Recorded: July 4th, 2007
Speakers: Roshi Joan Halifax
Show: 75

Roshi Joan Halifax retells the history of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and explores the differences and similarities between the concepts of independence and interdependence.

Samadhi
Declaration of Independence

Recorded: May 30th, 2007
Speakers: 4 Students
Show: 74

Upaya Residents Rinshin, Jisen, Yushin and Myokei discuss the factors and conditions which led them to the practice of Zen and the long term commitment to engaed service through residency at Upaya.

Recorded: May 23rd, 2008
Speakers:Roshi Joan Halifax
Show:73

Roshi Joan Halifax gives this Dharma talk about the 5th Precept by focusing on the need to practice presencing each moment just as it is without needing to change anything including altering our mind state. She explores the truth of many substances and experiences which can toxify our capacity for embodying wisdom and compassion.

Recorded: October 24th, 2007
Speakers: Tias Little
Show: 72

Tias Little, founder of Prajna Yoga gives this talk about the bservation of movement and change both within and without. He quotes from Buddha, Dogen and Thich Nhat Hanh as he explores the ‘most powerful of mindfulness meditations’ –that on birthing and deathing.

He discusses how our bias towards the present moment creates a tickiness which pulls us out of the present moment and discusses ways we might ‘right our boat” and re-orient our attention.

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Recorded March 17th, 2007
Speakers: Roshi Joan Halifax

Roshi Joan Halifax discusses how Buddhism views sex and sexuality.

She decries the fact that historically the canons spoke mostly about constraints having to do with women. Roshi differentiates the expectations for monastic vs. lay conduct and defines misconduct:actions which encompass any or all of the qualities of violence,manipulation, and deceit (e.g rape, bestiality, prostitution, adultery, sex with minors) and right conduct — including deep respect, deep responsibility and deep caring.

Recorded: May 11th, 2007
Speakers: Enkyo Roshi and Roshi Joan Halifax

Enkyo Roshi and Roshi Joan Halifax use this koan to discuss practicing moment to moment awareness. The historical significance of koans which depict the wisdom of old women who see into the nature of reality is related as is the historical connection between Mt Taishan and Manjushri. The old woman as symbol of discernment and complete freedom is explored as it relates to the parts of ourselves which embody these qualities and experiences in our practice of the Way. The importance of defeat and getting lost (stepping out of the known) is also illuminated.

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Recorded: May 9th, 2007
Speakers: Enkyo Roshi and Roshi Joan Halifax

Enkyo Roshi and Roshi Joan Halifax discuss the story of he Buddha’s birth while weaving the natural world into the theme both as it expresses birth seasonally and also how it figured into the Buddha’s whole practice life. Enkyo Roshi tells a ‘baby’ koan and Roshi Joan ties the birth theme to a quality of mind.

Recorded: May 8th, 2007
Speaker: Roshi Joan Halifax and Enkyo Roshi

This talk was given during Day 1 of the Mountains and Monastery Sesshin and revolves around the theme of rolling everything we encounter into our practice. Enkyo Roshi opens the talk with a discussion about koan stories and then Roshi Joan uses several personal anecdotes from a trip to Tibet to humorously depict the need to learn sensitivity to life as it unfolds and to learn the deep use for everything and how to discern the right place to put things.

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More on Tibet

Recorded: September 26, 2007
Speaker: Roshi Joan Halifax

Roshi Joan Halifax gives this dharma talk on the subject of karma. She distinguishes among the antiquated idea of karma as a system based on causality versus the reality of a huge net of interacting factors both knowable and never to be discovered. She compares her experiences with the political and civil unrest of the 60’s to the unfolding of current events in Burma.

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Recorded: September 19, 2007
Speakers: Natalie Goldberg and Wendy Johnson

Natalie Goldberg and Wendy Johnson share this talk about being awake in the natural world and the role of structure in the awakening process.

Natalie discusses the essential relationship of the individual to structure in two beneficial ways: we need to either break open the structure to awaken or becoming completely intimate with the structure such that any separation dissolves.

Wendy then speaks about the interplay in the natural world of light and dark; of the earth being laid open at harvest time in order to rest and renew, of destruction and laying waste in the world and our imperative to rebuild upon a damaged surface. Works of literature and art are used to illustrate these themes and the audience is invited to a question and answer ending.

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