Video Library
Tara is developing a video library, beginning with her four week Introduction to Meditation series, the Wednesday night talks and some short clips for your enjoyment. Please donate to sponsor this effort. We offer our gratitude and work to continue this service. Thank you!
Recent videos from Tara Brach
| Date | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1-25-2012 & 2-1-2012 |
Parts 1 & 2: Three Blessings on the Journey Drawing on a wonderful teaching story from the Upanishads, these two talks explore the role of forgiveness, inner fire and looking at our own minds, in finding freedom. (Hear "Parts 1 & 2: Three Blessings on the Journey" in audio.) |
54:27 |
| 1-11-2012 & 1-18-2012 |
Parts 1 & 2: Trusting Your Basic Goodness Einstein says the most important question we will ever ask ourselves is, "Is this universe a friendly place?" Do we trust that there is something essentially benevolent or good about this universe? That we are essentially good? These two talks explore what it means to trust basic goodness, and how this trust naturally emerges through cultivating a meditative presence. (Hear "Parts 1 & 2: Trusting Your Basic Goodness" in audio.) |
57:54 |
| 1-04-2012 | Taking Refuge This class explores the three classic gateways to true refuge - Buddha (awareness); Dharma (path, truth of reality) and Sangha (spiritual friends, loving relatedness). It includes reflections and a ceremony that supports us in remembering the pathway home. (Hear "Taking Refuge" in audio.) |
1:07:18 |
| 12-21-2011 | No Mud No Lotus Our attitude in the face of life's challenges determines our suffering or our freedom. This solstice talk explores the light of compassion that blossoms when we honor our difficult times with a deep, mindful attention. This solstice evening includes chanting, singing and a candlelighting ceremony. (Hear "No Mud, No Lotus" in audio.) |
39:48 |
| 12-14-2011 | The Dance of Relational Trance When we become emotionally reactive in our relationships, we often go into a trance that creates separation and locks us into a narrow sense of self. This talk explores how, by pausing and deepening our attention, we can reconnect with the wisdom of our hearts. (Hear "The Dance of Relational Trance" in audio.) |
56:07 |
| 12-7-2011 | The Backward Step Our habit is to think we are on our way someplace else, and that our happiness is to be found outside ourselves. Yet realization becomes possible when we take the backward step into the formless dimension of our own being. This talk explores the two pathways that awaken us from our stories of self and reveal the love and awareness that is our true nature. (Hear "The Backward Step" in audio.) |
55:18 |
| 11/30/11 | Visit "Tara's Talks" - a new a web series on YouTube hosted by Tara that offers bits of timeless wisdom in short videos to help provide freedom and perhaps relieve stress and anxiety in our very busy lives. | |
| 11/16/2011 | Mindful Speech Deception, gossip and aggressive speech are pervasive in our culture. This talk looks at the roots of these forms of communication, and the way they entrap us in a contracted and separate sense of self. We then explore the practices that help us speak from a courageous presence, wisdom and love. (Hear "Mindful Speech" in audio.) |
1:00:45 |
| 11/9/2011 | The Space of Presence The perception of "there's not enough time or space" in life blocks our natural capacity for intimacy, creativity and wisdom. Pausing and connecting with the space of presence transforms our entire experience of being alive. This talk explores the pathways that reveal the space that is always here, the awake and loving space of our own awareness. (Hear "The Space of Presence" in audio.) |
49:54 |
| 11/2/2011 | Divine Abodes: Equanimity Equanimity is the mental state of balance and non-reactivity that arises when we are resting in open, wakeful presence. This talk reviews the key pathways to equanimity in the face of difficulty. We also explore the blessing of equanimity: the freedom to respond to our life with wisdom, compassion and love. (Hear "Divine Abodes: Equanimity" in audio.) |
55:18 |
| 10/26/2011 | Divine Abodes: Joy Joy is an innate capacity, an expression of unconditional presence with life. Yet for many, it is blocked by our conditioning to grasp after life and to defend against loss. This talk explores how we can develop the selfless presence that allows for joy, and nourish that joy so it blossoms in our life. (Hear "Divine Abodes: Joy in audio). |
59:12 |
