Way of Compassion Dharma Center

John Bruna, Spiritual Director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, discusses and unpacks dependent arising as it relates to the triple gem (The Buddha, The Dharma, and The Sangha). This session is a continuation of a series of teachings based on the book "Approaching Buddhism" by Venerable Thubten Chödron and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This episode was recorded on September 21st, 2...

John Bruna, spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, offers commentary and elaboration on dependent origination and emptiness as presented in the text "Approaching Buddhism" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chödron. This episode was recorded on September 14th, 2022. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colora...

John Bruna, the spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, continues his commentary on the text "Approaching Buddhism" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chödron. In this session, John unpacks the Four Truths of the Aryas which are commonly known as the Four Noble Truths. This episode was recorded on September 7th, 2022.  Welcome to the Way of Compassion...

John Bruna, spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, continues to offer commentary and guidance on the text "Approaching Buddhism" by Venerable Thubten Chödron and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In this session, John gives clarity of what Buddhism understands as the self. Following reasoning and discerning wisdom, John describes the process of coming to know the self as a...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna expands on the Buddhist view of the mind, continuity of consciousness, and rebirth. Following Buddhist logic and reasoning, John guides the exploration of different causes and conditions for body and mind. He also explains how the brain and mind are correlated, but that the Buddhist view rejects the idea that the brain creates the mind. This episode w...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna, speaks about the primacy of mind in Buddhism, and discusses in depth the relative nature of mind. He speaks about the mind as the illuminating and knowing aspect of our consciousness, and how our minds become conditioned through our experiences. He describes the powerful truth that the ultimate nature of our mind is never contaminated, and that menta...

 John Bruna, spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, continues commentary on the initial section of the text "Approaching Buddhism" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chödron. John describes how the path, rooted in the Four Noble Truths, requires a discerning mind that is open to ideas that challenge our deeply established beliefs. We are also encoura...

John Bruna, the spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, offers commentary on the book "Approaching Buddhism" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chödron. In this session, John speaks on the foundational discoveries of the Buddha and the Buddhist path of living a meaningful life. This teaching took place on July 27th, 2022. Welcome to the Way of Compass...

John Bruna, spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, begins a new series of teachings on Approaching Buddhism. This series is based on the text composed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chödron. This teaching was given on July 20th, 2022. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colorado, the Way of Compassion Dharma cente...

John Bruna, Spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, continues his commentary on compassion. John speaks about the many ways that compassion shows up in our lives and offers valuable understanding of the differences between compassion and empathy. John also speaks about how living in reality (wisdom) is such a powerful way to alleviate suffering. This teaching was given on July 1...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna celebrates His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday by unpacking a talk he gave on compassion. John speaks about the urgency for us to apply these teachings, recognizing many of our great teachers are reaching old age.  John speaks about the wisdom of understanding how people are conditioned, and that we can benefit by separating people from their...

John Bruna, spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, comments on a public talk given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. John begins by encouraging the study and practice of the Three Principal Aspects of the path. He unpacks His Holiness's comments that we all have the inborn right to be happy and to avoid suffering. John then goes on to explain that despite our best efforts we...

John Bruna, spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, offers commentary and closing remarks of the text "The Four Noble Truths" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. John speaks about the transformation that can occur by deeply understanding and practicing the 4 Noble Truths. He also addresses the importance of combining Shamatha and Vipashyana practice for taming, training, a...

John Bruna, spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Foundation, offers commentary and guidance on the Vajrayana path as described in the final section of the text "The Four Noble Truths" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. John highlights differences between the Sutrayana and Vajrayana paths, while describing more fully the prerequisites and commitments one would engage in. This teaching...

John Bruna, Spiritual Director of the Way of Compassion Dharma Center, offers practical guidance on the six perfections of generosity, ethics, patience, joyous effort, concentration, and wisdom. John expands on the Bodhisattva path as described in the text "The Four Noble Truths" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This teaching took place on May 11th, 20222. Welcome to the Way of Compassion...

Spiritual director John Bruna discusses foundational aspects of the Mahayana Path including renunciation and great compassion. He shares practical methods for cultivating stable equanimity that acts as the momentum towards Bodhicitta. John finishes the discussion with a clear description of the two accumulations of spiritual merit and wisdom. This teaching took place on May 4th, 20222. Welcome to...

John Bruna, Spiritual Director of the Way of Compassion Foundation, continues to offer commentary and guidance on the text "The Four Noble Truths" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  In this session, John offers teachings on emptiness by focusing on how things are dependently originated. He speaks about the Buddhist worldview that the roots of suffering are cut with the realization of empti...

John Bruna, Spiritual director of the Way of Compassion foundation continues to offer commentary and guidance on the text "The Four Noble Truths" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  In this session, John moves into the Third Noble Truth, known as the truth of cessation. He talks about how understanding emptiness and dependent origination is the key to cutting through the root of suffering....

John Bruna, spiritual director of the Way of Compassion Foundation, offers final commentary on the second noble truth, highlighting the primary causes and secondary causes (conditions) for mental afflictions to arise. John also discusses the relationship between karma and consciousness as presented by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the text The Four Noble Truths. This teaching took place on March...

John Bruna, spiritual director of the Way of Compassion, continues to offer commentary and guidance on the Second Noble Truth the true causes of suffering. John talks about the relationship between karma and the subtle mental continuum. He discusses how our actions plant seeds for our future circumstances and how ethical living is the foundation for all spiritual practice. This teaching took place...

John Bruna, spiritual director of the Way of Compassion, offers continued guidance on the text "The Four Noble Truths" by his Holiness the Dalai Lama. In this session, John illustrates the relationship between karma and kleshas, and how our actions of body, speech, and mind plant seeds for our future experiences. John also describes indefinite karma, and the four stages of karmic actions...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers an introduction to the laws of causality called karma, and mental afflictions called kleshas. He speaks specifically about the affliction of concealment and how it impacts our lives. John finishes the session with suggestions on purification practice as a method to grow wisdom. This teaching took place on March 9th, 2022.  Welcome to the Way Of...

This is the last session of a three-part series.  Our spiritual director, John Bruna, wraps up the exploration of equanimity by focusing on how each moment, situation and person in our life can bring meaning and purpose by how we engage with them. The last half is a Q&A dialogue with the retreat attendees. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colorado,...

In this session, our spiritual director, John Bruna, offers guidance on the difference between causes and conditions within the Buddhist worldview. John brings a clarity to the material aspect of true causes and the potentials that exist within these material causes. He then finishes the teaching with advice on purification and Tonglen practice during Losar. (Tibetan New Year). This teaching took...

This is the second of three sessions.  Our spiritual director, John Bruna, continues the exploration of equanimity in daily life.  Many practical examples are given to bring an understanding of the truths of impermanence and interdependence.  Welcome to the Way Of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colorado, the Way of Compassion Dharma center's primary objective is to p...