Joy is both a Factor of Enlightenment and one of the four Divine Abodes. Today, as we are bombarded with news that heightens our fear and sadness about the world, more than ever it’s vital to understand the importance of joy as a central aspect of spiritual practice. We need to remember how to stay connected to that place inside that makes life worth living. In this session we explore principles and practices from the teachings to incline the mind towards true well-being.
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Sitting with Pointlessness – Living with Potentiality
Recorded :
October 16, 2022 During a recent retreat, the teachers’ instruction was to hold the question ‘What is this?’ in mind. While sitting on the cushion, the thought struck me that my life is futile! I am genetically programmed for survival and sex; everything else is just distracting window-dressing. This talk will explore the journey from the apparent ‘futility’…
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Let’s Talk about Meditation
Recorded :
November 22, 2019 This class is an opportunity to explore our meditation practice, on and off the cushions. Meditation can be everything we do. It’s up to us whether we have a life of meditation or a life of daydreaming. Meditation will lead to freedom of your mind and daydreaming will lead to the enslavement of the mind….
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The Importance of the Uplifting Experience
Recorded :
September 24, 2023 The Buddha taught about life’s suffering—known as ‘dukkha’—and how our personal, social and global issues can weigh us down. Yet dukkha does not have the inherent power to stop ‘sukkha,’ or happiness, from breaking through. In this session, we will explore ‘upliftment’, and the joys that keep our spirit alive. Upliftment of the human spirit…
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Daily Meditation Recordings, with Miles Kessler – Week of July 29, 2024
This week’s topic is “Cutting Through To Ultimate Reality”. The word “Dhamma” means ultimate reality, the absolute, or universal principles. This refers to the 3 universal characteristics of conditioned phenomena, and to Nibbana, the unconditioned. In this week of practice we will explore how insight into the Dhamma arises in meditation, and get practical instructions to cultivate the conditions for “Cutting Through To Ultimate Reality”.
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When Life Throws Curve Balls: Exploring Groundlessness and Freedom
Recorded :
February 13, 2022 Right now, holding certainty about many aspects of life is impossible. Together we explore how our practice can support us when not knowing feels groundless and how we can find freedom even when the rug is pulled out from under our feet.
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Our Struggles Are the Path
Recorded :
December 15, 2024 This session will explore how our struggles can become stepping stones on our path to growth. By learning to meet difficulties with openness and compassion, we can transform obstacles into opportunities. The session will draw upon Buddhist teachings and include guided meditation, a dharma talk, and some time for Q&A. Participants are encouraged to bring…
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Return to Oneness – Resting in Luminous Being
Recorded :
February 9, 2025 Who is it that suffers? And why is asking that question valuable in our spiritual practice? In this Sunday session, we’ll explore these questions, and more. Following a guided meditation and teaching from Caverly’s book, The Heart of Who We Are, there will be plenty of time for discussion. All welcome.
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Grief, sorrow and the intertwining of ethics with meditation practice.
Recorded :
April 19, 2015 Worldwide Insight talk from Michael Stone: “Grief, Sorrow and the Intertwining of Ethics with Meditation Practice”. Guided meditation, Dharma talk and Q&A.
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