Archive of Talks

Margaret framed our reflections as we listened to the 4th talk of Pema Chodron’s “Getting Unstuck” retreat.  Here Pema continues her exploration of how one encounters, understands, and eventually moves beyond the force of ‘shenpa’ which underlies the suffering in our lives. You can listen to this talk by clicking here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ug0q0xdbpx4aq52/Pema%204%20Enjoying%20the%20Process.mp3?dl=0     Read more

Lorilee guided our reflections this Sunday, as we listened to the third of Pema Chodron’s talks in her Getting Unstuck series, titled “Meditation: the Path to Enlightenment.”  You can access that talk by clicking here https://www.dropbox.com/s/4h0b9rortg2zh52/Pema%203%20Meditation_%20Path%20to%20Enlightenment.mp3?dl=0 Discussion centered primarily about the ways in which the experience of shenpa precedes even suffering.  It is the primary contraction… Read more

This Sunday Payton guided our reflections on the second of Pema Chodron’s talks in the series titled “Getting Unstuck.”  Her dharma talk, titled “Exploring the Itch,” explores the key concept of Shenpa – a pre-conceptual impulse that lies beneath dukkha itself and gives rise to both suffering and unskillful strategies we resort to in order to… Read more

Jessica framed our reflections this morning, playing the first of Pema’s talks in this “Getting Unstuck” series, titled “Learning to Stay.”  Our discussion largely centered around our own practices and the three ways in which we typically refuse to stay with what comes up in our meditation. If you’d like to hear the talk, just… Read more

Payton hosted us in a offering of the Chinese Tea Ceremony this Sunday.  Different in nature from the Japanese Tea Ceremony, this one is designed to serve – and awaken – a number of people at the same time, as we join in observing the preparation and then all partake of the tea at the… Read more

Nancy guided our reflections today with the third session on Equanimity, which brings to a close our series on the Seven Factors of Awakening.  She drew on instructions by Ajahn Thanissaro http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/shorttalks/y2014/140601(short)_Patience_&_Equanimity.mp3 http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/seven_factors/07%20Equanimity%20(110927).mp3 and an extended dharma talk and guided meditation by Ayya Khema http://ayyakhematalks.org/Media/Green_Gulch_1996/GG_96_talk_08.mp3   Read more