The Eight Worldly Winds are a teaching on equanimity. Recognizing the winds of pleasure and pain, gain and loss, praise and blame, fame and disgrace that blow for all of us is important in our journey towards liberation. The Buddha says each of us feel these winds and it's important to see them as part of the human condition and not personal. Letting go of the stories of attachment to some winds over others is a key to our liberation.
Recorded August 31, 2024 in the virtual world

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Mary reflects on 16 years of teaching the Saturday Afternoon Sit class. In looking at all the changes that can happen in 16 years. it became clear that so often we get hung up on finding a 'there'. We spend our time and energy working to achieve something that will get us where we want to be, only to find out there is always something else. As the Buddha teaches, there is only the present, and how we work with the present will lead us to or away from liberation.

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The Paramis are 10 qualities of the heart that it is said we need to develop for awakening. Sylvia Boorstein says they are the natural inclination of the heart and are gifts that we give to each other - they are a path of kindness. These qualities, which include generosity, willingness, and patience, are something we can work with in our daily lives. In this talk Mary gives an overview of these qualities of the heart that allow us to be free.
Recorded June 22, 2024 in the virtual world

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The Eightfold Path is what the Buddha offered as a path to liberation. In this talk Mary discusses the different factors with an invitation to find your way with them. Although the path is numbered 1-8, it's not linear. You can work with any or all of the factors at any time especially since they support each other. They grow in meaning and subtlety the more you practice.
Recorded Sept. 10, 2022 in the virtual world

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In our world it seems that hate and anger are so prevalent it can feel overwhelming at times. As awful as that is, in our own lives, it's easy for us to slip into aversion and othering while finding it fully justified. In this talk Mary discusses the need to name love as a foundation of our practice. This foundation of love will allow us to fully open to the world and to ourselves, letting go of the need to other, and the need to create barriers. Turning towards love is the answer.
Recorded Sept 3, 2022 in the virtual world

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Mary reflects on fourteen years of teaching a weekly dharma: where she and the world were in 2008, and the qualities of willingness, effort and determination which are necessary both for teaching a class and for growth and freedom in the practice.  It's beneficial to check in with our spiritual practice every decade or so.
Recorded Aug 27, 2022 in the virtual world

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Grief and loss are an inescapable part of the human condition but we're not always ready or able to deal with these emotions. In this talk Mary invites us to identify these feelings and, using mindfulness practices, turn toward them with compassion. She shares her journey in learning how to move toward this intimacy with these difficult emotions.
Recorded with Insight Community of the Desert on Aug 21, 2022 in the virtual word

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FROM THE ARCHIVES:  Wise intention is necessary on a path to liberation and it is important to insure that our intentions are grounded in integrity and compassion. Intentions are not always wise and can often be driven by greed and aversion. In this talk from 2018 Mary discusses how to insure we're moving forward with truly wise intentions.
Recorded Jan 3, 2018

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The Buddha talked about the nature of existence - how there is birth, death, illness - the human condition in other words. In this talk Mary takes a very personal look at how the teachings of the Buddha as well as examples from neuroscience and even baseball, allow her to experience the human condition with equanimity and joy.
Recorded August 4, 2022 in the virtual world

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The Buddha taught that impermanence is one of the three characteristics of existence yet so many of us struggle against it or live in denial of this fact. However, allowing the awareness of this impermanence to be part of our day to day lives is quite liberating and lets us live each moment fully. Mary discusses how this shows up and how we can embody this important teaching.
Recorded July 30, 2022 in the virtual world.

