Howard Cohn's Dharma Talks
at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Howard Cohn
The more I rest in present awareness, and don't separate myself out from life, the more I appreciate the impact that I have on others. Only when I am present am I sensitive to my connection to the world, am I able to feel how important it is to be non-harming in my words and actions. When I am lost in thought, I lose that simplicity and sensitivity.
I continually point toward this secret of the present moment, for if I am really present, I don't suffer as much, I don't cause as much suffering, and I am less afraid. I may experience intense pain or pleasure, but the degree of mental suffering lessens. Practicing mindfulness de-conditions the habits that prevent me from being centered in the present. This in turn gives me a more stable awareness, which allows me to recognize my inherent peace and freedom.
It is this taste of nowness--introducing people to the living quality of the present moment and its sense of freedom--that most engages me in my teaching practice. I find no evidence of suffering, in my mind, unless I remind myself of some event that is not in the present. Suffering arises when I am lost in my imagination, reviewing the past or fearfully anticipating the future.
I feel tremendous gratitude and love for the dharma, and the practice of awareness. Knowing my mind a little better, and being less preoccupied with my internal drama, makes me more available to the suffering of others. Consequently, I am moved to give to others rather than focusing on what I can get. In spite of being more attuned to suffering, staying present allows each day to become more joyful, compelling and intereesting. My desire to run from this moment, by running after an imagined, better future, or away from a past fear, has diminished. It is present wakefulness that helps me recover my capacity to live with balance and ease in the world.
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Select from Howard Cohn's
149
talks
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VIEW ALL
2016-01-07
Day Two, Instructional Sit
2012-04-04
4 Noble Truths in Real Time
2011-12-17
A Case of Mistaken Identity
2015-09-05
A Case of Mistaken Identity
2008-12-11
Against The Stream
2015-06-19
Aim for the Highest Happiness
2010-06-25
All About Me
2012-01-21
An Overview of the Eightfold Path
2012-01-21
An Overview of the Eightfold Path
2008-02-14
At The Still Point Of The Turning World
2014-10-10
Awakening this Natural Mind of the Buddha
2012-06-21
Back To Nature: Mindfulness of the Body
2008-02-23
Big Mind Meditation
2014-08-31
Big Mind Meditation
2008-08-31
Big Sky Meditation With Bells
2012-07-14
Calming the Restless Mind
2016-08-21
Calming the Restless Mind
2011-04-15
Cast Your Votes for Dancing
2019-06-04
Day 1 Morning Instructions: Mindfulness of Body and Breath (Retreat at Spirit R…
2017-05-31
Day 1: Morning Sit with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2019-06-05
Day 2 Experiential Practice: Introduction of Metta (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2017-09-01
Day 2 Metta Practice (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-05-19
Day 2 Sitting/Instructions
2018-05-23
Day 2: Morning Sit with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2017-06-02
Day 3: Morning Sit with Instructions (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-05-21
Day 4 Sitting/Instructions
2016-01-09
Day Four Instructional Sit
2015-01-04
Daylong Retreat talk - The Buddha's Path to Well-Being
2015-01-04
Daylong Retreat talk - The Buddha's Path to Well-Being
2015-01-04
Daylong Retreat talk - The Buddha's Path to Well-Being
2017-01-07
Dharma Duet: The Essential Teachings of the Buddha (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
Ho…
2010-02-24
Empty of Self / Full of Everything
2018-05-27
Empty of Self, Full of Love (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2008-02-18
Equanimity: The Eye Of The Storm
2022-01-08
Evening Dharma Talk (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2018-01-23
Evening Q & A Metta Day 2 (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2008-01-24
Finding A Reliable Refuge
2008-01-24
Finding A Reliable Refuge
2011-09-02
Following the Buddha's Way to True Happiness
2009-12-16
Footsteps of the Buddha: The Highest Happiness is Peace
2014-05-23
Freedom from the Prison of Self
2018-05-22
Going Nowhere We Find Happiness (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
1999-03-24
Happier and Freer
2009-08-19
Hindrances as a Door of Awakening
2015-06-17
Housebuilder, You Have Been Seen
2010-09-03
In Harmony With The Truth
2013-01-10
In The Footsteps of The Buddha
2017-01-05
Instructions and Sitting Meditation Day 1 (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2017-01-07
Instructions and Sitting Meditation Day 3 (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2021-09-19
Integrating Life into Practice
2016-06-25
Introduction to Insight Meditation
