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.
           
           
        
    
     
 
    
        
            
    --
    
            Select from Michele McDonald's
            211
            talks
    
     -- 
    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 
    
 
         
     
    
        
            
    --
        Select one of Michele McDonald's 60 retreats
     -- 
    
        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