The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Dharma Talks given at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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2010-03-31 Deepening Our Formal Meditation Practice 55:42
Donald Rothberg
Through reflection on just having taught a month-long retreat and several poems, we explore a number of ways to deepen our formal meditation practice through simplicity, focus, building a strong "container", developing mindfulness and lovingkindness in relation to what happens, and increased invocation of the "wise parent" (or grandparent...aka "discipline").
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-03-29 Shining The Light On Suffering 59:51
Mark Coleman
The Buddha stressed the importance of "being a lamp unto ourself" and to know the truth of suffering - as a vehicle for understanding & liberating ourselves from inevitable challenges of life.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-03-27 Ease Trust Heart 52:37
John Travis
This talk explores our humanity/vulnerability and don't know.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-26 "Oh no, I'm still here." Practice continues. 47:48
Sharda Rogell
To integrate our practice, we need to keep applying the wisdom of our insights we gain from our sitting practice, retreats, and life experience. In this way, we come to terms with the different aspects of our personality, the aaspects we like and don't like.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-25 Letting Go and Picking Up 58:01
Gil Fronsdal
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-03-25 Letting Go and Picking Up 0:00
Gil Fronsdal
(Recording not available) 
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-24 The Heart of Wisdom: Connecting Loving Kindness and Equanimity 61:52
Donald Rothberg
Heart practices and wisdom practices can appear to speak different languages and have different aims; for example, lovingkindness wishes well whereas equanimity says, "no matter what I wish for, things are as they are." We explore how the heart and wisdom connect through exploring (1) lovingkindness, (2) equanimity, and (3) how the two inform each other and are integrated.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-24 Opening is the Ocean of Light- Sylvia Boorstein and Mingtong Gu 58:31
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-03-23 The Freedom of Truth 48:22
Mary Grace Orr
How do we hold all of the joys and sorrows, skillful and unskillful actions, wounds and blessings that we see when we practice intensely.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2010-03-22 Confession of a Buddhist Atheist 64:31
Stephen Batchelor
Talk on the journey of exploring Buddhist doctrine and principles... the questioning there of...
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-03-22 Compassion is Wisdom Responding 54:22
Heather Martin
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-21 Leaning toward Freedom 53:13
John Travis
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-20 Guided Metta Meditation 43:12
Heather Martin
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-19 Dependent Arising and Liberation 63:52
Gil Fronsdal
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-18 Disenchantment with the World/Turning towards Liberation 50:31
Sharda Rogell
Realizing clearly that things don't bring lasting satisfaction, we become disenchanted with reaching out to things; the energy that was bound up with clinging is there, released towards liberation.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-17 Knowledge and Vision of Things as They Are (Liberative Dependent Arising 8) 59:52
Donald Rothberg
We explore how "knowledge and vision of things as they are," supported by concentration and earlier factors, brings us insight into impermanence, suffering and the roots of suffering, and not-self. We examine some of the forces and structure that lead to delusion and a lack of clear seeing, as well as how to practice to cultivate these insights.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-17 When in Doubt, Make Belief- An Interview with Jeff Bell 58:07
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-03-16 Knowledge and Vision of Things as They Are 49:28
Mary Grace Orr
A continuation of the series on transcendental dependent origination-the beginnings of insight.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-15 Peace of Letting Go 1:11:48
Amma Thanasanti
The tasks of letting go in precepts, commitment, working with awareness.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-03-15 Dependent Origination and Samadhi 52:43
Gil Fronsdal
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-14 Refining Balance 56:19
Heather Martin
Using the Seven Factors of Awakening as a template, mirroring our progressive theme this month, exploring the dance between the active and the passive practices. Focusing on the shift from energy to rapture to serenity , and sweetness, and especially seeing how that shift is so effectively ushered in by more reflections and practices which uplift the heart.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-13 The Eyes of Wisdom and the Heart of a Child 55:49
John Travis
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-12 Beyond Rapture 47:46
Sharda Rogell
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-11 Dependent Arising and Joy 61:31
Gil Fronsdal
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-10 Delight in the Dharma (Liberative Dependent Arising 3) 56:46
Donald Rothberg
Delight (or joy or gladness, pamojja) is the second factor that emerges as we shift away from repetitive cycles of suffering. We explore how delight manifests as delight in practice, in our integrity, the "bliss of blamelessness," and in other ways. We also look at how to cultivate delight, how delight or joy support the deepening of our practice, and what makes delight difficult to access.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-10 "Wisdom is Wisdom"- Mindfulness Part 1 67:03
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-03-09 Following Faith to Liberation 48:39
Mary Grace Orr
The Buddha teaches both about the cycle of suffering and another cycle leading to liberation. When we willingly encounter our suffering directly, conviction arises and leads us deeper into our practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-08 Practicing Metta and Mudita 43:51
Marlene Jones
The greatest degree of happiness comes from our engagement in love and joy with others.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-03-08 The Four Truths 58:10
Heather Martin
How the first two Noble Truths describe Samsara and the circular chain of Dependent origination, and how the third and fourth Truths have been expanded to form Transcendental dependent arising, which beautiful topics will be further explored during this month - long retreat.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-06 Dependent Co-Arising 54:15
John Travis
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-05 The Risk of Being Present 47:25
Sharda Rogell
Our practice invites us to return to the present moment - yet in order to be here, we must let go of everything and enter this moment unburdened. Are we willing? If so, we will discover our true refuge - that which is utterly reliable.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-04 The Hindrances 53:43
Gil Fronsdal
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-03 Mindfulness of the Body and Why It Is So Important 60:28
Donald Rothberg
Mindfulness of the body is absolutely fundamental for our practice and was for the Buddha, both a starting point and an end point. We explore (1) why mindfulness of the body is crucial both in the Buddha's teaching and especially in our highly mental culture; (2) how we practice mindfulness of breathing and mindfulness of postures and activities; and (3) how mindfulness of the body works to transform us.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-02 Why We Need Mindfulness 54:31
Heather Martin
Why our dear doomed attempts to be well need revising, and how nourishing our spirits while Staying, Loving, Opening and Wondering are the strategies that actually bring wellbeing by clearing the dust away.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center March 2010 Month Long

