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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Daily Meditation Recordings, with Jaya Rudgard – Week of Nov 22, 2021
This week’s theme is Similes and Images from the Ancient Texts .Each morning this week we’ll dive into one of the images from the natural world and daily life that the Buddha used to explain his teachings. Let’s see how how these similes and metaphors from the Buddhist texts can support our understanding and enrich our practice. We may also discover how practising with them can enhance our appreciation of the world around us.
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Daily Meditation Recordings, with Ayala Gill – Week of June 26, 2023
This week’s topic is “Living in Sacredness”. Meditation is more than a practice of being present. The way in which we are present determines whether we reinforce habits of separation, or re-weave the fabric of sacredness. During this week we will explore the sacredness of body, breath, consciousness, emotions and beliefs. Returned to the embrace of sacredness, we plant seeds of Love in a world of separation.
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The Wisdom of the Body
Recorded :
March 8, 2020 If you seek to deepen in your meditation practice, there is no better friend than the body. Like a venerable teacher, the body has the power to draw you into the present moment, show you how to find stillness and even—if you listen closely—wake you up.
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Daily Meditation Recordings, with Nirmala Werner – Week of March 20 – 24, 2023
This week’s topic is “The Art of Embodied Listening”. This week is an invitation to explore the skill of true, deep and embodied listening. Living in a culture where people are mainly self-focused, wanting to express themselves, we can look into our capacity to listen. Rather than talking to ourselves we can learn listening with our whole body to others, ourselves and to silence in which all phenomena arises. Creating space to express, really tuning into “what’s going on here?“ enables our stress, worries, fear and insecurities to be unveiled and liberated and is a powerful tool for cultivating insights.
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Staying Open Through Change, Loss and Disruption
Recorded :
October 31, 2021 When we are faced with suffering and uncertainty or life becomes overwhelming we can tense up, resist or try to control. But when we open and let go in the midst of change and release expectations we get in touch with enormous possibility and a powerful freedom.
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Daily Meditation Recordings, with Martin Aylward – Week of Jan 10, 2022
Daily meditations with Martin Aylward.
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Faith, Hope and Love on the Dharma Path
Recorded :
April 4, 2021 “Join me and the sangha for meditation, reflections and conversation to resource, encourage and uplift the heart as we engage with the challenges of our lives. Everyone is welcome.” – Jaya
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Daily Meditation Recordings, with Nathan Glyde – Week of April 4, 2022
This week’s topic is A Sense of Essence. In his teachings the Buddha utilised the liberating yet frequently misunderstood concept of karma. Karma refers to how an action is carried out rather than the outcome of that action. This helps shift us away from a fixed self-view, on which we frequently pass judgment, and toward a freeing examination of activities. Asking us to inquire, “What, when I do it, will lead to my long-term well-being and happiness?”
