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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
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.
2008-03-26 The Two Wolves 69:37
Empathy and aggression are both part of our evolutionary survival equipment. We awaken spiritually as we bring awareness to the vulnerability that drives aggression, and discover that we can directly cultivate our capacity to experience loving connection.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2008-03-19 Our Heart's Aspiration 1:13:51
This talk weaves two teachings that are key to awakening. "The most important thing is remembering the most important thing" helps us be guided by the compass of our heart in living our lives. And discovering that "what we long for is already here" lets us trust that the love or peace we seek is found in the fullness of presence.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2008-03-12 Befriending The Deities 1:15:01
The fruit of practice is releasing our identification with core beliefs and fear-based emotions, and realizing and inhabiting our Natural awareness. This is described as the N in RAIN - an acronym that can guide us in awakening loving presence.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2008-03-05 The Art Of Practice: Rain 1:19:52
This second class in the Art of Practice reviews the basic components of meditation training and illustrates through several stories, the use of the acronym RAIN in awakening loving presence. The session includes a period of question/answer.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2008-02-27 The Art Of Practice: Mindfulness 1:12:58
In the Art of Practice, we explore key techniques in preparing the grounds for true meditation. These include relaxation, identifying a home base, awakening the senses and re-mindfulness. These "skillful means" allow us to arrive Here, and to rest in a natural mindfulness, awake and open awareness.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2008-02-20 Listening Presence 69:12
A full and listening presence is the gateway to genuine intimacy with our self and others. This talk explores the challenges to deep listening and the teachings and practices that guide us in developing this healing and liberating capacity.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2008-02-06 Gateways To Happiness 1:12:45
While we all want to be happy, our habitual ways of pursuing happiness leave us dissatisfied. What prevents us from being happy? What is true happiness? How do we relax and open to the blessings of our life that are always and already here? Though these reflections we explore together our potential to live from a profound place of inner freedom, peace and happiness.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2008-01-30 The Power Of Inquiry 65:26
Inquiry, or mindful investigation, is a direct way to deepen our attention and reveal the nature of reality. This talk explores the attitude, types of questions and practice of non-conceptual presence that awakens our deepest wisdom.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2008-01-09 Touching Enlightenment With Our Body 1:12:33
We realize and inhabit the fullness of what we are through the gateway of our senses. This reflection includes how we dissociate from our bodies (hearts, each other, earth) and the pathways of belonging. The evening is dedicated to John O'Donahue, a teacher of the divine longing that carries us to belonging.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks
2008-01-02 The Three Refuges 1:21:31
This talk reflects on the three gateways to liberating presence-- Buddha nature (our awakened heartmind); Dharma (the living moment, truth, nature of things) and Sangha (spiritual community.) The evening includes a ritual of "taking refuge" that invites our dedication to each domain of awakening and freedom.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks

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