Podcasts by The Workshop is in the Mind
Venerable Robina Courtin weaves a tapestry of modern Buddhist commentary as she illuminates this ancient spiritual path with humor, wit and intensity. This Buddhist program aims to give every listener an opportunity to ponder some of life’s deepest questions such as:
“Why do bad and good things happen? Is it karma? How can I overcome insecurity and start to care deeply for other beings? Can I lessen my depression and fears? Is reincarnation real? What is the mind? Exactly what is enlightenment?
A Buddhist nun since the late 1970s, Robina Courtin has worked since then with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, a worldwide network of Tibetan Buddhist activities of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinopche. She has served as editorial director of Wisdom Publications, editor of Mandala magazine, and executive director of Liberation Prison Project. Her life, as well as her work with prisoners, has been featured in the documentary films “Chasing Buddha and Key to Freedom”.
Further podcasts by Venerable Robina Courtin
Podcast on the topic Buddhismus
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Don't Put Things Off from 2023-08-19T04:40:25
Something To Think About Series #45
Santa Fe, NM, USA
00:01:44 | June 10, 2021
The Mind Functions Like a Mirror from 2023-08-19T03:13:24
Something To Think About Series #44
Santa Fe, NM, USA
00:01:44 | June 8, 2021
Divine Pride from 2023-08-19T02:32:13
Something To Think About Series #43
Santa Fe, NM, USA
00:02:46 | June 6, 2021
Always Aspire to do What's Most Beneficial from 2023-08-19T02:08:02
Something To Think About Series #42
Santa Fe, NM, USA
00:01:23 | June 2, 2021
We've Got to Learn to be Content from 2023-08-19T01:37:33
Something To Think About Series #41
Santa Fe, NM, USA
00:01:38 | May 31, 2021
What is Meditation? from 2023-08-19T01:11:10
Something To Think About Series #40
00:02:03 | Mar 27, 2021
YouTube...
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When We Understand Our Own Mind We Can Have Compassion for Others from 2023-08-14T05:19:16
Something To Think About Series #39
Santa Fe, NM, USA
00:01:20 | May 25, 2021
We’re Not Stuck With the Mind We’re Born With from 2023-08-14T04:33:01
Something To Think About Series #37
Santa Fe, NM, USA
00:01:43 | May 15, 2021
We Need to Rejoice in Our Good Qualities from 2023-08-13T21:32
Something To Think About Series #35
Santa Fe, NM, USA
00:01:27 | May 05, 2021
When We Live in Denial There is More Fear from 2023-08-13T20:16:17
Something To Think About Series #33
Santa Fe, NM, USA
00:01:27 | April 21, 2021
The Mantra of Tara from 2023-07-23T22:43:09
Something To Think About Series #32
Santa Fe, NM, USA
00:01:52 | April 17, 2021
Death Is A Powerful Wake-up Call from 2023-07-22T03:07:52
Something To Think About Series #29
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If You Work On Your Own Mind, You Become More Courageous from 2023-07-22T01:10:27
Something To Think About Series #28
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The Difference Between Attachment and Love from 2023-07-22T00:08:34
Something To Think About Series #26
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If You Want to Benefit Yourself and Others, Practice Compassion from 2023-07-21T23:53:40
Something To Think About Series #27
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Be Your Own Therapist (May 3, 2021) from 2021-10-11T21:58:02
Learn techniques to reframe situations and attitudes, in order to increase physical and mental well being. An accessible, entry-level, discussion-based class. Questions are most welcome.
...
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Controlling our Thoughts / Medicine Buddha from 2021-09-22T15:42:06
Express Meditation series. Start the day with your mind pointed in positive direction. Listen
We’ve Got To Have The Courage To Become Our Own Person from 2021-09-18T23:27:26
Something To Think About Series #25
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It’s Good To See The Fault, But Learn Not To Add Anger from 2021-09-18T23:23:33
Something To Think About Series #24
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Learn To See What’s Going On In The Thoughts That Underpin Our Emotions from 2021-09-18T21:29:35
Something To Think About Series #22
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We Can Mould Our Mind Into Any Shape We Like from 2021-09-18T21:23:38
Something To Think About Series #21
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Form and Emptiness from 2021-09-09T22:36:52
Venerable uses a variety of metaphors to clarify one of the most perplexing phrases in all of Buddhism.
