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gift of the teachings
 
Retreat Dharma Talks

Monday and Wednesday Talks

Regular weekly talks given at the lower Spirit Rock meditation hall

Spirit Rock Meditation Center

  
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2026-03-04 Wise Effort: The Middle Way, Effort to Begin and PACE 39:27
Gullu Singh
A practical exploration of wise effort as a balanced, sustainable path: “not too tight and not too loose.” Gullu looks at the effort it takes to begin practice (and the conditions that can support and inspire that effort, including nibbidā and saṁvega), as well as how to cultivate the mind over time through the Four Wise Efforts, offered here with the acronym PACE: P — Preventing unwholesome states from arising A — Abandoning unwholesome states that have arisen C — Cultivating wholesome states E — Extending (sustaining) wholesome states
2026-03-11 Review of Wise Effort, Expanding the Discussion of Viriya into the Seven Factors of Awakening (Satta Bojjhaṅgā) and the Four Bases of Power (Cattāro Iddhipādā) 33:36
Gullu Singh
In this talk, Gullu reviews prior week's teachings on Wise Effort, including what supports initiating effort, the middle way between extremes, and the four wise efforts using the acronym PACE: (P)reventing unwholesome states from arising, (A)bandoning unwholesome states that have arisen, (C)ultivating wholesome states, and (E)xtending (sustaining) those wholesome states. He then briefly discusses the Seven Factors of Awakening (Satta Bojjhaṅgā)—mindfulness, investigation of dhammas, energy, joy, tranquility, concentration, and equanimity—emphasizing that energy naturally arises from Mindfulness and investigation. He concludes with a quick overview of the Four Bases of Power (Cattāro Iddhipādā): chanda, viriya, citta, and vīmaṃsā. Particular attention is given to viriya as the engine of awakening and to vīmaṃsā as the spirit of ongoing discernment and refinement in practice. NOTE: Group discussion has been removed.
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