Awareness: Meeting Reality with Wisdom and Kindness

2022-08-28 Exploring the Nature of Awareness (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 58:28
Mark Coleman
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Loving Awareness: Meeting Reality with Wisdom and Kindness

2022-08-28 Falling in Love with the Breath 54:57
Ramón Honea
Spirit Rock Meditation Center BIPOC Voices - Series

2022-08-28 Compassion in the Midst of a Culture of Dominance (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 63:01
Leslie Booker
Talk on Compassion and Guided Meditation
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Loving Awareness: Meeting Reality with Wisdom and Kindness

2022-08-27 Loving This Moment (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 55:50
Eugene Cash
This is the only moment there is! This is your life Now! What happens if you give yourself to that truth? What happens is we let go of everything else except Being here right now. We discover the magic of reality revealing itself in this moment. To love the moment includes all the variants of love: liking, appreciating, caring for, wondering about, become enthralled or magnetized by, curious about & illuminated by Now.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Loving Awareness: Meeting Reality with Wisdom and Kindness

2022-08-27 Experiencing the Body as Elements (retreat at Spirit Rock) 38:00
Leslie Booker
Morning Instructions on the first foundation of mindfulness.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Loving Awareness: Meeting Reality with Wisdom and Kindness

2022-08-26 Meeting the Hindrances with Faith 45:05
Leslie Booker
Centering the faith as the antidote to doubt, this talk takes us on a journey from bright faith, verified faith to unshakeable faith.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Loving Awareness: Meeting Reality with Wisdom and Kindness

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