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 Ulla Koenig – Week of July 19, 2021
This week’s theme is: Identifying the Many Masks of the Inner Critic
Often we think of the inner critic as the constant nagging inner discourse which dismisses our good qualities, questions our lovability, and our potential for goodness. Being a master/mistress of disguise, the inner critic takes on many forms; it wraps our decision making process in veils of doubt, pushes us into compulsive activity, traps us in paralysis, and distorts our views on others.
Luckily, the Dharma path offers us tools to meet this painful heart-mind dynamic. This week we will practice summoning qualities like wisdom, kindness, equanimity, concentration, appreciation, compassion and inquiry, in order to meet our inner critic in a skilful way.
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How to Find Equanimity Amidst Upheaval
Recorded :
May 3, 2020 We are deeply habituated to seek equanimity as if it’s a state to be found. In times of crisis, stakes are high. We try harder. The more desperate we feel, the more effort we put in. In this striving, we forget to ask: “Who is it that’s striving?” This question isn’t about finding the right…
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Daily Meditation Recordings, with Yahel Avigur – Week of 12 May, 2025
In this week of practice, we will follow the Buddha’s advice to tune into the oneness of our existence and the five elements: earth, air, water, fire, and space. Practising in this way can nourish a sense of groundedness, freedom, and belonging-while opening pathways to collectedness, joy, and insight.
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Adapting meditation practice to activities in daily life.
Recorded :
September 18, 2016 Worldwide Insight talk from Christelle Bonneau: “Adapting Meditation Practice to Activities in Daily Life”. Guided meditation, Dharma talk and Q&A.
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Presence as an Act of Compassion and Love
Recorded :
April 21, 2024 Mindful presence is the necessary ground of compassion and care. With presence, we courageously enter an intimacy that connects us with ourselves, each other and the world, body, heart and spirit. The beautiful truth is that presence and love can grow and blossom through the practices of meditation and mindful loving awareness. Let’s join together…
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Daily Meditation Recordings, with Martin Aylward / Kaira Jewel Lingo – Week of April 20
We’re fortunate that Martin Aywlard and Kaira Jewel Lingo have generously offered to lead our daily meditation sessions for Europe and the UK this week. Links mentioned during these sessions can be found at the bottom of this page. To find out more about Martin, and to view his other contributions to Sangha Live, click…
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Fluidity and spontaneity.
Recorded :
November 22, 2015 Worldwide Insight talk from Christelle Bonneau: “Fluidity and Spontaneity”. Guided meditation, Dharma talk and Q&A.
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The Dharma on the front lines: how to work with conflict.
Recorded :
February 26, 2017 Peace sometimes feels impossible to find. It is there for a while then something happens and conflict or friction returns. It may be conflict with ourselves, in relationships to people close to us, at our work place, or between social groups. Often we can feel despaired that despite much dharma practice and meditation, conflict keeps…
