Archive of Talks

The Buddha’s instructions on Satipatthana meditation begin with a deep look into our own bodies.  This can be a problematic beginning for many, especially in our culture with its emphasis on appearance, ethnicity, and race – not to mention the ways that “the body keeps the score” of traumas endured.  Drawing on a talk by Chas DiCapua this… Read more

“Taking refuge” in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha is sometimes thought of as “becoming a Buddhist,” a once and for all public affirmation of one’s commitment.  For others it is a quiet inner dedication, whispered almost silently each morning while bowing at one’s cushion, before beginning the day’s practice.  Steve, also drawing on a talk by Tara… Read more

Last week, the description of the Buddha’s middle way — between asceticism and sensual indulgence — came up. This Sunday, with Sam’s guidance, we delved further into the Buddhist middle way as a path between ignorance and knowledge, and between existence and non-existence of the “self”.  Sam played excerpts from the following four talks. Sharon Salzberg, 6-19-87 https://dharmaseed.org/talks/player/43178.html Ayya… Read more

Living in light of the Dharma is often pictured as a journey, from here to there, with disruptions, detours, and difficulties along the way to be avoided as much as possible.  But interruptions to the journey and pauses in our progress can of themselves be of real value.  Michael guided our reflections as we explore what interruptions… Read more

The Eight worldly winds of pleasure/pain, gain/loss, fame/disrepute, and joy/sorrow seem to present us with the never ending problem of attachment to some of them and aversion to the others.  Can we see this problem as beautiful? Drawing on a talk by Michele McDonald, Eric guided our reflections this week. One of the beautiful aspects… Read more

There is a melody, often with a repeating lyric that we encounter in the first level of mindfulness.  But there’s a second melody available too — much richer, easy to overlook, but always present. Drawing on a talk by Brian LeSage, Don guided our reflections this week, focusing on this second melody, which we feel and touch… Read more