2010-03-01 Aloneness and Love 54:36
Mark Coleman
What is the relationship between love, attachment & aloneness. How does aloneness support us coming home to ourselves.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-02-28 Nourishment, Challenge, and Change 51:39
Gil Fronsdal
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-27 Not Knowing 51:52
Andrea Fella
A guided meditation on expanding awareness and an exploration on the theme of not knowing.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-26 Easing into the Boundless, Just Where it Touches Us 57:25
Sally Armstrong
The wisdom of the two truths-the relative and the transcendent, points to a way of being with our experience that acknowledges the beautiful qualities of the heart while opening to the freedom that is available here and now.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-25 Trusting Your Buddha Knowing 63:12
James Baraz
The source of our awakening is right inside us. As we learn to listen deeply to the wisdom and purity of heart that is connected to the truth, we are following the Buddha's instructions to "be a lamp unto yourself".
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-24 Empty of Self / Full of Everything 63:13
Howard Cohn
Emptiness is creative expression and creative potential. Both appreciating the immediate expression of emptiness as everything as well as emptiness as creative possibility to plant seeds of awakening.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-24 Essential Dharma Part I- Class 1, Part 2 38:54
Sharda Rogell
Essential Dharma Part I- Class 1, Part 2
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Essential Dharma Part I

2010-02-24 Practicing with the Body- Part IV The Body-Mind-Heart Connection 59:43
Donald Rothberg
We review briefly our previous practices and investigations of body practices in the last three weeks. We then focus on the body's connection with mind and heart, how we practice individually with each of them, how we explore the dynamic relationship of body, mind, heart. We end by focusing on heart practices for our bodies and those of others, and on opening to the further mysteries of bodies.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-02-22 Not Self & The Five Aggregates 56:39
Mark Coleman
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-02-21 The Obvious 58:16
Andrea Fella
We often understand our habits and patterns as having many complex layers, and think we need to dive into the midst of the layers in order to "really" understand the pattern. This talk explores a gentle investigation of what is obvious in our experience, which allows a natural, organic understanding to emerge.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-20 Clinging and Identification with I, Me and Mine 59:34
Sally Armstrong
The Buddha saw that we continually cling to and create a sense of self out of five aspects of our experience. Seeing this process clearly can lead to the possibility of letting go and freedom.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-19 Awakening Joy 66:13
James Baraz
Practice is more than just opening to suffering. It is a path of happiness. We can incline the mind to open to and awaken wholesome states that lead to well-being and, ultimately, liberation.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-18 The Awakening of Equanimity 1:10:49
Howard Cohn
Describes the development of equanimity through the vehicle of mindful attention.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-17 Hitting the Wall of Sakhaya Ditthi 63:16
Carol Wilson
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-17 Practicing with the Body Part 3: Cultivating Wisdom 59:37
Donald Rothberg
After a brief review of the first two series, we focus on body practices to develop insight into 1) impermanence, 2) suffering and the roots of suffering, and 3)constructions of self. We suggest several concrete practices to develop wisdom through awareness of bodily experience.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-02-16 Impermanence 61:04
Andrea Fella
Everyone knows that "things change". Yet as the Mahabarata points out "only the surface-mind understands, the actual sense never goes into our heads". Exploring our experience deeply, we can move past the surface understanding to deeply recognize this truth.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-15 Love, Wisdom, and Awakening 51:37
Nina Wise
The journey and thread that weaves through each,... one begets and is of the other... how Valentines day and Presidents day can lead us to Awakening...
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-02-15 Abundant Enoughness: The Practice of Contentment 61:01
James Baraz
The Buddha spoke of Nekkhama or renunciation as source of happiness. This is because it gives rise to contentment-seeing this moment as complete as it is. This talk explores the experience of inner contentment.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-13 Compassion and Emptiness 62:00
Carol Wilson
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-12 Trance of Time 65:55
Howard Cohn
Explaining concepts of time and its influence on our experience of life.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-11 Agendas and Judgments 40:33
Winnie Nazarko
