My work since 2006 through UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (uclahealth.org/marc) emphasizes making mindfulness teachings accessible to all, regardless of background, yet without losing depth practice. In recent years I have been teaching on Natural Awareness— the effortless, objectless, and spacious side of awareness practices. Socially engaged Buddhism is a thread woven through many of my talks-- how can we end suffering both internally and externally? Having worked with teens and young adults for many years, some of the talks are geared to young people. Finally as a mom of a tween, I'm deeply inspired by the transformative power of daily life and family practice.
In this talk and guided meditation we explore two different types of lovingkindness. Dry is thought-based and Wet is emotion-based. Learn the differences and practice the two types.
Sex is an incredibly important topic for many people, but is rarely talked about in the insight meditation lineage. This talk first explores the Theravadin Buddhist teachings on sex as they relate to monastics and lay people and then offers tools for bringing our dharma practice to sexual activity. We start with the “don'ts”, looking back at the canonical teachings on sex, and investigate the third precept— refraining from sexual misconduct—as a foundational for integrity in sexual activity. We then move to the “do’s”: how in these times might the dharma teachings offer wisdom to the realm of sex? The key— mindfulness for embodiment, self-awareness, communication, and presence.
What is Natural Awareness? This talk gives context for accessing and playing with a type of mindfulness that is open, spacious, luminous, and boundless. Natural awareness connects us to "awareness of awareness." The talk begins with an explanation of the spectrum of awareness (using some entertaining props) and includes on the spot glimpse practices.
This short meditation describes how we use RAIN to work with our emotions. RAIN includes: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture, and Not Identify with. We also practice with RAIN on the spot, working with any difficult emotion that is present.
The family retreat 2023 at Spirit Rock focused on the Eightfold Path. This talk was on Samadhi-- or Wise Cultivation through Mindfulness and Meditation and was specifically geared to parents. How can parents practice mindfulness right in the heat of in daily life? Can we practice when we’re getting kids ready for school or putting them to bed, or fighting with our teen or when we're worried about them? Mindfulness can offer incredible tools to support parents in staying present, connected, awake, and in right relationship with our children, partners, and self.
