Archive of Talks

An under-appreciated but deeply valuable theme in the dharma of early buddhism is cultivating the ability to see the world, others, and oneself as beautiful.  Practices that cultivate opening to the experience of beauty were the theme of our explorations on Sunday, and we explored them in several ways, ranging from reading, listening to recorded… Read more

This past Sunday, Evelien drew from a talk by Sally Clough Armstrong on Intention. Sally Clough Armstrong led an IMS talk about Equanimity, Intention and Karma. “We are the heirs of our actions” is a liberating realization that our choices along the way have led us to be right where we are. With wisdom and… Read more

This past Sunday, Stephen guided our reflections, exploring how effective practice can lead to a mind prepared to achieve insights into the nature of the self.  Using a short talk by Culadasa, we discussed the specific process by which lasting transformations can be achieved. Read more

Joy is a central part of the Buddhist Path, and cultivating it is a key element in our practice.  Denise guided our reflections this past Sunday, focusing on this “song of the awakened heart,” and drawing on a dharma talk by Christina Feldman. The talk is available here: https://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/44/talk/10583/ Read more

This Sunday Patrick guided our reflections, on the topic of Karma and Reincarnation, drawing on a talk by Joseph Goldstein about the role that karma plays in our everyday lives and the consequences of our volitional acts, including some consideration of reincarnation.  We explored the different beliefs people have about reincarnation, the role it might have in our… Read more

To what extent do we create our own reality with our perceptions and ruminations?  This week Margaret guided our reflections, using excerpts from talks by Christina Feldman to explore the ways in which mindfulness of moods can help us discern when our experience is clouded and when it is sharpened by our mental processes and our… Read more