Episodes

Dec 13, 2020
Karma of Thinking
Dec 13, 2020
Dec 13, 2020
38 min
Practicing heedfulness of thinking is one of the most important aspects of the Buddha's path. In doing so, we learn to pay attention to the karma of our thinking. What are the consequences of the thinking we engage in from day to day, moment to moment? When we're able to gain insight into the karma of our thinking, we're able to abandon thinking that brings suffering and blocks us from our heart. The talk was given at a Downtown Meditation Community daylong retreat in 2016.

Dec 6, 2020
Key of Compassion
Dec 6, 2020
Dec 6, 2020
34 min
As we make an effort to find greater happiness in life, we meet with many obstacles, we often make mistakes, at times we struggle. When we meet our difficulties with compassion, we're able to move forward toward true happiness. In this dharma talk, Peter discusses the key of compassion, how it opens the door to the path. The talk was given in August 2017 in New York City.

Nov 29, 2020
Enjoyment
Nov 29, 2020
Nov 29, 2020
30 min
When there's enjoyment in meditation, our practice flourishes. While we may not be inclined to find meditation enjoyable, it's something we can learn. We can learn to find enjoyment in meditation, and as Peter Doobinin explains in doing so we learn to find enjoyment in life. This dharma talk was given in New York City in July 2017.

Nov 22, 2020
Pleasure
Nov 22, 2020
Nov 22, 2020
54 min
In this dharma talk, Peter Doobinin discusses the integral role that skillful pleasure plays in the development of the Buddha's path. In the talk, Peter describes how we cultivate skillful pleasure and why we should learn to do this. The talk was given at an eight-day silent retreat in April 2017.

Nov 15, 2020
The Middle Path
Nov 15, 2020
Nov 15, 2020
35 min
The dharma talk "The Middle Path" was given at a Downtown Meditation Community daylong retreat in February 2018. The middle path is one of the most misunderstood subjects in the Buddha's teachings. As Peter Doobinin explains, the middle path is the path of skillful pleasure. When we learn to develop skillful pleasure, we're able to maintain ourselves in the present moment, cultivate wisdom, and live from the heart. In the talk, Peter describes the path of skillful pleasure and how we develop it.

Nov 8, 2020
Training the Mind
Nov 8, 2020
Nov 8, 2020
25 min
It's through training the mind that we come to know true happiness in life. Knowing this, the dharma students makes it a priority to train the mind, to abandon aversion and desire, and, in turn, to cultivate the qualities of the heart. This dharma talk by Peter Doobinin was given in May 2012 at the Downtown Meditation Community Sunday Night Meditation class.

Nov 1, 2020
Meeting Life With the Heart
Nov 1, 2020
Nov 1, 2020
34 min
It's the heart, always, that will see us through. In practicing the dharma, we learn to meet life, in all its manifestations, with the heart. We learn to meet our days and nights with love and compassion. When we do this, we know the happiness of the heart. The dharma talk was given at Downtown Meditation in New York City in the winter of 2019. May all beings live with ease and peace.

Oct 25, 2020
Closer to the Heart
Oct 25, 2020
Oct 25, 2020
37 min
What are we doing with our time in this life? What kinds of actions are we talking? Is what we're doing bringing us closer to the heart? As dharma students, following the Buddha's lead, we seek to live more and more from the heart. We seek to know the happiness of the heart. In this talk, given at a Downtown Meditation daylong retreat in April 2018, Peter Doobinin describes how we learn to reflect, as we make an effort to come closer to the heart.

Oct 18, 2020
The Merit of Practice
Oct 18, 2020
Oct 18, 2020
22 min
Our practice, the effort we put forth to meditate and develop the path, is a profound expression of our goodness. As dharma students, we learn to take joy in our practice, our effort to train the mind and heart. The path is joyful. Life is joyful. As we practice the dharma, we come to know this. The talk was given in 2013 at the Sunday Night Meditation class.
"Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhana, monks. Don't be heedless. Don't later fall into regret. This is our message to you."
(MN 19)

Oct 11, 2020
Ease of Being
Oct 11, 2020
Oct 11, 2020
29 min
When we have ease of being, we're able to maintain ourselves in the present moment. We're able to live more effectively. We're able to live more wholeheartedly. Cultivating ease, in meditation and through our daily life, is an act of lovingkindness for ourselves and others. In this dharma talk, Peter talks about how we develop ease of being and the great benefits in doing so. The talk was given in the summer of 2019. May all beings live with ease!

