September 20, 2020
To move skillfully through life, we need equanimity. Equanmity enables us to stay balanced and strong in the midst of the joys and sorrows of life. Equanimity is rooted in insight, in understanding of "the way it is," including understanding the truth of aging, illness, death, and separation, and the pain that is unavoidable in human experience. In this talk, Peter Doobinin explains how we develop in this understanding and learn to meet life with wisdom and an open heart. The talk was given at a Downtown Meditation Community daylong retreat in the autumn of 2017.
September 13, 2020
It's often said that, as dharma students, we learn live in the world but don't subscribe to the ways of the world. How is this accomplished? In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes elements of the path we learn to develop in an effort to follow the path as householders living amidst the complexity of modern life. The talk was given in 2010 at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday Night Meditation class.
September 6, 2020
Where do we look for happiness? The dharma student learns to gradually abandon the effort to find happiness in the things of the world. And, instead, to know a happiness that transcends conditioned, impermanent things. The talk was given in 2016 at the Downtown Meditation Community weekly Sunday Night Meditation class.
August 30, 2020
As dharma students we learn to develop internal assurance, the ability to rely on our innate wisdom to guide us as we make our way in this life. In this dharma talk, Peter explains what internal assurance is and how we develop it. The talk was given at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday Night class in the autumn of 2016.
August 23, 2020
To be able to practice the dharma is an extraordinary blessing. It's important for dharma students, in making their way along the path, to recognize the blessing of the practice. And, in turn, to reflect on it. In this talk, given in 2008, Peter Doobinin explains the rudiments for reflecting on the blessing of the practice. The talk was given in New York City at the Sunday Night Meditation class.
August 16, 2020
When conviction is developed, we make an effort to follow the path. In the end, we must develop conviction in ourselves, in our goodness, in our innate wisdom, in the dharma inside us. This talk on "Conviction in Yourself" was given in December 2011 at the Downtown Meditation Community weekly Sunday night class.
August 9, 2020
We shape our lives through the decisions we make from day to day, moment to moment. It's through the practice of heedfulnes that we're able to make decisions and take actions - big actions and subtle actions - that will lead us to true happiness in this life. This talk was given in 2014 at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday night class.
"Just as the footprints of all legged animals are encompassed by the footprint of the elephant, and the elephant's footprint is reckoned the foremost among them in terms of size; in the same way, all skillful qualities are rooted in heedfulness, converge in heedfulness, and heedfulness is reckoned the foremost among them."
(AN 10.15)
August 2, 2020
What lies on the other side of wanting? As human beings, we're involved, it seems, in an incessant process of wanting: wanting what we don't have, wanting things to be different than what they are. Dharma practice leads us to know the other side of this painful wanting. The talk was given by Peter Doobinin in 2014 at the Downtown Meditation Community weekly Sunday class.
July 26, 2020
Having a daily meditation practice is a foundational component as we make our way along the Buddha's path. In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin discusses what it means to have a daily practice. The talk was given in New York City at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday Night class in the summer of 2016.
July 19, 2020
When things are difficult, in dharma practice and in life, our tendency may be to doubt ourselves. This self doubt - and doubt in dharma practice - is a profound impediment to our ability to move forward as dharma students. For this reason, it's essential that we learn to be mindful of doubt and to see into its empty nature. In this talk, given on March 23, 2008, Peter Doobinin describes how we practice this important mindfulness. The talk was givein at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday Night Meditation class.
