Way of Compassion Dharma Center
Episodes
259 episodes
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 11 - Hindrance of Deluded Doubt
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues to discuss the hindrances to our spiritual practice, and specifically the achievement of shamatha. He focuses on the hindrance of deluded doubt by describing and commenting on three diffe...
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 10 - Hindrance of Restlessness
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna engages us in a Dharma talk focused on the hindrance of restlessness. He describes how our distracted minds are limiting the ability for us to engage in a meaningful life, and how the more we can o...
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 09 - Hinderance of Lethargy
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna talks about how the hindrance of lethargy and sleepiness impacts our opportunity to live a meaningful life. He describes common examples of lethargy and some antidotes to overcoming these types of ...
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 08 - Hinderance of Malice
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers clarifying guidance on how we can relate with malice and other forms of ill will in a healthy way. He describes the destructive nature of anger and shares some practical guidance on how we c...
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 07 - Hinderance of Sensual Desire
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues to offer commentary on the text “Following in the Buddha’s Footsteps”. He expands the depth of understanding about the hinderances of sensual desire by offering clarity of how our addict...
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 06 - Craving and Contentment
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues to comment on hinderances to our spiritual growth by focusing in on sensual desire and craving. He offers helpful guidance on how to balance our lives with enjoying sensual pleasures and ...
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 05 - Obstacles and Antidotes
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives clear and practical guidance on obstacles to our spiritual practice by focusing on the 5 hinderances. He then approaches a variety of antidotes and mind states that will help us overcome thes...
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 04 - Ethical Conduct
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna speaks about the importance of ethical conduct when engaging in a spiritual path. He shows the inter-relationship between ethics and cultivating concentration illustrating how what we do off the cu...
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 03 - Dependent Origination
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues to focus on the deep roots of wisdom within the Buddha’s teachings. He guides us to more clearly see our experiences through the lens of dependent origination, thus clearing away the obsc...
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 02 - The Mind's Potential
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna discusses the Mind’s potential and a variety of obstructions in our minds that prevent us from experiencing our Buddha nature. He also gives helpful and practical advice on how we can cultiva...
Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 01- Refuge in Reality
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna begins his commentary on the text “Following in the Buddha’s Footsteps,” written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chödron. John covers a section in the text that is focused on t...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 68 - Perfecting Wisdom
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives his last dharma talk from the text, “How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path”. In this final session he continues to offer commentary on the wisdom aspect of Buddhism that aims to eliminate...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 67 - Wisdom in Practice
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna guides us deeper into Buddhist wisdom. He helps us deepen our understanding and practices for cultivating the deeper states of wisdom that alleviate suffering in our lives. This episode was recorde...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 66 - Sense of Self
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers guidance regarding the wisdom aspect of Buddhism. He describes how the sense of self that we have is a dependently originated phenomenon that is actually empty of any inherent existence. Imp...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 65 - The Two Truths
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna hosts a discussion and offers commentary about how we can engage with the perfection of wisdom in our daily lives. He encourages us to explore how dependent origination and emptiness impact our exp...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 64 - The Wisdom of Emptiness
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna dives deeper into the perfection of wisdom within the Mahayana path of Tibetan Buddhism. He skillfully presents how our misperception of reality is the root of our suffering and then offers a varie...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 63 - Three Types of Wisdom
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues last week’s discussion on the Perfection of Wisdom in the text “How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path”. He introduces and gives guidance on three different types of wisdom that are pr...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 62 - Perfection of Wisdom
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna begins his commentary on the topic of the perfection of wisdom. He gives us some practical steps to take that can help us to experience the positive shifts that wisdom can have in our lives while k...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 61 - Shamatha Meditation
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers a clarifying talk about the practice of shamatha meditation, also known as calm abiding. He gives useful guidance on how to encourage this meditation practice in our lives, describes its man...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 60 - Perfection of Concentration
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna focuses on the topic of training the mind in attention by giving clear guidance on the practice of shamatha and its benefits. He also describes how concentration and the other 5 perfections weave t...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 59 - Laziness of Busyness
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna discusses one of the main obstacles to our Dharma Practice called the Laziness of Busyness. He gives us many examples of how this obstacle shows up in our lives and encourages a shift in our motiva...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 58 - Perfection of Joyous Effort
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers a commentary on The Perfection of Joyous Effort. He speaks about the benefits of this practice and some obstacles that prevent us from engaging in meaningful dharma practice. This episode wa...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 56 - Perfection of Ethics
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers an overview of the path through a brief description of the Noble Eightfold Path. He then specifically focuses on the importance of ethics by expanding on the truth that all happiness comes f...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 56 - Losar Teaching and Purification Practice
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna teaches on Losar, welcoming in the year of the Fire Horse with a teaching about the 3 higher trainings of ethics, wisdom, and concentration. He follows these foundational and transformative teachin...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 55 - Renunciation and Patience
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers a talk on patience and renunciation. He offers a modern interpretation of these two important aspects of living a meaningful life based in wisdom which will lead us to an experience of genui...