11:14 | Extracted from "Karma and Emptiness" teaching hosted by Listen
If Someone Steals From You, Decide You've Given It from 2021-08-30T01:20
Something To Think About Series #20
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The Bird Needs Two Wings: Wisdom And Compassion from 2021-08-30T01:00
Something To Think About Series #18
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We Need To Own Our Amazing Qualities from 2021-08-30T00:51:33
Something To Think About Series #16
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We Have The Potential To Control Our Thoughts from 2021-08-30T00:36:34
Something To Think About Series #14
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Try To See Something From Another Point Of View from 2021-08-30T00:34:14
Something To Think About Series #13
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We Need To Taste Our Own Potential from 2021-08-30T00:15:43
Something To Think About Series #12
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Express Meditation - Concentration from 2021-08-02T22:57:03
Start the day with your mind pointed in positive direction.
30:35 | Teachings at Thubten Norbu Ling ...
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Express Meditation - Green Tara from 2021-08-02T22:38:06
Start the day with your mind pointed in positive direction.
31:53 | Teachings at Thubten Norbu Ling ...
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Something to Think About 10: If we can own what is in front of us, we can be much more courageous from 2021-07-12T19:48:26
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin
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Something to Think About 09: Have the courage to do what is most beneficial from 2021-07-12T18:59:36
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin
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Something to Think About 08: You can’t change the action, but you can purify the results from 2021-07-12T18:58:26
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin
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Something to Think About 07: The difference between guilt and regret from 2021-07-12T18:56:54
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin
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Something to Think About 06: Changing the stories in our head from 2021-07-12T18:54:53
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin
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Express Meditation - Finding the I Meditation from 2021-07-09T17:22:28
Start the day with your mind pointed in positive direction.
27:24 | Teachings at Thubten Norbu Ling ...
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Be Your Own Therapist (Jun 6, 2021) from 2021-07-09T00:12:40
Learn techniques to reframe situations and attitudes, in order to increase physical and mental well being.
57:54 | Teachings at Listen
Something to Think About 05: See it from another point of view from 2021-07-04T20:39:18
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin
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Something to Think About 04: Thank you for showing me how not to be from 2021-07-04T20:37:08
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin
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Something to Think About 03: Mantras Benefit You and Benefit Others from 2021-07-04T20:32:48
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin
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Something to Think About 02: Giving up Attachment and Aversion from 2021-06-30T23:52:09
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin.
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Something to Think About 02: Giving up Attachment and Aversion from 2021-06-30T23:52:09
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin.
Listen
Something to Think About 01: Everybody in the Universe is Kind from 2021-06-30T23:36:08
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin.
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Something to Think About 01: Everybody in the Universe is Kind from 2021-06-30T23:36:08
Thought of the day from Venerable Robina Courtin.
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Getting a Grip on Our Actions from 2021-05-25T22:15:37
At first, we don’t recognize Listen
Developing a Heart of Compassion from 2021-04-16T02:38:55
The Mahayana path targets our basic selfishness, or self-cherishing. Gradually, by understanding our interdependence, we can learn to put others first.
13:57 | Extracted from "Courageous...
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Concentration Requires Technique from 2021-03-30T00:02:34
Calm Abiding, or concentration, is essential for understanding emptiness. For concentration, we need several special qualities operating together.
14:31 | Extracted from "The Six Perfecti...
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Getting Rid of Negative Karma from 2021-03-03T19:37:29
We need to counteract negative states of mind with effective purification practice. Purification starts with the four R’s: Regret, Reliance, Remedy and Resolve.
07:42 | Extracted from "Li...
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Source of Samsara and Nirvana from 2021-02-17T01:54:57
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Getting Ready for ‘Thought Transformation’ from 2021-02-03T19:10:24
To practice compassion we need to subdue habitual selfishness. First, we need to understand some Buddhist psychology about the sources of suffering. Then, with wisdom, we become a suitable vesse...
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The Very Heart of Suffering from 2021-01-20T01:32:48
Misconceptions cause incredible suffering. We can correct these misconceptions through a path of inquiry to get to the root of the problem. This inquiry leads us to the topic of emptiness.
<... Listen
Compassion Needs Wisdom from 2021-01-07T23:16:03
Sometimes we stick our noses in when it is not appropriate. We think that’s compassion, but it’s just coming from your own attachment. Wisdom sometimes means you leave people alone, especially w...
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A quick look at the Two Truths from 2020-12-22T22:09:57
Here is a quick overview and some definitions that help us understand the different ways things exist.
9:35 | Extracted from "How to Discover Our True Nature" teaching hosted by Listen
Internal and external energy from 2020-12-22T21:47:29
Body and mind make up essential parts of being and they are interdependent. Disturbances of mental energy can affect the health of the body.
3:46 | Extracted from "How to Discover Our Tru...
