The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Dharma Talks given at Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center
2025-04-03 Walking instructions: Mindfulness as an active and relational act. 6:42
Akincano Marc Weber
The overstretching of the visual metaphor for mindfulness ('observe, witness, get in perspective, look at' can leave us with the (erroneaous) impression that mindfulness can only 'observe' and wait. Let's not turn mindfulness in the John Silver's parrot on our shoulder.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-03 Morning instructions: Mindful awareness and meeting physical pain in meditation. 41:59
Yuka Nakamura
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-02 Awake mind, wise mind. 62:05
Yuka Nakamura
To bring attention to the right things in the right way is crucial for our path. Through the mindful contemplation of our experience we can gain insight and develop liberating wisdom.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-02 Brahmavihāra – Introduction to the four immeasurables. Guided Mettā Exercise. 40:46
Akincano Marc Weber
The Four Immeasurables. Brahmavihāra are not mere emotions but constitute different tones of relational empathetic resonance. They constitute nothing less but our humanity. Brahmavihāras are cultivations not just 'states'. They are more than empathy but intentntional attitudes.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-02 Morning reflection: Cultivating voluntary attention: Relating to one's patterns, voices, habits. 44:21
Akincano Marc Weber
The workings of not-knowing – the workings of attentional habits. Involuntary attentional patterns seem to govern much of our experience. Yet training is possible, training is needed. Such training entails acknowledgement, attentional tasks and specificity. Negotiating pain.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-01 In Praise of Unification 58:33
Akincano Marc Weber
About the value of samatha – the practice of stillness – and samādhi – the state of unification brought about by samatha practice. Terminology: Why concentration is a bad word for either samatha or samādhi. What the diffence of attention and mindfulness is. The intrinsic value of unification, its relationship to vipassanā. Four reasons why Buddhist traditions value the practice of stilling the mind.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-04-01 Morning Instructions: First Day 40:59
Yuka Nakamura
Calming and collecting the mind
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Cultivation – Investigation – Contemplation: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students – 25AMW

2025-03-28 Equanimity Meditation 45:04
Kaira Jewel Lingo
This meditation explores upekkhā, or equanimity—the deep steadiness of heart that meets life’s joys and sorrows with wisdom and care. Through reflections, guided phrases, and a progression of categories (from self, to loved one, neutral person, difficult person and finally all beings), we cultivate balance and spaciousness in the face of life’s ever-changing conditions. Rooted in the Brahmavihārā tradition, this practice invites us to rest in the truth that all beings are moving through causes and conditions beyond our control.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Return to Wholeness: Opening to Wisdom & Love - 25DW

2025-03-27 Mindfulness of Thoughts 52:48
Kaira Jewel Lingo
In this talk, we explore mindfulness of thoughts as part of the third foundation of mindfulness—learning to meet thoughts not as distractions or enemies, but as present-moment experiences to observe with curiosity and care. Through guided practice and teachings, we investigate the nature of thinking, including how to relate to repetitive or difficult thoughts with clarity and compassion. By developing this skill, we discover a deeper steadiness and freedom in the midst of the mind’s activity.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Return to Wholeness: Opening to Wisdom & Love - 25DW

2025-03-25 Introduction to the Brahmaviharas and the Practice of Metta 58:28
Kaira Jewel Lingo
We begin with a song and for the first half hour Kaira Jewel gives a brief overview the Four Brahmaviharas followed by an introduction to the practice of metta: what it is, how it can transform our lives, what some of the challenges are and then how to practice with the categories and the phrases. Then in the second half hour Kaira Jewel leads a guided metta meditation offering metta to ourselves, our benefactor and a dear friend.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Return to Wholeness: Opening to Wisdom & Love - 25DW

Creative Commons License