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Tara Brach's Dharma Talks
Tara Brach
A pervasive but often invisible source of suffering in our culture is self-aversion. We are a busy culture, and we move through our life feeling anxious and dissatisfied, but not fully conscious of how we neglect or judge our inner experience. We suffer from a lack of belonging: to our own bodies, to each other and to the earth. When we practice Buddhist meditation, we learn how to listen deeply and hold our life tenderly.
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2020-04-15 Sheltering in Love (Part 4) 43:21
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During this time of pandemic, we need, more than ever, to feel our connectedness—true belonging with our own being, each other and all life. These talks explore the bodhisattva path - practices of an awakening being dedicated to living from love. The invitation is to let this season of close-in and global suffering deepen our collective commitment to creating a more compassionate world. Talk 4 explores how the difficult emotions we all face can become direct portals to an inner refuge of sacred space.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-04-08 Sheltering in Love - Part 3 45:48
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During this time of pandemic, we need, more than ever, to feel our connectedness—true belonging with our own being, each other and all life. These talks explore the bodhisattva path – practices of an awakening being dedicated to living from love. The invitation is to let this season of close-in and global suffering deepen our collective commitment to creating a more compassionate world.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-04-08 Meditation: A Calm Refuge 26:49
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This meditation includes a relaxing body scan and guidance on finding a space of peace and balance in the midst of whatever life brings us. Also enjoy the Virginia springtime rain that accompanies us halfway through the meditation.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-04-01 Sheltering In Love (Part 2) 41:59
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During this time of pandemic, we need, more than ever, to feel our connectedness—true belonging with our own being, each other and all life. These talks explore the bodhisattva path – practices of an awakening being dedicated to living from love. The invitation is to let this season of close-in and global suffering deepen our collective commitment to creating a more compassionate world.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-04-01 Meditation: Meeting Fear with a Healing Breath 22:58
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This meditation guides us through a relaxing body scan and then explores how we can allow the breath to calm our body and bring peace to our heart.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-03-25 Meditation: Touching Peace 22:51
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This guided meditation offers a pathway to quieting our mind and calming anxiety. We begin with long deep breathing, and with the breath, engage the image of a smile and relax through the body. Then we practice resting in relaxed awareness, allowing waves of thoughts, feelings and sensations to come and go. The meditation ends with a beautiful verse from poet Philip Booth.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-03-25 Sheltering In Love (Part 1) 45:58
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During this time of pandemic, we need, more than ever, to feel our connectedness—true belonging with our own being, each other and all life. These talks explore the bodhisattva path – practices of an awakening being dedicated to living from love. The invitation is to let this season of close-in and global suffering deepen our collective commitment to creating a more compassionate world.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-03-18 Guided Meditation for Times of Pandemic: “Calling on Your Awakened Heart” 23:43
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In the midst of difficulty we need access to our deepest wisdom and love. This guided meditation calls forth this loving presence by opening to the heart and spirit of whatever being in our life we most experience as calm, wise and compassionate.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-03-18 Facing Pandemic Fears with an Awake Heart 59:14
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While it’s natural to feel fear during times of great collective crisis, our challenge is that fear easily takes over our lives. This talk explores how the mindfulness and compassion of the RAIN meditation can help us find an inner refuge in the face of fear, and deepen our loving connection with each other.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-03-11 Guided Heart Meditation: Loving Kindness – Befriending our Lives 27:21
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This heart meditation guides us in how to cultivate a deep quality of friendliness in relating to our inner life and each other. The gift of this practice is a direct sense of belonging – knowing that we can never be alone (retreat meditation).
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-03-11 Desire and Addiction (Part 2 of 3): Voices of Longing Calling You Home 41:30
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As part of the collective response to the Coronavirus—taking care of each other—Tara has cancelled her live class and recorded this from her home. Desire is intrinsic to all living forms – the urge to exist and flourish. It turns to suffering when, due to unmet needs, it contracts, intensifies and separates us from our full aliveness and awareness. These two talks guide us in awakening from this trance, and discovering how within desire is the longing that can carry us to true belonging.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-03-04 Meditation: The Blessings of Yes 20:12
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When our hearts open to the life that is here, just as it is, we discover vast loving presence. This meditation engages the smile as we scan through and awaken to our body and senses. Then we practice meeting the changing flow of life with a full allowing, wakeful and open awareness. We close with a verse from e.e. cummings. “What happens when the heart says “Yes” to this moment? And what happens when that “Yes” goes even deeper?”
