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Dharma Talk Access for Retreatants
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IMCB Regular Talks
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2010-02-04
The Lion's Roar
57:37
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James Baraz
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In Tibetan teachings the Lion's Roar is the "fearless proclamation that every situation is workable." Being humbled can lead to a profound, wise humility, doubt can lead to strong confidence and vulnerability can be the path to fearlessness.
James presented another version of this talk at the February 2010 month-long retreat at Spirit Rock.
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2009-12-10
Shower the People with Love
46:04
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James Baraz
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| This is a talk about establishing healing and reconciliation on both a personal and a community level.
The Buddha taught was "As long as followers of the Way hold regular and frequent assemblies, they may be expected to prosper and not decline. As long as they meet in harmony, carry on their business in harmony, and break up in harmony, they may be expected to prosper and not decline." |
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2009-11-19
The Body: The Storehouse of Experience
55:24
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James Baraz
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| The body is where we store emotions and register deep insights. This talk explores the implication of those facts: how we keep getting caught in thoughts that we know don’t serve us and why it takes time and patience to embody the wisdom our mind knows is true |
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2009-08-27
Being the Awareness
50:48
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James Baraz
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| While the mind has many thoughts and confusing tendencies that cause suffering, there is a pure awareness that is our true nature holding it all. We’ll explore staying in touch with this reality while we are navigating through the confusions of mind. |
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2009-08-20
Teachings on Compassion
In Tibetan, translated by Marina Illich
1:17:19
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Phagyab Rinpoche
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| Ven. Phagyab Rinpoche is known for his healing abilities. As a striking example, he healed his leg, which two doctors said needed to be amputated after undergoing torture in Tibet.
The Compassion Project that he started was founded to bring the wisdom of Tibet’s Buddhist mind-sciences to the West to teach techniques for developing mindfulness, stress-reduction, non-violent conflict resolution, compassion and mind-body well-being. See his website www.healingthroughcompassion.org.
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2009-08-06
Intersecting realities
55:16
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James Baraz
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| We are each the star of our own movie. Practice invites us to honor every member of the cast of characters in our life, remembering that they have their own reality. And through it all we can wake up from the dream. |
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2009-07-30
The Woman at the Well
57:52
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James Baraz
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| Ananda, the Buddha's disciple, while on a mission for the Buddha, requested water to drink from a woman of low cast. The woman protested out of fear that her low caste would contaminate Ananda's holiness; to which Ananada replied, "I ask not for caste but for water." A version of the Buddhist text of this story is available here: http://www.mountainman.com.au/buddha/carus_76.htm |
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2009-05-28
The Storytelling Monk, Swami Sarveshwarananda Giri
55:24
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James Baraz
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| Affectionately known as “the Storytelling Monk,” Swami Sarveshwarananda Giri is a French-born Kriya Yoga teacher and founder of the Hariharananda Mission in the USA and in India, and the Ark of Love in South America. For the last sixteen years, he has traveled around the globe teaching Yoga, composing and chanting sacred chants, and providing education and shelter to poor children, widows, and senior citizens in India and South America. |
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2009-05-14
Verses on the Faith Mind by Seng-T'san (3rd Zen Patriarch of China), part 1.
46:34
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James Baraz
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| Tonight James begins a series on his favorite piece of dharma wisdom: Verses on the Faith Mind by Sengstan, otherwise known as the 3rd Zen Patriarch of China. This is one of the best treatises on the non-dual approach to practice. A few choice lines:
“The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences.”
“To live in the realization is to be without anxiety about non-perfection.”
During this series, James reads through the text and discusses how we can apply it in our lives.
If you are interested in reading the actual text of this sutra Click Here. |
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2009-03-26
Kind Awareness
54:43
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James Baraz
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| This is a three part series of talks on James’ basic meditation instructions: “Receive the moment with a relaxed, interested and kind awareness.
What does a kind awareness mean? How can we meet each moment—including moments of fear or physical discomfort—with this attitude? This is a key issue for deepening our practice.
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2009-03-12
Relaxed Awareness
60:04
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James Baraz
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| This is a three part series of talks on James’ basic meditation instructions: “Receive the moment with a relaxed, interested and kind awareness.”
Note: The first talk of this series was not recorded. Therefore this is a talk on the same topic that James gave during the month-long retreat at Spirit Rock on 2/10/2009.