Human beings seek to control their experiences in order to be happy. But when we approach meditation practice with a fixed agenda, we miss the mark. Freedom and liberation comes from learning to harmonize with reality, not in trying to impose our preferences upon it.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-10 The Wandering Mind 61:48
Andrea Fella
One of the patterns we meet in meditation, over and over again, is the wandering mind. Exploring this pattern without judgment, we can come to deep understanding about the nature of our minds.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-10 Practicing with the Body- Part 2 65:15
Donald Rothberg
We review and expand the themes from last time- the importance of body practices for our times and lives, exploring our attitudes toward the body and developing basic body practices. Then we focus on mindfulness of the body, outlining several further practices and emphasizing especially how body practices help us practice more fully and critically in the flow of the daily life.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-02-09 Our Greatest Protection 59:28
James Baraz
Sincerity of heart is the most important ingredient that we can bring to practice. This talk explores that theme with special focus on the Four Iddhipadas, or Bases of Success that fuel our sincere motivation.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-08 The Power of Dharma 53:12
Kevin Griffin
Exploring the connection between the "12 Step Higher Power" and Dharma teaching.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-02-07 No Part Left Out 56:25
Sally Armstrong
As we deepen our practice of mindfulness, we are able to see our experience more directly and clearly. Metta practice helps to bring a kind, accepting attitude to this process, allowing us to open to some of the difficult emotional experiences that can arise in intensive retreat practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-07 Balancing Heart and Mind (Sunday) 1:20:36
Alan Wallace
Part 4 of 4
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-02-07 Balancing the Heart and Mind (Sun) 1:23:25
Alan Wallace
Part 3 of 4
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-02-07 Balancing Heart and Mind (Sun) 29:43
Alan Wallace
Part 2 of 4
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-02-07 Balancing the Heart and Mind (Sun) 1:51:28
Alan Wallace
Part 1 of 4
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-02-06 Yatha Bhuta: Things As They Are 60:13
Carol Wilson
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-06 Balancing the Heart and Mind (Sat) 59:09
Alan Wallace
Part 3 of 3
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-02-06 Balancing the Heart and Mind (Sat) 1:41:52
Alan Wallace
Part 2 of 3
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-02-06 Balancing the Heart and Mind (Sat) 2:21:33
Alan Wallace
Part 1 of 3
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-02-05 Energy and Effort 60:45
Andrea Fella
The spiritual power of energy is the fuel that supports awakening. We cultivate energy through wise effort. The art of meditation lies in learning skillful ways to balance energy and effort.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-05 A Question of Free Will: A Buddhist Perspective 1:55:31
Alan Wallace
In this lecture, Alan Wallace will discuss how Buddhism focuses on how we may achieve greater freedom in the choices we make, rather than struggling with the metaphysical issue of whether we already have free will. The Buddha began by first identifying the ways in which we are clearly not free, then showed ways in which we may achieve greater freedom in the present moment, as well as reshape the influence of the past upon our present experience and direct the flow of our lives into the future. Central to the question of free will is the nature of human identity, and it is in this regard that the Buddhist view of emptiness and interdependence is truly revolutionary.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-02-04 The Lion's Roar 57:54
James Baraz
In Tibetan teachings the Lion's Roar is the "fearless proclamation that every situation is workable." Being humbled can lead to a profound, wise humility, doubt can lead to strong confidence and vulnerability can be the path to fearlessness.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-03 The Obstacles are the Path 62:55
Howard Cohn
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-03 Practicing with the Body- Part I 60:12
Donald Rothberg
The body is the doorway to great transformation and mystery. Practicing with awareness of the body is central to grounding our practice in a highly mental culture. We explore 1) the importance of body-based practice, 2) our cultural and personal attitudes toward our bodies, and 3) a set of initial body practices.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-02-02 The Spiritual Journey 53:45
Sally Armstrong
The archetype of the journey is often used to describe our spiritual practice. There are many qualities that are helpful to us in this journey, including the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-02-01 Understanding The "Self" 53:37
Mark Coleman
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-02-01 Putting Your Trust In Awareness 53:24
Carol Wilson
Spirit Rock Meditation Center February 2010 Month Long

