Dhamma Talks
Mike Maldonado Retreat Report
Our community finds value in providing opportunities for those among us who have recently experienced a significant retreat to "think out loud" about the experience. The benefits of these reviews are associated with the support of informed listeners, along with...
What We Resist Persists
During this talk, April describes how our inability to investigate and effectively manage our resistance to using mindfulness to beneficially apply the principles and practices from a Buddhist creates suffering, using various quotes from Buddhist teachings. Her...
Birth Death and Rebirth
During this talk, Allie Vaknin reviews Buddhist concepts regarding mortality, referring frequently to the Bardo, a descriptive term for the states of birth, death and rebirth from a Tibetan Buddhist perspective. Her report is followed by comments from participants...
May 2025 Open Dharma Questions
During this meeting, Peter responds to questions posed by those participating, such as describing the "Middle Way" as a dynamic balancing of mental energy--not too energized or too tranquil--along with mental acuity--not too rigid or too "sloppy". He also commented...
The Four Qualities of Mind
During this talk, Lezlie reviews four key liberating functions in the mind: diligence, mindfulness. clearly knowing what is emerging into awareness, supported by the integrative and unifying function of concentration--the persistent operation of the three qualities...
Intention Creates the Self
During this talk, Peter reviews the characteristics of intention, suggesting that this function of the mind emerges from the complex interactions between various neurological networks in the brain, not attributable to the existence of a self. This contemporary view...
Guided Contemplation of Intention
The mindful investigation and effective management of intention is considered to be a primary goal of meditation practice, beginning with the intention to aim attention on the changing sensations occurring while practicing mindfulness of breathing meditation. During...
Mindfulness Based Pain Management
During this talk, Lili reviews how her studies and meditation practices have helped her effectively manage migraine headaches and the pain of sciatica. She invited participants to ask questions or share their experience regarding pain, and several people provided...
Mindfulness Based Pain Management Contemplation
This guided meditation provides suggestions for integrating mindfulness, investigation and letting go of impulsive reactivity while practicing body scanning, in order to cultivate more equanimity regarding pain as well as intrusive/demanding uncomfortable thoughts and...
Contemplating Stillness in Motion
During this talk, April describes how important it is to integrate the benefits of formal mindfulness meditation with walking, particularly while outdoors in nature. She shares her own experience and insights that emerge in a variety of settings during normal daily...
