Sunday Dharma Talk

Noble Ones

The Buddha's path is a noble path.  Which is to say, it leads to the end of suffering and true happiness.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin discusses the "customs of the noble ones," qualities that we seek to develop in our effort to live a life in which we know a greater happiness.  The talk was given at a Downtown Meditation Community retreat in 2017.

All About Action

We develop the practice of mindfulness of breathing so that we can take action.  Action in support of the heart.  Action that leads to true happiness, for us, for all beings.  In this talk, Peter Doobinin describes how the practice of breath meditation finds its fruits in the actions we take in this life.  The talk was given at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday night class in July 2017.

Art of Reflection

It's important, as dharma students, as awake human beings, to make time for reflection.  In this talk, Peter Doobinin discusses the process for developing the art of reflection.  The talk was given at Downtown Meditation Community in 2018, 

The Breath, the Body & the Heart

In breath meditation, we learn to cultivate a "home for the mind." In doing so, we establish mindfulness of the body and the qualities of concentration including equanimity.  In turn, we move closer to the heart, to the place of wisdom, compassion, lovingkindness, joy.  In this dharma talk, Peter describes how the practice of mindfulness of breathing leads us to our capacity to awaken.  The talk was given in August 2021. 

Skillful Desire

Contrary to what many think, the Buddha's path asks that we learn to cultivate desire.  Specifically, skillful desire.  The desire to practice, to develop the path.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin explains what skillful desire is and how we cultivate it.  The talk was given at the Sunday Night Meditation class at Downtown Meditation Community in March 2017.

Skillful Pleasure

The Buddha's path, the dharma, is a path of skillful pleasure.  Skillful pleasure is a pleasure that leads us to true happiness.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes the process by which we develop skillful pleasure ... and the benefits in doing so.  The talk was given at a Downtown Meditation Community retreat in 2017.

Working with Anger & Fear

As human beings, we experience anger and fear.  This is basic to the human condition.  The dharma student is not someone who doesn't experience these elemental human motions; rather, the dharma student is someone who develops skills to work effectivley with anger and fear.  By doing so, we're able to live in way in which we're not governed by these emotions.  Instead, we're able, even when life is difficult, to live with ease, wisdom, and compassion; we're able to know happiness of heart.  The dharma talk was given in February 2021.

Working with Uncertainty

Life, by its nature, is uncertain.  For the most part, we don't know what's going to happen from day to day, moment to moment.  The uncertain nature of our existence can be a cause for much suffering.  As dharma students, however, we develop the ability to work skillfully with uncertainty.  In this talk Peter Doobinin, decribes the basics of this skill.  The talk was given in April 2021.

Grace

In developing the qualities of meditation, in practicing the dharma, we learn to go through life gracefully.  Our external grace, the ease with which we move through the world, is an expression of the internal grace to which we remain connected.  In this dharma talk, Peter describes how our practice leads us to embody this quality of grace.  The talk was given in October 2021.

What We Leave Behind

All conditioned things, the Buddha teaches, are impermanent.  They arise, change, pass.  As human beings each of us is subject to illness, aging, and death.  But what doesn't die?  What do we leave behind?  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin discusses the 'happiness that doesn't die,' and how we learn to cultivate it.  The talk was given at New York Insight in December 2017.