Dharma Seed - James Baraz's Dharma Talks

Trust is a big part of my teaching. I try to get out of the way, to trust that the Dharma knows how to speak through me, so I can say what is true and speak to the essence, clearly and simply.

I try to use the formal teachings as a doorway for people to see the truth in themselves. I feel I'm doing my job when people look into themselves to come to their own deep understandings of the truth, access their own inner wisdom and trust in their "Buddha-knowing," as Ajahn Chah called it, which is different from their intellectual knowing.

The Buddha-knowing is a deeper place, underneath the concepts, which is in touch with the truth, with our seed of awakening. I want practitioners to have more and more confidence in, and familiarity with, that deeper place of knowing. It is accessing this dimension of our being that becomes the guide to cutting through the confusion caused by greed and fear. We have everything we need inside ourselves. We do not need to look to a teacher when we remember who we really are.

2010-02-04 The Lion's Roar 57:58	Download Stream Order
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.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center: February 2010 Month Long

2010-01-30 Awakening Joy Daylong PM Session 3:09:21	Download Stream Order
James and co-writer of Awakening Joy Shoshana Alexander, plus many friends from the 10-month course--dharma teachers, happiness experts, neuroscientists, musicians and more--share their thoughts on true happiness. This is the PM Session which includes Syvia Boorstein, and Anam Thubten Rinpoche.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Monday and Wednesday Talks

2010-01-30 Awakening Joy 2:42:34	Download Stream Order
James and co-writer of Awakening Joy Shoshana Alexander, plus many friends from the 10-month course--dharma teachers, happiness experts, neuroscientists, musicians and more--share their thoughts on true happiness. This is the AM Session which includes Rick Foster and Greg Hicks, Rick Hansen, and performances by Eve Decker, Betsy Rose and Jennifer Berezen.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2010-01-28 Awakening Joy, the book. 60:13	Download Stream Order
James and co-author Shoshana Alexander share teachings and excerpts from their book.
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley: IMCB Regular Talks

2010-01-21 Refuge in the Sangha & Kalyana Mitta 35:28	Download Stream Order
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley: IMCB Regular Talks

2010-01-14 Refuge in the Sangha part 2 49:30	Download Stream Order
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley: IMCB Regular Talks

2010-01-07 "Refuge in the Sangha" 50:25	Download Stream Order
"Refuge in the Sangha"
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley: IMCB Regular Talks

2009-12-13 The Hard Things That Open the Heart 48:00	Download Stream Order
The Hard Things That Open the Heart
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2009-12-10 Shower the People with Love 46:04	Download Stream Order
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."
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley: IMCB Regular Talks

2009-11-19 The Body: The Storehouse of Experience 55:24	Download Stream Order
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
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley: IMCB Regular Talks