| 10/19/2011 | Divine Abodes: Compassion We cultivate compassion by letting ourselves be touched by the suffering within and around us. Because our conditioning is to avoid vulnerability, the path of compassion requires courage and purposefulness. As we awaken to the truth of our connectedness, our hearts become increasingly tender and our actions serve the healing of our world. (Hear "Divine Abodes: Compassion" in audio.) |
56:25 |
| 10/05/2011 | Divine Abodes: Lovingkindness Love is the most basic expression of who we are, and yet it is often obscured by the trance of separation and fear. This talk explores how we habitually armor our hearts, and the training of attention that awakens us to unconditional, all inclusive love. A classic form of the metta (lovingkindness) meditation is part of the talk. (Hear "Divine Abodes: Lovingkindness" in audio.) |
1:00:50 |
| 09/28/2011 | Causing No Harm The mindstates behind violence--anger and fear--are universal and natural. If they possess us and drive our actions, we suffer. If we learn to meet them with a mindful awareness--if we step out of judgment and angry reactivity--we serve our own freedom and the possibility of peace on earth as well. (Listen to the audio of Causing No Harm.) |
56:19 |
| 09/14/2011 and 09/21/2011 |
Parts 1 and 2- Do You Make Regular Visits to Yourself These two classes cover the basic instructions for Buddhist mindfulness (vipassana or insight) meditation. The first class explores the attitude we bring to meditation that makes it rewarding, and the training that helps us in "coming back" from thoughts. The second class guides us in "being here," in cultivating a mindful awareness that recognizes and accepts what is happening in the present moment. Both classes include guided meditations and valuable reminders that can support you in developing a rich meditation practice. |
55:52 |
| 09/07/2011 | Finding the Juice Inside of Fear Learning to bring a mindful presence to fear is an intrinsic part of spiritual awakening. In this talk we look at the ways we get caught in the trance of fear, and how the two wings of presence--clear recognition and openheartedness--can free us. This process of facing unmet fears is necessary not only for our own healing, but for any possibility of peace and the healing of our planet. |
57:06 |
| 08/31/2011 | Befriending Irene Whether you face chronic anxiety or more violent storms of fear and anger, you can cultivate the wings of freedom--the mindfulness and compassion--that free you. This talk explores how the habit of being reactive causes us suffering and the ways these tools of meditation can be applied to the inner weather systems that most challenge us. |
56:26 |
| 08/24/2011 | Wholehearted Living What stops us from being wholehearted in our relationships and life? This talk explores the conditioning that keeps us from an engaged presence, and the key elements to manifesting heart and spirit in all that we do. |
56:26 |
| 08/10/2011 | Relating Wisely to Desire Without desire, this world would not exist. While this universal energy is entirely natural, if we are not mindful of it, desire can become a narrowed fixation or addiction that creates deep suffering. This talk explores the ways we can pay attention that honor this energy without allowing it to cut us off from presence and possess us. |
47:28 |
| 08/04/2011 | Learning to Respond, Not React When life doesn't go our way, we often launch into a chain reaction of obsessive thinking, blaming and unpleasant emotions. This talk explores how we can use meditative practices to step out of reactive patterns and respond to life's challenges from our naturally wise heart. |
48:12 |
| 07/27/2011 | Part 2: The Mystery of Who We Are Everything we cherish--love, creativity, wisdom, aliveness-- arises out of our capacity to arrive in Beingness. This talk explores the stress that leads us to cut off from our natural state of being, and two key pathways home. Included are guided meditations that explore the nature of our awareness, the essence of who we are. |
56:25 |
| 07/20/2011 | Part 1: The Mystery of Who We Are The Buddha taught that we suffer because we don't realize who we are. This talk explores two pathways of awakening from the insecurity and reactivity that arises from a narrow sense of self. Listeners are invited to investigate the nature of awareness through several guided reflections. |
54:19 |
| 07/06/2011 | Flow and Presence In the moments when we are truly happy, there is a sense of both aliveness and presence. This talk reflects on three key ways we remove ourselves from living presence; and offers guided reflections that can re-open us into the flow. |
53:45 |
