Archive of Talks

Though magick and mysticism have a place in most world religions, their significance is often not appreciated. Yet the prevalence of such practices in spiritual life —even in the Buddhist canon—raises the question of their appropriate place in our models of practice and awakening. This Sunday, Tucker traced the magickal elements (commonly referred to as… Read more

What is the experience of gravity on your mind? It’s very common in our culture to separate the mind from the body as though they were separate entities, living their own lives, just coincidentally in the same place some of the time. While there are certain lenses through which this concept seems true, we often… Read more

Many Buddhist teachers remind us in multiple ways that we are not what we seem to be, the separate embodied selves from which our ego identities rise. Instead, we are encouraged to discover that we are the wind, the rain, the ocean, the mountain and the stars.  What does that mean, and how can we… Read more

At first, it can come as a surprise that Not Knowing can be so crucial to Dharma practice.  In most of our engagements in the world – school, work, friendship, counseling, and so forth – the last thing we want to say — to admit — is that we don’t know.  Yet in Buddhism, that very response… Read more

There is now, and always has been, much to grieve about life.  Whether we grieve the loss of a loved one, our own health, a pet, a species, a sense of social and political stability or any other past constant in our life, pausing for self care is essential. Buddhism as well has tools to… Read more

When we’re all sitting together, it may look like we’re all doing the same thing. But of course there are many different styles of levels of practice going on. This Sunday Michael guided us as we explored several models typical among our sangha, with a look at ways in which these methods have traditionally been… Read more