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) Includes meditation, dharama talk & select aspects of group discussion
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) For the Buddha, practice was understood as involving three trainings, in wisdom, meditation, and ethics (sila). Ethics, typically under-emphasized in later Buddhism, including Western Buddhism, with sometimes clear negative consequences, had as its horizon helping others. The Buddha said: “Wander forth . . . for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world.” The later emphasis on the bodhisattva develops this emphasis further. In this talk, we suggest a contemporary “Eightfold Path” for understanding and responding to the current difficult times in the society and world. It's outlined in terms of three wisdom guidelines, two meditation guidelines, and three ethics guidelines. The talk is followed by discussion.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We begin with brief instructions for developing samadhi (“placing together” or “concentration”), followed by basic mindfulness instructions and then guidance for working with the feeling-tone of pleasant or unpleasant, when it appears in the moderate range. We are mindful of pleasant or unpleasant and look for grasping or pushing away in some form, guided by core wisdom teachings.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Begins with a 30m meditation and is followed by a Dharma talk. Group discussion has been omitted.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) After a brief review of the first two talks in this series, we explore the nature of ethical practice, one of the three core inter-related areas of training for the Buddha, along with training in meditation and in wisdom. We see how ethical practice has often been understood historically as having a social dimension, both in the teachings of the Buddha and later, as in the edicts of King Ashoka. We also explore some of the ways that ethical practice has been marginalized in Western Buddhist practice, with significant consequences. Then we look at the commonality of ethical guidelines in cross-religious context, with Donald telling some personal stories. Finally, we outline several ways to carry out ethical practice and then open up to discussion.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Begins with a 30m meditation and is followed by a Dharma talk. (Group discussion has been removed.)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We continue our series of meditations and talks exploring the foundations of contemporary Buddhist practice. We begin by reviewing last week's talk on the basic model of Buddhist meditation, identifying three aspects of practice. These three are (1) developing samadhi or concentration; (2) cultivating three modes of liberating insight--into impermanence, dukkha or reactivity, and not-self; and (3) opening to awakened awareness. Then we focus on a crucial, central, and not always developed dimension of contemporary practice, especially for the vast majority of Western Buddhist practitioners who do not live in monastic contexts--bringing practice to everyday life. We identify nine ways of deepening daily life practice (see the attached document, #314). The talk is followed by discussion.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
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(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
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(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Begins with a 30m meditation and is followed by a Dharma talk. Group discussion has been omitted.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Guided practice "May Loving Kindness Arise"
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) In this talk, Emily explores the Buddha's teachings on the Liberating Insights and the Three Characteristics. She explains how suffering and impermanence shape our experience of self—sometimes making it feel solid and fixed, other times more open and fluid. By working skillfully with the hindrances, we can loosen our grip on a rigid sense of self and allow it to move with greater freedom.
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(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Guided meditation relating to the planet and our place on it, followed by a Dhamma Talk on the instructions given to Ven. Mahapajapati by the Buddha as encouragement for continuing practice in daily life.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) A gentle guide through all the steps with a focus on Dhamma reflection.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Reflections on Impermanence & Cessation
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Short reflection on the Four Brahmavihara followed by a guided meditation
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(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Reflections on awareness + wisdom and how to bring the practice home.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Summary of ways to recognize awareness and guidance on resting practice.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Teachings on using vitakka and vicara to connect with and recognize the nature of awareness.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Teachings on emptiness and the love that is waiting for us as we learn to let go.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We may think some experiences are better than others to support awakening, but the Buddha said otherwise. This talk explores the liberative quality of mindfulness and the implications of this understanding.
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(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Finding the balance of effort and letting go is the art of meditation practice. This applies both to times of ease in practice and in the greater challenges of meeting the hindrances. We have the opportunity to use every moment as a portal to wisdom and compassion.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Teachings and guided practice on mindfulness of the breath.
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Meditation & Dharma Talk
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) The Anguttara Nikaya is one of the five Nikayas (collections) that constitute the Sutta Pitaka, which is part of the Pali Tipitaka, the Theravada Buddhist canon. It is also known as the "Numerical Discourses" or "Gradual Collection". The Anguttara Nikaya is organized numerically, with suttas grouped into eleven books (nipatas) based on the number of items discussed within them. For example, the "Book of the Ones" contains suttas about a single topic, the "Book of the Twos" contains suttas about pairs of things, and so on
(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Meditation & Dharma Talk
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