The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Retreat Dharma Talks at Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley

IMCB Regular Talks

Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley

  
2018-06-28 “Letting Go, Cessation and the Third Noble Truth” (James was on retreat this day so he invited guest speaker Suzie Brown for the talk.) 59:28
James Baraz
Suzie Brown is from Melbourne, Australia. She’s co-founder of the Melbourne Insight Meditation Group and has taught Mindfulness to medical students at Monash University. Suzie has also been a facilitator, trainer and educator for over a decade in the areas of environmental sustainability and organizational strategy.
2018-07-05 "The Movement of Gross National Happiness: from the Kingdom of Bhutan." 55:00
Della Z Duncan
Imagine an economy based on alleviating suffering and encouraging a thriving planet. Della Duncan, a Gross National Happiness (Bhutan) master trainer and alternative economist who teaches at the highly respected Schumacher College in England guides us in an exploration of Buddhist Economics through quotes, poems, and real-world case studies. We look at the stories and beliefs behind the numbers, challenge traditional assumptions, and integrate the insights with our own Right Livelihood journeys.
2018-07-12 "The Concept of the Spiritual Home and the Question of What That Really Means to Each of Us Individually." 40:54
Kate Munding
Is it something deep within, is it a feeling of familiarity and spiritual belonging, or is it a physical place or group of people?
2018-07-19 The Spirit of Play in Dharma: Enjoying Your Meditation Practice: 56:24
Oren Jay Sofer
As a Zen teacher of mine used to say,"Life... very serious joke." Things can get real heavy sometimes - in life, and in contemplative practice. This talk explores the importance of finding some levity and enjoyment in our formal spiritual practice through the lens of play. Enjoy!
2018-07-26 "Staying Present When Life Gets Hard" 54:33
Kate Munding
2018-08-02 "Cultivating Compassion: Full of Grace and Mercy in the Mist of Suffering" 50:00
Shahara Godfrey
2018-08-09 "How to Practice When Life is Difficult." 53:17
Kate Munding
This is a practice that brings in ease to the mind and body, offering relief from our dukkha while also supporting more mental clarity to see through some of our confusion and aversion. It can be used for stress, grief, and being overwhelmed. It can also be used to prepare for more concentration and steady mindfulness when the mind or body is a bit stirred up.
2018-08-16 The Conflict Campaign: A Paradoxical Thinking Experiment in Israel. 48:37
James Baraz
James returns from his recent teaching In Europe and Israel. Besides his trip to the West Bank for a glimpse of Palestinian life, he shares a fascinating project: Israelis’ actually changed their attitude about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a marketing experiment called “The Conflict Campaign” based on paradoxical thinking principles.
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The video clip of the campaign in the talk can be found at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZadiztzLt0
To learn more about “The Fund for Reconciliation Tolerance and Peace” go to:
http://www.frtp-arik-peace.org/
Or, “Like” their Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/fund4rtp

Let others know.
2018-08-23 'The Dharma and Nature' 54:45
James Baraz
One definition of the word Dharma is Natural law. Trees hold a very special place in the Buddha’s teaching.. The Buddha was born under a tree, enlightened under a tree and died under a tree. He told his disciples to find “roots of trees” to sit and meditate. Trees are the perfect environment to practice in the Thai Forest Tradition. Metta practice was taught by the Buddha in response to actions of “Tree spirits”. We’ll explore the special significance of trees and Nature in the Buddha’s teaching.
2018-08-30 “3-week Darkness Retreat” in Guatemala. 55:07
Adam Baraz
Adam recently returned from his second experience of a darkness retreat in Guatemala. Last time he spent a week. This time he went a bit longer. He’s calling his talk tomorrow night “Let Go, Let’s Go!: 21 Days in Darkness”. Facing the mind with no external distractions for that long can be a transformative experience. He looks forward to sharing what he learned with the community and inviting you to explore the edges of fear, courage and surrender.
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