Archive of Talks

The idea of staying mindfully present seems so elegant and simple.  Why is it so difficult to do?  Borrowing metaphors from a recent talk by Mark Nunberg, instead of maintaining attention on what is being known in the moment, we get “lost in the whirlpools of the mind,” and our minds create narratives for experience,  “reacting… Read more

The very American political affirmation of the values of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness takes on new meanings when framed in a Buddhist context.  Steve guided our reflections on seeing this familiar phrase through a new lens, drawing on a talk by Thich Nhat Hanh.  You can listen to the talk here: Read more

We usually associate change with lots of moving around, but deep change comes through stillness. It’s associated with pleasure – not sense pleasure but heart pleasure. It’s a shift to learn to pause and lift from the engagement. Citta (heart/mind) qualities come through in this stillness and we can meet what arises with openness and… Read more

Perhaps all of us have encountered people in our lives that seem to radiate acceptance, peace and good will. We may seek out their presence, teachings, or look to reminders of them, during times of strife.  But what if we ourselves could each become an oasis during hard times—not by denying suffering, but by looking right… Read more

What is the nature of awareness? Does it differ from consciousness and mindfulness? Who or what is doing the knowing of what appears? This week, Ron guided our reflections, drawing on a talk by Guy Armstrong addressing these critical questions. The key topic was the nature of Consciousness, as defined by the Buddha in the… Read more

Cultivating mindfulness, we learn how to pay attention to what might once have seemed ordinary or unimportant. Can it be that looking deeply into the body, and learning how it shapes and holds our experience — memory, habit, belief —  might help us to avoid delusion and find the freedom we seek?  Eric, drawing on a talk… Read more