Stories That Imprison Our Heart – Part 1

Stories That Imprison Our Heart – Part 1

Our suffering arises from fear-based stories that are often outside our awareness. These include stories of our deficiency or importance, of being a victim, of being unseen or unloved, of facing failure or rejection.  This is true collectively too.  We have shared...
Happiness Is Possible: De-conditioning the Negativity Bias – Part 2

Happiness Is Possible: De-conditioning the Negativity Bias – Part 2

There is an inner freedom that expresses as happiness and peace, and it is accessible when we arrive in openhearted presence. As the Buddha said, “If it were not possible to find liberation, I would not teach about it.” In this two part talk, we will look at the...
Happiness is Possible: De-conditioning the Negativity Bias – Part 1

Happiness is Possible: De-conditioning the Negativity Bias – Part 1

There is an inner freedom that expresses as happiness and peace, and it is accessible when we arrive in openhearted presence. As the Buddha said, “If it were not possible to find liberation, I would not teach about it.” In this two part talk, we will look at the...
The Reality of Change: Embracing this Living Dying World

The Reality of Change: Embracing this Living Dying World

“What is it that allows us to open our hearts to every moment of our life? It’s the remembrance that it’s passing and it’s precious.” Our true refuge is reality – only by opening to “things as they are” do we find true peace...
Radical Compassion – Part 2 ~

Radical Compassion – Part 2 ~

Radical Compassion – Part 2 – Compassion is the medicine we most need as individuals and a species to heal suffering and free our spirits. The essence of compassion for ourselves and others – what I call Radical Compassion – has three key elements: it is an...
Radical Compassion – Part 1 (retreat talk)

Radical Compassion – Part 1 (retreat talk)

Radical Compassion – Part 1 –   CC   ~ Compassion is the medicine we most need as individuals and a species to heal suffering and free our spirits. The essence of compassion for ourselves and others – what I call Radical Compassion – has three...
Relaxing the Over Controller – Part 2 (retreat talk)

Relaxing the Over Controller – Part 2 (retreat talk)

We all have conditioning to do what we can to protect and promote our wellbeing. Our suffering arises to the degree that our life and identity become organized around controlling our experience. These two talks look at the emergence of the fear based...
Relaxing the Over-Controller – Part 1

Relaxing the Over-Controller – Part 1

Link to transcript in PDF here.   CC   ~ We all have conditioning to do what we can to protect and promote our wellbeing. Our suffering arises to the degree that our life and identity become organized around controlling our experience. These two talks look at the...
Tara Talks: We Have To Listen (2:48 min.)

Tara Talks: We Have To Listen (2:48 min.)

Longfellow’s insight that “if we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility” is really the only answer to the polarization in our lives and world. Listen to and watch the full...
Soul Recognition: The Practice of Namaste

Soul Recognition: The Practice of Namaste

In our daily trance we experience ourselves and others through a filter of wants, fears, stories and beliefs. Drawing on an engaging story from the legends of King Arthur, this talk explores how we can see past this conditioning by learning to see – in ourselves...
Healing Addiction: De-conditioning the Hungry Ghosts

Healing Addiction: De-conditioning the Hungry Ghosts

 CC ~ This talk examines the suffering that arises when due to unmet needs for love and safety, our desire becomes narrowed and fixated on substitute gratifications. We then explore how we can bring mindfulness and self-compassion to the habits of obsessing,...
Taking ‘The Exquisite Risk:’ An Undefended Heart

Taking ‘The Exquisite Risk:’ An Undefended Heart

Taking ‘The Exquisite Risk:’ An Undefended Heart –   CC   ~ Poet Mark Nepo uses the phrase “exquisite risk” to describe our willingness to be fully alive, open, available,  living true to our heart. This talk explores the challenges and blessings of...
Realizing Your Deepest Desires

Realizing Your Deepest Desires

This talk differentiates between egoic intentions (driven by wants and fears), and our true aspiration (deepest desires) to manifest our full potential for awake awareness and love. We explore ways to realize and open to our deepest desires when we are stuck in...
Healing Trauma: The Light Shines Through the Broken Places

Healing Trauma: The Light Shines Through the Broken Places

Transcript available here: Transcript: Healing Trauma – The Light Shines Through the Broken Places Most of us have encountered trauma either in our own direct experience or with someone in our immediate circle. This talk examines the shame and suffering that arise...
Listening to the Song – Part 2

Listening to the Song – Part 2

Listening is more than a communications skill, it is a capacity that awakens our awareness. As we learn to listen inwardly, we begin to understand and care for the life that is here. And as we listen to others, that same intimacy emerges. In this two-part series we...