Way of Compassion Dharma Center
Episodes
240 episodes
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...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 54 - Perfection of Generosity
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna teaches on the perfection of generosity within the context of the 6 perfections of Tibetan Buddhism. He describes how generosity counteracts our attachment and self-centeredness, which are the root...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 53 - Tonglen Practice
In this session, spiritual director John Bruna clarifies the powerfully transformative practice of tonglen. He speaks about this practice of giving and taking as an antidote to the root of our suffering, self-centeredness, and also guides us in...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 52 - Exchanging Self and Others
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues his commentary on “How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path”. This week he gives practical guidance on how we can engage with practices to slowly transform cherishing ourselves to cheris...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 51 - Benefits of Cherishing Others
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives in-depth commentary and guidance on the benefits of cherishing others. He speaks about how we can engage with cherishing others in wise and compassionate ways that encourage a recognition of ...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 50 - Self-Centeredness
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives commentary and guidance on how self-centeredness is at the core of our suffering. He offers advice on how we can balance our need for self-care while slowly eliminating self-centeredness from...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 49 - Disadvantages of Self-Centeredness
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives his commentary on the disadvantages of self-centeredness. He gives a variety of practical techniques to slowly overcome this habitual pattern through recognizing more accurately how we exist ...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 48 - Equalizing Oneself with Others
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna covers one of the meditation methods for cultivating Bodhicitta known as Equalizing oneself with others. He offers approachable steps for engaging in the brief and extensive versions of this medita...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 47 - The Suffering of Self-Centeredness
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues his commentary on the text “How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path” by Kathleen McDonald. The focus of this talk is on how self-centeredness is a basis of our suffering and how recogni...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 46 - Bodhicitta
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna comes to the culminating phase of the seven-point cause and result for cultivating bodhicitta. This seventh and final point, which is developing the motivation of bodhicitta, is the result of the p...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 45 - Great Resolve
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna introduces a variety of graduated steps that will lead us to the great resolve of bodhicitta, in which one takes on the personal responsibility of removing the suffering of every sentient being. He...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 44 - Cultivating Love
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna teaches us some valuable techniques for cultivating love. He suggests meditation methods that can aid in our cultivation of loving kindness for ourselves, our loved ones, strangers, and people who ...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 43 - Repaying Kindness
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers commentary on how we can cultivate great compassion known as bodhicitta by repaying the kindness of others. He speaks about how the urge to repay the kindness of others arises naturally when...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 42 - The Kindness of Our Mothers
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues to discuss how we can develop the foundation and motivation of the Mahayana path: Great Compassion. He speaks about how Bodhicitta begins with equanimity and then moves to seeing all bein...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 41 - Mamaste
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues to give commentary on the text “How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path”. He unpacks the first two points in the seven-fold cause and effect, focused on the cultivation of bodhicitta. V...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 40 - Cultivating Equanimity
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives guidance on how we can train in the skill of equanimity. He gives many valuable perspective shifts that help us engage with people who harm us or harm others. Equanimity is the baseline for c...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 39 - Cultivating Bodhicitta
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers a variety of techniques for developing equanimity for three different categories of people: friends, enemies, and strangers. He describes how to meet ourselves where we are. and encourages u...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 38 - Benefits of Bodhicitta
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna talks about how bodhicitta is the foundation of the Mahayana path of Buddhism. He spends time during this teaching speaking about the benefits of great compassion that engages in actions to free al...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 37 - Renunciation and Great Compassion
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues his commentary on the text “How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path.” He discusses how renunciation is a gateway to great compassion, also known as "bodhicitta" in the Tibetan Buddhist ...
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path 36 - Great Compassion
In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues to give his commentary on the text “How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path.” John discusses the subject of Bodhicitta, also known as Great Compassion in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition....