Insight Meditation Community Of Berkeley: Dharma Talks And Meditation Instruction podcast

#Buddhist #Religion #Dharma Seed

39:33

"The basic premise of the event is that hunters hunt rattlesnakes from the surrounding environment all across West Texas, and bring them into the roundup for the weekend. And during the roundup, these snakes are kept in a pit and then, one by one, beheaded and skinned in front of in front of audiences." - Elizabeth MeLampy Elizabeth MeLampy is a lawyer dedicated to animal rights and protection, and her passion for this work shines through in her latest book, Forget the Camel, the Madcap World of Animal Festivals and What They Say About Being Human . To research the book, Elizabeth traveled across the country, immersing herself in a wide range of animal festivals — from the Iditarod dog sled race to the rattlesnake roundup in Sweetwater, Texas. Elizabeth examines these festivals as revealing microcosms of our broader relationship with animals. Whether it's rattlesnake hunts, frog-jumping contests, ostrich races, or groundhog celebrations, these events reflect the ways humans use animals to express cultural identity, community pride, and historical traditions. Yet beneath the pageantry and excitement lies a deeper question: Is our fascination with these spectacles worth the toll it takes on the animals involved? With compassion and insight, Elizabeth invites readers to consider whether there’s a more ethical and empathetic way to honor our stories — one that respects both animals and the traditions they inspire. Please listen, share and read, Forget the Camel. It will be released on April 8th, 2025. https://apollopublishers.com/index.php/forget-the-camel/…

Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley: dharma talks and meditation instruction

Series home•Feed

16 episodes

Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley: dharma talks and meditation instruction

12 subscribers

updated 11 days ago

Series home•Feed

16 episodes

#Buddhist #Religion #Dharma Seed

Tüm bölümler

1
Eve Decker: Engaged Buddhism: Connecting Inner Practice and Outer Response 53:06

11 days ago53:06

53:06

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Thich Nhat Hanh, beloved Vietnamese monk and peace activist, coined the term "Engaged Buddhism" when, during the great suffering of the Vietnam war, it no longer felt appropriate to many monastics to stay inside the monastery. There was a need to take action. However, as practitioners directly addressed the suffering, they stayed grounded in and guided from practice. We will be exploring staying connected to and moving from wisdom and compassion as we engage with daily life and the suffering we encounter.…

1
James Baraz: Don't Know Mind: Letting Go of Conclusions 50:09

18 days ago50:09

50:09

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) It's hard to keep up with all the disorienting changes we are processing each day. We can easily get lost in confusion trying to make sense of it all. As a result, we can draw conclusions based in despair and fear, thinking that we know where this is heading. We can find strength from Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn teaching: "Keep Don't Know Mind." In this "Don't Know Mind" we let go of knowing how things will turn out. This frees us from the tyranny of our mind-created stories and allows us to see many possibilities.…

1
James Baraz: Taking Sides in a World of Non-Duality 49:46

25 days ago49:46

49:46

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) This talk explores the view that the wide and profound perspective of Non-Duality sees that everything belongs. One is not creating divisions between "good and bad" or "right and wrong". It is all part of the dance of life. However, in the relative level of reality these categories are real and shape our thoughts, reactions and actions. The Buddha advises us to not be attached to views and opinions. How can we reconcile this paradox and live with this wise non-dual perspective while taking a courageous stand against the forces of greed, hatred delusion that are creating suffering?…

1
Eve Decker: Equanimity in These Times Part 4 of 4 48:37

5 weeks ago48:37

48:37

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) This talk examines some frameworks and practices that can help us return to equanimity (a sense of balance in the midst of things as they are, from which wise response can more easily arise).

1
Eve Decker: Equanimity in These Times Part 3 of 4 54:22

6 weeks ago54:22

54:22

1
Eve Decker: Equanimity in These Times Pt 1 57:31

8 weeks ago57:31

57:31

1
James Baraz: The Antidote to Fear: Practicing in Uncertain Times 51:41

9 weeks ago51:41

51:41

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) It seems like many are feeling either a low-level anxiety or fear these days. Fear about their safety, about disasters like fire or floods, about what the future holds. While this is natural and understandable, when our minds get hijacked by fearful thoughts, it is almost impossible to have a wise or appropriate response. In this talk we explore practicing and skillfully working with fear so that it can transform into courage, compassion and wisdom.…

1
James Baraz: Our Greatest Protection 46:39

11 weeks ago46:39

46:39

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) This talk is about what the Dalai Lama called our greatest protection: our sincerity of motivation. What is sincerity? How do we know when we are truly sincere? How can we cultivate it?

1
James Baraz: We Are What We Think 47:51

12 weeks ago47:51

47:51

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) The subject of this talk is the opening verse of the Dhammapada, the famous collection of the Buddha’s teachings. The verse starts out with these words: “We are what we think. With our thoughts we make the world.” This teaching can be truly transformative in one’s meditation practice as well as in one’s life.…

1
Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith: Dharma from the Heart 59:28

13 weeks ago59:28

59:28

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) 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.…

1
Eve Decker: Intention And songs in remembrance of Alan Senauke 1:00:00

14 weeks ago1:00:00

1:00:00

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) 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.…

1
James Baraz: Befriending Eternity: 49 Days in Darkness by Adam Baraz 59:06

14 weeks ago59:06

59:06

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) 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.…

1
Eve Decker: Cultivating Kindness for Inner Experience 55:27

15 weeks ago55:27

55:27

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) 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.…

1
Adam Baraz, James Baraz: Befriending Eternity: 49 Days in Darkness 59:06

16 weeks ago59:06

59:06

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) 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.…

1
Eve Decker: Mindfulness of Feeling Tone 55:44

17 weeks ago55:44