Talks: Reflections on the Path

Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

This talk looks at the difference between egoic hopes and fears, and the quality of hopefulness (“holy hope”) that is an essential dimension in spiritual experience. We reflect on the three components of hope that serves awakening: Aspiration, Trust and Dedication of energy.

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Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Practicing Meditation: “Getting Out of Your Own Way”

The depth and vitality of a meditation practice depends on our sincerity, and an attitude of curiosity and friendliness. With this as the grounds, our practice will cultivate the clear seeing and openheartedness that expresses our deepest nature. This talk covers basic ingredients in a meditation practice, and includes a half hour of questions and responses.

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Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Being to Being – Loving Beyond the Trance

We have strong conditioning to relate to each other from a sense of separateness–persona to persona. This talk looks at what traps us in egoic relating and how several simple yet powerful reflections can open us to pure, unconditioned loving.

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Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Releasing the Barriers to Unconditional Loving

We long for love and habitually armor our hearts. This talk explores the aggression and clinging that protect our wound of feeling unlovable, and the ways that mindfulness can dissolve our defenses and reveal our inner refuge of pure loving presence.

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Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Remembering Being

Our fear-based doings block us from realizing the formless dimension of our Being, and living from that source of wisdom and love. This talk explores the habitual control strategies that keep us from presence; and the role of mindfulness and lovingkindness in reconnecting with the ground of Being.

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Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Loving Ourselves (from Spring 2013 IMCW Reteat)

The greatest truths we forget, and one of them is that if we don't love the life that is right here--what we perceive as self--we are unable to embrace our world. This talk explores the suffering of turning on ourselves and the deep freedom that arises when we commit to...

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Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Letting Go Into Living and Dying

Our capacity to live and love fully is directly related to our acceptance of change and loss. This talk explores how we avoid the pain of loss, ways of practicing that open us to this changing world, and the gifts of letting go into the flow.

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Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Entering the Mystery

John O’Donahue writes, “We are so busy managing our lives, we forget this great mystery we are involved in.” This talk looks at the ways we pull away from the mystery and the path of “beginners mind” that enables us to encounter this living world with freshness, courage and wonder.

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Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Part 2: Three Blessings of Awakening Consciousness – Inner Fire

Each of us has the longing to manifest our full potential–to realize and live from loving, awake awareness. This longing is our inner fire, and when conscious and vibrant, it energizes the spiritual path. In this talk we reflect on how fear obscures and redirects our inner fire, and how practices of presence and wise reflection awaken the power and purity of our longing.

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Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Self Compassion (Retreat Talk)

We can only find love and peace in this life if we are able to hold our inner life with compassion. This talk explores the subtle and therefore often unseen ways that we turn on ourselves, and the pathways to a forgiving heart.

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The Fires of Loss

The Fires of Loss

We all encounter the great losses of our own health and life, and of cherished others. We are conditioned to resist opening to the rawness and grief that comes with loss. This talk describes the refuge of presence in the face of loss, and the gift of timeless love that arises as we make peace with the reality of this living, dying world.

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Part 1: Hope and the Spiritual Path

Beyond the Interpreted World

Hildegard of Bingen writes, “An interpreted world is not a Home.” This talk explores the suffering that arises from believing in an interpreted reality, and the love, aliveness and freedom that becomes accessible as we challenge beliefs and awaken into living presence.

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