Sunday Dharma Talk

Self-Compassion

Although we may have a wish to have compassion for ourselves, we may find it difficult to cultivate this quality of the heart.  As Peter Doobinin explains, developing compassion requires that we learn a skill; in this dharma talk Peter describes the basics of this important skill.  The talk was given at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday night class in 2015.

Freedom From Regret

For many of us, regret about the past is a burden that we carry through our days.  But we can find freedom from regret.  In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin describes how we develop the skills that enable us to let go of painful emotions and thoughts of regret.  The talk was given at the Downtown Meditation Community weekly Sunday class in the winter of 2016. 

The Way It Is

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.

Living in the World

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.

Things of the World

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.

Internal Assurance

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.

Blessing of the Practice

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.

Conviction in Yourself

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.

Decisions

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)

The Other Side of Wanting

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.