Integrity (Sila in Pali) and Simplicity (usually translated as 'Renunciation', Nekkhama in Pali) are two practices in Buddhism that can support our journey to peace and freedom. This talk offers an exploration of some of the Buddha's teachings on these practices and the reasoning for their profound value.

One of the well known Buddhist lists is called the 'Paramis', or Perfections, which represent both qualities that the Buddha cultivated himself and also recommended that we cultivate on the road to freedom. The first one, considered a doorway to the rest, is generosity. This talk is a brief look at the ten Paramis and a deeper dive into the teaching on generosity.

The topic of this talk is Wise Concentration. What is it (as opposed to regular concentration, and how is it different from mindfulness); why did the Buddha teach it as an essential element on the path to freedom; and how do we practice it.

Wise Mindfulness is the 7th of 8 practices the Buddha offered to help us move toward peace and freedom. It involves non-judgmental clear seeing of present moment experience, along with awareness of awareness itself. This talk looks at this powerful practice and consider ways to bring it more fully into our lives.

Wise Effort is the 6th of 8 practices the Buddha offered to help us move toward peace and freedom. It involves understanding, discernment, and choice.This talk looks at this powerful teaching and considers ways to bring it more fully into our lives.

Wise Action and Wise Livelihood are important components to Buddhism: deliberately choosing actions and jobs rooted in non-harming. This talk explores the what, why, and how of these two steps on the Buddhist path.

The Buddha emphasized Wise Speech as an important part of the path to freedom. This talk takes a look at the what, why and how of Wise Speech.

The fourth Noble Truth is the Eight fold Path. The second of the paths is Wise Intention. In this talk Eve discusses Wise Intention.

Introduction to the 8 Fold Noble Path

Adam will give the talk. Over the past seven months, Adam traveled through Bali, Nepal, and Japan on a pilgrimage that became both an outer journey and an inner exploration. At the heart of this journey was a simple question: What allows a human being to feel truly at home within themselves? Drawing from meditation, spiritual pilgrimage, and somatic practice, Adam reflects on how love transforms shame and restores our innate dignity and belonging. He will share how he sees the journey through the lens of the five elemental stages of SomAwaken that he teaches.