Archive of Talks

On this Easter Weekend, Drawing on a talk by Matthew Brensilver, Sam guided our reflections on the themes of death, renewal and rebirth from the Buddhist point of view. Points of divergence, similarity, and resonance between the Christian and Dharmic perspectives can enhance our sense of the meaning of this season for all. Sam played excerpts from these talks: Death and… Read more

There is comfort in the dharma’s ability to remain relevant and impactful over thousands of years. Yet while these seemingly timeless universal truths can anchor our navigation of the life experience, at times it can be important, if not essential, to pause and consider how the teachings pertain to the uniqueness of life on earth at… Read more

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