08/24/23 “How intentions shape our experience: Converging views from neuroscience and early Buddhism” with Rick Maddock

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

Saṅkhāra is a word with many levels of meaning in early Buddhism. This talk will focus on its meaning as one of the five aggregates (skandhas), where it is often translated with such terms as volitions and intentions. People often strongly identify with their volitions and intentions. The Buddha taught about the dangers of clinging to and identifying with sankharas. The Foam Sutta describes sankhara with the analogy of a carpenter in need of heartwood who goes to a forest and cuts down a plantain tree. But when he cuts into the tree trunk, he finds it is only layers of sheaths. There is no heartwood there. The perspective of modern neuroscience leads to a similar understanding of volition and intentions.

/by

08/17/2023 “Revisiting Fundamentals: Resolve/Determination” with Dennis Warren

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

Why do some people face serious challenges, then go on to persevere or thrive, while others collapse, give up or quit? Why does facing serious difficulties result in some becoming stronger and more resilient, while seeming to break others?
Revolve or Determination is considered a pivotal skill in Buddhism. It implements and facilitates Intention and Aspiration. That’s what make it a Parami, a special quality of mind essential to deepening and maturing our meditation practice, as well as living a full and satisfying life. It is an elemental tool in working with difficulty, challenge, confusion, and doubt.

Dennis encourages you to watch a two-minute video entitled “Movements as Your Teacher Not as Taskmaster” by Ido Portal in preparation for this Thursday evening. Substitute “practice methods” for the word “movement” as you listen to the session. Then reflect on what, if anything, this has to do with your own meditation practice and your life.

/by

08/10/2023 “Seeing Impermanence, Learning to Let Go” with Walt Opie

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

We often hear the phrase to “just let it go,” but sometimes that can be frustrating advice. In this talk, we will explore the insights we are encouraged to investigate which can lead to a profound letting go as a result of ongoing insight meditation practice. It can also be very helpful on a less profound level in day-to-day life to understand the nature of constant change. In addition, Walt will reminisce about the recent loss of legendary Bay Area radio personality and beloved insight meditation teacher Wes “Scoop” Nisker, whose kindness, humor and humanness were very inspiring.

/by

07/27/2023 “How pleasant and unpleasant feelings (Vedanā) shape experience” with Rick Maddock

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

How pleasant and unpleasant feelings (Vedanā) shape experience – Converging views from neuroscience and early Buddhism.
The five aggregates (skandhas) together encompass all aspects of experience. Vedanā is one of the aggregates and is often defined as the feeling tone of experience ranging along a continuum from pleasant, through neutral, to unpleasant. The Buddha attributed great importance to mindfulness and clear comprehension of Vedanā. It is the focus of the second establishment of mindfulness in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta. We will discuss the nature of Vedanā and its relationship with the other aggregates using language and perspectives from both early Buddhism and modern neuroscience.

/by

07/20/2023 “Truthfulness: Precept, Parami, and Profound” with Rich Howard

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

A commitment to speaking the truth brings a sense of trust and safety to our relationships, and we reinforce this commitment when we take the fourth precept of refraining from harmful speech. Truthfulness (sacca in Pali) is also one of the Paramis, and it is said that this commitment to speak the truth was never broken by the Buddha on his way to awakening. As the same time, we are surrounded by a society which seems to thrive on untruthful, deceptive, or exaggerated communication. On this evening, we will look at various aspects of Truth in the Buddhist teachings, up to the profound Four Noble Truths, and explore how we can incorporate a commitment to truthfulness in our daily lives.

/by

07/06/2023 “Questions and Answers” with Dennis Warren

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

This evening will be all questions and answers. During this session we’ll explore questions you’ve been wanting to ask about Buddhism, practice, different traditions, a situation you’re dealing with or the follow up to a previous talk by Dennis. The topics are open to what would be helpful for you.

You can send questions to Dennis in advance at dennis@sactoinsight.org; show up on Thursday with questions; or spontaneously respond to the discuss that unfolds that night. The subject matter of this evening will be appropriate for all stages of practice.

/by

06/22/2023 “The Clarifying & Healing Power of ‘Right’ View” with Dennis Warren

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

“Right” View is considered the North Star of practice. It can guide the mind, and mobilizes our attention and effort, in nourishing, enriching and healing directions. It is the first condition in the chain of causation that leads to deep peace and satisfaction. But the Historical Buddha also insisted in multiple discourses that there is “Wrong” view. It points our mind and heart in a different direction – into confusion, dissatisfaction and suffering.
During this evening we will explore the meaning and differences between these two contrasting aspects of practice. Dennis, SIM’s Founding Teacher, will illustration the real-life value and power of Right View in the context of dealing with the aging and disability of a member of his family and his recent experience of being hospitalized after a major accident involving fractures to his back and ribs.
This subject is appropriate for all stages of practice. You can attend in person or by ZOOM. Dennis will be presenting in person and encourages you to be there in person as well.

/by

06/08/2023 “The Skandhas and the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness” with Tony Bernhard

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

Cultivation of the fourth foundation of mindfulness offers distinct insights into the non-self (anatta) aspect of our experience. In our talk, we will explore the practice of mindfulness of mind objects and their relationship to the process of awakening.

/by

06/01/2023 “Does Anger Always Lead to Suffering?” with Matt Russell

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

Anger gets a bad rap in Buddhism.

8th-century Buddhist scholar Shantideva described anger as the most extreme negative force. Buddhist psychology identifies anger as a detrimental emotional state that clouds the mind and causes suffering. In the Theravada tradition, we practice loving-kindness and compassion as antidotes to anger.

Yet, there is ample modern research showing that suppression of anger heightens stress response and leads to poor health outcomes. According to this science, being a nice Buddhist who never gets angry might be bad for your health!

So what’s the deal with anger? Does anger always lead to suffering? Can anger be healthy or even skillful? Does fully feeling anger lead to its resolution? Or to getting better at being angry?

This talk will revisit the question of how to cultivate a skillful relationship with this tricky and seemingly inescapable aspect of being human.

/by

05/25/2023 “Patience as Safety, Help & Creativity” with Dennis Warren

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

“Patience” is one of the most important and useful, but undervalued, skills from a Buddhist perspective. It is not merely tolerance, enduring or resignation. It is, instead, a purposeful process that can act as a source of safety, help and creativity in meditation, practice and daily life. It is something we can use regularly to support making choices and decisions that enrich, rather than diminish us.
This will be the field of exploration for this Thursday evening. Dennis Warren, SIM’s Founding Teacher, will explore these issues in the context of his recent major accident, and rehabilitation, involving multiple fractures to his back and ribs.
This subject is appropriate for all stages of practice.

/by