Michele McDonald's Dharma Talks
at Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center
Michele McDonald
Because I've been teaching in Burma the last three years, I've been able to see how mindfulness can be nourished by a culture that supports the ancient liberation teachings and by daily experiences of happiness arising from acts of generosity, morality and renunciation. Thus the practice of Buddhism and the living of Buddhism are woven together in a seamless tapestry.
If there is anything that is most engaging to me now, it is the desire to bring this sublime way of life into our culture in the West.
What began as a deep compassion for the suffering of the existential predicament of human beings deepened as I understood that we need not identify with our experience. It is this understanding that has led me far onto the path of befriending others on their spiritual journey. My greatest inspiration is working with students wherever they are in the moment. We are all capable of so much more than suffering; once we learn how to be mindful, it's only a matter of remembering that it is the purity of intention which frees us. Dismantling the myth that we need to be something other than what we are is so important, because if we can learn to be mindful of exactly where we are, we experience the happiness of peace, which is what we deeply are.
My deepest appreciation is for the joy of the spiritual adventure. The purity of mindfulness, which soothes our sophisticated, intellectual, analytical, and out-of-touch-with-our-bodies mindset, is the moment we remember to pay attention without embellishment, interpretation or judgment. That moment becomes overwhelmingly touching because it brings us what we most wish for, unconditional love and peace. This truth, this purity of intention is what brings us home.
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Select from Michele McDonald's
211
talks
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VIEW ALL
1999-06-14
"To Love And To Say Goodbye" Supports To Practice
2001-06-13
A Blue Hole In The Heart
2019-06-08
A content and joyful life - Accepting love and wisdom
2000-06-25
A Non-Violent Life
2004-06-17
A Restless Heart
1997-10-19
Acceptance, Satisfaction & Trust
2019-05-25
Accepting Non-conceptual Attention
1984-12-08
An Ecology of the Heart
2008-05-31
An Introduction To Metta
2003-10-05
Any Moment Of Our Lives Is The Doorway To Enlightenment
1999-06-03
Appreciating Joy In The Face Of The Joys And Sorrows In This Life
1988-10-10
Armies of Mara 1: Dissatisfaction and Contentment
1988-10-17
Armies of Mara 2: Clinging to Sensual Pleasures
1986-11-13
Armies of Mara continued
1986-10-31
Armies Of Mara I: Dissatisfaction
1989-11-06
Armies Of Mara II: Craving
1989-11-12
Armies Of Mara III: Conceit
1989-11-19
Armies Of Mara IV: Conceit
2000-10-23
Awakening From Spiritual Slumber
1997-11-02
Awakening: The Lotus Flower And The Mud
1992-06-17
Balance And Trust
1991-01-01
Balancing Compassion And Detachment
1991-11-03
Balancing Compassion With Equanimity
1994-10-23
Balancing Our Understanding Of Interconnectedness And Emptiness
2004-06-05
Basics Of Lovingkindness Practice
2008-06-06
Beautiful Metta Chant That Is Very Inspiring; Monks Are Chanting This Chant Eve…
1999-10-14
Begging Bowl Heart- Mind
1994-09-23
Being At Home In The World
1996-06-10
Bringing The Practice Into The World
1994-11-28
Comparing Mind: Having Fun Falling
2003-10-19
Comparing, Compassion And Gratitude
2009-06-02
Connecting With Things As They Are Because We Care
2001-06-15
Connection And Disentanglement
2000-06-10
Courage, Right Effort And Freedom
2016-05-28
Cultivating a relationship of wisdom and kindness with whatever is happening
1998-06-25
Developing A Passion For Understanding Young Adults
2020-05-27
Dharma talk
2020-05-31
Dharma talk
2020-05-29
Dharma talk: Finding Peace, Ending the War
2000-06-01
Dignity On The Path
2001-06-02
Does Metta Work?
