The House of Inner Tranquillity Podcast

In this podcast Paul outlines a practice for developing compassion. He describes its near and far enemies and their drawbacks, its relationship to wisdom and ends with a description of the benefits of living with a mind filled with compassion. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquility. This talk was given in April 2007 

Paul discusses pitfalls that hamper mundane happiness, including expectations and attachment to views of how life should be, followed by ways to develop it using practices such as loving-kindness and service to others. He then describes how the practice of vipassana meditation, by looking at suffering and its true nature, leads eventually to supramundane happiness by the way of understanding and l...

This podcast introduces the concept of a kalyanamitta, a good spiritual friend, the qualities that such friends have and the reasons why we need them. It also discusses the necessary qualities needed by the student in order for the relationship to grow and how it develops over time, leading the student on towards enlightenment. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at...

This podcast discusses the various aspects of the four noble truths and the three trainings of the noble eightfold path: sila (ethics), samadhi (mental development) and panna (wisdom). It then describes how insight develops and leads towards enlightenment. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquility. This talk was given in August 2007 

This talk describes how Buddhism shares aspects of several other systems, including religion, ethics, psychology and philosophy. It discusses how trying to mix different systems can lead to problems and then points out the way in which Buddhism differs from all other systems, how it is a middle way,  which is all encompassing. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at t...

This podcast discusses how life changes with the way we choose to respond to situations. It looks at the meaning of acceptance and the impact it has on our actions, including meditation, and how acceptance develops interest which leads to understanding and wisdom into the transient, conditioned nature of all things. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of...

This talk discusses the Noble Eightfold Path and the Buddha’s approach to conflict resolution, along with ways to achieve physical and psychological security. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquility. This talk was given in February 2004 

This talk discusses rebirth and its importance within the Buddha’s teaching. It explores the different impacts on our lives of holding a one-life view compared with a view of rebirth and describes how the noting of the five aggregates in vipassana meditation can take us beyond the cycle of rebirth to the realisation of enlightenment. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teach...

In this podcast, Paul introduces the four cankers of sensual desire, becoming, views and ignorance, describes how they corrupt meditation and gives tips on how to overcome them. He then discusses ways to prepare in order to make the most of a retreat and the effect it can have on our practice.

This podcast examines the power of the mind and how it can be used to influence our lives. It discusses the influence of the parami, kamma and rebirth, how the hindrances can hamper personal power and also warns about the potential dangers of the power of the mind. Finally it describes how certain acts of power can lead to enlightenment. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation t...

This podcast discusses the role of renunciation in undertaking a Buddhist practice and the difference between renunciation and asceticism. It discusses how renunciation can show up our attachments and the hindrances to meditation, enable us to note the three marks of transience, unsatisfactoriness and non-self and finally, bring us to the realisation of nibbana. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head a...

This talk discusses the topic of belief in self and the Buddha’s teaching of non-self, what we mean by “self” and how it develops. It introduces the Buddha’s three-fold training of ethical conduct, concentration and insight. Then how to see through the illusion of self by noting experience at the ultimate level, using the five aggregates. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation...

This talk discusses the five hindrances to meditation, using an analogy given by the Buddha. It describes how we use them in daily life to avoid unwanted situations and the problems they cause in meditation. Antidotes specific to each hindrance are discussed and then a description of how meditation can develop without the hindrances. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teach...

This podcast discusses interconnectedness and the conditioned and conditioning nature of phenomena. Paul points out the importance of ethical conduct and kamma, then introduces the Abhidhamma - the higher teaching of Buddhism. He concludes with some descriptions of Nibbana, enlightenment. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquility. This tal...

Paul describes the cycle of perceived threat, fear and response which is often perceived as aggression by the person receiving it, leading to more perceived threat, fear, reaction and so on. We break the cycle of fear and response by radical acceptance. By following the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. Definitions of what he means by radical and acceptance are given with an example of the opposite. ...

This talk describes ways in which we try to find happiness in this life and how, as the Buddha said: “Life is suffering”. Then, how we can come to the end of suffering by keeping the precepts, developing a regular practice using vipassana meditation, allaying the five hindrances and looking at the three marks of transience, unsatisfactoriness and non-self. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and pri...

Paul discusses samsara, describing a variety of realms of existence, from realms of ghosts and demons up to heavenly realms with the human world in between. Explores how to escape the wheel of rebirth, by developing faith, living according to mundane right view and most importantly, developing vipassana meditation. Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of...

Suffering  within the four noble truths is discussed and the need to understand the cause behind it. The two arrows are described: how the first is inherent suffering that we are born with and that the second is conditioned by the craving to get away from the first. The importance of compassion to lessen self concern is described along with a description of insight meditation and how to approach i...

A reading and discussion on the meaning of the Parable of the Raft. The importance of various aspects of the teaching, such as the five spiritual faculties and the parami , is described. Hindrances are discussed, how to deal with them and then what meditation is like when they have been set aside. Finally, on the realisation of enlightenment, how the dhamma and meditation are no longer needed. Pau...

Paul discusses the simplicity of being present, what obstructs it and what to do in order to obtain it; the difference between non-hatred and anti-hatred and the role of obsessions with the past, present and future; and how the absence of suffering is not something we create, but that it develops through dealing with the things that pull us into suffering. Finally, he describes how vipassana medit...

What is meditation and how can we learn through it? Paul discusses the three trainings of the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path and how they work together. How to approach meditation: setting it up properly beforehand and how to deal with unwanted thoughts. How concentration and equanimity develop over time. and finally, the development of wisdom Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditat...

This talk discusses the four bases of spiritual power ( iddhipada ). It explains what they are, how the meditation feels when they start to develop and also how to develop them. This is all illustrated using the description of skills needed in the example of driving to the meditation centre for a Wednesday evening meeting, and comparing these with those needed in meditation. Finally, there is a de...

This concerns the story of Sona, who tried too hard in the meditation, and the Buddha’s instruction to him of using the middle way in terms of effort. It discusses setting up the meditation practice, then afterwards, reflecting on it and adapting our approach. It highlights important aspects such as creating a positive narrative about meditation, knowing its purpose, direction and focus and having...

Brother Nigel is the long-standing Head Monk at the Monastery of Absolute Harmony. 

Audio recording of the book "Postcards from Beyond" by meditation teacher Paul Harris, uploaded in weekly installments.  https://www.aukana.org.uk/books.html