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Dharma Talks
given at Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2025-01-02
Dharma from the Heart
59:28
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Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith
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Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith, MBA, brings over 25 years of cumulative meditation practice and spiritual studies to her livelihood as a Spiritual Teacher and Leader. Silent Vipassana (insight) meditation retreats, Theravada Buddhist studies and earth-based indigenous spirituality and healing arts are at the heart of her practice. Ramona Lisa is passionate about long silent retreat practice, spiritual studies and sharing wisdom teachings.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2024-12-26
Intention And songs in remembrance of Alan Senauke
60:00
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Eve Decker
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Join Eve for an evening of exploring the Buddha’s teaching on Intention - a powerful and potentially transformative mental energy that precedes action. Live at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, 2304 McKinley Ave., Berkeley, and online (Zoom link below). We will also share some songs in remembrance of Alan Senauke, the Abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center who passed away on Sunday December 22. Alan was a great Buddhist teacher, social activist, and singer/songwriter.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2024-12-23
Befriending Eternity: 49 Days in Darkness by Adam Baraz
59:06
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James Baraz
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Talk originally given on December 12, 2024
I’m happy to share the evening with my son, Adam Baraz, who will reflect on the recent completion of his fifth Darkness Retreat, a 49-day “Bardo Retreat” in Tuscany, Italy.
Adam will discuss the psychological, physical, emotional, and spiritual journey of “being alone in the dark” for 7 weeks. He will describe the practical aspects of preparation, meditation practice, challenges, and benefits of extended darkness retreat practice.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2024-12-19
Cultivating Kindness for Inner Experience
55:27
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Eve Decker
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Join Eve for an exploration of holding all aspects of inner experience with curiosity and kindness. The practice of mindfulness invites us to ‘see things as they really are’ - not as we imagine them to be or wish them to be. This is usually a big challenge, especially in painful areas or the ones we try to avoid. The Buddhist teachings of lovingkindness invite a crucial deepening in our capacity to not only turn toward the difficult, but to begin to embrace whatever is arising in a spirit of benevolence that supports peace and often insight.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2024-12-12
Befriending Eternity: 49 Days in Darkness
59:06
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Adam Baraz,
James Baraz
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I’m happy to share the evening with my son, Adam Baraz, who will reflect on the recent completion of his fifth Darkness Retreat, a 49-day “Bardo Retreat” in Tuscany, Italy.
Adam will discuss the psychological, physical, emotional, and spiritual journey of “being alone in the dark” for 7 weeks. He will describe the practical aspects of preparation, meditation practice, challenges, and benefits of extended darkness retreat practice.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2024-12-05
Mindfulness of Feeling Tone
55:44
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Eve Decker
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Vedana (वेदना) is an ancient term from Sanskrit and Pāli that refers to the automatic experience of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral that arises when the senses come into contact with objects (including thoughts).
Vedana can be translated as "feeling tone".
Using mindfulness to become aware of vedana can be a powerful way to support ease. Identifying or fusing with vedana (“this is me”) aggravates reactivity. Observing it with curiosity and kindness is conducive to compassion, appreciation, and wise response.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2024-11-21
What Do I Need Right Now?
51:42
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James Baraz
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At this time, US citizens are going through a major adjustment to a new reality after the election. A large part of the population is happy at the outcome. And another large part is confused by that fact. A whole host of feelings are likely to arise--disorientation, confusion, fear, numbing out to name a few. In order to respond wisely to the moment, we first need to be present for and honor our experience. A key question to ask oneself is "What do I need right now?" We will explore this in the context of our Dharma practice.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2024-11-07
Keeping the Heart Open in Uncertain Times
52:18
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James Baraz
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This week has been a test for anyone who values kindness, compassion, and equanimity. It's understandable to get lost in fear, confusion and despair. This is when spiritual practice is needed most. How can we use our practice to develop a balance of mind in unpredictable circumstances, and relate to those who have very different perspectives from ours without getting caught in "othering"?
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2024-10-17
"What, Me Worry?"
57:17
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James Baraz
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Alan Watts wrote a classic book The Wisdom of Insecurity. With the election in the States a few weeks away, dealing with significant uncertainty is on the minds of most everybody. Join us as we explore the topic of dealing with major uncertainty as Dharma practice together.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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