2000-10-15
Doing The Best We Can And Letting Go Of Control
1990-06-29
Doubt And Faith
1999-10-11
Doubt, Impatience And Trust
1985-10-27
Dukkha
2000-10-23
Each Moment Is "Just Enough": 7 Factors Of Enlightenment
1989-09-26
Enlightenment & Empowerment I
1989-10-01
Enlightenment & Empowerment II
1989-10-09
Enlightenment & Empowerment III
2003-06-13
Entering The Center Of Metta
1997-11-30
Equanimity With Endings
1984-09-01
Fear As Practice
2001-10-22
Feeding Our Hearts With Love And Wisdom
2003-09-23
Finding Balance By Being Comfortable With Losing Balance
2014-05-24
Fixed Concentration, Momentary Concentration and Mindfulness
1998-06-03
Flowers Of Joy, Flowers Of Sorrow: Where Is Kuan Yin?
1993-12-02
Four Brahma Viharas
1988-12-04
Four Brahma Viharas
1988-11-16
Four Heavenly Messengers
1988-11-16
Four Heavenly Messengers
1997-10-12
Freedom: Soft, Imperturbable Peace
2019-06-01
Generosity
2012-05-26
Genuine Love, Genuine Wisdom
2002-06-01
Giving Birth To Lovingkindness
1992-11-26
Gratitude
1993-11-24
Gratitude
2017-06-02
Guided Appreciative Joy - Mudita.
2017-05-28
Guided Loving Kindness Meditation
1993-10-12
Guided Metta
1992-11-17
Guided Mudita Meditation
1995-05-22
Healing Power Of Metta: Generosity Of The Heart
1991-11-28
Heart Of Gratefulness
1999-11-02
Hellos And Goodbyes: "Relating To Change"
2012-06-06
Holy Equanimity
1992-10-18
How To Relate To The 8 Worldly Conditions With Equanimity
2002-09-30
Humility: Who Has Control Of The Remote?
2003-10-26
Inevitability Of Groundlessness & Love
1996-09-26
Inevitability Of Wisdom Through Practicing Mindfulness
1997-09-21
Inner & Outer Refuge
1997-12-10
Inner And Outer Harmony: Practice As A Way Of Life
1986-12-09
Integrating Practice
2012-06-01
Introduction To Vipassana Retreat
2012-06-02
Introduction To Mindfulness Retreat, Sitting and Walking
1995-06-17
Introduction To Vipassana-Planting The Seeds Of Awakening
1998-10-27
Joy Beyond Its Objects
2013-06-02
Joy, Self-Hatred and Gratitude
1999-06-10
Just Along For The Ride
1994-11-09
Learning To Relate To Fear
2004-06-09
Letting Life Be - The Heart's Release
2013-05-29
Life's redemption from ignorance.
2004-10-31
Lighting Up From The Inside To Light Up The World
1985-10-16
Living In Harmony: Working With The Five Hindrances
1985-10-16
Living In Harmony: Working With The Five Hindrances
1995-05-28
Living On This Earth With Caring
1993-10-24
Living With Respect
2000-05-30
Love And Hate
2003-09-28
Loving Our Meditation Practice
1992-05-30
Meditation Instruction Q&A (Metta Series)
1993-09-22
Meditation Instructions
1995-10-04
Meditation Instructions, Q&A
1995-10-17
Meditation Instructions, Q&A
1984-11-03
Meeting The Four Heavenly Messengers
2007-06-01
Metta Retreat Introduction
1998-05-30
Metta, Concentration And The Hindrances
1994-10-23
Metta: The Foundation Of Love (Lovingkindness)
1995-05-25
Metta: The Relationship Between Lovingkindness & Profound Quietness
1998-10-11
Mindfulness As A Last Resort
2004-09-28
Mindfulness, Love And Perfectionism
2004-10-03
Morning Instructions
1995-11-21
Morning Q&A
1993-11-16
Morning Q&A
1995-10-18
Morning Q&A
1993-11-02
Morning Q&A
2002-06-09
Navigating Through The Darkness
2003-06-25
No Part Left Out
2003-06-19
On Being Born
2003-06-21
On Being Free From Conditioning
1992-06-14
Opening And Balancing: Why Are We Not More Happy?
