Archive of Talks

Continuing a particular thread of our exploration from last week, Sam guided our reflections this Sunday on Intimacy and Vulnerability, drawing on the teachings of Ajahn Sucitto, Christina Feldman, and Pamela Weiss. As we open to experience our lives more fully, we become both more intimate and more vulnerable, and can use a path of wisdom that… Read more

Although Investigation is known as the Second Factor of Awakening (after Mindfulness), it is often overlooked in practice as our meditative lives unfold.  Drawing on Early Buddhism, Zen, Advaita, and related traditions, Michael guided our reflections and experiments in Meditative Inquiry this Sunday,  as we explored ways to investigate our sense of what counts most… Read more

At a time of the year when many take stock and reassess, it helps to have some reliable principles to base our thinking on. An end-of-retreat talk by Akincino offers a thought-provoking context for looking at one’s life afresh. Don guided our reflections this Sunday, drawing on Akincino and our own insights to see what values are… Read more

Bobby guided our reflections this week, exploring how compassion and wisdom need one another for balance in an awakened life. Aided by excerpts from a talk by Jill Shepherd which investigates not only compassion, but all four Brahma Viharas, we can locate the sought-for balance as an expression of the middle way. You can listen… Read more

This Sunday, Jeffrey J presented a talk by Thanissaro Bhikkhu on “The Present Moment is not the goal”.  Karma shapes the present moment, provides the raw material for choices of how to be in the present moment, what to do. What you do in Present Moment influences your experience of it, and future action, says Thanissaro… Read more

We seem to have become a species lost in thought and fueled by unskillful exterior influence.  We may have little control over the events of our lives… but we do have some capacity to be at peace – depending on our relationship with what we experience.   This Sunday we explored “Freedom of Awareness” with Mark… Read more