Dharma Seed: dharma talks and meditation instruction

(Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC) Radical love sees and cherishes the sacred that lives through all beings. In this talk, we’ll look at the barrier to loving the life that is right here—what we call self—and how we can call on the light and warmth of awareness to awaken that love.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We start with a brief review of the three previous talks on deepening practice during the pandemic (and other crises), including clarifying three broad areas of practice: Formal meditation practice, daily life practice, and work, service, and/or activism as practice. In this session, we explore the foundations of Wise Speech as practice, mentioning three foundations. The first two include (1) the ethical guidelines given by the Buddha regarding skillful speech, and (2) developing presence and mindfulness during speech (including listening). We focus most of the time on the third foundation of cultivating empathic connection with another, clarifying the difference between empathy and compassion, giving some of the findings of studies in neuroscience about empathy, and examining what blocks empathy. We then work with a simple (yet powerful) empathy practice of tuning into (1) emotions, and (2) what matters, and move into a period of discussion.

(Satipanna Insight Meditation (SIMT)) We go forth into the quiet of the heart, distant from the world, to glimpse the Unconditioned. We are alone but we are as if with all beings. There is no 'one' who wakes up, there is just awakening. It is freeing and it's free - but it will cost us absolutely everything. We give up everything but there is nothing to give up. And we gain the understanding of the ancients.

(Satipanna Insight Meditation (SIMT)) Too busy in the world, all entangled, we yearn to be free. So direct the mind to Nibbana - like a tree that leans to the East. And when it falls, it will fall in that direction. We too will arrive if we aim well. Aim for the far goal but keep attention in the present where we are. Chop wood for a thousand days, but in a single moment, we see into the emptiness of it all. Burn everything and light the mind with the fire of wisdom.

(Satipanna Insight Meditation (SIMT)) Too busy in the world, all entangled, we yearn to be free. So direct the mind to Nibbana - like a tree that leans to the East. And when it falls, it will fall in that direction. We too will arrive if we aim well. Aim for the far goal but keep attention in the present where we are. Chop wood for a thousand days, but in a single moment, we see into the emptiness of it all. We burn everything and light the mind with the fire of wisdom.

(Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery (Berkeley Buddhist Monastery))

(Sydney Insight Meditators) Looking at the Wisdom factors of the Noble Eightfold Path, exploring Right View in terms of understanding kamma, and Right Intention in terms of renunciation or relinquishment

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Resilience

(Sydney Insight Meditators) Reflections in response to questions on the hindrance of doubt; sati and samadhi; approaches to understanding anatta or not-self

(Flagstaff Insight Meditation Community)