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Start with Your Own Suffering - Be Your Own Therapist series from 2020-12-08T20:58:43
At first, we practice and study to address our own suffering. We accomplish that by analyzing our actions, words and thoughts. Look to see how attachment, anger and various mistaken views mess u...
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Be Your Own Therapist (Oct 11, 2020) - Personal Power from 2020-11-24T17:42:13
Can Buddhist training help develop self-esteem, confidence and personal power?
4:16 | Extracted from "Be Your Own Therapist (Oct 11, 2020)" teachings at Listen
Be Your Own Therapist (Oct 11, 2020) - Calm Abiding from 2020-11-24T17:33:18
Is this what is sometimes called “Calm Abiding” meditation?
3:48 | Extracted from "Be Your Own Therapist (Oct 11, 2020)" teachings at Listen
Be Your Own Therapist (Oct 11, 2020) - Mahamudra from 2020-11-24T17:26:34
A style of practice called Mahamudra meditation looks at the mind without getting caught up in thoughts. Ven. Robina describes the technique in introductory detail, dispelling misconceptions and...
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The Path to Wisdom from 2020-11-11T00:19:19
The Lam Rim, or "Gradual Path” teachings provide a reliable sequence of contemplations that help us clarify our intentions.
17:05 | Extracted from "Finding Freedom and Ultimate Happiness"...
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Medicine Buddha Meditation from 2020-10-01T02:22:36
The practice begins with a visualization, described in vivid detail. Next we add the sound of the mantra. Reflect that all beings want happiness equally. Additional stages of this visualization ...
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What We Perceive from 2020-09-15T15:23:39
Sensory consciousness and mental consciousnesses do different things. Unraveling them we see that the senses are rather limited. It is the mental consciousness that creates mental judgments and ...
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Does rapid change always bring suffering? from 2020-09-01T22:20
How can we learn to work with impermanence, or rapid change, which seems so difficult? Buddha taught that rapid change is normal. It is our clinging fear of change that actually causes our suffe...
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What about emptiness? from 2020-08-18T08:00
Our strong grasping that we exist independently, intrinsically from our own side, is actually completely mistaken. Ven. Robina breaks it down with precise definitions and relevant context.
<... Listen
Subatomic (Dependent Arising is in the Details) from 2020-08-06T16:14:10
Dependent Arising? Emptiness? Details? How do we utilize these concepts in our every day life?
11:43 | Extracted from "Subatomic (Dependent Arising is in the Details)" teachings given at ...
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Anger: Friend or Foe? from 2020-07-21T11:00
Buddhism looks at anger with real precision. Consider how the angry mind seethes. It drives you crazy with depression and frustration. It distorts the way everything appears.
09:08 | Extr...
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Disturbing Emotions from 2020-07-07T10:00
All suffering comes from our non-virtues. So, the first level of practice is to work on my own actions, my body, speech and mind.
04:00 | Extracted from "Enlightenment and Peace Are They ...
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Anger and Political Activism from 2020-06-30T18:10:32
When it comes to activism, people think you need anger because it feels so noble. But anger exaggerates everything. It distorts complex situations. Anger makes you feel strong love this and stro...
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How to Understand Suffering from 2020-06-16T14:52:14
In the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha explained the inner workings of our own fear, anxiety and jealousy.
12:15 | Extracted from "Managing Your Mind in Difficult Times" teachings given at ...
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Concentration – A Practice of Mental Attention from 2020-06-02T18:17:33
When we develop this skill, we see what’s happening in the mind. A focused awareness, along with mindfulness and alertness, create a strong and stable mind.
16:20| Extracted from "Managin...
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Grow Your Own Virtue from 2020-05-19T21:21:21
We can counteract our negative attitudes. Rejoice in your good conditions and recognize the virtue in any situation. This drowns out the heavy delusions and their suffering.
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How Karma Works from 2020-05-05T08:00
Let’s look at the mechanics behind the natural law of cause and effect: karma. Everything we think, do, or say, is the process of programming ourselves, sowing seeds that will produce our future...
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Buddha's Model of the Mind from 2020-04-21T10:00
14:38 | Extracted from teachings given at Ocean of Compassion (Gyalwa Gyatso) Buddhist Center August 18, 2017. Full tea...
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Let’s look at the subtle mind from 2020-04-07T08:00
The Buddha taught in ancient India when many great masters developed various disciplines of mental awareness. As we practice awareness in meditation, we observe how the sensory consciousness and...
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Karma, Kindness and Covid-19 (includes Green Tara Meditation) from 2020-03-24T08:01
Everything that appears “out there” can be considered our own projection, or karmic appearance. That is, how we view the Covid-19 will largely depend on our attachments, our mental habits and ex...
