Archive of Talks

  • Getting Practical about Practice

    What is the difference between practicing music and practicing meditation?  According to Dharma Teacher Brian Lesage, they can be more similar than we might at first imagine.        We may become bored with repetition, but also repetition with the smallest variations can become sources of new insights and innovations. Using Lesage’s talk as a starting… Read more

  • Looking Within For Guidance

    This week, our Sangha considered a talk by Jack Kornfield on the Mahaparinibbana Sutta which is a collection of stories about the Buddha’s last year. A theme throughout the talk is looking within for guidance. Sam presented this talk for us all to explore. You can listen to the full talk here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/73180/ Jack reads… Read more

  • Energizing and Deepening our Spiritual Practice

    Even steady and committed spiritual practice can be energized from a slight shift of perspective, and the vipassana practice that most of us follow is no different. Michael guided our reflections this Sunday as we explored a practice adjacent to our own Early Buddhist style that can bring a new dimension to our meditative and… Read more

  • Resolving the Paradox of Self and No Self

    Perhaps the deepest puzzle of Buddhist practice is the apparent contradiction between the concept of no self—no inherent unchanging, independent “me,”  . . . . . . and at the same time our experience of our own agency, being responsible for our choices, and accumulating good or bad kamma as a result.   If there is no… Read more

  • Wisdom in setting our intentions

    Perhaps it helps us when setting intentions for the new year (or a new day or a new moment) to take a step back and reflect on where we are, where we have been, and where we are going on the path of wisdom and compassion that has been laid out for us by so… Read more

  • Sangha in these times

    Throughout his years of teaching, the Buddha emphasized the benefits that committed practitioners could receive from taking refuge in the Buddha (or Buddha nature), the Dharma (or the teachings) and the Sangha (or the spiritual community of like-minded individuals).   Of these three jewels, Sangha is said to be the most important.   So let’s explore:  How might engaging with Sangha not only serve… Read more