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Kim Allen's Dharma Talks
Kim Allen
Kim Allen has been practicing Insight meditation since 2003, and has trained intensively in the U.S. and Asia with cumulative years of silent retreat. She has practiced with primary teacher Gil Fronsdal and other Western teachers, Theravādan monastics, and a few Mahāyāna teachers, and now offers retreats, sutta study, and experiential Dharma engagement. A teacher and author, Kim aims to bring classical Dharma to a modern context and to encourage lay practitioners in fully living a life of Dharma. Her education includes a PhD in physics and a master’s degree in environmental sustainability, and her website is https://www.uncontrived.org.
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Select from Kim Allen's
370
talks
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VIEW ALL
2023-02-11
01 Opening and initial instructions
2023-02-11
02 Samatha meditation
2023-02-11
03 Q and A
2023-02-11
04 Samadhi and Insight
2023-02-11
05 Metta
2023-02-12
06 Morning instructions and Elements meditation
2023-02-12
07 Anicca of mind and body
2023-02-12
08 Q and A
2023-02-12
09 Stories and reflections
2023-02-12
10 Final Dharmette and closing
2019-05-25
2019 Come and Go Retreat - Identity: What We Take to be Our Self
2019-03-10
8-Fold Path course -- Wise Effort part 1
2019-03-10
8-Fold Path course -- Wise Effort part 2
2018-03-12
8FP - Wise Effort part 1
2018-03-12
8FP - Wise Effort part 2
2017-05-14
8FP -- Wise Concentration 1
2017-05-14
8FP -- Wise Concentration 2
2017-03-12
8FP program - Wise Effort part 1
2017-03-12
8FP program - Wise Effort part 2
2017-03-12
8FP program - Wise Effort part 3
2017-10-15
8FP Program - Wise View 2
2017-10-15
8FP Program - Wise View 3
2019-01-13
8FP Program -- Wise Action
2019-05-12
8FP program -- Wise Concentration part 1
2019-05-12
8FP Program -- Wise Concentration part 2
2018-04-15
8FP program -- Wise Mindfulness part 2
2018-12-09
8FP Program -- Wise Speech part 2
2016-12-11
8FP Wise Speech part 1
2016-12-11
8FP Wise Speech part 2
2017-04-11
A Model of the Universe
2023-12-12
A Wholesome Buffet (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2017-08-29
Alone with Others ISC
2010-02-23
An In Body Experience
2017-12-21
At Ease with Others
2017-08-10
Aug 2017 Story plus Q and A
2018-04-02
Balance Itself as the Object
2016-02-04
Balanced Practice
2026-05-28
Beautiful Mind
2022-10-18
Blessing of Renunciation
2023-01-03
Cessation
2021-01-24
Chariot Halfday - Part 1 - Spontaneous speech
2021-01-25
Chariot Halfday - Part 2 - Not self
2021-01-25
Chariot Halfday - Part 3 - Dharma Chariot guided meditation
2021-01-25
Chariot Halfday - Part 4 - Dharma talk on The Dharma Life
2012-07-17
Clarifying the Mind
2023-12-16
Closing Ceremony (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2018-09-06
Coming to the Surface
2018-01-23
Conceit - Better Worse Equal
2018-01-25
Conceit and Beyond
2016-04-04
Conditions for Practice
2020-10-12
Core Teachings of the Buddha Series-- Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Mindfuln…
2022-12-13
Craving
2016-02-11
Cultivation & Letting Go
2018-03-08
Cultivation or What Are We Doing?
