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Dharma Talks
given at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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2022-02-02
Mindfulness of the Body
61:17
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Tempel Smith
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The Buddha stated we are often lost in craving and aversion when we are not mindful of our bodies. In a discourse named the Six Animals (SN 35.247) the Buddha strongly encouraged developing the concentration of body mindfulness as a pillar to collect and calm oneself, and learn to have a conscious relationship to the six sense. From developing calm and collectedness mindfulness of the body continues to liberate us from our confusions towards having a body. As both a refuge of samadhi and a place for deepening wisdom, mindfulness of the body is considered the central foundation to the buddha's path to freedom here and now, and ultimate liberation.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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February Insight Meditation 1 Month Retreat
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2022-02-02
Honoring the Great Teacher of Interbeing and Engaged Buddhism, Thich Nhat Hanh
65:16
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Donald Rothberg
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There is weaving together in the talk of several areas, including (1) Donald's stories of his encounters with and learning from Thich Nhat Hanh, starting in 1987; (2) the life story of Thich Nhat (1926-2022); and (3) exploring Thich Nhat Hanh's core teachings, including his teachings about "interbeing," engaged Buddhism, mindfulness, and "being peace." There is a slide show of Thich Nhat Hanh's life shown during the talk available as a pdf file.
The talk is followed by the first 3 minutes and 19 seconds of a video of Thich Nhah Hanh talking about "War and Peace Within" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk1jpeo3w6U) and a period of discussion.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2022-02-02
A Guided Meditation in the Manner of Thich Nhat Hanh
36:47
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Donald Rothberg
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A 35-minute or so guided meditation in the manner of Thich Nhat Hanh (connected with the talk honoring Thich Nhat Hanh). The guided meditation is mostly silent, with three short periods of guidance, using these words:
(1) Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.
Breathing in, I calm myself.
Breathing out, I feel at ease.
(2) Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.
Bring body and mind back to the present moment. So that you do not miss the appointment with life.
(3) Breathing in, I see myself as a flower. Breathing out, I feel fresh.
Breathing in, I see myself as a mountain. Breathing out, I feel solid.
Breathing in, I see myself as still water. Breathing out, I reflect all that is.
Breathing in, I see myself as space. Breathing out, I feel free.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2022-01-16
The Five Recollections and the Cultivation of Metta in Daily Life--(Retreat at Spirit Rock)
67:19
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Gullu Singh
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This Dharma Talk reflects on the 5 subjects for frequent recollections (also called the 5 remembrances): (1) I am of the nature to age, I have not gone beyond aging, (2) I am of the nature to sicken, I have not gone beyond sickness, (3) I am of the nature to die, I have not gone beyond dying (4) All that is mine, beloved and pleasing, will become otherwise, Will become separated from me (4) I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma, related to my kamma, abide supported by my kamma. Whatever kamma I shall do for good or for ill, of that I will be the heir.
This is offered as a chant as a way to connect the teaching to the heart and the body. The talk then explores the liberative idea of Kamma (Karma) where we have more and more agency through the practice to seed our intentions so that our acts of body, speech and mind are more wholesome, skillful, and leading to the alleviation of suffering for ourselves and others.
The talk then explores various strategies for the cultivation of mettā in daily life.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Metta Retreat: Cultivating the Wise, Awakened, and Responsive Heart
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2022-01-15
Justice is What Love Looks Like in Public: Celebrating Dr. King's Legacy of Love
58:48
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Kaira Jewel Lingo
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Given on Dr. King's birthday, we explore how we can each give rise to bodhicitta and support the realization of justice: the expression of love in public. Kaira Jewel first shares about the personal impact of Dr. King on her life, introducing her father, Al Lingo, who makes a cameo appearance to briefly share about working with Dr. King in the Civil Rights Movement in the South. She then explores the friendship between Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. King and their common effort to build the Beloved Community. Then we look at how caring for ourselves is caring for others and vice versa, and how bodhicitta is an inexhaustible source of energy and confidence, because it helps us clarify what our ultimate concern is. We end with how we can engage in activism, and work on behalf of the world in a way that doesn’t lead to burnout.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Metta Retreat: Cultivating the Wise, Awakened, and Responsive Heart
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2022-01-14
Metta and Forgiveness
61:05
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Donald Rothberg
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We first explore several important themes in metta practice: (1) how metta practice can be seen as a training in learning to “lead” with the heart; (2) ways of working with difficult experiences, such as anger, fear, and the presence of the judgmental mind, that can arise in the “purification” process connected with metta practice; (3) how metta practice opens us to our radiant depths; and (4) the nature of metta practice with the “difficult person” and its connection with forgiveness practice. Then we explore the nature of forgiveness—clarifying what it is and isn’t; distinguishing between forgiveness as an outer, interpersonal and social process, giving several examples, including from the Heiltsuk indigenous tradition and South Africa, and forgiveness as an inner practice; and identifying some of dynamics of inner forgiveness practice.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Metta Retreat: Cultivating the Wise, Awakened, and Responsive Heart
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2022-01-05
Inquiry as a Factor of Awakening in Formal Meditation and Daily Life 2
64:10
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Donald Rothberg
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In this second exploration of the nature of inquiry or investigation, we first review some of what was covered in the first talk. We situate inquiry or investigation within the teaching of the Seven Factors of Awakening, as one of the three "energizing" factors. After outlining five modes of inquiry and reviewing the first two--inquiring with mindfulness and deep listening--covered last time, we explore a third mode of inquiry--using a teaching to guide one's practice--pointing to using several possible teachings as examples. We then focus on a fourth mode--radical questioning--giving several examples. We end with a period of discussion and dialogue.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2022-01-05
Guided Meditation Exploring Several Forms of Inquiry 2
35:53
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Donald Rothberg
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After a period of settling, we work with two main forms of inquiry or investigation (one of the Seven Factors of Awakening). The first is inquiry through mindfulness when an experience has some duration: Asking what's happening and exploring what's going in the body, the emotions, and the story-line or narrative. The second is inquiry through working with a teaching. Here we work with a simple teaching, coming from the Four Noble Truths: "If there's suffering (or struggle), where's the attachment (or fixed idea, etc.)?" We explore these in formal meditation; they can also be applied in the flow of daily life.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2021-12-29
Inquiry as a Factor of Awakening in Formal Meditation and Daily Life
66:41
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Donald Rothberg
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Inquiry is one of the Seven Factors of Awakening, and can be a crucial factor in our practice, leading to greater energy, interest, and learning. Yet we may believe that meditation should be about "not thinking." We explore how we need to be able to not be ruled by thinking; this can make it possible then to use thinking and question fruitfully in inquiry. In the talk, we outline five modes of inquiry, going into depth on two of them: (1) bringing inquiry into our mindfulness practice in several ways, and (2) listening deeply, particularly through the body and emotions (in the "dropping down practice") when there are repetitive thoughts and narratives. After the talk, there is discussion.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2021-12-29
Guided Meditation Exploring Several Forms of Inquiry 1
35:25
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Donald Rothberg
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After some basic instructions in settling with an anchor, and on being with and seeing clearly what's predominant when somewhat settled, we can also explore several instructions for bringing inquiry (or investigation) into practice, through (1) asking what is present right now; (2) exploring with mindfulness an experience that has some duration, asking, "What's going on in the body? . . . What emotion is there and how does it change? . . . What's the narrative or storyline"; and (3) examining the memory of a challenging experience, and inquiring into what is present in re-living that experience.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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