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Green Tara Meditation - What to Practice During a Pandemic from 2020-03-24T08:00
One practice that His Holiness the Dalai Lama recommends during this time of pandemic, is the Green Tara practice and mantra recitation.
6:39 | Listen
The Lies Within from 2020-03-10T08:00
On the deepest level, attachment and ego-grasping make us miserable. They leave us wanting and craving approval from the outside world. We believe we are nothing unless someone notices us, talks...
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Mindfulness and the doorway to mental exploration from 2020-02-25T10:00
Mindfulness is merely the skill to place one’s attention without wavering. It is only one part of the whole package of skills we develop along the path. Buddhist...
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Purification to Bless One’s Speech from 2020-02-11T10:00
Following these instructions will purify how you relate to the world through your ability to speak. This brief ceremony protects us from creating an awful mess by saying fooling and harmful thin...
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Healthy Thoughts about Death and Dying from 2020-01-28T10:00
Buddha taught this topic in a way that breaks through our usual attitudes about death. We have so much fear, regret and terror about death. We can overcome these by contemplating the certainty o...
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Buddha’s Logic of Love from 2019-12-05T03:06:04
When we are talking, joking and caring for each other, that’s love. We are interdependent beings and when we act within that worldview, our natural default is peace, love and compassion. When w...
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The Heart Sutra: A Glimpse of Freedom from Ego-Grasping from 2019-11-20T02:24:22
By understanding emptiness - that there's nothing intrinsic in anything - we can slowly loosen the grip of ego-grasping and begin to develop our marvellous potential for clarity, contentment, lo...
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Four Noble Truths from 2019-10-17T02:53:37
To understand the whole purpose of Buddha’s teachings, we can learn and internalize the Four Noble Truths. The Buddha challenges us to consider that suffering can indeed end. The implications ...
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Wisdom and Compassion Starts with Concentration - Part 1 of 2 from 2019-09-17T21:45:27
There are special skills we develop on the path. Rather than focusing on the external world, we learn to pay attention to the internal landscapes of our mind. At first, it might seem these crazy...
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What is a ‘mind?’ from 2019-09-04T01:35:58
There are subtle levels of cognition that help us understand who we are in vivid detail. But we have to get familiar with what we mean by “mind,” or “mind stream.” Buddha says “mind” is an expe...
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Congratulations! You have a mind from 2019-08-20T23:28:33
The Buddhist path is primarily concerned with working with one’s own mind. Why? Because that’s the source of all our suffering.
2:44 | Extracted from "When the Chocolate Runs Out" teachin...
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Attachment and the Cure (Being Fearless in a Fearful World – Part 3 of 3) from 2019-08-13T21:09:27
On a deep level, we all have an intuitive craving or attachment. This frantic junkie mind gets reinforced with fear and hunger and drives us to suffering. We can learn to identify it and work wi...
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Buddha’s Deep Psychology (Being Fearless in a Fearful World – Part 2 of 3) from 2019-07-30T22:14:09
“Know your own mind,” sums up the Buddhist view. Consider the Buddha’s view that the mind is the root cause for both pleasant and unpleasant emotions. We might not be able to change difficult ex...
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Dare to Face and Disarm Fear (Being Fearless in a Fearful World – Part 1 of 3) from 2019-07-24T00:08:33
At the base of many disturbing emotions lies fear. Just look at an angry person’s face.
We must learn the mechanics of these emotions – their causes and effects.
3:41| Extracted f...
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Thought Training to Build Compassion (Cultivating Emotional Awareness Part XIII) from 2019-07-18T02:35:20
These steps lead through a counter-intuitive, courageous and altruistic state of mind. By contemplating these eight stanzas, we expand our capacity to understand a new perspective on suffering. ...
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Karmic Purification (Cultivating Emotional Awareness Part XI) from 2019-07-02T08:00
If you look honestly at your mind, you will see anger, irritation, or craving. These negative mental states ar...
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What Meditation Is Not - Cultivating Emotional Awareness Part IX from 2019-06-25T08:00
Be careful about what you expect from meditation. It’s not a magic pill that will suddenly make you happy. We learn meditation to familiarize ourselves with our own minds. To clear out the trash...
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Courage to Evolve - Cultivating Emotional Awareness Part VIII from 2019-06-18T08:00
The Buddha asks us to take responsibility for our own situation. That’s tough when it comes to suffering. It’s easy to slip into a victim mentality, blaming everyone but ourselves. Rather, muste...
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Why Do Good Things Happen? (Cultivating Emotional Awareness – Part VII) from 2019-06-11T15:48:18
We feel a sense of entitlement about “deserving” happiness. But it’s more practical to look at our own craving and learn from it. Self-pity can impair our ability to access that information and ...
