Archive of Talks

Donia led our reflections on Renunciation, drawing on her years of experience in a Gurdjieff community.  The emphasis was on using renunciations strategically, to break up habitual attachments, and thus bit by bit erode habitual ways of viewing the self. Read more

Today Payton led our reflections on Morality, the second of the ten perfections. In Pali, this is Sila, which is a word with many meanings and shows up in many of the Buddhist lists (Paramis, Paramitas, Eightfold Path, etc.). Payton chose three viewpoints on Sila. The first was a talk by Sylvia Boorstein. (http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/174/talk/6541/) Sylvia discussed how Morality… Read more

Today Maryann led our reflections on Generosity, the first of the ten perfections, and the initial teaching in many paths to establish a Buddhist practice.  The first thirty minutes of an exchange with James Baraz, discussing a project which cultivated a generous outpouring can be found here: http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/86/talk/18132/ As sangha members listened to and discussed… Read more

Our sangha’s all day Spring retreat was held today, with ten members able to attend.  In addition to the benefits of simply practicing together for a more extended period – sitting, walking, eating meditation – we also had the opportunity to focus on the least examined of the classical three poisons that erode the quality… Read more

The Buddha’s first sermon presented his most shocking and difficult to accept teaching right off the bat.  Michael was an energetic talk by Steve Armstrong this teaching, offered during a recent retreat he attended at IMS. http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/170/talk/18959/   Read more

Nancy led the sangha in an exploration of walking meditation today.  Walking meditation has, from the time of the Buddha been not only a way to vary the routine from sitting meditation, but also a profound and revealing practice in its own right.  Using insights from Aya Khema and others, as well as the brisk… Read more