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-03-04 Desire and Addiction (Part 1 of 3): Voices of Longing Calling You Home 48:18
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Desire is intrinsic to all living forms – the urge to exist and flourish. It turns to suffering when, due to unmet needs, it contracts, intensifies and separates us from our full aliveness and awareness. These two talks guide us in awakening from this trance, and discovering how within desire is the longing that can carry us to true belonging.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-02-26 Meditation: Relaxing with Life 21:41
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This meditation begins with a body scan, and then we practice opening to and relaxing with our changing experience. The sitting closes with a beautiful poem by Danna Faulds, “Just for Now.”
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-02-26 Facing Fear (Part 2) - Awakening Your Fearless Heart 52:13
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Fear is a natural and universal part of our incarnation, and, when it goes on overdrive, we get imprisoned in the suffering of separation. These two talks explore how the RAIN meditation can help us face fear, and discover the boundless loving awareness that includes but is not contracted by currents of fear.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-02-19 Meditation: Letting Life Live Through You 22:06
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We begin with a body scan, open to sounds and to listening to and feeling the moment. From spacious awareness the practice is simply to recognize and allow the changing flow of life. The meditation ends with the poem, “Hokusai Says” by Roger Keyes.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-02-19 Working with Trauma: Tara Interviews Jim Gordon, MD 57:14
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Dr. Jim Gordon is author of the new book, The Transformation: Discovering Wholeness and Healing After Trauma. In this interview with Tara, he talks about his work with populations around the globe struggling with trauma, and some of the most powerful practices that can be done on our own in healing trauma. Jim's non-profit organization is the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, DC - CMBM.org.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-02-12 Facing Fear (Part 1) - Awakening Your Fearless Heart 52:40
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Fear is a natural and universal part of our incarnation, and, when it goes on overdrive, we get imprisoned in the suffering of separation. These two talks explore how the RAIN meditation can help us face fear, and discover the boundless loving awareness that includes but is not contracted by currents of fear.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-02-12 Meditation: Open-Hearted Presence 23:52
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This meditation establishes a kind attention by bringing the imagery and felt sense of a smile into the body scan and then, with the breath as a home base, opens the attention to changing experience. We end with a brief loving kindness reflection.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-02-05 Embodied Presence (Part 2) - Planting our Roots in the Universe 48:22
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In describing our human predicament and dis-ease, D.H. Lawrence says we are like a great tree with our roots in the air. We need to replant ourselves—in our bodies, hearts and spirit. These two talks are guides to replanting ourselves. In Part 1, we explore how we are so often dissociated from the life of our body, and the pathways home. Part 2 looks at the challenges of pain, fear and trauma, and how we can gradually and skillfully reconnect with a wholeness of being.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-02-05 Meditation: A Listening Presence 20:00
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The receptivity of listening awakens us to the living stream of life. This meditation guides us in listening to sounds, and then listening to and feeling the aliveness of our bodies and the movement of the breath. We close with a simple offering of lovingkindness to our inner life and our world.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-01-25 Self Compassion 6:27:42
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Book launch Self Compassion
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-01-22 Meditation: Portal to Sacred Presence 22:00
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This meditation includes a full body scan, and then opens the senses to all experience, allowing life to be just as it is. Awakening to the life of our body reveals the mysterious formless presence that is our source. We close with a poem from Danna Faulds, Trusting Prana.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-01-22 Embodied Presence (Part 1) - Planting our Roots in the Universe 47:40
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In describing our human predicament and dis-ease, D.H. Lawrence says we are like a great tree with our roots in the air. We need to replant ourselves—in our bodies, hearts and spirit. These two talks are guides to replanting ourselves. In Part 1, we explore how we are so often dissociated from the life of our body, and the pathways home. Part 2 looks at the challenges of pain, fear and trauma, and how we can gradually and skillfully reconnect with a wholeness of being.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-01-15 Meditation: Coming Home with the Breath 20:34