2022-10-04
Dangers of Sensuality
2020-03-23
Dawn of Dharma 1 - The Body
2020-03-24
Dawn of Dharma 2 - Feeling
2020-03-25
Dawn of Dharma 3 - Perception
2020-03-26
Dawn of Dharma 4 - Mental Fabrications
2020-03-27
Dawn of Dharma 5 - Consciousness
2021-10-05
Dedicated Practitioners -- Disenchantment and Dispassion
2021-09-07
Dedicated Practitioners -- Making Our Own Refuge
2021-11-02
Dedicated Practitioners -- The Three Characteristics, Misperceptions, and Perce…
2021-08-03
Dedicated Practitioners -- The Wisdom of Change, the Path of Faith
2026-07-12
Dedicated Practitioners' Program 2026 Session 5.2: Guided Meditation – All M…
2026-06-28
Dedicated Practitioners' Program 2026 Session 3.2: Guided Meditation: Skillful…
2026-07-05
Dedicated Practitioners' Program 2026 Session 4.2: Guided Meditation: Mindfuln…
2026-06-14
Dedicated Practitioners' Program 2026 Session 1.3: Guided Meditation – Ease in …
2026-08-02
Dedicated Practitioners' Program 2026 Session 7.2: Guided Meditation: Letting G…
2026-07-26
Dedicated Practitioners' Program 2026: Session 6.2: Guided Meditation: Breath a…
2025-10-04
Dharma talk and Q&A
2025-04-26
Dharma Talk and Q&A: The Art of Being with the Process ( Uncontrived Half-day R…
2026-04-11
Dharma Talk: Fire and Ocean: Images for the Awakened Mind
2024-08-03
Dharma Talk: Fullness of Renunciation
2018-05-01
Dharma Winds
2025-01-18
Dharmette and Q&A (Uncontrived Half-Day Retreat –Dwelling in the Dhamma)
2025-07-13
Dharmette and Q&A: Investigating Thinking
2026-01-03
Dharmette and QandA: Anicca, Dukkha, and Liberation
2026-07-25
Dharmette: Safety and the Pull Toward Being and Non-being
2024-08-03
Dharmette: Trading Up to Happiness
2018-11-09
Dialogue in the Suttas -- session 2
2018-11-16
Dialogue in the Suttas -- session 3
2022-12-06
Dukkha
2018-12-20
Effort, Heart, and Anti-Fragility
2018-01-15
Eightfold Path Program - Wise Action part 2
2018-01-14
Eightfold Path Program - Wise Action part 3
2019-04-15
Eightfold Path program - Wise Mindfulness pt 1
2019-04-15
Eightfold Path program - Wise Mindfulness pt 2
2016-10-16
Eightfold Path Program - Wise View part 2
2016-10-16
Eightfold Path Program - Wise View part 3
2018-11-11
Eightfold Path Program -- Wise Intention Part 1
2018-11-11
Eightfold Path Program -- Wise Intention part 2
2018-10-14
Eightfold Path Program -- Wise View 1 -- Karma
2018-10-14
Eightfold Path Program -- Wise View 2 -- Four Noble Truths
2017-10-14
Equanimity
2018-10-18
Ethics as Integral to Enlightenment
2025-06-22
Evening Reflection: Drop by Drop, and Metta
2017-02-14
Everyday Dhamma
2022-07-12
Exploring Awareness
2022-01-04
Exploring Fear, Part 1
2022-01-18
Exploring Fear, Part 2
2016-02-04
Faith & Inquiry
2017-01-10
Faith and Hope in a Changing World
2017-02-23
Faith and Verified Faith
2022-11-02
Faith and wisdom
2017-05-11
Faith, Wisdom, and Prayer
2025-06-23
Fashioning a Raft
2020-07-07
Features of Developed Mindfulness
2020-08-15
Finding Clarity - the Five Faculties part 1
2020-08-15
Finding Clarity - the Five Faculties part 2
2018-04-05
Five Faculties 1 -- Faith
2018-04-12
Five Faculties 2 -- Faith into Energy
2018-04-26
Five Faculties 4 -- Mindfulness into Concen
2018-05-03
Five Faculties 5 -- Conc into Wisdom
2016-12-06
Five Principles of Inner Safety
2020-04-07
Flowers as Dharma Beauty
2024-02-12
Forgiveness (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2026-03-01
