The Three Refuges – Gateways to Belonging and Freedom

The Three Refuges – Gateways to Belonging and Freedom

We all need ways to guide our attention that allow us to find wisdom, love and freedom in the midst of our lives. This talk reviews three archetypal gateways—Buddha/awareness, Dharma/truth, and Sangha/loving community. Through teachings, guided meditations and a...
The Power of Awake Awareness (retreat talk)

The Power of Awake Awareness (retreat talk)

We all encounter “demons” of fear, anger, hurt, craving and shame. This talk explores our key ways of resisting difficult emotions, and how “when the resistance is gone, the demons are gone.” We look at the power of mindfulness and compassion to undo resistance, and...
Trusting Who We Are (retreat talk)

Trusting Who We Are (retreat talk)

When we are suffering, we are believing something untrue – usually a limiting story about who we are. This talk explores the roots of our self-doubts, and the teachings and practices that remind us of our basic goodness – the loving awareness that is our...
Gratitude: Entering Sacred Relationship

Gratitude: Entering Sacred Relationship

Gratitude arises when we are in sacred relationship with life—present, open and receptive. This talk explores how central gratitude is to our physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and then looks at the ways we can directly gladden our minds with gratitude. We...
Listening to the Song – Part 2 – “Removing the Fluff”

Listening to the Song – Part 2 – “Removing the Fluff”

Listening is our gateway to intimacy with our inner life, each other, our earth and spirit. These two talks look at the ways that listening gets blocked and the teachings and practices that help us cultivate the gift of a deep and healing listening presence. When...
Listening to the Song – Part 1

Listening to the Song – Part 1

Listening is our gateway to intimacy with our inner life, each other, our earth and spirit. These two talks look at the ways that listening gets blocked and the teachings and practices that help us cultivate the gift of a deep and healing listening presence. To listen...
Anger: Responding, Not Reacting

Anger: Responding, Not Reacting

Anger is natural, intelligent and necessary for surviving and flourishing. Yet when we are hooked by anger, it causes great personal and collective suffering. This talk explores how to transform patterns of reactivity by bringing a mindful and compassionate attention...
Belonging to Each Other – Part 3 of 3

Belonging to Each Other – Part 3 of 3

Mother Teresa writes that if we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. These three talks explore the causes for severed belonging, and pathways to deepening the felt sense of belonging to our own body, heart and spirit, and to all...
RAIN on Blame: A Guided Meditation (14:40 min.)

RAIN on Blame: A Guided Meditation (14:40 min.)

When we are stuck in blame or resentment we are in a trance – the other person becomes an unreal bad other, and our own sense of being contracts into a victimized self, an angry self, a righteous self. Using the acronym RAIN, this practice guides us in bringing...
Belonging to Each Other – Part 2 of 3

Belonging to Each Other – Part 2 of 3

Mother Teresa writes that if we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. These three talks explore the causes for severed belonging, and pathways to deepening the felt sense of belonging to our own body, heart and spirit, and to all...
Belonging to Each Other – Part 1 of 3

Belonging to Each Other – Part 1 of 3

Mother Teresa writes that if we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. These three talks explore the causes for severed belonging, and pathways to deepening the felt sense of belonging to our own body, heart and spirit, and to all...
Spiritual Hope: Trusting Your Awakening Heart

Spiritual Hope: Trusting Your Awakening Heart

Our beliefs and understandings about reality directly impact our moment to moment experience of living. If we believe we will never change, that blocks the transformation that brings happiness and freedom. If we trust our spiritual unfolding and are open to...