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Retreat Dharma Talks

Freedom Here and Now

This nine-day retreat provides an opportunity to explore different aspects of the Buddha’s teachings on Nibbana, also translated as Awakening, Enlightenment, Liberation, or Freedom. The freedom that is being pointed to here includes freedom from afflictive states such as anger, fear, sadness, greed; and freedom to live with more ease, happiness, and authenticity.

We will use a variety of practices from the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, alongside the four brahmavihara heart practices of kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, to directly experience these different aspects of freedom for ourselves.

2019-08-23 (10 days) Te Moata Retreat Center

  
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2019-08-24 05 guided meditation: mindfulness of breathing 29:54  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Mindfulness of breathing, beginning with stabilising the mind on the simple rhythm of the breath, then noticing the physical sensations of each in breath and each out breath
2019-08-24 01 guided meditation: mindfulness of the body 29:56  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Guided meditation beginning with a body scan, checking areas of the body that habitually store tension and inviting it to release
2019-08-24 02 instructions: mindfulness of eating 7:32  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Short instructions on the practice of mindfulness of eating, noticing responses at all six sense doors including the mind, and any reactions of liking or disliking
2019-08-24 03 talk: sila or ethical conduct as an aspect of generosity 41:51
Jill Shepherd
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An overview of the five training precepts in their positive and negative expressions, and how the commitment to ethical conduct is a form of generosity to oneself and others
2019-08-25 04 instructions: mindfulness of the body 10:34  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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A short introduction to practising mindfulness of the body, in terms of bare awareness of physical sensations
2019-08-25 06 instructions: Mindfulness of the Body in terms of physical sensations 13:00  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Brief instructions for training in "body literacy," bringing awareness to physical sensations throughout the whole body
2019-08-25 07 talk: Befriending the Mind 51:57
Jill Shepherd
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An exploration of ways that we commonly struggle with our mental activity, how wisdom and compassion can help release the struggle through practising with the Third Establishment of Mindfulness, Mindfulness of the Mind, and understanding the three characteristics of anicca-dukkha-anatta
2019-08-26 08 instructions: an overview of sati and samadhi, then practising with mindfulness of the body and sounds 16:41  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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A recap of the two skilful mental qualities of sati - mindfulness and samadhi - stability of mind, then opening up the field of awareness from the breath to include physical sensations throughout the whole body, and sounds
2019-08-26 09 guided meditation: mindfulness of breathing, physical sensations and sounds 28:08  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Opening up the field of awareness from the breath to include physical sensations throughout the whole body, then sounds
2019-08-26 10 instructions: Second Establishment of Mindfulness, mindfulness of vedana or feeling-tone 16:34  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Exploring vedana or feeling-tone as the basis of unskilful mental reactivity, when there's no mindfulness, but training in bare awareness in relation to feeling-tone helps prevent that movement into proliferation
2019-08-26 11 talk: the five hindrances, with a focus on desire for sense pleasures 43:02
Jill Shepherd
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An overview of what gets in the way of freedom, namely the five hindrances, with a focus on the first one, desire for sense pleasures
2019-08-27 12 instructions: mindfulness of mind 11:42  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Instructions for practising mindfulness of the mind in terms of thoughts, emotions, moods, and mind-states
2019-08-27 13 guided meditation: mindfulness of mind 28:09  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Guided meditation beginning with mindfulness of breathing, physical sensations, sounds, thoughts, emotions then mind-states or mental qualities
2019-08-27 14 instructions: metta meditation 14:10  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Instructions for practising metta for a benefactor or "easy being"
2019-08-27 15 guided meditation: metta for a benefactor or "easy being" 24:51  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Beginning with metta practice using the reciting phrases method, starting with the benefactor, then oneself, then co-meditators
2019-08-27 16 talk: Five Hindrances part 2 - aversion, and the antidote of compassion 46:26
Jill Shepherd
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Continuing the exploration of the five hindrances, focusing on ill will or aversion, and how cultivating compassion is both a protection and an antidote to aversion arising
2019-08-28 18 instructions: four elemental qualities 12:47  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Instructions for exploring mindfulness of the body in terms of the four elemental qualities of earth, water, fire and air
2019-08-28 19 guided meditation: mindfulness of the body in terms of the four elemental qualities of earth, water, fire and air 25:16  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Guided meditation exploring mindfulness of the body in terms of the four elemental qualities of earth, water, fire and air
2019-08-28 17 talk: impermanence and death 48:34
Jill Shepherd
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Exploring the universal characteristic of anicca-impermanence in terms of the body, and beginning to contemplate our own mortality as a way to gradually release fear of death
2019-08-29 20 instructions: compassion 20:24  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Brief instructions for practising compassion, including some suggestions for working with afflictive emotions
2019-08-29 21: guided meditation on compassion for a good friend 23:46  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Beginning with compassion for a good friend who's experiencing difficulty, then oneself, then all beings
2019-08-29 22 talk: sukha and mudita - appreciative joy 43:01
Jill Shepherd
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An exploration of how the overall development of the practice is from dukkha (unsatisfactoriness, stress, distress) to sukha (ease, happiness and contentment) and how the brahmavihara practice of mudita or appreciative joy can support this shift
2019-08-30 23 instructions: review of four establishments of mindfulness, and noticing the mental factor of volition, cetana 13:37  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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A brief review of all four establishments of mindfulness, and instructions to notice the mental factor of volition, cetana, while practising standing meditation
2019-08-30 28 instructions: equanimity 14:59  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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A brief introduction to equanimity, focusing mostly on equanimity as a brahmavihara practice
2019-08-30 24 guided meditation: standing, practising with each of the four establisments of mindfulness and the mental factor of cetana or volition 25:33  RO Talk is visible to Retreants Only
Jill Shepherd
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Practising with each of the four establishments of mindfulness in turn, while noticing the mental factor of volition, cetana, in relation to the decision to keep standing or to sit down
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