Foundations of Samadhi Session 1 -- Samadhi as Ecosystem
2026-03-08
Foundations of Samadhi Session 2 -- Well-Being
2026-03-15
Foundations of Samadhi Session 3 -- Letting Go
2015-07-09
Fundamental Buddhist Principles 2015
2022-07-26
Generosity
2018-04-24
Goals in Meditation
2020-06-20
Growing Wisdom through Meditation -- session 3
2020-07-12
Growing Wisdom through Meditation 4
2017-06-27
Guarding the Sense Doors
2016-03-29
Guided Meditation
2021-11-02
Guided Meditation - Steadying the Mind and Seeing Change
2020-07-12
Guided Meditation -- Anicca or Inconstancy
2020-06-17
Guided Meditation -- Attitude of Metta
2020-08-23
Guided Meditation -- Breath and the Awakening Factors
2020-06-03
Guided Meditation -- Direct Experience
2020-06-10
Guided Meditation -- Ease and Calm
2020-05-23
Guided Meditation -- Finding Ease
2020-07-01
Guided Meditation -- Gathering the Mind
2020-08-22
Guided Meditation -- Gathering the Mind
2020-07-12
Guided Meditation -- Investigation
2021-03-19
Guided Meditation -- Mindfulness of Sound
2021-03-19
Guided Meditation -- Mindfulness of the Breath in the Body
2020-05-23
Guided Meditation -- Samatha
2021-12-07
Guided Meditation -- Seeing the body freshly
2020-06-24
Guided Meditation -- the changing breath
2020-07-08
Guided Meditation -- the Four Elements
2020-06-20
Guided Meditation -- Trust
2024-10-26
Guided Meditation 1 (Uncontrived Half-day Retreat)
2025-01-18
Guided Meditation 1: Recollection of the Dhamma: Sanditthiko (Uncontrived Hal…
2026-04-11
Guided Meditation 1: Calming the Fires
2025-04-26
Guided Meditation 1: Recognizing Body and Mind, Relating with Sanity (Uncontriv…
2024-10-26
Guided Meditation 2 (Uncontrived Half-day Retreat)
2026-04-11
Guided Meditation 2: Oceanic Mind
2025-04-26
Guided Meditation 2: Recognizing Absence (Uncontrived Half-day Retreat)
2020-07-12
Guided Meditation: Anicca or Inconstancy
2022-11-11
Guided meditation: metta the neutral and difficult person
2021-05-13
Guided Meditation: Mindfulness of Thought
2022-01-04
Guided Meditation: Present Without Manipulating
2023-12-13
Guided Meditation: Radiating Metta (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2026-01-03
Guided Meditation: Resting in Awareness
2023-12-15
Guided Meditation: The Four Brahma-Viharas and Beyond (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2022-03-08
Guided Meditation: Where Is Attention
2025-01-18
Guided Meditation2, Receptive Enquiry (Uncontrived Half-Day Retreat – Dwelling …
2021-05-13
Guided Reflection on the Dhamma
2025-09-20
Happiness online retreat - Session 1
2025-09-20
Happiness online retreat - Session 2
2025-09-21
Happiness online retreat - Session 3
2025-09-21
Happiness online retreat - Session 4
2021-06-01
Heart and Mind in Harmony Retreat - Day 2 - Metta
2021-05-31
Heart Mind Harmony - Day 1.1 - Retreat theme
2021-05-31
Heart Mind Harmony retreat - Day 1.2 - Guided med and short talk
2021-05-31
Heart Mind Harmony retreat - Day 1.3 - Dhamma talk
2021-06-02
Heart Mind Harmony retreat - Day 3 - Compassion
2021-06-03
Heart Mind Harmony retreat - Day 4 - Appreciative Joy
2021-06-04
Heart Mind Harmony retreat - Day 5 - Equanimity
2021-06-05
Heart Mind Harmony retreat - Day 6.1 - Instructions
2021-06-05
Heart Mind Harmony retreat - Day 6.2 - Final guided meditation
2021-06-05
Heart Mind Harmony retreat - Day 6.3 - Dhamma talk
2018-08-18
How Much Effort?