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This guided practice has a short period of relaxing the body, and establishes the breath as a home base for attention. We practice arriving again and again, deepening the pathway of homecoming. The meditation ends with lovingkindness for ourselves and our world.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-01-15 Shifting from Limbic to Liberating Itention 48:32
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Becoming conscious of our intentions is the first step to truly aligning our life with our heart. This talk explores identifying when we are being driven by grasping and fear, and ways we can bring compassion to unmet needs and discover the deeper longing – the liberating intention – that guides us to freedom.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-01-08 Meditation: Relaxed and Awake 17:14
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This guided meditation helps us find ease and wakefulness in our body and mind. With the breath as our home base, we offer a gentle and full attention to the changing waves. We close with a beautiful poem, “Walk Slowly,” by Danna Faulds
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-01-08 The Three Refuges - Gateways to Belonging and Freedom 55:44
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We all need ways to guide our attention that allow us to find wisdom, love and freedom in the midst of our lives. This talk reviews three archetypal gateways—Buddha/awareness, Dharma/truth, and Sangha/loving community. Through teachings, guided meditations and a traditional refuge ritual, we engage together in bringing alive these pathways to healing and peace. (Note: Includes Refuges string tying ceremony and chanting the Refuges at end) St. Teresa of Avila says, “Only at the shrine where all are welcome will God sing loud enough to be heard.”
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
2020-01-01 Reintegration | Closing Dharma Talks, Q&A 59:56
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Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  2019 IMCW New Year Retreat: Awakening the Heart of Compassion | with Tara Brach, Noliwe Alexander, Konda Mason and Jonathan Foust
2019-12-30 Releasing Blame | Guided Heart Meditation 41:38
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Our self-protective habits of resentment and blame block intimacy and connection with ourself and others. This short talk and meditation are an invitation to deepen our understanding of the suffering of blame, and to release the armoring to loving freely.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  2019 IMCW New Year Retreat: Awakening the Heart of Compassion | with Tara Brach, Noliwe Alexander, Konda Mason and Jonathan Foust
2019-12-29 Introductory Meditation Instructions 39:01
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This guided session includes an overview of the primary components in meditation practices, and then guidance in awakening the senses, collecting the attention, and opening mindfully to changing experience.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  2019 IMCW New Year Retreat: Awakening the Heart of Compassion | with Tara Brach, Noliwe Alexander, Konda Mason and Jonathan Foust
2019-12-28 The Power of Awake Awareness (retreat talk) 63:48
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We all encounter “demons” of fear, anger, hurt, craving and shame. This talk explores our key ways of resisting difficult emotions, and how “when the resistance is gone, the demons are gone.” We look at the power of mindfulness and compassion to undo resistance, and open us to the loving presence that can handle whatever energies arise. This special talk was given at the 2019 IMCW 5-Day New Year’s Silent Retreat.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  2019 IMCW New Year Retreat: Awakening the Heart of Compassion | with Tara Brach, Noliwe Alexander, Konda Mason and Jonathan Foust
2019-12-27 New Year Retreat | Opening Dharma Talks 61:33
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Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  2019 IMCW New Year Retreat: Awakening the Heart of Compassion | with Tara Brach, Noliwe Alexander, Konda Mason and Jonathan Foust
2019-12-18 A Brief Meditation: Gathering and Arriving in Presence 3:33
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A brief meditation to gather the attention, loosen and soften the body, sense your intention for being here, and feel the quality of presence of an awakening heart.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-12-18 Part 3 - Radical Compassion - Loving Ourselves and Our World into Healing 40:41
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Drawn from Tara’s new book, Radical Compassion (2020), these three talks explore how the RAIN practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) awakens the active, embodied caring that heals and frees our hearts. Check www.tarabrach.com for more information on Tara’s new book, including pre-order links.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-12-11 Part 2 - Radical Compassion - Loving Ourselves and Our World into Healing 53:08
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Drawn from Tara’s new book, Radical Compassion (2020), these three talks explore how the RAIN practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) awakens the active, embodied caring that heals and frees our hearts.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-12-04 Meditation: Cultivating a Gentle, Kind Attention 18:55
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This meditation calls on the image and felt sense of a smile as we scan through the body, and invites a receptive and caring presence, as we open our attention to the changing flow of life.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-12-04 Part 1 - Radical Compassion - Loving Ourselves and Our World Into Healing 55:04