2001-06-22
Opening Talk Of Young Adults Retreat: Wildness And Kindness
1986-10-03
Opening To Suffering
1994-12-03
Opening To The Joys & Sorrows Of The World With Wisdom
2001-10-29
Our Next Breath
1985-12-09
Paramis 1 and 2
1993-11-17
Patience
1997-10-27
Patience & Determination
1998-11-02
Patience As A Path To Travel On
1999-05-31
Planting A Metta Garden
1992-05-31
Practice As Aspect Of Metta
2004-10-25
Practice As Spontaneous Innovation (Part 1)
1995-10-09
Pure Exploration
2015-05-23
Pure exploration - the awakening factor of investigation - part 2
2015-05-31
Pure Exploration Leads Us To Wise Attention and Friendliness With Each Moment a…
2001-06-06
Purity Of Heart
1995-11-30
Q&A
1995-12-02
Q&A
1995-11-22
Q&A
1995-11-08
Q&A
1995-09-25
Q&A
2004-10-18
Q&A
2019-05-29
Raindrop + Unconditional Peace
2004-10-11
Reflection, Rage, Rebellion, And Ardent Patience - part I
2004-10-18
Reflection, Rage, Rebellion, And Ardent Patience - part II
2003-09-20
Renunciation (Dhammaruwan Chant)
1997-11-17
Renunciation, Fear And Letting Go Of Control
1996-10-06
Renunciation, Kindness, And Freedom
2017-05-27
Rest and Courage
1995-11-07
Riding The Waves Of Fear
2000-10-08
Sensitivity To Kindness
1987-12-09
Shifting Worlds
2020-05-28
Sit with Instructions
2020-05-30
Sit with Instructions
1997-06-26
Stretching The Mind & Heart
2002-06-14
Taking Refuge In The Dhamma (Truth)
1986-11-27
Thanksgiving Metta
1992-12-12
The Art Of Ending A Retreat
2015-05-27
The breath and depth of mindfulness meditation practice - Part 1
1999-06-22
The Courage To Be Free
1999-10-04
The Courage To Swim Upstream
2017-06-04
The deep reassurance of the seven factors of awakening
2002-06-05
The Essence Of Love And Wisdom
1993-09-25
The Experience Of Faith
1998-06-13
The Factors of Light in the Mind - The Factors of Awakening
2002-09-23
The Four Guardian Meditations
2000-06-07
The Four Noble Truths: Understanding The Wisdom Teachings
2000-06-05
The Kindness Of Renunciation That Leads To Peace
1988-10-01
The Middle Way: Working With Emotions
1988-10-01
The Middle Way: Working With Emotions
1985-08-08
The Paramis
1998-10-05
The Poetry Of Mindfulness
2003-06-14
The Power Of Concentration
2004-06-12
The Practice And Ultimate Mystery Of Mindfulness
2003-10-14
The Roots Of War And The Roots Of Peace - Seven Factors Of Enlightenment - II
2001-06-11
The Secret To Happiness
1986-09-26
The Seven Factors of Awakening
1995-06-07
The Story Of The Singing Stone
1986-11-20
The Three Aspects of Conceit, Armies of Mara continued
1987-11-09
The Three Brahma Viharas
1987-11-09
The Three Brahma Viharas
1990-08-01
The Transformative Power Of Forgiveness
2001-06-24
There Is No Bad Practice
1994-09-23
Three Month Course - Morning Instructions with Q&A I
1994-09-26
Three Month Course - Morning Instructions with Q&A II
1994-09-28
Three Month Course - Morning Instructions with Q&A III
1994-09-30
Three Month Course - Morning Instructions with Q&A IV
1994-11-07
Three Month Course - Morning Instructions with Q&A IX
1994-10-05
Three Month Course - Morning Instructions with Q&A V
1994-10-16
Three Month Course - Morning Instructions with Q&A VI
1994-10-24
Three Month Course - Morning Instructions with Q&A VII
1994-10-31
Three Month Course - Morning Instructions with Q&A VIII
1994-11-14
Three Month Course - Morning Instructions with Q&A X
1991-11-19
Tranquilizing Factors Of Enlightenment
1999-09-27
Transformative Moments
1992-06-17
Trust
2004-10-03
Trusting Being Cool With Not Being Cool
2002-04-29
Trusting Our Practice Of Awakening Wisdom
1997-10-20
Unconditional Peace
1985-10-17
Understanding Change
1995-10-22
Understanding Change
1985-10-17
Understanding Change
2000-05-28
Understanding Lovingkindness Practice
2002-10-14
Understanding Mara And The Seven Factors Of Awakening (Part 1)
2002-10-06
Understanding The Ache Of Incarnation Itself
1995-11-04
Untangling The Tangle
2008-06-03
Valuing Love And Wisdom
2002-10-28
Walking The Spiritual Path Lightly
1998-10-17
Walking Through The Joy And Sorrow In This World With Wisdom And Love
1997-05-31
What Is Life For?
