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Dharma Talks
given at Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2022-02-10
The Practice of Letting Go
37:06
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Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith
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| Ramona Oritz-Smith offers a talk on the nekkhamma, one of the ten paramis or perfections. Nekkhamma is usually translated as renunciation. However, the Buddha taught that practicing the nekkhamma is not a deprivation but rather brings great happiness when one experiences the freedom that comes from simplifying and letting go of our attachments. Ramona has been taking this on as a practice for the last two years and is happy to share what she's learned and invites us to explore this for ourselves. |
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2022-01-27
Remembering Thich Nhat Hanh
51:02
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James Baraz
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| The great Vietnamese Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, passed away on January 22nd at the age of 95. Thay, as he was known to his students, was one of the most influential Buddhist masters in modern times.We spend the evening exploring his teachings and honoring his spirit. A short clip of him teaching is included as part of the evening. |
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2022-01-20
Equanimity with Uncertainty: Finding Balance in Difficult Times
51:13
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James Baraz
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| Equanimity or Upekkha is a highly valued quality in Buddhist teachings. It is one of the Four Divine Abodes, one of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, one of the Ten Perfections and on a number of other lists. When highly developed it is the precursor to the experience of awakening. But what is equanimity? How can we cultivate it in our meditation practice? Even more, how can we access it in our daily life, especially in times like these with so much uncertainty, fear and sadness over the suffering in the world? We will explore various aspects of equanimity that can be pragmatically applied to our life off the cushion. |
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2021-12-30
New Year's Gathering: Letting Go and Moving On
51:53
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James Baraz
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| As the year comes to an end, we mark and celebrate this transition point by reflecting on where we are in our lives and consciously get in touch with our vision for the coming year. The Buddha talked about the power of having Wise Intention and "Clear Comprehension of Purpose" to keep us facing in the right direction. As a community we can support each other through reflecting on what we've learned in 2021 and share a ritual to call forth our vision for the coming year. |
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2021-12-02
Women’s Bodies: How mindfulness and compassion can help us heal
the effects of toxic messaging
57:48
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Eve Decker
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| There is an unintentional but unfortunate blend in mainstream culture of patriarchy (“a social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property”) and consumerism (“the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods. The need to sell things.”) This combination has led to decades of massive cultural messaging around “ideal” female bodies that are both childlike and sexualized. Eve Decker takes a look at how this messaging affects our thinking minds and how Buddhist practices can help us heal. |
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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