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Drawn from Tara’s new book, Radical Compassion (2020), these three talks explore how the RAIN practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) awakens the active, embodied caring that heals and frees our hearts. Check www.tarabrach.com for more information on Tara’s new book, including pre-order links.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-12-04 Meditation: Surrender into Living Presence 19:50
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In this guided meditation we begin with a body scan, and rest in awareness with our senses awake. The key practice is to recognize when the mind immerses in virtual reality, reawaken our senses, and surrender again and again into the immediacy, vibrance and mystery of living presence.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-11-27 Meditation: Being Here 21:55
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This guided meditation is an invitation to rest in Hereness—the immediacy and aliveness of full presence. We arrive and quiet with a conscious long deep breath, relax our bodies, awaken our senses, and then bring our attention to relaxing with our moment-to-moment experience. The poem ends with a beautiful poem called “Interlude” by poet Danna Faulds.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-11-27 Gratitude: Entering Sacred Relationships 52:28
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Gratitude arises when we are in sacred relationship with life—present, open and receptive. This talk explores how central gratitude is to our physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and then looks at the ways we can directly gladden our minds with gratitude. We end with a guided meditation that includes sharings from the group, and a poem of blessing by John O’Donohue with a brief cut from Robert Gass – Om Namaha Shivaya.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-11-20 Meditation: Coming Home to Natural Presence 20:56
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This meditation awakens our senses through a body scan and listening to sound, and then invites us to rest in the presence that spontaneously knows the changing stream of experience. Relaxing back and letting everything be just as it is, reveals the natural presence that is our true home.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-11-20 Listening to the Song - Part 2 52:47
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Listening is our gateway to intimacy with our inner life, each other, our earth and spirit. These two talks look at the ways that listening gets blocked and the teachings and practices that help us cultivate the gift of a deep and healing listening presence.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-11-13 Meditation - The Silence that is Listening 21:05
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Listening to sound is opens up to the space of pure being. In this guided practice we begin by awakening through the body, and then explore listening to sounds and silence, and to inhabiting the receptive presence that is listening, awareness itself.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-11-13 Listening to the Song - Part 1 52:39
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Listening is our gateway to intimacy with our inner life, each other, our earth and spirit. These two talks look at the ways that listening gets blocked and the teachings and practices that help us cultivate the gift of a deep and healing listening presence.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2019-11-07 Short Talk and Guided Heart Meditation – Releasing Blame 37:50
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This meditation explores the meaning of forgiveness and its role in healing and transformation. We then are guided in a forgiveness practice that helps us release the armoring of blame, and inhabit an inclusive and open heart (given at the Fall 2019 IMCW 7-Day Silent Retreat).
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  2019 IMCW Fall Retreat: Intimacy with Life
2019-11-06 Trusting Who We Are (retreat talk) 60:47
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When we are suffering, we are believing something untrue – usually a limiting story about who we are. This talk explores the roots of our self-doubts, and the teachings and practices that remind us of our basic goodness – the loving awareness that is our source (given at the Fall 2019 IMCW 7-Day Silent Retreat – 2019-11-06).
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  2019 IMCW Fall Retreat: Intimacy with Life
2019-11-03 Judgment, Acceptance and Freedom (Retreat Talk) 54:57
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The boundary to what we accept is the boundary to our freedom. This talk explores the often unconscious ways we create separation by judging ourselves and others, and the key pathways of meditation practice that release the habit of blame and free our hearts.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  2019 IMCW Fall Retreat: Intimacy with Life
2019-11-02 Guided Heart Meditation - Loving Kindness - Befriending our Lives (includes a short talk) 39:28
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This meditation introduces the domain of “heart practices” and then guides us in how to cultivate a deep quality of friendliness in relating to our inner life and each other. The gift of this practice is a direct sense of belonging - knowing that we can never be alone.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  2019 IMCW Fall Retreat: Intimacy with Life
2019-11-02 Start of First Morning Meditation - 10 min. 9:59
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Can be used to begin a meditation session of any length.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC :  2019 IMCW Fall Retreat: Intimacy with Life

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