The teachings of the Buddha (Dharma) and the practices of Insight Meditation (Vipassana) and loving-kindness meditation (metta) are at the heart of all the programs we offer at Spirit Rock. Practicing Insight Meditation develops mindfulness, the capacity to pay attention to each moment of life and to see clearly the truth of our experience. Studying the Dharma provides insights into the conditions that define and limit our experience of life. And cultivating an attitude of loving-kindness allows us to stay present to what's true and what's difficult in our lives with compassion for ourselves and others. Ultimately, our relationship to life is transformed as we learn to live more wisely and kindly.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We begin by reviewing briefly last week's session, including how contemporary practice can expand the traditional focus on ignorance to include contemporary psychological and social perspectives on further dimensions of ignorance, including our initially unconscious social conditioning. We look again briefly at how the Buddha related both to caste and to women's roles in the sangha, and the basic of social conditioning, including how this is related to "in-groups," "out-groups," and "implicit bias." Most of the talk is devoted to suggesting the basic ways that we can explore and transform social conditioning. We focus on the main supports for such practice, including working with groups and guidelines, knowing the history of a particular form of conditoning (we give the examples of gender and race), using different forms of inquiry, mindfulness in meditation and daily life (including being mindful of the judgmental mind, anger, sadness, shame, etc.), the heart practices (including the importance of self-love, compassion, forgiveness, and joy), and other practices, such as involving ritual. The talk is followed by discussion.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We begin by focusing on a fundamental perspective for our practice: How our practice moves from underlying ignorance to wisdom. We look at both the traditional understanding of such ignorance and how contemporary psychological and social perspectives help us to identify further dimensions of ignorance, including our initially unconscious social conditioning. We start by considering how the Buddha related both to caste and to women's roles in the sangha. We then look at the nature of social conditioning, including how this is related to "in-groups" and "out-groups," along with "implicit bias," and ways that our practice can help us see more clearly and ultimately transform our social conditioning.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) This talk explores how slowing down, coming into the body, and paying attention to the living world around us can help heal the sense of separation so many of us carry. Drawing from Buddhist practice, we'll reflect on how presence, embodiment, and relationship with the Earth can open the heart and deepen our capacity for love. At its core, this is an invitation to fall back in love with the Earth — not as an idea, but as a living relationship that can sustain and transform us.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Begins with a 30m meditation and is immediately followed by a Dharma talk. (Group discussion has been omitted.)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Open Awareness in Nature Meditation
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Includes meditation, select aspects of discussion and a dharma talk.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) After some personal stories from Donald about his father, who was a veteran, and about Donald's experiences growing up at the time of the Vietnam war and being introduced to nonviolence, we explore the three main dimensions of our practice (training in ethics, meditation, and wisdom) related to the holiday. We focus on the ethical teachings about killing and nonviolence, including the complexities of these teachings; the importance of bringing mindfulness to grief, loss, and sadness, and of grounding in kindness, compassion, and love; and the wisdom and insight teachings about seeing the roots of violence. The talk is followed by discussion.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) This talk explores why one would practice meditation in Nature, even when conditions are difficult. Mark explores how the Four Foundations of Mindfulness are beautifully explored in Nature.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Right View is seeing in a way that aligns with reality. It is not a static belief or fixed opinion, but an ongoing, dynamic, experiential alignment with what is true. Right View brings the mind and heart into harmony, like a wheel properly set on its axle. With Right View comes clarity. We begin to see the distortions caused by clinging, greed, hatred, and delusion, and that seeing empowers us to act in ways that reduce suffering. One of the most important teachings on wise view, the Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta (MN 9), offers a simple organizing principle—a kind of Dhamma algorithm—that, when practiced, can lead to greater well-being, deeper wisdom, and ultimately freedom from grief, sorrow, lamentation, dukkha, and distress. The slides referenced in the talk can be found at https://links.gullusingh.com/e005e6
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Guided meditation on space and the SOS (Sound of Silence)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Reflection on the four brahma viharas followed by a guided meditation.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Guided Meditation on the five elements & SOS (sound of silence).
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Begins with a 30m meditation and is immediately followed by a Dharma talk. (Group discussion has been omitted.)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) A guided meditation of attending to the Sound of Silence within the framework of the Seven Awakening Factors. (This meditation practice begins with a period of guided standing meditation.)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Includes meditation, a dharma talk and a select group of questions & answers.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) A journey through the possibilities of practice.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Reflection followed by a Guided Meditation
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Begins with a 30m meditation and is immediately followed by a Dharma talk. (Group discussion has been omitted.)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We begin with a review of the nature of samadhi and of samatha practice, in which we develop greater samadhi. Samadhi is understood as a natural quality (including with other species) that we may know through times in which we are deeply immersed and absorbed in an activity, such as being with another, art, music, or sports. Samatha is one of the two main forms of meditation taught by the Buddha, along with insight practice. We also give an overview of how samatha practice deepens, going into some depth on the model of the five jhanic factors, and pointing to the experiences of the first two jhanas (as taught by the Buddha). The talk is followed by discussion.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We review at the beginning the basic instructions for cultivating concentration (samadhi), including attention to posture, a variety of possible areas of focus (with most attention given to the breath, including the technique of practicing with the "three-part breath"), and balancing "not too tight" and "not too loose." We also review the main challenges that can arise in such practice, and how to work with these challenges. Then we practice mostly in silence, with a discussion period at the end of the sitting.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) In this overview about developing concentration (samadhi) in our practice, we examine (1) the nature of concentration (or samadhi), including the etymology of the term and how we often find a natural concentration in daily life; (2) its importance in our practice; (3) some ways to practice to develop concentration, and (4) five challenges of such practice and how to work with them. The talk is followed by discussion.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Full instructions are given at the beginning for cultivating concentration (samadhi), including attention to posture, a variety of possible areas of focus (with most attention given to the breath, including on the "three-part breath"), and balancing "not too tight" and "not too loose." Then we practice mostly in silence, with a brief discussion period at the end of the sitting.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Begins with a 30m meditation and is immediately followed by a Dharma talk. (Group discussion has been omitted.)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Dharma talk about how to nourish joy as a source of strength. (NOTE: Group discussion has been omitted.)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Begins with a 30m meditation and is immediately followed by a Dharma talk. (Group discussion has been omitted.)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Dharma Talk about the Majjhima Nikaya #20. (Group discussion has been omitted.)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) What do we rely on in a world like this? When everything feels marred by conflict and division, violence and chaos, the mind easily fixates on fear, confusion, loss of faith. But if we keep fixating, our lives begin to organize around those energies. Taking refuge is a way of interrupting that pattern. Refuge not as a belief statement, but more like a commitment or a resolve to keep moving to align with a particular orientation to life. That we choose, again and again. And this view shifts dependency from external conditions to awakening, to the truth, to the field of practice.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Begins with a 30m meditation and is immediately followed by a Dharma talk. (Group discussion has been omitted.)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) T expounds on a broad range of what muditā may include, then guides a practice
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Flowing through the movements of the retreat so far and continuing through the offering of last night's dharma talk, we open awareness to be with reality; to know reality.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
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