2013-06-29
Introduction to Insight Meditation, Part 1 of 4
2013-06-29
Introduction to Insight Meditation, Part 2 of 4
2013-06-29
Introduction to Insight Meditation, Part 3 of 4
2013-06-29
Introduction to Insight Meditation, Part 4 of 4
2017-07-22
Introduction to Meditation (Daylong at Spirit Rock) part 1
2017-07-22
Introduction to Meditation (Daylong at Spirit Rock) part 2
2015-11-15
Introduction to Mindfulness - Part One
2015-11-15
Introduction to Mindfulness - Part Two
2007-12-14
It's All About Me
2014-06-12
Joy of Awakening
2011-06-30
Jumping into the Midst of Everything: Realizing the Four Noble Truths
2010-12-09
Let Your Difficulties Become the Path
2012-06-23
Let's Grow Up: Exploring The 4 Noble Truths
2012-08-31
Look Around: Wake Up to Reality
2011-12-15
Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places
2016-09-02
Loving Kindness Practice
2015-07-26
Loving the House that Ego Built
2016-03-19
Loving the House that Ego Built
2019-08-16
Loving the House that Ego Built
2013-01-20
Loving The House That Ego Built, Part 1
2015-07-26
Loving the House that Ego Built, Part 1 of 2
2013-01-20
Loving The House That Ego Built, Part 2
2015-07-26
Loving the House that Ego Built, Part 2 of 2
2017-05-11
Malaika Morning Instructions
2013-10-10
Meeting Your Life as it Is
2022-09-02
Metta for this Body (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2018-01-22
Morning Instructions Day 1 (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2018-01-25
Morning Instructions Day 4 (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2015-01-08
No Mud, No Lotus
2016-05-17
Opening Night Talk
2017-01-04
Opening Night Talk (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2008-02-08
Papanca - Why I Can't Be Happy Now
2017-07-25
Path of the Buddha (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
1999-03-11
Practical People make a Peaceful World
2009-06-09
Practicing with the Four Noble Truths
2022-09-01
Putting our mind in our Body (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2015-01-10
Rediscovering Your Mollyness
2008-08-30
Seeing Through The Self Illusion
2009-06-12
Seeing through the Self Illusion
2014-06-20
Self, No Self and Freedom
2008-11-15
Simply Waiting
2011-01-07
Song of Awakening: Confronting the Three Marks of Existence
2019-01-19
Song of Freedom
2012-12-31
Spirit Rock Meditation Center, No Self, No Problem: An Exploration of Self-View
2016-12-10
Spirit Rock, The Buddha's Path of Well-Being and Happiness
2010-02-18
The Awakening of Equanimity
2016-01-03
The Buddha's Path of Well Being and Happiness - Morning Session
2016-01-03
The Buddha's Path of Well-Being and Happiness - Afternoon Session
2008-04-04
The Buddha's Way To Happiness
2010-05-25
The Buddha's Way to Happiness
2010-06-22
The Cure for Pain is in the Pain
2008-02-22
The Four Reminders
2002-02-03
The Happiness of the Buddha
2016-09-03
The Highest Happiness
2013-07-08
The House of Self
2018-11-16
The House that Ego Built: Understanding Self, Not-Self and Indentity
2013-07-05
The Immediacy of the Four Noble Truths
2013-05-07
The Innocence of Identity
2016-05-20
The Joy of Awakening
2014-05-03
The Light of Wisdom
2010-02-03
The Obstacles are the Path
2014-08-29
The Pathless Path
2012-04-07
The Preciousness of Life
2009-09-05
The Thoughts Keep Coming
2010-01-21
The Transformative Potential in our Difficulties
2016-01-25
The Way to the End of the World
2017-02-26
The Wings of Awakening: Wisdom and Compassion, afternoon session (Daylong at Sp…
2017-02-26
The Wings of Awakening: Wisdom and Compassion, morning session (Daylong at Spir…
2012-01-19
The Wisdom of Vulnerability: Working with the Four Noble Truths
2011-04-12
The World, the Cause of the World, the End of the World
2014-01-11
There is no Big Dipper
2016-01-08
This Gift of Awakening
2010-05-27
To Be Realized in the Here and Now
2010-02-12
Trance of Time
2016-06-18
True Happiness
2017-06-01
Turn Your Existence Into Joy (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2014-05-20
Wake Up, You're Behind a Farting Camel
2000-05-27
We Are All Doing Time
2019-08-31
What We Need Is Here
2016-01-06
What You Need is Here
2019-11-16
Who are we? Exploring Our 'Selves' and Identities
2017-09-02
You are Beautiful as You Are (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2018-01-24
You Are Not A Problem to be Solved (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2018-09-01
You Are Not A Problem To Be Solved (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2013-10-12
You are not what you think
2017-07-28
You Are Not What You Think (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2010-12-11
You are the Buddha
2001-05-02
You Are the Buddha
2001-05-20
You Are the Buddha
2013-01-12
You are the Nameless and the Formless
2017-01-06
You Are What You Are Looking For (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2016-10-12
You are Worthy of Respect
2013-08-30
Your Difficulties are Your Path
2014-01-09
Your Medicine is the Four Noble Truths