Most of us know the Buddha as a revered spiritual sage. Less is known about the person, Siddhartha Gautama, who was also a social revolutionary. In this talk, we will explore how Gautama upended the caste system in India and examine his problematic relationship to women. We’ll see how understanding the Buddha as a human being can help us illuminate and transform ourselves and current systems of racism, misogyny and oppression.
Discover more from the Dharma Library
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This Dharma I Have Reached
Recorded :
March 4, 2018 Without a doubt, Buddhism is recognized as one of the world’s great religions. For almost three millennia these ancient teachings have spread rapidly around the globe influencing humanity in a variety of ways. Needless to say, the historic Buddha, (Siddharta Gotama) did not teach Buddhism, he taught the Dharma as a means to overcome suffering…
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Illness, death, urgency and love.
Recorded :
February 5, 2017 Yes, the Buddha repeatedly recommended that each of us contemplate our own aging, illness and death. But what gap do you feel between an abstract contemplation and the actuality of this fragile and limited life? With death rolling in like a mountain, quickly and from all sides, do you feel any samvega, or sense of…
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Beyond Mindfulness: The Fullness of Insight Meditation
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June 13, 2021 Mindfulness is the engine of meditation practice, and it tends to get all the press. But is mindfulness sufficient to transform our hearts, minds and lives? In this session, we’ll explore some of the other qualities and cultivations that are essential to deep on the spiritual path.
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Including All Parts of Ourself in Practice
Recorded :
December 3, 2023 Are all parts of you welcome in your spiritual practice? What happens when desire, aggression, anxiety or obsession burst through your heart’s door? It is possible to cultivate an awareness that includes all, without fear or rejection. In today’s session, explore simple and potent practices for ending the internal war and welcoming ALL of you…
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Clearly visible but hard to see.
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May 10, 2015 Worldwide Insight talk from Stephen Batchelor: “Clearly Visible but Hard to See”. Guided meditation, Dharma talk and Q&A.
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The Path of the Bodhisattva: Choosing a Life of Kindness
Recorded :
November 12, 2023 The path of the Bodhisattva asks us to dedicate ourselves to the well-being of all sentient beings – to show up as best as we can for ourselves, each other, and the natural world with a quality of no-matter-whatness. It’s an impossible though necessary task. Yet the teachings and practices of everyday dharma offer accessible,…
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Daily Meditation Recordings, with Martin Aylward – Week of Feb 14, 2022
Daily meditations with Martin Aylward.
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Daily Meditation Recordings, with Yahel Avigur – Week of 14 July, 2025
We’re delighted to have Yahel Avigur guiding our Daily Meditation sessions this week. May these sessions enrich and support your practice.
This week’s theme is: Metta — Healing All Aspects
This week, we’ll open to the healing power of metta – loving-kindness, or goodwill – as a transformative force in our lives. We’ll practice offering this gentle warmth first to those we naturally care about, and to ourselves. Gradually, we’ll widen the circle, allowing metta to infuse our relationships with neutral people, those we find difficult, and ultimately all beings. As kindness suffuses more corners of our hearts and lives, we may begin to discover a growing sense of spaciousness and connection – and with it, insight, balance, and inner freedom.
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