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In a recent talk, dharma teacher Larry Ward mentioned living rather than believing.  Mary spends time unpacking what this might mean and how one could go about just being present without ties to fixed views and beliefs.
Recorded July 21, 2022 in the virtual world

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When the Buddha gave his first teaching after his Awakening it is thought of as when the wheel of the dharma was set in motion. The Buddha taught the middle way between the two extremes of sensual indulgence and asceticism.  Mary talks about the middle way and the first core teachings of the Buddha.
Recorded July 16, 2022 in the virtual world

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The importance of connection cannot be overstated and we are currently in a time of deep division on so many levels. In this talk Mary discusses the ways we are disconnected and how we use the practice to cultivate empathy, compassion and connection. The Buddha's teaching offer practical insights in how to move through this world in deep recognition of our interconnectedness.
Recorded July 9, 2022 in the virtual world

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One of the heart practices - or brahma viharas - is Mudita, or appreciative joy. This challenging practice invites us to be happy for the wholesome good fortune of others, even those people we may not like. This is a challenging practice because we live in a competitive society that teaches us either we are a winner or a loser and if someone else is winning then we're in trouble. Mudita breaks down this false idea and reminds us of our shared humanity and our shared joy.
Recorded June 15, 2024 in the virtual world

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The Buddha taught the nature of suffering and the end of suffering. Then end of suffering is liberation. In this talk Mary discusses what liberation can mean in our lives right now and how to see what is getting in our way.  What do we have to let go of to get free and how do we go about it?
Recorded July 3, 2022 in Palm Springs

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The Buddha taught about the five hindrances as what gets in the way of our liberation. Although we may have memorized the list, recognizing the subtle ways they show up in our lives is another matter. Mary talks about recognizing them and seeing how they work to keep us trapped in delusion.
Recorded June 18, 2022 in the virtual world

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In this short talk, Mary reflects on the the statement that thoughts are not the enemy, although often we think they are.  It's not the thoughts as much as our relationship to them that are what we need to look at. How do we recognize thoughts? How do we tell the difference between thoughts and thinking? How do we relate to all our experiences and sensations? The invitation in this practice is to let go of any adversarial relationship we have to experience.
Recorded June 11, 2022 in the virtual world

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Because the challenges we face these days are so daunting and seemingly endless, it is even more important to have love and connection as a foundation of both our practice and how we move through the world. In this talk Mary shows how the Buddha teaches that love must be a part of our practice and how we can bring it into our lives more fully.
Recorded June 4, 2022 in the virtual world

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The onslaught of violence, hatred, greed, and ignorance has been relentless and it's in these moments we ask how is it even possible to live with an undefended heart, and would we even want to. Mary discusses the challenges of today and how to use these teachings to be fully present and intimate with each moment, and to take care of ourselves.
Recorded May 28, 2022 in the virtual world

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From the Archives: This talk is the second in the Undefended Heart series. Mary discusses how we can use the heart practices to chip away at the armor that has built up around our hearts and which keeps us from being fully present in our lives.
Recorded May 17, 2013

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Taking refuge in the Buddha is part of what's known at the Triple Gem - Refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In this talk Mary talks about how when we take refuge in the Buddha, we're taking refuge in awakening. The Buddha / Siddartha Gotama was a human being who was able to fully let go and become the Enlightened One. His teachings offer a way for each of us to move towards liberation. Taking refuge in the Buddha is an act of trust that this will work for us as well.
Recorded May 14, 2022 in the virtual world

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In this short talk Mary discusses the ongoing challenges of the world today and how we can utilize our practice to take care of ourselves. We need to watch our reactivity, be willing to step back, and take refuge in the sangha. How are you taking care of you?
Recorded May 7, 2022 in the virtual world

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If we can't let go of our preconceived notions or ideas, we're bound to stay stuck. The Buddha taught us to let go of our views and the teachings on 'don't know mind' or 'beginner's mind' address this help to address this and offers ways to get unstuck.
Recorded April 30, 2022 in the virtual world

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What does this even mean? What is the dharma? How do you do it? How does it do you? Mary reflects on this idea and how the practice, dedication to the teachings and the development of insight allow the dharma to work you.
Recorded April 23, 2022 in the virtual world 

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Samsara is the cycle of birth and death that we experience before enlightenment and it is also considered the suffering in this world. In this brief talk, Mary reflects on the reality of our lives and how fighting against difficulties only intensifies them. Recognizing that things are messy and finding a way to make peace with that is the beginning of our path to liberation.
Recorded June 8, 2024 in the virtual world

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With the chaos in the world today it's really important that we don't lose sight of the joy that is available regardless of circumstances. In this talk Mary discusses the Buddha's teachings on joy and how to move towards it's awakening.
Recorded April 16, 2022 in the virtual world

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Most of us are familiar with the traditional way the Brahma Viharas, or heart practices, are taught. However the usual phrases and categories of people we offer loving kindness, compassion,  and joy to are first seen in the commentaries, not in the earlier suttas, or discourses. There, the Buddha offers a different way to embody these beautiful qualities and in this talk Mary discusses these teachings and how they can enrich our lives.

