My work since 2006 through UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (uclahealth.org/marc) emphasizes making mindfulness teachings accessible to all, regardless of background, yet without losing depth practice. In recent years I have been teaching on Natural Awareness— the effortless, objectless, and spacious side of awareness practices. Socially engaged Buddhism is a thread woven through many of my talks-- how can we end suffering both internally and externally? Having worked with teens and young adults for many years, some of the talks are geared to young people. Finally as a mom of a tween, I'm deeply inspired by the transformative power of daily life and family practice.
This talk includes the ingredients needed for deepening practice and finding freedom. It explores how our practice can begin with concentration, add insight into the mix, requires a sprinkling of self- love, and when cooked, opens to the nature of awareness itself. Added bonus: A few quotes from Ted Lasso.
This recording includes a 51 minute overview introducing the theory and practice of loving-kindness. Then a 20 minute guided loving-kindness meditation focusing on easy person and self.
Most parents are exhausted, over-committed, guilty, and burnt out. This talk explores how to increase our capacity for self-care using principles of the dharma. We explore the challenging voices that prevent us from being self-compassionate, and how we can work with them. We then talk about how to increase "outer self-care" -- practical things parents can do, and then "inner self care"-- increasing joy as a radical act and finding a depth of well-being no matter what is happening in life.
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.
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.
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.