2000-10-29
Who Can Get Past The Tangles In This World?
1986-10-10
Wisdom
1999-11-01
Wisdom Is Our Refuge
1999-10-25
Wise Surrender
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Select one of Michele McDonald's 60 retreats
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1984-09-27
1984 Three Month Retreat
1987-09-15
1987 Three Month Retreat
1988-09-20
1988 Three Month Retreat
1989-09-21
1989 Three Month Retreat
1990-06-22
9 Day Retreat with S Smith & M McDonald
1990-12-28
New Year's Retreat with Jack Kornfield
1991-09-22
1991 Three Month Retreat
1992-05-29
Metta Retreat: Smith and McDonald-Smith
1992-06-08
Vipassana Retreat: Smith and McDonald-Smith
1992-09-23
1992 Three Month Retreat
1993-09-22
1993 Three Month Retreat
1994-09-21
1994 Three Month Retreat
1995-05-19
10 Day Metta Retreat
1995-05-29
12 Day Vipassana Retreat
1995-06-16
2 Day Vipassana Weekend
1995-09-22
1995 Three Month Retreat
1995-09-22
43 Day (6 Weeks) Vipassana Retreat
1996-06-01
10 Day Metta Retreat
1996-09-22
1996 Three Month Retreat
1997-05-30
Metta Retreat (8 days)
1997-06-25
Young Adults Retreat (4 days )
1997-09-20
1997 Three Month Retreat
1998-02-01
IMS Audio Files
1998-05-29
Metta Retreat (8 days)
1998-06-24
Young Adults Retreat (4 days)
1998-09-23
Partial #1 (6 weeks)
1999-05-28
Metta Retreat (8 days)
1999-06-05
Vipassana Retreat (10 days)
1999-06-21
Young Adult Retreat (4 days)
1999-09-22
1999 Three Month Retreat
2000-05-26
Metta Retreat
2000-06-03
Vipassana Retreat
2000-06-23
Young Adults Retreat
2000-09-20
2000 Three Month Retreat
2001-06-01
Metta Retreat
2001-06-08
Vipassana Retreat
2001-06-22
Young Adult Retreat
2001-09-21
Three Month Retreat Part 1
2002-05-31
Metta Retreat
2002-06-07
Vipassana Retreat
2002-09-20
Three Month Retreat Part 1
2003-06-13
Metta Retreat
2003-06-20
Vipassana Retreat
2003-09-19
Three Month Retreat Part 1
2004-06-04
Metta Retreat
2004-06-11
Vipassana Retreat
2004-09-24
Three-Month Retreat - Part 1
2007-06-01
Metta (Lovingkindness) Retreat
2008-05-30
Loving Friendliness: Metta Retreat
2009-05-29
Loving Friendliness: Metta Retreat
2012-05-25
Part 1 – Lovingkindness: Metta Retreat
2012-06-01
Part 2 – Liberation of Mind and Heart: Insight Meditation Retreat
2013-05-24
Liberation of Heart and Mind: Insight Meditation and Lovingkindness Retreat
2014-05-23
Liberation of Heart and Mind: Insight Meditation and Lovingkindness Retreat
2015-05-22
Liberation of Heart and Mind: Insight Meditation and Lovingkindness Retreat
2016-05-27
Liberation of Heart and Mind: Insight Meditation and Lovingkindness Retreat
2017-05-26
Liberation of Heart and Mind: Insight Meditation and Lovingkindness Retreat
2019-05-24
Liberation of Heart and Mind: Insight Meditation and Lovingkindness Retreat
2019-06-06
Liberation of Heart and Mind: Lovingkindness and Insight Weekend
2020-05-22
Liberation of Heart and Mind: Insight Meditation and Lovingkindness Retreat