Archive of Talks

Sometimes we are tempted to extend our usual practice times, yes?  Extending our morning sit by doubling our usual time. Or from weekend retreat, to a weeklong. Having tasted a ten-day, contemplating a month. And there looms the possibility of the three-month with which IMS so often brings the year to a close. Contemplating such possibilities, we… Read more

The eightfold path is divided into three interconnected sections: Wisdom, Meditation, and Ethics. The third section brings to mind the idea of a set of rules to follow, but another way to think about it might be “having a Compassionate Response”. What would it be like to examine our experience in the light of compassion,… Read more

The bedrock solidity of our vipassana practice can be enhanced by the intimacy and vastness of the mahayana, ‘the great vehicle’ which moves beyond measurement.  In the direct experience of our everyday lives just as they are, heart and mind can open gently or in a flash. Michael guided some explorations of this shift in our… Read more

The Buddha taught that whatever we frequently ponder will become the inclinations of our minds. What habits or inclinations shape our minds and hearts?  What might you find yourself repeating unthinkingly? Habits can feel very strong and feel very connected to who we feel ourselves to be, the network of “I, me, and mine.” Even after we see… Read more

Faith in Buddhism can be a touchy topic.  Is that a bad thing? Or a spur to investigation.  People come to this tradition with a wide range of notions about what faith is and how it relates to their practice. How does that unfold?      Max’s talk explored notions of faith we might bring as… Read more

This Sunday, Steve turned our focus to Wise Effort, the sixth “fold” of the Noble Eightfold Path. When the Buddha spoke of wise effort, he wasn’t asking us to strain, to push, or to grind our way toward awakening. He was pointing to something much more subtle: the quality of energy we bring to each moment. Wise effort is the… Read more