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The greatest gift is the
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Rob Burbea's Dharma Talks
Rob Burbea
ROB BURBEA (1965-2020) was Gaia House’s much-loved resident teacher for 10 years from 2005 - 2015, when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During his time at Gaia House, Rob wrote Seeing that Frees: Meditations on Emptiness and Dependent Arising – an important and influential work that continues to shape and open the meditative exploration of many. Emerging from this deep experiential understanding of emptiness, Rob dedicated much of his time and energy during the last years of his life to conceiving, developing, and establishing a new body of teachings that he called ‘A Soulmaking Dharma’. Before his death, Rob initiated the Hermes Amara Foundation (HAF), an organisation that is working to preserve and develop Rob's vast Dharma teaching legacy, and to support practitioners and teachers who are engaged with these teachings. All donations go directly to HAF - your financial support is much needed if Rob’s legacy is to sustain and thrive. To join the HAF mailing list and find out more about Rob's work please go to hermesamara.org or get in touch at info@hermesamara.org. Rob was also a guiding teacher of Freely Given Retreats (freelygivenretreats.org), a co-founder of Sanghaseva, an organisation exploring the Dharma through international service work (sanghaseva.org) and a co-initiator of DANCE, the Dharma Action Network for Climate Engagement (thedancewebsite.org).
2018-02-05 A Temenos Exercise (in fours) 64:27
The talks and exercises from this 'Tending the Holy Fire' retreat are intended for experienced practitioners who already have a working familiarity with this particular Soulmaking paradigm, as outlined, for example, in the following retreats: 'The Path of the Imaginal (Longer Course)'; 'Re-enchanting the Cosmos: The Poetry of Perception'; and 'Of Hermits and Lovers: The Alchemy of Desire'. Integrating that previous material and also taking the talks in this new set in their intended order will, for most, support a better and fuller understanding of the teachings from this course. Without this practice and knowledge base, the material from this retreat may be confusing and unhelpful.
Freely Given Retreats Tending the Holy Fire
2018-02-05 Transformation in Soul (Q & A) 36:42
The talks and exercises from this 'Tending the Holy Fire' retreat are intended for experienced practitioners who already have a working familiarity with this particular Soulmaking paradigm, as outlined, for example, in the following retreats: 'The Path of the Imaginal (Longer Course)'; 'Re-enchanting the Cosmos: The Poetry of Perception'; and 'Of Hermits and Lovers: The Alchemy of Desire'. Integrating that previous material and also taking the talks in this new set in their intended order will, for most, support a better and fuller understanding of the teachings from this course. Without this practice and knowledge base, the material from this retreat may be confusing and unhelpful.
Freely Given Retreats Tending the Holy Fire
2018-02-05 Soulful Movement and Elements of the Imaginal (6 - 10) 43:52
The talks and exercises from this 'Tending the Holy Fire' retreat are intended for experienced practitioners who already have a working familiarity with this particular Soulmaking paradigm, as outlined, for example, in the following retreats: 'The Path of the Imaginal (Longer Course)'; 'Re-enchanting the Cosmos: The Poetry of Perception'; and 'Of Hermits and Lovers: The Alchemy of Desire'. Integrating that previous material and also taking the talks in this new set in their intended order will, for most, support a better and fuller understanding of the teachings from this course. Without this practice and knowledge base, the material from this retreat may be confusing and unhelpful.
Freely Given Retreats Tending the Holy Fire
2018-02-04 Trusting in Soulmaking (Q & A) 34:27
The talks and exercises from this 'Tending the Holy Fire' retreat are intended for experienced practitioners who already have a working familiarity with this particular Soulmaking paradigm, as outlined, for example, in the following retreats: 'The Path of the Imaginal (Longer Course)'; 'Re-enchanting the Cosmos: The Poetry of Perception'; and 'Of Hermits and Lovers: The Alchemy of Desire'. Integrating that previous material and also taking the talks in this new set in their intended order will, for most, support a better and fuller understanding of the teachings from this course. Without this practice and knowledge base, the material from this retreat may be confusing and unhelpful.
Freely Given Retreats Tending the Holy Fire
2018-02-04 To Sense with Soul 12:08
The talks and exercises from this 'Tending the Holy Fire' retreat are intended for experienced practitioners who already have a working familiarity with this particular Soulmaking paradigm, as outlined, for example, in the following retreats: 'The Path of the Imaginal (Longer Course)'; 'Re-enchanting the Cosmos: The Poetry of Perception'; and 'Of Hermits and Lovers: The Alchemy of Desire'. Integrating that previous material and also taking the talks in this new set in their intended order will, for most, support a better and fuller understanding of the teachings from this course. Without this practice and knowledge base, the material from this retreat may be confusing and unhelpful.
Freely Given Retreats Tending the Holy Fire
2018-02-03 Elements of the Imaginal (1 - 2) 35:54
The talks and exercises from this 'Tending the Holy Fire' retreat are intended for experienced practitioners who already have a working familiarity with this particular Soulmaking paradigm, as outlined, for example, in the following retreats: 'The Path of the Imaginal (Longer Course)'; 'Re-enchanting the Cosmos: The Poetry of Perception'; and 'Of Hermits and Lovers: The Alchemy of Desire'. Integrating that previous material and also taking the talks in this new set in their intended order will, for most, support a better and fuller understanding of the teachings from this course. Without this practice and knowledge base, the material from this retreat may be confusing and unhelpful.
Freely Given Retreats Tending the Holy Fire
2018-02-03 Body and Soul (Q & A) 32:43
The talks and exercises from this 'Tending the Holy Fire' retreat are intended for experienced practitioners who already have a working familiarity with this particular Soulmaking paradigm, as outlined, for example, in the following retreats: 'The Path of the Imaginal (Longer Course)'; 'Re-enchanting the Cosmos: The Poetry of Perception'; and 'Of Hermits and Lovers: The Alchemy of Desire'. Integrating that previous material and also taking the talks in this new set in their intended order will, for most, support a better and fuller understanding of the teachings from this course. Without this practice and knowledge base, the material from this retreat may be confusing and unhelpful.
Freely Given Retreats Tending the Holy Fire
2017-03-29 Opening to Desire and the Imaginal (Q & A) 40:24
Please Note: This series of talks is from a retreat led by Rob Burbea and Catherine McGee for experienced practitioners. The requirements for participation included some understanding of and working familiarity with practices of emptiness, samatha, metta, the emotional/energy body, and the imaginal, as well as basic mindfulness practice. Without this experience it is possible that the material and teachings from this retreat will be difficult to understand and confusing for some.
Gaia House Of Hermits and Lovers: The Alchemy of Desire
2017-03-29 Instructions: Opening to the Current of Desire 30:12
Please Note: This series of talks is from a retreat led by Rob Burbea and Catherine McGee for experienced practitioners. The requirements for participation included some understanding of and working familiarity with practices of emptiness, samatha, metta, the emotional/energy body, and the imaginal, as well as basic mindfulness practice. Without this experience it is possible that the material and teachings from this retreat will be difficult to understand and confusing for some.
Gaia House Of Hermits and Lovers: The Alchemy of Desire
2017-03-26 The Problem of Desire 58:16
Please Note: This series of talks is from a retreat led by Rob Burbea and Catherine McGee for experienced practitioners. The requirements for participation included some understanding of and working familiarity with practices of emptiness, samatha, metta, the emotional/energy body, and the imaginal, as well as basic mindfulness practice. Without this experience it is possible that the material and teachings from this retreat will be difficult to understand and confusing for some.
Gaia House Of Hermits and Lovers: The Alchemy of Desire

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