2017-12-14
Ideal Solitude
2016-02-25
Impermanence
2020-04-24
In This Very Life -- 2020-04-24
2020-05-01
In This Very Life -- 2020-05-01
2020-05-15
In This Very Life -- 2020-05-15
2020-05-22
In This Very Life -- 2020-05-22
2020-05-29
In This Very Life -- 2020-05-29
2020-06-05
In This Very Life -- 2020-06-05
2020-07-03
In This Very Life -- 2020-07-03
2020-07-10
In This Very Life -- 2020-07-10
2020-07-17
In This Very Life -- 2020-07-17
2019-03-12
Inner Ecology
2018-03-22
Insight Ways of Seeing -- Honoring Ven Nanananda
2019-01-10
Integrating the Dhamma: A Monthlong Retreat in Your Daily Life
2025-07-13
Intro and Guided Meditation: Discerning Thought
2026-01-03
Intro and Guided Meditation: Faring Evenly Amidst the Uneven
2026-04-11
Intro: Unattainable by Mere Reasoning
2025-10-04
Introduction and First Guided Meditation: Cellular Ease
2026-07-25
Introduction and Guided Meditation: OK For Anything to Arise or Cease
2024-08-03
Introduction and Sitting with Simplicity
2017-03-21
Introduction to Sutta Study 2017 - part 2
2017-03-28
Introduction to Sutta Study 2017, part 3
2020-02-11
Investigation
2018-11-15
Is Meditation About Ending Thinking?
2018-01-27
Journey of Faith
2017-01-12
Joy 1 -- Mudita
2017-01-19
Joy 2 -- Piti -- Meditative Joy
2017-02-09
Joy 3 -- Joy in the Path and Practice
2017-07-06
July 2017 Q and A
2018-10-06
Knowledge and Vision of the Practice
2017-08-24
Leading away from Suffering
2018-08-28
Lesser and Greater Happiness
2020-10-06
Letting Go
2020-04-10
Liberating Teachings of the Buddha - 4
2020-04-08
Liberating Teachings of the Buddha -- 3
2024-02-24
Liberative Dependent Arising (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2020-09-01
Life as Practice and Path
2025-07-13
Lightly Guided meditation: What Knows Thought
2018-08-31
Liminality
2018-12-06
Lojong Slogans
2018-04-10
Love 2.0
2016-11-10
Loving-kindness
2017-08-22
Luminous Mind
2026-07-25
Meditation: Not Pushing or Pulling
2017-06-03
Meeting Change Daylong 1 -- Intro and Guided Med
2017-06-03
Meeting Change Daylong 2 -- Responses to Change
2017-06-03
Meeting Change Daylong 3 -- Why Challenging
2017-06-03
Meeting Change Daylong 4 -- Fearlessness
2017-06-03
Meeting Change Daylong 5 -- Peace
2016-12-10
Meeting Suffering -- Ignorance or Trust?
2017-10-12
Metta and Wisdom
2017-10-26
Metta as Wisdom
2017-04-27
Mindfulness and the Four Noble Truths
2015-04-30
Mindfulness of Pain, Illness, and Death
2017-06-29
Modeling the Dharma
2017-03-07
Money
2017-03-09
Money and Dharma
2023-12-13
Morning Instructions: Breath, Body, Pleasure and Calm (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2025-06-22
Morning Instructions: Mindfulness of Breathing
2025-06-24
Morning Instructions: Mindfulness of Emotions
2023-12-15
Morning Instructions: Mindfulness of Thinking and Opening to Impermanence (Retr…
2018-08-02
Nature Stories and the Four Floods
2017-06-20
Not Too Full
2017-04-25
Noticing Absence
2018-05-10
Nurturing the Process
2018-05-01
Nurturing the Process
2022-03-08
Nutriment, Part 1
2022-03-22
Nutriment, Part 2
2016-02-18
On the Cushion and In the World
2021-03-15
One Year Hence day 1 -- The Mind and Faith
2021-03-16
One Year Hence day 2 -- Impermanence, Death, and Equanimity
2021-03-17
One Year Hence day 3 -- Views and Metta
2021-03-18
One Year Hence day 4 -- Not-Self, Emptiness, and Joy
2021-03-19
One Year Hence day 5 -- Big Mind and Compassion
2017-03-30
Our Relationship to Time
2017-01-15
Overview of the Pali Canon
2022-04-19
Papanca
2023-02-07
Path of Letting Go
2023-01-17
Path, Part 1
2022-11-09
Perception: distortions of it and training of it (perception)
