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Mindfulness meditation is so common these days that many of us take it for granted and miss the incredible importance of this practice on the path to liberation. Mary discusses each of the four foundations in the Buddha's wise teaching. It is a path that offers a way to be fully present in each moment and to live with clarity, wisdom and compassion. Spend some time with this simple, yet subtle practice.Recorded June 4, 2023 for Insight Community of the Desert Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

On the third anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, Mary reflects on how powerful the dharma can be as we greet the world as it is, and work to end injustice and harm where we find it. The Buddha's enlightenment offers us a path to end suffering for all. As Reggie Hubbard says, "If your offerings don't speak to the cries of the people, what are you doing?" How does your practice help you show up and do the work that needs to be done?Recorded May 25, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Along with Greed and Hatred, Delusion is considered one of the Three Defilements or Three Poisons, in Buddhist teachings. These three underlie so much of the suffering in the world and need to be rooted out in order to be free. Delusion may be the most challenging to see because we're so unaware of it and it masquerades as many other things. In this talk, Mary shows us how delusion shows up in our lives and how to find clarity and wisdom.Recorded May 20, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

In this short talk, Mary reflects on words of wisdom from various teachers all inviting us to be, stay and return to the present because there is no other path to liberation. Simple phrases from Jack Kornfield, Rick Hanson, Sayadaw U Tejaniya and even a tea bag, remind us to be right where we are.Recorded May 11, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

We sometimes hear the statement that someone is being a good Buddhist or a bad Buddhist based on some action. But does the concept of good or bad Buddhist even exist? In this talk, Mary examines the invitation to be a Buddha rather than a Buddhist. The Buddha offered a path to follow which takes us away from suffering and towards liberation and it's a personal journey based on our own experiences. It's easy to fall into rigid viewpoints even about the practice, but it's always about letting go and being present.Recorded May 7, 2023 in the virtual world for the Insight Community of the Desert Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

The practice of meditation invites us to be available to every experience that shows up, but we have been conditioned all our lives to react in certain ways which means we're not available. We may not even realize that we're turning away particular experiences. In this talk Mary discusses how we pick and choose what we will and won't be present with and how to break down these barriers. Even if it's scary, there is tremendous freedom in openness and availability. How do you hide?Recorded April 27, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

 Being happy for other's happiness is one of the hardest practices but one that is essential for our liberation. Mudita, or appreciative joy, is one of the Brahma Viharas and teaches us a true generosity of the heart. Breaking free from the culture of competitiveness, judgement and othering, mudita allows us to experience the joy of others as our own. Recorded April 22, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

This talk is an invitation to turns towards reality and the truth of our existence in order to move toward liberation. Reality is always present but we are trapped in our perceptions and viewpoints which may not necessarily be the best for us and may even be harmful. As Ayya Anandabodhi says, "The more we're attuned to the truth of the way things are, the more clear things are, the more okay things are, even in the most difficult situations." This way lies freedom.Recorded April 15, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Setting an intention is a wise and skillful way to move in a direction that takes us away from dukkha and towards liberation.  The ten Paramis are qualities that Sylvia Boorstein calls the natural inclination of the heart. In this talk Mary discusses how the Paramis can serve as a beautiful container for our intention and a way to greet our day to day experiences with wisdom and compassion.Recorded April 2, 2023 in the virtual world for the Insight Community of the Desert Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Thought, word and deed: the Buddha talked about the importance of these three in how we communicate with the world. Teacher Larry Ward calls them the three powers. In this talk Mary discusses the necessity of paying attention to our thoughts because the impact on our lives is so meaningful and touches just about everything.  You really want to be aware of something so powerful.Recorded March 23, 2023 in the virtual world  Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Every once in a while the reality of the human condition - of sickness, old age, and death - comes at us with full force. The question is always about how we greet the moment. In this talk Mary discusses the importance of wisdom and clarity and also about the compassion necessary to open our hearts to each moment.Recorded March 18, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Inspired by Women's Month, Mary talks about women in Buddhism going back to Mahapajapati, the first nun, and what women experience today. Buddhism is not immune from patriarchy and misogyny and a willingness to see where delusion lies is vital for the liberation of all beings.Recorded March 11, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

In this talk Mary discusses two ways the mind drags us away from being present for our experience, especially if it's something unpleasant or uncomfortable. Distractions and habit energies often work together to keep us on a path of craving and aversion and far away from freedom. Identifying our habits of mind and developing a willingness to let go is of paramount importance for our journey towards freedom.Recorded March 5, 2023 in the virtual world for Insight Community of the Desert Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

A brief reflection on how easily we're distracted from what our actual experience is by focusing on something out there. A blizzard during a retreat is a good way to recognize how this can show up.Recorded Feb 28, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

The Buddha's teachings on giving and generosity were clear - there is no liberation without it. If we knew how important it was we would not cling to anything. But we live in a society that tells us there is never enough which breeds craving and selfishness, whether conscious or not. This talk invites us to recognize what giving and generosity look like, and how to cultivate it as we walk through our lives.Recorded Feb 18, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

The Buddha's teachings on the Five Remembrances invite us to deeply connect with our mortality and the mortality of all beings. It's a challenging reflection and what that is energetically denied by our society. How do we make peace with impermanence and fully embrace the human condition?Recorded Feb. 11, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Mary shares some of the teachings from the recent retreat she attended: greeting everything with compassion, discerning skillful and unskillful thoughts and responses, and the Buddha's invitation to go forth and care for the world. And then she shared how she tried to makes sense of these teachings when getting home and hearing about the violence, mass shootings and murder of Tyre Nichols.Recorded for ICD on Feb. 5, 2023 in the virtual world. Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

After a week on retreat and no class or dharma class to upload as a podcast, Mary sends a few words of greeting to everyone listening with a reminder of compassion and care.Recorded Jan 30, 2023 in Burbank, CA Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Our modern world has seen the glorification of experts in all fields and Buddhism is no exception to this. In this talk Mary juxtaposes the idea of expert and their rarefied knowledge to the wisdom, clarity and simplicity of Thai Forest Master Ajahn Chah's teachings. Ajahn Chah made the dharma accessible to anyone, maybe not easy, but simple.Recorded on Jan 21, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

After attending an interfaith event celebrating the Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Mary was inspired to look at how several faiths have so much in common in working towards ending suffering and supporting justice. Using Dr. King's talk on the Three Dimensions of a Spiritual Life, she reflects on how similar it is to the Buddha's teachings in the Eightfold Path especially sila.Recorded Jan 14, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.