Mangala Shri Bhuti - The Link

Speaker: David Marks. David recalls how he came to the dharma, sharing stories about his meetings with his teachers and sangha members.

Speaker: Elizabeth Ready. Elizabeth recalls the powerful influence that hearing wisdom has had on her progress on the path.

Speaker: Scott Gallagher. Scott contemplates the importance of suffering to practitioners: to serve as a guidepost, awareness of where one is stuck, and a doorway, inviting us to choose liberation over attachment.

Speaker: Peter Aucott. Recollecting the events and circumstances that led him to the dharma, Peter reflects on how being a practitioner has shaped his understanding of himself and his experience.

Speaker: Amalia Steinberg. Amalia talks about how to work with negative thoughts and emotions.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Dungse-la talks about being on pilgrimage in India and how being on the dana requires practicing the five paramitas.

Speaker: Christina Dercum. Christina explains how the Alexander Technique, which focuses on the mind-body connection, supports Buddhist practices that aim to open us to our own experience and to other people.

Speaker: Marie Papineau. Marie recounts how the most challenging events of her life have led her to recognize the need to practice the dharma and how this practice has led to further insight, healing, and growth.

Speaker: Katy Roth. Katy describes how becoming aware of the tendency to close down around experience through aggression, dread and avoidance has led to greater compassion and understanding.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Dungse-la speaks about taking personal responsibility for our state of mind especially when encountering difficult situations. He recommends self reflection and the lojong slogan: "Change your attitude and remain natural".

Speaker: Ava Evans. Ava discusses how building empathy and compassion in the heart can help to bridge the separation between self and other.

Speaker: Greg Moloney. Greg reflects on the richness and blessings of the Longchen Nyingtik lineage that guides us on the path, and on the great good fortune we enjoy having a precious human birth and a mind capable of self-reflection.

Speaker: Judy Evans. Judy relates stories of death, challenges of meeting the dharma, and how to work with the self-absorption of shyness.

Speaker: Roberta Raworth. Roberta reflected on the central role that Maitri (unconditional friendship with and acceptance of oneself) has played in her journey on the path.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Dungse-la addresses the problem of our practice being separate from our "real life". He gives tips on how to integrate the two.

Speaker: Alex Rocha. Alex reflects on how hearing, contemplating, meditating, and service have enriched and deepened his practice.

Speaker: Julie Vaught Sullivan. Julie reflects on how her path to recovery from alcoholism and her path of the dharma connect with and support each other.

Speaker: Laura Budz. Laura suggests techniques based on the dharma to respond skillfully to anxiety.

Speaker: Chris Ivanyi. Chris reflects on how he has tried to integrate an experience of profound ease and oneness with the demands of ordinary life.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Dungse-la discusses the meaning and practice behind taking refuge and the lineage.