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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
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Dharma Talks
given at Refuge of Belonging
Publicly available talks can be browsed here in the order indicated by
the "Sort Order" selection. Talk titles and discriptions can also be
searched by typing in a search word (or words) in the search box and
clicking "Search Titles and Descriptions". With multiple words, only those talks
containing all the given words are displayed.
Get the latest Dharma talks from Refuge of Belonging by Podcast
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2026-09-13
Love Is a Fierce Animal
33:22
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Devin Berry
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Lovingkindness is not simply about being gentle, pleasant, or nice. Through personal stories and reflections on the Buddha’s teachings, this talk explores the fierce, protective power of mettā—a love that stands up to harm, stays present through difficulty, and becomes a courageous commitment to ourselves and the world.
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Refuge of Belonging
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2026-09-13
Standing in Love: The Practice of Mettā
26:34
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Nico Hase
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Mettā is more than a warm feeling—it is a way of standing in relationship to ourselves, others, and the world. Through stories and practical guidance, this talk explores how lovingkindness can gradually become a boundless way of being, transforming even our deepest difficulties into sources of compassion.
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Refuge of Belonging
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2026-08-08
I Will Not Abandon Myself
39:14
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Devon Hase
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What does it mean to truly keep a vow to ourselves? Devon Hase explores *adhiṭṭhāna*—the cultivation of resolve—as both the courage to stay with what is difficult and the wisdom to soften, surrender, and listen when pushing harder becomes its own form of self-abandonment.
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Refuge of Belonging
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2026-08-08
Beyond Willpower
29:37
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Judson Brewer
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What if real resolve isn’t about trying harder? Jud Brewer explores adhiṭṭhāna—the Buddhist cultivation of resolve—and how curiosity, awareness, and clear seeing can create a steadiness far more powerful than willpower.
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Refuge of Belonging
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2026-07-11
Kusala: The Mind That Leans Toward Freedom
28:39
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Nico Hase
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Kusala and akusala are usually translated as wholesome and unwholesome — but what if they're less about morality than direction? This talk explores these two categories as signposts pointing toward release or entanglement, how the body often knows the difference before the mind admits it, and how the four efforts turn that clarity into practice.
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Refuge of Belonging
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2026-06-13
Staying Power: How Patience Keeps You Honest
27:45
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Nico Hase
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In this talk, nico hase takes up the leading edge of khanti, asking what it means to train the mind beyond reactivity. Drawing on Dipa Ma and the Simile of the Saw Sutta, he explores how fierce love, ethical restraint, and the steady cultivation of wholesome states can help us meet a world on fire.
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Refuge of Belonging
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2026-06-13
Staying Inside the Friction
24:22
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Gina LaRoche
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In this talk, Gina explores *khanti*—patience, forbearance, and steadfastness—as the capacity to remain present with life as it is, without waiting politely, bypassing, or collapsing into niceness. This patience becomes a doorway into clear seeing, wise action, and the courage to stay on the wholesome path.
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Refuge of Belonging
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2026-05-09
You Are Always Finding Your Balance
24:27
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Nico Hase
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Philippe Petit, who walked a cable between the Twin Towers, said the secret was that you're never in balance — you're always finding it. nico hase takes that as the central image for viriya, exploring courageous effort that doesn't give up, the moment-by-moment refinement of balanced effort, and the countercultural discipline of rest as its own expression of energy on the path.
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Refuge of Belonging
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2026-05-09
Tranquil and Alert: Viriya and the Art of Balanced Effort
49:33
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Sharon Salzberg
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Drawing on the legend of the Buddha touching the earth and the Barre town motto that named her retreat center, Sharon Salzberg explores viriya — the pāramī of energy, effort, and courageous application. This talk examines how right effort lives in the middle way between strain and indolence, how the integration of inner and outer work makes the dharma real, and how we claim our own right to aspire to freedom.
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Refuge of Belonging
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