Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley: dharma talks and meditation instruction

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Many of us have learned to motivate ourselves with self-criticism. At what price? Negative criticism is a form of aversion - one of the three "poisons" to well-being taught by the Buddha. We can practice and get better at motivating ourselves with self-compassion instead. Join me for an evening of exploration and practice with self-compassionate motivatio...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Many of us learned, for multiple reasons, to ignore our own needs. While this may support being of service to others in the short term, in the long term we can burn out and become resentful if we don't know what our authentic needs are and endeavor to meet them. We are each our own primary caregiver, and how we meet and respond to our own version of Unive...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) This Thursday, May 23rd is Wesak, the most special day in Theravada Buddhist countries (Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka). The full moon in May is said to be the day that the Buddha was born, became enlightened at the age of 35 and died at the age of 80. The three holiest of days all rolled into one! On this Wesak, we can reflect on who this person was, what he...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Compassion for self, others, and the world is essential for well-being and freedom. This form of love often needs to manifest tenderly - and - just as often, needs to be fierce. Join Eve for a look at bringing together 'a sword and a lotus'.

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) The Buddha spoke of like-minded friendship as "the whole of the spiritual life." He encouraged us to take refuge in the Sangha. What makes community so powerful? Have you ever been part of a group that felt quite magical, where it was more than merely a collection of individual members? What are the ingredients that make a group like that come together?

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Self-Compassion requires us to cultivate capacities of presence with difficulty, kindness, and awareness of common humanity. But this doesn't mean that it always must be tender and internal. Often, our self-compassion requires us to be action-oriented and courageous. Join Eve for a look at these two forms of self-compassion and some ways to practice.

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) April 22 is Earth Day. How can we express our care and appreciation for life on this planet through meaningful action? I look forward to exploring this with you at our Thursday sangha. I hope you join us.

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) During mindfulness practice, we might anchor our awareness through a focus on breath or body. We can also become mindfully aware of vedena, or feeling tone: whether we experience something as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. Becoming mindful of this mental function helps us interrupt our own reactivity, in order to both experience and offer greater level...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Mindfulness helps us see our minds. Neuroscience and our own observations make clear that the natural negativity bias is there, and can be overridden in favor of intentional practices that increase contentment. Join Eve to explore two of these practices - appreciating others ('mudita' in Pali) and appreciating ourselves (noticing and savoring our innate a...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Most of the Buddha's disciples whose names we are familiar with, such as Ananda and Sariputta, are men. The Buddha also had women disciples who were wise and profound practitioners like Mahapajapati, the Buddha's aunt/foster mother, responsible for the establishment of the order of nuns or Patacara, revered teacher, who tragically lost her family and even...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) The Dalai Lama said “The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.” And the Buddha taught that the wholesome energies that support goodness are the stepping stones to freedom. Join Eve for a deeper look at appreciation for goodness, the ensuing increase of inner ease, and ways we can practice. With metta, Eve

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Pema Chödrön writes: "It's not impermanence per se, or even knowing we're going to die, that is the cause of our suffering, the Buddha taught. Rather, it's our resistance to the fundamental uncertainty of our situation. Our discomfort arises from all of our efforts to put ground under our feet, to realize our dream of constant okayness. When we resist cha...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) This week, join Eve Decker as we consider elevating 'wise joy' in our practice and life, as an essential source of energy and contentment.

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) a look into a few of several practices that support us in deepening contentment.

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) You'll appreciate what she shares.

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) "Cultivating Resources for Well-being". There are so many realms of support available to us on our spiritual path when we can remember them, open to them, and receive their care.

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Sometimes it feels as if our practice is taking one step forward and two steps back. Or two steps forward and two steps back. In this talk I want to explore the process of awakening in the context of understanding the trajectory of practice. Even though it might not seem as if much is happening or that you're truly growing, it's happening anyway. However,...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) There are often things about ourselves that can be hard to forgive: the ways we have caused harm to others, the way we have caused or chronically cause harm to ourselves, and the ways we perceive ourselves as imperfect. Join us for an exploration of two possible paths that can lead to a greater sense of self-forgiveness.

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) We all know the unpleasant feeling of self-consciousness. It is one thought away from self-judgment, self-criticism and a whole spectrum of “Selfing” thoughts. This week I want to share with you a simple and effective practice to cut through this painful negative mental habit which, when utilized, takes the “self” out of self-consciousness.

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed an uplifting transition to 2024. I'm delighted to invite you to join me in welcoming author and Dharma teacher Oren Jay Sofer for an evening of online practice and exploration based on his new book, Your Heart Was Made For This: Contemplative Practices to Meet a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love. What doe...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) As we come to the last gathering of the year, join us online as we will reflect on this moment together--looking back at the past year, seeing where we are right now and getting in touch with our vision for the upcoming year. We will mark this time together with an end-of-year ritual and support each other in our intentions for the New Year. Please bring...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) This Thursday our meeting will take place just as we arrive at this year's Winter Solstice (7:27pm Pacific Time). This longest night of the year has given rise to many holidays of light (Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Soyal, the winter solstice celebration of the Hopi Indians, and many others). We will explore accessing the light within as we experience th...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Join Eve Decker for an exploration of the why and how of increasing our capacity to experience and offer peace through mindfulness of thoughts. "As contemplation deepens, the seemingly solid, stable mind reveals itself to be a stream of mental acts flashing in and out of being, coming from nowhere and going nowhere, continuing in sequence without pause."-...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) The barrage of frightening headlines every day often leave us with feelings of despair, hopelessness and negativity. While it's important to feel connected to the suffering all around us, it is equally important to nourish ourselves by opening to the goodness in life--both inside and around us. This helps us skillfully create a larger container so that we...

(Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley) Refuge is a word that is often used in Buddhist teachings. We long to feel safe and protected from inner and outer harm. When everything seems out of control where can we find true refuge? How can the practice help us hold it all? This talk refers to a highly recommended conversation on the Mideast situation between two women (one Israeli, one German) who...