2017-03-23
Personal, Perfect, and Permanent
2016-04-11
Practice with Relationships
2019-04-30
Progress and Happiness
2017-02-18
Progression of Practice
2016-03-21
Proliferation
2017-07-13
Purity and Purification
2017-06-01
Q and A - June 2017
2017-03-02
Q and A March 2017
2017-05-04
Q and A May 2017
2017-07-25
Quality of Heart and Mind
2018-01-11
Questioning Perception
2018-10-25
Questions as the Path
2018-03-15
Radiation Practice - Brahma Viharas
2020-10-20
Real Wealth
2024-10-26
Reflections (Uncontrived Half-day Retreat)
2020-04-26
Refuge -- Going Deeper
2019-07-18
Renunciation in Lay Life 1
2021-03-10
Renunciation in Lay Life 1 - Simplicity
2019-07-26
Renunciation in Lay Life 2
2021-03-17
Renunciation in Lay Life 2 -- Mental Patterns
2019-08-01
Renunciation in Lay Life 3
2021-03-24
Renunciation in Lay Life 3 -- Letting Go of Self
2017-07-03
Right Intention and the Declaration of Independence
2008-07-22
Right Livelihood
2016-05-03
Scared-in-the-Woods to Liberated
2025-10-04
Second Meditation: Allowing Wholesomeness to Develop
2017-01-17
Secret Blessings
2018-11-02
Seven Ways to Let Go
2018-11-01
Seven Ways to Let Go
2017-03-21
Shadows
2022-08-09
Sila, Part 1
2022-08-30
Sila, Part 2, and Gods
2024-08-03
Sitting with Stillness
2018-04-03
Solitude
2018-10-04
Speech and Views
2021-01-19
Speech from the Heart
2012-01-10
Spiritual Friendships
2018-01-19
Starting from Within - Session 3
2018-01-05
Starting from Within 1
2018-01-12
Starting from Within 2
2015-04-09
Strengthening Mindfulness
2016-05-02
Supportive Path Factors
2016-10-14
The Breath as a Gateway to Liberation - part 1
2016-10-28
The Breath as a Gateway to Liberation - part 2
2016-11-11
The Breath as a Gateway to Liberation - part 3
2020-10-04
The Dharma Life - session 1
2020-11-29
The Dharma Life - session 5 - Wisdom and Insight
2020-10-18
The Dharma Life -- session 2
2020-11-01
The Dharma Life -- session 3 -- Ethics and Relationship
2020-11-15
The Dharma Life -- session 4 -- Samadhi and Heart
2020-12-13
The Dharma Life -- session 6 - Awakening and The Dharma Life
2018-04-30
The Divine Net of Views
2017-07-14
The Five Aggregates 1 - Intro to the Aggregates
2017-07-21
The Five Aggregates 2 -- Disenchantment
2017-07-28
The Five Aggregates 3 -- Creating the Self
2017-08-04
The Five Aggregates 4 -- The Way Out
2020-08-15
The Five Faculties - Clarity and Balance (from daylong, part 3)
2026-05-30
The Four Noble Truths and Freedom from Conceptual Limitation
2017-07-20
The Fruit of Steady Effort
2025-06-25
The Fruits of Practice - Wise Living
2023-12-14
The Gladness Pentad - Joy and Tranquility on the Path (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2021-04-11
The Inner Strength of Non-Obsession 1 -- Introduction
2021-04-11
The Inner Strength of Non-Obsession 2 -- Guided Meditation - Samatha
2021-04-11
The Inner Strength of Non-Obsession 3 -- Teaching on papanca
2021-04-11
The Inner Strength of Non-Obsession 4 -- Guided meditation - Open awareness and…
2021-04-11
The Inner Strength of Non-Obsession 5 -- Guided meditation - Resting in awarene…
2021-04-11
The Inner Strength of Non-Obsession 6 -- Dharma Talk and QA - Building Inner St…
2018-08-10
The Joy of Ethics 1
2018-08-16
The Joy of Ethics 2
2020-04-03
The Liberating Teachings of the Buddha - 1
2017-03-14
The Middle Way
2017-03-28
The Middle Zone and Beyond
2016-02-27
The Path of Transformation 1
2016-02-27
The Path of Transformation 2
2020-10-07
The Practice of Samadhi - Session 1: Creating the Conditions
2020-10-21
The Practice of Samadhi -- Session 3 : Samadhi and Insight
2020-10-15
The Practice of Samadhi -- Session 2: Jhana.
