Meditation: The Space and Aliveness of Presence (21:53 min.)

Meditation: The Space and Aliveness of Presence (21:53 min.)

We arrive in presence by deepening attention in the body; relaxing and awakening through a body scan. That presence deepens as we bring our attention to the space of awareness that includes the changing flow of sounds, sensations and feelings. In that wholeness of...
Joy – Part 3 of Present Heart: The Universal Expressions of Love

Joy – Part 3 of Present Heart: The Universal Expressions of Love

Part 3: Joy – blossoms in the moments our hearts open boundlessly to reality, to the 10,000 joys and sorrows. This series reflects on four primary expressions of an awake, wise heart: lovingkindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. In each talk we explore the...
Meditation: Pathway of Love (18:05 min.)

Meditation: Pathway of Love (18:05 min.)

This heart practice opens with the intention to bring a kind presence to whatever arises. After arriving with a body scan, we are guided to meet all experience with an open tender awareness. The practice ends with a poem by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer called “Is this...
Meditation: Present Heart (14:16 min)

Meditation: Present Heart (14:16 min)

We awaken a present heart by relaxing with the breath, and bringing the kindness of a smile into our bodily experience. This meditation ends with offering blessings to our inner life and all...
Meditation: Meeting Life with a Spacious Heart (22:00 min.)

Meditation: Meeting Life with a Spacious Heart (22:00 min.)

Especially when we’re stressed, we need pathways to an allowing, kind presence. This meditation guides us to relax and open through our bodies, and then meet changing waves of experience with a sea of awareness that is intrinsically allowing and tender. the ruthless...
Relationships – from Reactivity to Re-choosing Love

Relationships – from Reactivity to Re-choosing Love

Most of us have habitual ways we create separation from others. This talk takes a look at the roots of our emotional reactivity and ways our meditation practice can foster more loving connection in our...
Compassion toward Non-Human Animals

Compassion toward Non-Human Animals

A Conversation between Konda Mason and Tara Brach The medicine our world most needs is compassion, and it is crucial that this include all living beings. Our societal conditioning blinds us to the horror of suffering experienced by non-human animals through our cruel...
Being Embodied: Gateway to Aliveness and Spirit – Part 2

Being Embodied: Gateway to Aliveness and Spirit – Part 2

All that we cherish—creativity, love, wisdom, realization—arises from an embodied presence. Yet as we know, the wounds and trauma of our society and individual lives leads toward dissociation. These two talks look at the challenges to awakening through our bodies, and...
Being Embodied: Gateway to Aliveness and Spirit – Part 1

Being Embodied: Gateway to Aliveness and Spirit – Part 1

All that we cherish—creativity, love, wisdom, realization—arises from an embodied presence. Yet as we know, the wounds and trauma of our society and individual lives leads toward dissociation. These two talks look at the challenges to awakening through our bodies, and...
Meditation: Compassion Practice – Tonglen (23:39 min.)

Meditation: Compassion Practice – Tonglen (23:39 min.)

Our deepest wisdom and purest actions arise out of open-hearted presence. This meditation, a compassion practice or tonglen, is drawn from the Tibetan tradition and carries us home to the vastness of loving presence (re-mastered from the 2013 IMCW fall 7-day silent...
Engaged Spirituality during Times of Upheaval

Engaged Spirituality during Times of Upheaval

Engaged spirituality means responding to our world’s suffering with wisdom and deep care. This talk looks at three blocks to aligning our actions with our heart – “bad othering,” dissociation and overwhelm. We explore how we can awaken from each reaction to suffering...