| 06/29/2011 | Compass of the Heart Are you aware of the intentions that are shaping your thoughts, moods and life experience? This talk explores how mindfulness of intention allows us to open to our deepest heart's aspiration, and have that guide the unfolding of our lives. |
53:42 |
| 06/22/2011 | Presence and Empowerment In the moments we feel threatened, hurt or dissatisfied, we often flip into controlling mode--our body, heart and mind become contracted and we disconnect from presence. This talk explores how we can shift from controlling, to an empowering presence. When we do, our deepest wisdom and compassion begin to shape and guide our life. |
54:33 |
| 06/15/2011 | Soul Recognition: Seeing Past the Mask We each long to be true to ourselves--to live from the love, creativity and wisdom that is our essence. This talk explores how, by attending to three key domains, we train ourselves to see beyond ego conditioning. By deepening our attention, we can free ourselves and others to be who we truly are. |
54:33 |
| 06/08/2011 | The Art of Listening--Nourishing Loving Relationships Deep listening is an essential ingredient in intimate, caring relationships. This talk reflects on the intentionality, presence and quest for understanding that create the grounds for a healing and loving listening attention. |
50:20 |
| 06/01/2011 | Part 2: Stress and Meditation When we are suffering from stress, we are paying attention to our world in a narrow and rigid way. Through meditations that cultivate a wakeful and open attention, we can dramatically transform the feelings of anxiety and aloneness that underlie all stress. (See "Part 2: Stress and Meditation" in video) |
1:00:14 |
| 05/25/2011 | Part 1: Stress and Meditation When we are suffering from stress, we are paying attention to our world in a narrow and rigid way. Through meditations that cultivate a wakeful and open attention, we can dramatically transform the feelings of anxiety and aloneness that underlie all stress. |
1:00:14 |
| 05/18/2011 | Stepping Out of Time We spend much of our life on our way somewhere else, driven by the sense that something is missing or wrong. This talk explores the suffering that arises from our addiction to busyness and "doing," and the healing, loving and wisdom that arise when we take refuge in presence. |
52:57 |
| 05/11/2011 | The Buddha's Spiritual Awakening: A Myth For Us All! In this telling of the Buddha's story, we find archetypes that reveal a universal path of awakening and freedom. We explore how each of us has the potential to realize the loving and radiant awareness that is our source. |
53:04 |
| 04/27/2011 | The Blessings of Embodied Awareness One expression of our suffering is homelessness--feeling cut off from the presence and aliveness that is our source. This talk explores the existential and cultural forces that foster disconnection from our physical and energetic being, the practices that enable us to embrace our unlived life and the gifts of homecoming. |
54:42 |
| 04/20/2011 | Part 2: Realizing True Well-being Buddhist psychology and the Western oriented field of positive psychology agree: How we pay attention determines whether we live primarily in fear and judgment, or happiness and peace. This two part series explores the teachings, practices and attitudes that enable us to live a meaningful life with a heart that is "happy for no reason." |
52:29 |
| 04/13/2011 | Part 1: Realizing True Well-being Buddhist psychology and the Western oriented field of positive psychology agree: How we pay attention determines whether we live primarily in fear and judgment, or happiness and peace. This two part series explores the teachings, practices and attitudes that enable us to live a meaningful life with a heart that is "happy for no reason." |
49:23 |
| 03/30/2011 | Part 2: The Healing Power of Self-Compassion Learning to hold our own lives with a gentle compassion is a key element in all emotional healing and spiritual awakening. This two part series explores the suffering of being at war with ourselves and the pathway to freeing our hearts. Music at end is Libby Roderick, "How Could Anyone?" |
53:43 |
| 03/23/2011 | Part 1: The Healing Power of Self-Compassion Learning to hold our own lives with a gentle compassion is a key element in all emotional healing and spiritual awakening. This two part series explores the suffering of being at war with ourselves and the pathway to freeing our hearts. Music at end is Libby Roderick, "How Could Anyone?" |
53:53 |
"Sacred Pause" - Omega Institute - 3/22/07
"Power" - Omega Institute - 4/4/07
Tara Brach "Coming Home" from Omega Institute on Vimeo.
Psychotherapy Networker Symposium - March 31, 2010
Full recording available, as well as recording of daylong workshop