Recorded on April 9, 2022 in the virtual world.

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The fifth and final of the lay precepts is about avoiding alcohol and drugs that lead to heedlessness. Mary discusses the differing viewpoints on this precept as well as how we can expand it out to include all the things we might ingest that lead to being mindless which can lead to causing harm to ourselves or others.
Recorded April 2, 2022 in the virtual world

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The 4th Precept is about being wise and careful not only with our speech, but with all our communications. In this day and age of instant connection it's especially imperative that we bring awareness and kindness to our interactions with others. Mary discusses the Buddha's teachings on this and applies them to our modern experience.
Recorded March 27, 2022 in the virtual world

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The 2nd Precept is not to take what is not freely offered and the 3rd is to avoid sexual misconduct. In these teachings and admonitions, the Buddha was able to touch into behaviors that cause so much harm and suffering in our world. Mary discusses the broad invitation of these precepts and how to use them to move into a practice of generosity, honesty and equanimity. 
Recorded March 19, 2022 in the virtual world

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: This talk, recorded almost five years ago, is still timely today. How do we deal the the excruciating moments that can happen in our lives? How do we deal with grief, loss, fear and so on with compassion and equanimity? 
Recorded Sept. 2, 2017 in Los Angeles, CA

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Starting with this talk Mary will look at the Five Training Precepts. The Precepts are the Buddha's advice to lay people on how to live in harmony with the world. The first one asks us to not take a life intentionally, or cause harm. Implicit in this is an invitation to live a kind and compassionate life.
Recorded March 6, 2022 in the virtual world

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One more time the moments we're living through are extremely turbulent and it can be easy to be overcome with emotions. The practice the Buddha offered us is a way to be with the world it its ugliness and its beauty without being taken over. Mary discusses how to tend to the emotions that are present and to meet he world with kindness and compassion.

Recorded Feb 26, 2022 in the virtual world

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With a nod to Jack Kornfield's book of the same name, Mary discusses the luminous quality of the mind before it is dulled by all of our attachments. Wisdom is training the mind to wake up to be fully present to reality. This clarity allows for the blossoming of a kind and compassionate heart.

Recorded Feb 19, 2022 in the virtual world

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The concept of samvega in Buddhism means that we come face to face with the realization that often we're stuck in attachment and aversion and ignorant of the true nature of existence. It can be a shocking wake-up call, but if we are willing to embrace the truth of impermanence and cultivate a kind and loving heart it will lead to clarity and confidence as we move through our lives.

Recorded Feb 12, 2022 in the virtual world

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In Buddhist teachings there are the ideas of conventional and ultimate reality. In Mahayana tradition they're known as the two truths of relative and absolute. These two ideas enable us to move through the world dealing with the ins and outs of our everyday lives (convention/relative) reality, while using the teachings of impermanence, no-self, and dukkha as a foundation as we move towards liberation (ultimate/absolute). Understanding the difference between the two is vital to avoid falling into spiritual bypass.
Recorded June 1, 2024 in the virtual world

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When we get overwhelmed or caught up in all the things going on in our lives, the Buddhist teaching of papañca, or proliferation of thought, is a wonderful way to bring ourselves back to the present. It's extraordinary how we carry so much around, yet most of it is simply in our minds and if we make the effort to let go, there will be a spaciousness that allows us to work with each moment as it comes - not everything all at once.

Recorded Feb. 5, 2022 in the virtual world

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The great Vietnamese Zen teacher Thích Nhất Hạnh died on Jan 22. In this talk, Mary reflects on some of his teachings which had the most impact on her: Engaged Buddhism, Seeds of Consciousness, and Death. Deep bows of gratitude to Thay.

