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Dharma Talks given at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2022-05-31 Equanimity Stories and Practice (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 40:13
Diana Winston
This session offers an overview of equanimity, the quality of even-mindedness, balance, and non-reactivity. We discuss how it is cultivated, hear some stories about it, and do a guided equanimity practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Awakening Joy and Wellbeing

2022-05-30 Metta for Self (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 38:01
James Baraz
Sometimes the hardest person to send metta to is oneself. This guided meditation invites us to see ourselves through a loved one's eyes to see who we really are.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Awakening Joy and Wellbeing

2022-05-30 Cultivating Self Compassion as a Path to Joy 56:33
Diana Winston
Since so many of us struggle with self-judgment, what practices and tools will help us find more self-compassion and cultivate more joy? In this talk we explore the roots of self-judgment, and the ways in which mindfulness, loving kindness, and the recognition of our shared humanity and inner goodness can work together to alleviate the critical mind and promote joy and resilience.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Awakening Joy and Wellbeing

2022-05-29 Including body sensations and sounds in the field of awareness. (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 57:58
James Baraz
After establishing our anchor or home base in the meditation we can expand the field beyond the breath to skillfully include other body sensations and sounds.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Awakening Joy and Wellbeing

2022-05-28 Awakening Joy as a Practice (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 58:17
James Baraz
In his teaching on The Four Wise Efforts, the Buddha taught us to maintain and increase wholesome states (kusala) when they arise. This talk explains how to make that a central part of our practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Awakening Joy and Wellbeing

2022-05-28 Getting Started: Learning the Basics of Mindfulness (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 57:05
Diana Winston
This first day instructions guides students who are just starting out with their practice. We learn to find our meditation anchor and work with distraction.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Awakening Joy and Wellbeing

2022-05-26 Call for Heart Warriors 51:33
Grace Fisher
Begins with 30m meditation followed by Dharma Talk
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Thursday Morning Women’s Group

2022-05-25 Exploring the Nature of Self (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 54:08
Mark Coleman
How nature reveals the ephemeral, impermanent, interconnected nature of who we are.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Finding Refuge, Finding Home: A Retreat in Nature

2022-05-25 Practicing with Fear 3 66:03
Donald Rothberg
We start by acknowledging the mass shooting in Texas that occurred yesterday, in the context of our practicing with fear, following up an earlier guided meditation and sharing (not recorded) related to the shooting. We then look generally at the three core ways of practicing with fear, going into some depth on each: (1) cultivating mindfulness and clear seeing (wisdom), (2) working with the heart practices, and (3) acting skillfully. We then focus on how the process of awakening typically involves at each new stage an opening to fear, and also mention some of the dynamics of the "Dark Night of the Soul." Lastly, we look at how to explore and work with fear related to our social world, in terms of the three ways of practicing with fear. There follows a period of discussion.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2022-05-24 The Experience of Dukkha 48:11
Jaya Rudgard
How dukkha is a natural feature of life. When we learn to decondition reactivity, it becomes a gateway to freedom.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Finding Refuge, Finding Home: A Retreat in Nature

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