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2009-01-08
Emotional Awareness
53:28
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James Baraz
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| An introduction to next week's (1-15-08) guest Paul Ekman, psychologist, leading expert on human emotions and facial expressions and co-author with the Dalai Lama on the recent book Emotional Awareness |
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2009-01-01
Buddhist Songs Of Enlightenment
62:43
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Heng Sure
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| Rev. Heng Sure uses his 12 string guitar and a beautiful singing voice reminiscent of Bill Monroe to interpret three songs from a variety of Buddhist traditions about the process of enlightenment. The first is called the "Ballad of Yashodhara;" and gives voice to Prince Siddhartha’s agonizing choices as he prepares to renounce the householder’s life. His resolve to defeat impermanence compels him to say goodbye to his beloved wife and venture into the unknown in search of awakening. The second song is the entire Mahamangala Sutta, "The Buddha’s Teachings on Blessings.” Rev. Heng Sure invites the assembly to sing along with the Buddha’s advice in response a deva who comes asking Buddha how to live correctly and wisely.
The third is a selection of verses from Tang Dynasty Chan Master Master Yongjia's “Song of Enlightenment.” Rev. Heng Sure tells the interesting story of this monk's certification by the Sixth Chinese Patriarch. Heng Sure's tells the story in a down-to-earth fashion. The song itself expresses Yongjia's understanding of the Buddha Nature within. The first verse goes: "Don't seek for the true; don't cut off out the false. Know that false and true alike are gone without a trace. Now not a trace itself is gone; then empty emptiness: You've found the Thus Come One's true mark where nothing can't exist."
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2008-12-25
Giving Gifts And Listening To The Good News
12:52
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Heng Sure
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| Rev. Heng Sure offers reflections on how to purify our minds. He gives methods of making the world a better place through skillful use of the mind. He shares his Dharmaradio.org website and the “Acts of Kindness” project. The songs from his “Paramita” CD of American Buddhist Folk Songs (www.dharmaradio.org/paramita/index.htm) invite us to do more good deeds in exchange for free music downloads. Rev. Sure also shares the “Daily Good” website that aggregates good news stories every day. Listen to his musical Dharma-teachings. (www.dailygood.org). |
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2008-11-13
Making A Difference Together: Deepening Sangha Bonds
55:40
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James Baraz
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| A discussion with community member Janet Keyes about a proposal to create a community support network with the intention of helping the IMCB sangha grow in caring and connection. The evening includes an invitation to attend an introductory meeting to help identify priorities and move forward in creating a more caring community. The talk also includes James reading a moving letter from Barack Obama to a 4-year old girl. |
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2008-10-23
Bodhisattva's Way Of Life #9: Dedication Of Merit
55:46
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James Baraz
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| This week I will complete the Shantideva series with his final chapter on the power of dedicating your actions as an act of generosity. We often end the sittings or a period of practice by sharing any merit for the benefit of all beings. This practice can be used in very simple but potent ways as a method for brining a heartfelt sincerity to your practice for the benefit of specific individuals. For instance if you’re trying to change a habit, offering the merit of that wholesome change to someone who is having a hard time in their life.
This practice of dedicating merit both connects you with others and motivates you beyond mere self-improvement. We’ll be exploring just how this can work in our daily life to give energy and enthusiasm to our practice.
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2008-08-28
Bodhisattva's Way Of Life - part 4: Using Our Intelligence
53:55
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James Baraz
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| The chapter we'll be exploring is Awareness, what Pema Chodron calls Using Our Intelligence. It has also been translated as Carefulness. The theme is how we can use wise attention to prevent us from getting caught in afflictive emotions (kilesas or kleshas). Even when we know better we may still find ourselves going down a road of action we will later regret. This chapter is how as bodhisattvas we deepen our commitment to refrain from unskillful action. |
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2008-08-21
Wes Nisker Reflects...
50:13
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Wes Nisker
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| Wes talks about his new book, "The Best of Inquiring Mind: 25 Years of Dharma, Drama, & Uncommon Insights".
He reads a really wonderful poem right at the end of the talk (reviewer's comment). |
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2008-08-07
Bodhisattva's Way Of Life - part 2: Preparing The Ground
56:57
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James Baraz
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| This is the second chapter of Shantideva's "Bodhisattva's Way of Life" and discusses the importance of developing an attitude of reverence and devotion as well as purifying our past actions in order to plant the seed of awakening in fertile soil. We’ll be discussing not only the ideas but ways to incorporate them in your dharma practice. |
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2008-07-31
Bodhisattva's Way Of Life - part 1: Benefits Of Bodhicitta
59:54
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James Baraz
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| I just received teachings with the Dalai Lama last week on the topic,
I'm going to start a series on Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way
of Life. This is one of the Dalai Lama's central teachings. As he says, "If
I have any understanding of compassion and the practice of the bodhisattva path, it is entirely on the basis of this text that I possess it." |
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2008-07-03
Why Do Intensive Retreat Practice?
55:52
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James Baraz
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| Why would you do a silent meditation retreat? This talk explores the value
and experience of silent retreat practice. Along with James, Kate Janke, who returned from sitting a month at the Forest Refuge in Barre, Massachusetts, a few days before this was recorded, shares her thoughts and personal experience of retreat practice.
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