Archive of Talks

The older we become, the more past selves we leave behind. The process of “becoming” is endless; we are different people in different contexts but also at different times. What happens to those other beings? Do they cease to exist when we become someone new, or do they remain stacked deep underground in the caverns… Read more

Steve guided our reflections this Sunday. Here is what he has to say: The Buddha dharma is rich with lists. The Four Noble Truths. The Five Skandhas. The Five Remembrances. The Noble Eightfold Path.Long lists. Short lists. One list after another and lists within lists within lists. Last week Sam encouraged us to consider the… Read more

In a recent sangha conversation, one of the Buddha’s starkest reflections came up. After the three familiar reminders of the universality of sickness, old age and death, he adds: “Everything I love and hold dear, I will be separated from.”   Then the sequence closes with this final reflection: “I am the owner of my actions, heir to my… Read more

A core teaching,  briefly touched upon by Christina Feldman a few weeks ago, is how the self arises (and passes away) moment by moment and how understanding this leads to liberating insight.  With Sam’s guidance, this week we continued on this theme, with excerpts of dharma talks by Christina Feldman and Joseph Goldstein.  Links to the talks are… Read more

What does it mean to say that renunciation lies at the core of Buddhist practice in the quality of our relationship to living experience? How are peace, happiness and fulfillment to be found through renunciation, letting go, or non-grasping? This Sunday, Jane presented a talk given by Orin Jay Sofer at a month-long retreat held… Read more

Distraction – a fresh approach – was our topic this past Sunday as we met for our monthly in-person gathering. Michel guided our reflections, drawing upon on the Non-Dual tradition exemplified by John Astin’s teachings and guided meditations for a fresh and revealing perspective to the question of the meaning and value of distraction in meditation and ordinary living. Read more