Archive of Talks

While it’s nice to take time each day or perhaps each week to give our minds space to rest in silence, the reality is that for most of us, much of our days are spent immersed in the digital world. Clicking on notifications, scrolling for updates, reading articles, and chatting with friends or coworkers online… Read more

Zen is sometimes called a non-dual practice of Buddhism. What does it mean to practice non-dualistically? Not an easy question to answer. Eric presented his understanding by first discussing our perfectly normal, reasonable and rational dualistic way of relating to the world and then explored how different Buddhist traditions approach the shift from dualistic to… Read more

Among the teachings that the Buddha considered most important to learn, to internalize, and to detect in all situations is Annica – Change as a characteristic of all experience.  Usually this is articulated somewhat negatively – whatever we have and love will be taken from us. But that is only one dimension of Annica. Life flourishes… Read more

Papanca is the Pali word for the way that thoughts seem to arise on their own, often uncontrollably, and free associate more or less endlessly.  How shall we meet this tendency, this force? To really get hold of this elusive topic, Sam recommends a bit of reading, a brief and telling article titled “What is Papanca”… Read more

When a situation calls us to action, we often feel uncertain about what to do. Even after acting, we may wonder if we did the right thing or did enough, leading to endless self-questioning. In fact, the test of appropriate action is much simpler:   – Am I being sincere in what I do?  –… Read more

Vedana – the ever shifting feeling tone by which we relate to the texture and meaning of our lives, is what we explored this Sunday.  Guided by Darryl, with a recording by Akincino mapping out the philosophical landscape, we investigated how our own experience gives a lived sense of what we’re engaging, how it shapes us, and how we… Read more