Recorded Jan. 29, 2022 in the virtual world

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Gil Fronsdal has said that the perfection of wisdom is when the mind and heart neither cling to nor resist anything. Mary discusses this idea and the importance of both mindfulness and the heart practices to cultivate this wisdom. We need both to be in balance and equanimity. We greet the world with clarity and kindness.

Recorded Jan. 22, 2022 in the virtual world

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Connection with others and with ourselves is such an important part of our lives, as vital as food and shelter. Yet, we are so often blocked from true connection without understanding why. In this talk, recorded at the Annual Women's Retreat, Mary invites us to reflect on what disconnects us and how to reconnect.

Recorded Jan. 17, 2022 in the virtual world

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As we start the new year, we're often lost in thoughts of what's to come, plans and resolutions, or we're stuck in memories of things past. However, there is only right now and much of what ensnares us is simply stories of the mind. In this talk Mary discusses how to bring ourselves back to where we are and to find a place of ease and being openhearted in this moment.

Recorded 1/9/2022 in the virtual world.

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Mary discusses what it means to set an intention for the year and leads a guided meditation which invites us to uncover our own meaningful intention.

Recorded Dec. 31, 2021 in the virtual world.

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At the 2021 New Year's Eve Intention Setting we took the Refuges and Precepts. In this podcast, Mary discusses what this means and offers the invitation to participate.

Recorded Dec. 31, 2021 in the virtual world.

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To cling is to suffer and when we can fully let go, there is freedom. That freedom is the clarity to truly see reality without being hindered by our conditioning - whatever that is. In this talk Mary discusses the effort and patience needed to let go and also how to recognize the clarity we already have.

Recorded Dec 30, 2021 in the virtual world

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bell hooks passed away on December 15, 2021 and will be missed sorely. Well known for her activist writings, she was also a Buddhist practitioner and wrote often about practice being her foundation and the importance of love in all we do. In this podcast, Mary shares some of hooks' Buddhist writings and the importance of her legacy.

Episode 152 recorded Dec. 23, 2021 in the virtual world

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This is the time of year people make resolutions or decide to change things in their lives. The idea of setting an intention lets us move forward in a wise and compassionate way.  Using the ten Paramis or perfections is a way to shape our intentions to be the most beneficial to us and to others. Mary discusses the Paramis and how we can utilize them to move away from suffering and towards liberation.

Episode 151 Recorded Dec 18, 2021 in the virtual world

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We have all been hurt in our lives, to a greater or lesser extent. This hurt often brings up challenging emotions which we can run from or make space for. Healing happens when we become willing to turn towards the difficulty. This healing involves taking care of ourselves and Lama Rod Owens suggests that this healing is necessary before we can begin to forgive others. Jumping right to forgiveness can be a spiritual bypass if we're simply going through the motions. In this talk Mary discusses how to take care of our selves and care for others.
Recorded May 25, 2024 in the virtual world

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The story of Kisa Gotami is one of the most famous in the Pali Canon. It's the story of a mother who loses her only child and is so overcome with grief she cannot accept reality. Mary discusses the lessons this story can teach us about touching our pain and the importance of recognizing that none of us are doing this by ourselves and that grief and loss are universal.
Recorded Dec. 11, 2021 in the virtual world.

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 Based on the three defilements of greed, aversion and delusion, Buddhist Personality Types, or temperaments, are a convenient and fun way to view our habitual patterns of thinking and acting. Additionally, as we recognize these traits in ourselves, we can transform them into the wholesome qualities of wisdom and equanimity. 
Recorded Dec. 4, 2021 in the virtual world

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In this short talk Mary discusses the importance of staying with a practice even when the going gets tough. There is a tendency today to jump from one practice to another, cobbling together a piecemeal spiritual program. This happens especially when the practice becomes challenging or difficult. Instead, make a commitment to get the full benefit, whichever practice you choose and don't miss out on the subtleties - the places that lead transformation and liberation.
Recorded Nov. 27, 2021 in the virtual world

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