Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Ayya Sobhana's most recent Dharma talks

(Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley) The series on the Seven Awakening factors concludes with Oren J. Sofer’s talk on the quality of equanimity. Sofer tells us that this quality develops slowly among the other factors and is considered one of the highest attainments in Buddhist practice. The fore-taste of evenness and balance can be considered a glimpse into the mind of an awakened being.

(Dhammadharini) After her 6 week retreat at Dhammadharini, Ayya Sobhana shares guidelines for working with cittanupasana (contemplation of mental factors) and how to balance the mind factors that may come up in metta meditation. She also links the contemplation of the elements as tools to balancing the mind.

(Dhammadharini) This is a review of how clinging to the five aggregates is a summary of suffering and, in particular, why consciousness can be a key as to whether we are hooked in the system or not. Using examples from neuroscience Ayya Sobhana explains how before knowing the Dhamma we are much more reactive to 'the slings and arrow of outrageous fortune', but through practice we can become more equanimous and calm and can receive the experience of life without being disturbed by it.

(Dhammadharini) This is the third of four special Dhammadharini events celebrating the yearlong 2600th anniversary of Bhikkhuni Sangha, with a focus on the Arahant Bhikkhuni Mahapajapati Gotami, as the pathbreaker, leader, and mentor of the early women's sangha. This was a Seminar on the Leadership of Women in Buddhism.

(Dhammadharini) This talk was offered during the Tuesday night meditation. It talks about what questions to ask to use renunciation as a practice whether a monastic or in lay life.

(Dhammadharini (Yoga Mendocino)) This talk was given at Yoga Mendocino. Ayya Sobhana first leads a meditation based on the first section of the Dhatuvibhanga Sutta using the elements. Then at 35:30 she goes on to summarize the sutta and take questions. This talk was given a few weeks after the bhikkhunis had done an extensive study of the sutta in their winter retreat.

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(Dhammadharini) (We apologize for the sporadic clicks from the heater at the beginning)

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(Dhammadharini) The monastics of Dhammadharini participated in a self retreat with talks by Ayya Sobhana on the Dhatubibhanga Sutta MN 140.

(Dhammadharini) This talk was given at a House Blessing and talks about the three characteristics of dukkha, anicca and anatta as gateways to enter the path.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Includes silent sitting and walking meditation periods.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Includes silent sitting and walking meditation periods.

(Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley) Shaila Catherine gave the seventh talk in a eight-week series titled "Seven Factors of Awakening." This talk explores how the stability and the balance provided by equanimity can make our mind our friend, something that we can trust. When equanimity is strong, if there is pain we won't tend to react with aversion; if there is pleasure, we won't tend to react with grasping and clinging. The mind will be balanced, present, and aware of experience as it unfolds.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) When to follow a meditation procedure, when to simply rest in open awareness.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Exploring the nature of liberating truth by way of the Saccakiriya-the vow of truth in an old tale about the Bodhisattva's past life.

(Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley) Bhikkhuni Sobhana gave the third talk in a eight-week series titled "Seven Factors of Awakening". The focus of the talk is the enlightenment factor of "viriya," i.e., what the early suttas advise for arousing energy, skillfully steering our efforts, and going beyond what we have done before.

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