2010-01-31 Understanding the Teachings of Not-Self (Anatta) 69:30
Mark Coleman
The Buddha gave many teachings to explore how self-identity and attachment to self arise through identification with the five skandas/aggregates (body, feelings, perceptions, mental processes and consciousness). this talk explores this theme and how to work with the "selfing" process.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-01-30 Awakening Joy Daylong PM Session 3:09:21
James Baraz
James and co-writer of Awakening Joy Shoshana Alexander, plus many friends from the 10-month course--dharma teachers, happiness experts, neuroscientists, musicians and more--share their thoughts on true happiness. This is the PM Session which includes Syvia Boorstein, and Anam Thubten Rinpoche.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-01-30 Awakening Joy 2:42:34
James Baraz
James and co-writer of Awakening Joy Shoshana Alexander, plus many friends from the 10-month course--dharma teachers, happiness experts, neuroscientists, musicians and more--share their thoughts on true happiness. This is the AM Session which includes Rick Foster and Greg Hicks, Rick Hansen, and performances by Eve Decker, Betsy Rose and Jennifer Berezen.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-01-27 There are Always, Always, Pockets of Goodness 54:01
Sylvia Boorstein
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-01-21 The Transformative Potential in our Difficulties 64:13
Howard Cohn
In the footsteps of the Buddha, shining the light of awareness on the difficulties in practice allowing them to be the cause of awakening.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Essential Dharma

2010-01-20 Essential Mindfulness 45:19
Anna Douglas
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Essential Dharma

2010-01-18 Compassion, Martin Luther King & the Buddha 54:34
Mark Coleman
Given on MLK Day this talk explores compassion & how the teachings of Buddha & MLK urge us to develop the heart of compassion.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-01-16 On the Path Towards the Beloved Community 49:15
Larry Yang
The connection between personal, spiritual practice and social transformation.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center MLK Weekend, Honoring the Dream

2010-01-14 Joy and More Joy 66:10
Heather Martin
How our inner explorations release the range of joy, happiness and ease.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Metta Retreat

2010-01-13 Seeds of Goodness- omitting none 54:34
Sylvia Boorstein
Seeds of Goodness
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-01-12 Everybody has to arrive safely 55:27
Sylvia Boorstein
Providing an overview of the Metta Sutta, demonstrating how it outlines the three foundations of practice: sila, samadhi and panna. Includes an explanation of concentration as the antidote of all afflictive emotions and includes stories of travel as examples of how everyone has to arrive safely.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Metta Retreat

2010-01-11 Part 1: The Arc of Metta Part 2: What Compassion Isn't 64:31
Heather Martin
Part 1: How differences in this practice work for different people. Part 2: Compassion is doing nothing more than tenderly holding whatever pain arises.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Metta Retreat

2010-01-10 Opening to our Radiant Hearts 62:19
Donald Rothberg
Lovingkindness practice ultimately works because we are evoking our deep nature - of kindness and love, the "brightly shining" citta associated with lovingkindness. We explore how we can open to our radiant hearts through (1) learning to lead with our hearts, (2) cultivating concentration, (3) evoking love and working through what blocks love, and (4) touching more and more our depths.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Metta Retreat

2010-01-10 Who Am I? Guided Meditation 39:27
Ajahn Metta
Who Am I? A guided meditation
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-01-10 Who Am I? Guided Meditation 47:25
Ayya Santacitta
Who Am I? Guided Meditation.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-01-09 What we're doing here 50:58
Trudy Goodman
Mettafying the hindrances to death! This is what should be done by one who is skilled in goodness. How we maintain the self through excluding our vulnerability. The protection of inclusion, no one left out.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Metta Retreat

2010-01-08 Mindful of the Climate of the Heart 26:51
Sylvia Boorstein
This introduction to a week of lovingkindness practice presents metta as a specific subset of mindfulness practice: paying attention to the presence or absence of good will in the mind. It includes an explanation of how the practice of continual blessing, “praying without ceasing” cultivates concentration of the mind. Concentration is presented as the antidote to all afflictive energies and the ground out of which our natural good will manifests.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Metta Retreat

2010-01-06 Awakening Joy- Sylvia Boorstein and James Baraz 64:13
Sylvia Boorstein
Awakening Joy -Sylvia Boorstein and James Baraz
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-01-02 Last Evening 58:49
John Travis
Spirit Rock Meditation Center New Years

2010-01-01 Turning Towards Our Innate Goodness 52:42
Sharda Rogell
Spirit Rock Meditation Center New Years

2009-12-31 Liberating Intimacy 68:49
Eugene Cash
Spirit Rock Meditation Center New Years

2009-12-30 Coming home to an easeful breath. 62:00
Gil Fronsdal
Spirit Rock Meditation Center New Years

2009-12-29 Pilgrimage To The Unfabricated 50:34
John Travis
Spirit Rock Meditation Center New Years

2009-12-28 An Uncontentious Mind 52:40
Sharda Rogell
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

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