2018-10-25
The Precepts and Skillfulness
2020-02-11
The Seven Factors of Awakening
2026-05-26
The Simile of the Cloth
2018-11-08
The Six Realms
2026-06-02
The Spectrum of Desire
2016-03-22
The Two Streams
2017-10-19
This Is It
2015-07-30
Three Characteristics
2016-04-12
Thus Have I Heard
2017-11-02
Top Five Regrets of the Dying
2020-06-23
Training in Opposites
2018-04-09
Tranquility and Action
2020-06-03
Transformation of the Analytical Mind -- 1
2020-06-10
Transformation of the Analytical Mind -- Session 2
2020-06-24
Transformation of the Analytical Mind -- session 4
2020-07-08
Transformation of the Analytical Mind -- session 6
2020-06-17
Transformation of the Analytical Mind 3
2020-07-01
Transforming the Analytical Mind -- session 5
2019-03-14
True and Beneficial
2015-08-29
Truth and Trust 1
2015-08-29
Truth and Trust 2
2015-08-29
Truth and Trust 3
2015-08-29
Truth and Trust 4
2015-08-29
Truth and Trust 5
2022-04-05
Truthfulness
2016-03-29
Two Forms of Compassion
2017-08-15
Understanding Conditions
2011-10-18
Understanding Dukkha
2024-02-14
Understanding Dukkha (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
2017-06-22
Ways of Knowing
2021-12-07
What Do We Really Know? The Surprises of Retreat
2018-09-04
What Holds You
2018-10-11
Whole Life Practice
2017-07-01
Wisdom and the Awakening Factors
2014-05-17
With Valerie Nelson: Walking the Path Toward the End of Life
2021-04-15
Working with Discomfort in the Body
2016-04-05
Working with distracting thoughts
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Select one of Kim Allen's 26 retreats
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2000-01-01
Tuesday Talks
2008-06-17
The Buddhist Path of Awakening: The Eight-Fold Noble Path
A nine-week series
2010-02-09
Meditating on the Body
A Five Week Speaker Series
2011-01-04
Tuesday Talks—2011
2012-01-01
Tuesday Talks—2012
2015-08-29
Truth and Trust
2019-05-22
Come & Go 2019: A Non-Residential Retreat
2021-05-31
Heart and Mind in Harmony
2022-08-12
In This Very Life Sutta Study Class – SN 12
2022-10-25
Three-Month Retreat - Part 2
2023-02-11
Online Weekend Retreat
2023-12-11
Practicing Peace: Bringing Ease into Every Moment
2024-02-03
February Insight Meditation Retreat--1 Month
2024-10-26
Uncontrived Half-day
2025-01-18
Uncontrived Half-day Retreat – Dwelling in the Dhamma
2025-04-26
Uncontrived Half-day Retreat 2025-04-26
2025-06-21
Opening the Heart, Deepening Wisdom
2025-07-13
Half-day Retreat
2025-09-20
Happiness Beyond Conditions online retreat
2025-10-04
Uncontrived Half-Day : Refined Happiness
2026-01-03
Uncontrived Half-Day Retreat
2026-03-01
Foundations of Samadhi
2026-04-11
Uncontrived Half-Day: Fire and Ocean
2026-05-26
Awakening the Pure Heart
2026-06-14
Dedicated Practitioners' Program 2026 –Living Dharma 1: View and Virtue
2026-07-25
Uncontrived Half-day Retreat: Not Holding Back and Not Overreaching
2026-06-02
The Spectrum of Desire
33:49
The human tendency to want can range from highly unskillful or harmful forms of grasping and compulsion, through ordinary desires of life, into beautiful forms of aspiration and care. Buddhist teachings show how we can develop the more skillful forms of desire, such as wanting to be ethical, to practice meditation, or to awaken. Interestingly, moving into skillful wanting is an act of letting go.
Insight Meditation Community of Richmond
