Sunday Dharma Talk

Heedfulness, the Buddha teaches us, is the root of skillfulness.  The practice of heedfulness enables us to take action in support of the heart, action that will lead us to happiness of heart.  In this talk, Peter Doobinin describes the elements of this essential skill.  The talk is the fourth in a series of talks on "Basic Skills" that Peter gave in June 2024.

In developing dharma practice, we seek to maintain present moment awareness, mindfulness, and our connection to the heart in all our postures, all the activities of our lives.  This is "Natural Meditation."  In this talk, Peter Doobinin describes the skill of Natural Meditation and the great benefits in developing this skill.  The talk is the third in a series on "Basic Skill" that Peter offered i...

In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes the basic skill of walking meditation.  As he explains, this key element of dharma practice enables us to make a transition from formal sitting meditation to being mindful in our lives.  The talk is the second in a series of talks on "basic skills" that Peter offered in June 2024.

This is the first talk in a series of dharma talks on "Basic Skills" offered by Peter Doobinin in June 2024.  In this talk, Peter discusses, in detail, the steps of breath meditation.  As he notes, it's a "lifetime practice" and a practice, as the Buddha noted, that leads us to true happiness.

The path leads us to the goodness of the heart.  It's a joyful path.  It's a joyful life.  We're asked, in making the path, to abandon that which is keeping us from the heart.  Specifically, the ways in which we cling, our holding on, our wanting ... and not wanting.  What's left, when we let go is the purity of heart.  In this talk, given in the summer of 2024, Peter Doobinin describes the dharma...

What is our commitment to the heightened mind?  From the heightened mind, we're able to develop insight and find freedom from suffering.  In this talk, Peter Doobinin describes how & why we develop the heightened mind  ... and how we develop in our commitment to it.  The dharma talk was offered in February 2024.

Life, by its nature, presents us with things that are difficult.  There is, of course, illness, aging, death.  We'll be separated, the Buddha tells us, from all that we find dear and appealing.  This is the way it is, and as dharma students we learn to develop acceptance - equanimity - in relationship to these basic truths about life.  In this talk, Peter explains how, if we develop this sort of a...

The Buddha's path is a path of happiness.  In following this path, we learn to know a reliable happiness.  What does this mean?  Why is it so important to make an effort to know this happiness?  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin discusses these questions.  The talk was given in September 2024.

In all the circumstances of our lives, we seek, as dharma students, to stay in tune.  In this talk, Peter Doobinin explains how we learn to stay in tune regardless of the situations we encounter.  In staying in tune, we have a skillful relationship to the thoughts and emotions that arise; we're able to maintain a certain space; we're able to stay close to the heart.  The dharma talk was given in O...

This life is a profound and precious gift.  As dharma students, it's integral to the path to remember the blessing of life.  In this talk, Peter Doobinin talks about how we learn to recognize the preciousness of life and cultivate gratitude for life.  And how this reflection brings joy.  The talk was given in October 2024.

Working skillfully with our thinking, in meditation and in our daily lives, is an extremely important element in dharma practice.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes how, by bringing insight to our thinking, we're able to abandon sticky thoughts and afflictive narratives.  The talk was given in October 2024.

What is our commitment to the heart...?  What is our commitment to taking action in support of the heart...?  What is our commitment to love...?  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin explore these questions.  He describes how we learn to take action informed by love.  And how we develop that resolve.  The talk, given in July 2024, is the fourth talk in a series of four talks on Lovingkindness. May...

What is our wish for ourselves?  To what degree are we driven by our wishes for the so-call worldly satisfactions?  In cultivating lovingkindness, we are learning to develop the wish for a happiness that transcends that kind of happiness.  We're developing our wish for a greater happiness.  The happiness of heart.  This dharma talk, given in July 2024, is the third in a series of talks on Lovingki...

This talk is the second in a series of talks on the theme of "Lovingkindness" given by Peter Doobinin in August 2024.  As Peter explains, our efforts to connect to the heart, to lovingkindness (metta) must include both the cultivation of the heart and the abandoning of the that which is a burden on the heart.  In the talk, Peter describes how we cause the heart to be burdened and how we relieve th...

This is the first in a series of talks on Lovingkindness that Peter Doobinin gave in July 2024.  The essence of lovingkindness in found in our wish for happiness, for ourselves and others.  All beings, the Buddha tells us, have this wish.  In this dharma talk, Peter discusses how we develop our wish to be happy. May all beings be happy of heart!

What is our sense of purpose in this life?  In this talk, Peter Doobinin explains how following the Buddha's path, living along spiritual lines, being a dharma student, give our lives a sense of purpose.  The dharma talk was given on the final night of the April Retreat at Powell House in 2024.

In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin discusses the art of letting go.  As Peter explains, developing the resolve to let go is essential, if we're going to let go, know freedom from suffering, and find our way to the heart.  The talk was given at the April 2024 Eight Day Retreat.

In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin takes an in-depth look at the Buddha's seminal teaching on the Four Noble Truths.  By accomplishing the tasks the Buddha sets forth in this teaching, we're able to rid the heart of its burdens and know true happiness in this life.  The talk was offered in April 2024 at the Eight-Day Retreat at Powell House.

In following the path of the dharma, we come to know our goodness.  The goodness that each of us, as human beings, has within.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes how we come to know this goodness .... and how this knowledge informs our way forward.  The talk was given at a daylong retreat in Berlin in September 2024.

In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes the simple practice of awareness.  If we can trust in awareness, our innate wisdom will lead us to freedom, the end of suffering, true happiness.  In the talk Peter explains the obstacles to awareness ... and how we learn to develop in awareness.  The talk was given at the April 2024 Eight-Day Retreat.

The Buddha described the quality of "being in tune with the dharma."  When we're in tune our practice flourishes.  Our life flourishes.  We live in accord with the heart.  In this talk, Peter explains what it means to be in tune ... and how we learn to be in tune.  The dharma talk was given on the third night of the April 2024 Eight-Day Retreat.

The habits of our minds often lead us to difficulty and pain.  But we can learn to train our awareness.  In this talk, Peter Doobinin describes how by learning to incline our awareness in a skillful way, we move toward a greater happiness in life.  As he explains, the ability to cultivate ease and sukkha (pleasure), to maintain a pleasant abiiding in all our postures, is integral to this process. ...

All that we are, the Buddha tells us, begins with our thoughts.  As dharma students, we learn to cultivate thinking that is skillful:  thinking that will lead us to a true happiness in this life.  We can do this.  We can change our minds.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin, describes the processes for changing the mind.  The talk was given on the first night of the April 2024 Eight-Day Retreat.

The Buddha's path, the dharma, is a path of knowing a true and reliable happiness.  In making this path, as Peter Doobinin describes, ,we learn to put aside our preoccupation with things that aren't reliable, things, including the pleasures of the world, that can't bring reliable, lasting happiness.  The talk was given at a Downtown Meditation Community Three-Day Retreat in 2016.

Are we taking good care of the mnd?  What does this mean?  How do we take good care of the mind?  Why is it so important?  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin explores these questions.  The talk was given at Downtown Meditation Community on a Sunday night in 2014.