Archive of Talks

What most importantly contributes to the story of ourselves which we are constantly telling ourselves, the story of who we are and our relation to the world around us? How is it made? Does it seem to shelter us, or open up wide open spaces? Drawing upon a talk by Ajahn Sucitto, Don S. framed… Read more

It’s a good bet that most of us seek after the experience of joy in our lives. The good news is, joy is inevitable! Narayan Liebenson addresses us from the Buddhist Forest Refuge to coach us to recognize, savor and cultivate joy in its various forms. Lorilee facilitated this Sunday’s topic by sharing Narayan’s talk, visual… Read more

Most people probably consider ourselves open-minded, but all of us have hidden biases when it comes to viewing ourselves in relation to others or when viewing others in relation to ourselves. These sorts of mental formations appear only with the right trigger, and sometimes their effects are subtle enough that we are not even aware… Read more

What makes it possible to respond rather than react in the face of a powerful emotion like Anger?  It’s not easy, and doesn’t come just by wishing for the better response.  Eric guided our investigation of reactivity and response, drawing on his own personal experience and practice as well as a dharma talk by Brian LeSage, with… Read more

Thich Nhat Hanh’s iconic teaching about how we must water the “good” seeds in ourselves and others is exemplified all around us in nature. This is especially true during the height of summer, when gardens are bursting forth, the result of careful planting and tending. This week Ginny explored the work of tending to our own… Read more

This Sunday, we continued our exploration of emptiness. Emptiness enables the wise heart to respond with fearlessness: without always protecting our own position, we can become deep listeners. Our being can be expansive and inclusive. Jeff shared a talk by Kittisaro “There Are No Footprints In The Sky” from a retreat at Spirit Rock in 2021.… Read more