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Dharma Talks
given at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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2020-05-13
From the Ordinary Mind to the Buddha Mind 18: Transforming Reactivity 2
69:47
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Donald Rothberg
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We first review the main themes from last time: (1) the nature of reactivity, and dukkha as reactivity in the Buddha's teachings, (2) the nature of awakening and freedom as liberation from reactivity, and (3) four main ways to practice with reactivity. We then look more deeply, noticing that very commonly reactivity is mixed with insight, discernment, intelligence, or something important or valuable, as when I become reactive when someone doesn't keep an agreement, or at social injustice. We explore how to transform reactivity by separating out what is valuable from the reactivity, in a number of ways, so that we can keep the insight or intelligence, and use it as the basis for wise, compassionate action. We close the talk with Eve Decker singing, "Simple Truth," about skillful ways to work with reactive self-judgment, and then have a period of discussion, including questions.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2020-05-06
From the Ordinary Mind to the Buddha Mind 17: Transforming Reactivity 1
68:42
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Donald Rothberg
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We begin with some remembering of our current context of crisis, and the possibility of having major learning and transformation come out of this time—personally, relationally, and collectively—rather than simply going back to the old “normal.” Then we continue to explore the different dimensions of awakening from our habits and conditioning, here looking at what may be the most central dimension—transforming dukkha (or “reactivity”—compulsively grasping after the pleasant, pushing away the unpleasant); the Buddha said once, “I teach dukkha and the end of dukkha.” We examine: (1) the nature of dukkha or reactivity, grounding in the core teachings of Dependent Origination and the Two Arrows; (2) the nature of non-reactivity, or freedom or liberation or responsiveness; and (3) how to practice to transform reactivity, identifying six ways of practicing, and focusing here on the first four.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2020-04-20
Courage in Our Difficult Times | Monday Night talk
45:37
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Jack Kornfield
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The value of our harshest difficulties is how honestly they cause us to question, how they intensify our courage and bring alive our deepest inner purpose, how they reawaken our soul’s task on earth. In willingly facing the unknown, we offer trust in a greater purpose. And then we must venture wherever the road leads us, in spite of the dark, in spite of the quivering of our heart. Ultimately true strength meets the vulnerability of life with courage.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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2020-03-11
Letting Go - Release - Freedom (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
60:35
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Eugene Cash
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Satipatthana - Four Foundations of Mindfulness offers us specific meditation practices with the body, breath, in four postures, in all activities, with the elements, with death, vedana, the heart/mind and the dharmas including hindrances and the seven factors of awakenings. Each of these practices includes a through line: One abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world. The not clinging to body, heart, mind or any experience is both the foundation of the Buddha's teaching and the doorway to freedom. It's the experience of coming into alignment with ' he way things are.'
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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March Monthlong
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2020-03-04
From the Ordinary Habitual Mind to the Buddha Mind 16: Working with Our Psychological Conditioning 3
62:28
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Donald Rothberg
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We begin by pointing to how combining traditional Buddhist training with transforming psychological and social conditioning and unresolved material suggests the contours of a contemporary path of awakening. We then identify some of the main areas of the contemporary “shadow,” of unconscious, unresolved conditioning and developmental wounds, such as anger, fear, death, shame, conflict, trauma, grief, sexuality, and so on. We then give a “map” of four stages in the transformation of the shadow (particularly in a meditative context), starting with finding ways to access the shadow, then learning to be with and explore the shadow, then transforming the shadow, and then integrating the shadow work with daily life.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2020-03-02
Calm Clarity Compassion | Monday Night talk
1:10:51
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Jack Kornfield,
Paul Hawken
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How can we navigate through hard times? This is an excerpt of a talk Jack Kornfield gave with environmentalist Paul Hawken on March 2, 2020 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center on how to stay grounded and steady as we navigate the spread of the Coronavirus and other challenges.
The need for the Dharma is stronger than ever. We can choose to live in our fears, confusion, and worries, or to stay in the essence of our practice, center ourselves, and be the ones that demonstrate patience, compassion, mindfulness, and mutual care.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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