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Cultivating Emotional Awareness – Part VI (Overcoming Habitual Ruin) from 2019-05-28T20:11:23
When we cultivate habits of awareness, we discover the causes of our deepest hurt. The regular, worldly awareness mostly ruminates about the past and frets about the future. Check your own mind...
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Cultivating Emotional Awareness – Part V (Toxic Emotions) from 2019-05-21T19:51:58
Our deeply-ingrained mental habits help feed a profound sense of dissatisfaction. That’s what Buddha calls suffering, or samsara. This emotional hunger, or craving, we call attachment. When atta...
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Cultivating Emotional Awareness – Part IV (Enlightened Self-Interest) from 2019-05-16T03:56:36
Buddha observes a simple moral framework of non-harming. The way we relate to others really creates the kind of person we become. It shapes how we experience the future in very particular ways. ...
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Cultivating Emotional Awareness – Part III (Karma Means Action) from 2019-05-14T08:00
Everything we experience and everything we become, stems from our previous actions. It’s not just random. There is some structure and consistency to the law of cause and effect. Check with your ...
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Cultivating Emotional Awareness - Part II (Appreciating Our Mental Continuum) from 2019-05-07T13:39:59
Let’s take a closer look at this mind that we can see directly with our own consciousness. In Buddhism, we work to understand what’s happening inside us. So, we calm down and learn what our sens...
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Cultivating Emotional Awareness - Part I (Appreciating Our Mental Continuum) from 2019-05-07T13:39:05
The key reason we suffer are these neurotic emotions, which are based on a world view that is out-of-touch with reality. These misconceptions, according to Buddhist psychology, happen due to hab...
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Cultivating Emotional Awareness - Part I (Appreciating Our Mental Continuum) from 2019-05-07T13:39:05
The key reason we suffer are these neurotic emotions, which are based on a world view that is out-of-touch with reality. These misconceptions, according to Buddhist psychology, happen due to hab...
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Buddha Defines the Mind as Everything We Experience from 2019-04-30T08:00
Exploring the nature of ‘self’ in India 2500 years ago led to techniques that access the more subtle levels of consciousness. These techniques were mapped out so we can develop our incredible po...
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Karma, The Natural Law of Cause and Effect from 2019-04-23T08:00
We can develop a healthy sense of empowerment by considering karma in a personal way. Think about how everything in this moment actually depends on the moment before. All our e...
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Get to Know the Lam Rim (Gradual Path) from 2019-04-16T23:35:54
A presentation from the Buddha for progressively more advanced topics. We must first practice addressing the obvious disturbances in the mind and learn about their causes and effects. As we gain...
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Get to Know the Lam Rim (Gradual Path) from 2019-04-16T23:35:54
A presentation from the Buddha for progressively more advanced topics. We must first practice addressing the obvious disturbances in the mind and learn about their causes and effects. As we gain...
Listen
Why Trust in a Junkie Mind? from 2019-04-09T08:00
Trying to understand our own attachments can be brutal. We try to unpack the process of how attachments cause us suffering. We can learn the mind's subtle workings. For instance, attachment feed...
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Buddha’s View of the Mind is Entirely Practical from 2019-04-02T23:05:43
Buddha presents a very direct, counter-intuitive way of addressing our own suffering. He asks us to look at how we cling to the ego when under pressure, thinking “It’s not my fault.” That closed...
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Eye of the Beholder from 2019-03-26T08:00
Buddha presents a practical, valid, intellectually consistent world view of emotions, thoughts and how we view the outside world. The teachings encourage a skeptical, courageous process of testi...
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Meditation on Compassion: Buddha Chenrezig from 2019-03-13T02:27:15
Visualizing and meditating on Buddha Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion, as well as reciting his mantra, OM MANI PEME HUM, helps us reveal our own marvelous potential for empathy and love a...
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When Attachment Doesn't Get What It Wants from 2019-03-07T00:50:05
13:37 | Extracted from "When the Chocolate Runs Out" teachings given at Ocean of Compa...
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Defining Consciousness from 2019-03-06T22:23:20
5:14 | Extracted from teachings given by Listen
Creating Karma from 2018-09-18T16:00
14:12 | Extracted from teachings given at Ocean of Compassion (Gyalwa Gyatso) Buddhist...
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Refuge and Bodhichitta Prayer from 2018-09-11T16:00
2:31| Extracted from teachings given at Listen
How Karma Ripens from 2018-07-23T00:45:47
15:21 | Extracted from teachings given at Listen