Shows
Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg: Talk: The Practice of Developing Samadhi (Concentration)(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) This talks focuses on one of the three areas of practice discussed a week before, on developing samadhi (or concentration), the theme of Donald's four weeks of practice in March. We begin by more generally discussing the nature of samadhi, including short account of the etymology in Pali, and the Tibetan sense of samadhi as "staying," as developing in the nine stages of the "Elephant Path." We look at the place and importance of developing samadhi in our practice and its relationship to insight practice; developing samadhi is one of the eight factors of the Noble...2025-04-091h 01Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg: Talk: The Practice of Developing Samadhi (Concentration)(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) This talks focuses on one of the three areas of practice discussed a week before, on developing samadhi (or concentration), the theme of Donald's four weeks of practice in March. We begin by more generally discussing the nature of samadhi, including short account of the etymology in Pali, and the Tibetan sense of samadhi as "staying," as developing in the nine stages of the "Elephant Path." We look at the place and importance of developing samadhi in our practice and its relationship to insight practice; developing samadhi is one of the eight factors of the Noble...2025-04-091h 01Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg: Talk: The Practice of Developing Samadhi (Concentration)(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) This talks focuses on one of the three areas of practice discussed a week before, on developing samadhi (or concentration), the theme of Donald's four weeks of practice in March. We begin by more generally discussing the nature of samadhi, including short account of the etymology in Pali, and the Tibetan sense of samadhi as "staying," as developing in the nine stages of the "Elephant Path." We look at the place and importance of developing samadhi in our practice and its relationship to insight practice; developing samadhi is one of the eight factors of the Noble...2025-04-091h 01Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg: Reflections on Three Themes from a Four-Week Retreat: Listening Deeply, Developing Samadhi (Concentration) through Practicing the Jhanas, and Integrating Retreat Practice with Daily Life(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) In the talk, Donald reflects on having just completed, four days before the talk, four weeks of practice at Spirit Rock. He particularly focuses on three themes from the retreat, exploring each theme in terms of both its retreat context and its daily life context. The first is the theme of listening deeply to one's own "intuition" and what "calls." The second is the theme of developing samadhi (usually translated as "concentration"--the unified mind and heart and body) and in particular practicing the eight jhanas as taught by the Buddha. The third is the theme...2025-04-021h 05Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg: Reflections on Three Themes from a Four-Week Retreat: Listening Deeply, Developing Samadhi (Concentration) through Practicing the Jhanas, and Integrating Retreat Practice with Daily Life(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) In the talk, Donald reflects on having just completed, four days before the talk, four weeks of practice at Spirit Rock. He particularly focuses on three themes from the retreat, exploring each theme in terms of both its retreat context and its daily life context. The first is the theme of listening deeply to one's own "intuition" and what "calls." The second is the theme of developing samadhi (usually translated as "concentration"--the unified mind and heart and body) and in particular practicing the eight jhanas as taught by the Buddha. The third is the theme...2025-04-021h 05Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg: Reflections on Three Themes from a Four-Week Retreat: Listening Deeply, Developing Samadhi (Concentration) through Practicing the Jhanas, and Integrating Retreat Practice with Daily Life(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) In the talk, Donald reflects on having just completed, four days before the talk, four weeks of practice at Spirit Rock. He particularly focuses on three themes from the retreat, exploring each theme in terms of both its retreat context and its daily life context. The first is the theme of listening deeply to one's own "intuition" and what "calls." The second is the theme of developing samadhi (usually translated as "concentration"--the unified mind and heart and body) and in particular practicing the eight jhanas as taught by the Buddha. The third is the theme...2025-04-021h 05Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg: Metta Practice and the Larger World (Retreat at Spirit Rock)(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) In this session, Donald gives about a 25-minute talk, followed by 15 minutes of discussion. How do we move from a week of metta practice into a time of turmoil and uncertainty in the U.S. and in the world? A number of guidelines and suggestions are given, including keeping the vision of practicing in all parts of one’s life, and keeping close the visions of awakening and of what Dr. King called the “beloved community.” In this time, staying connected with community is also crucial, as are, among many skillful intentions, practicing skillfully with difficult emotio...2025-01-1642 minDonald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg: Metta Practice and the Larger World (Retreat at Spirit Rock)(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) In this session, Donald gives about a 25-minute talk, followed by 15 minutes of discussion. How do we move from a week of metta practice into a time of turmoil and uncertainty in the U.S. and in the world? A number of guidelines and suggestions are given, including keeping the vision of practicing in all parts of one’s life, and keeping close the visions of awakening and of what Dr. King called the “beloved community.” In this time, staying connected with community is also crucial, as are, among many skillful intentions, practicing skillfully with difficult emotio...2025-01-1642 minDonald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg: Metta Practice and the Larger World (Retreat at Spirit Rock)(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) In this session, Donald gives about a 25-minute talk, followed by 15 minutes of discussion. How do we move from a week of metta practice into a time of turmoil and uncertainty in the U.S. and in the world? A number of guidelines and suggestions are given, including keeping the vision of practicing in all parts of one’s life, and keeping close the visions of awakening and of what Dr. King called the “beloved community.” In this time, staying connected with community is also crucial, as are, among many skillful intentions, practicing skillfully with difficult emotio...2025-01-1642 minDonald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg, Sylvia Boorstein: Post-Election Day Community Gathering(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We gather for two hours together the morning after Election Day, 2024, in large part to ground what we are experiencing in our practice and in community. We begin with short reflections from Sylvia and Donald, followed by short periods of meditation and then sharing from many of those present at the gathering, with intermittent reflections from Sylvia and Donald. We finish with short talks from Sylvia and Donald and then a reading of the intentions of community members going forward in the next period of time.2024-11-061h 59Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg, Sylvia Boorstein: Post-Election Day Community Gathering(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We gather for two hours together the morning after Election Day, 2024, in large part to ground what we are experiencing in our practice and in community. We begin with short reflections from Sylvia and Donald, followed by short periods of meditation and then sharing from many of those present at the gathering, with intermittent reflections from Sylvia and Donald. We finish with short talks from Sylvia and Donald and then a reading of the intentions of community members going forward in the next period of time.2024-11-061h 59
Sylvia Boorstein's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg, Sylvia Boorstein: Post-Election Day Community Gathering(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We gather for two hours together the morning after Election Day, 2024, in large part to ground what we are experiencing in our practice and in community. We begin with short reflections from Sylvia and Donald, followed by short periods of meditation and then sharing from many of those present at the gathering, with intermittent reflections from Sylvia and Donald. We finish with short talks from Sylvia and Donald and then a reading of the intentions of community members going forward in the next period of time.2024-11-061h 59Sylvia Boorstein's most recent Dharma talks (Spirit Rock Meditation Center)Donald Rothberg, Sylvia Boorstein: Post-Election Day Community Gathering(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We gather for two hours together the morning after Election Day, 2024, in large part to ground what we are experiencing in our practice and in community. We begin with short reflections from Sylvia and Donald, followed by short periods of meditation and then sharing from many of those present at the gathering, with intermittent reflections from Sylvia and Donald. We finish with short talks from Sylvia and Donald and then a reading of the intentions of community members going forward in the next period of time.2024-11-061h 59Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg: Being a Bodhisattva: Connecting Inner and Outer Practice 2(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We begin with a review of last week's talk and exploration, on being a bodhisattva in our times. The theme was inspired by Donald's experience teaching two retreats north of Asheville, NC during Hurricane Helene and being inspired by the response of the retreat center, Southern Dharma, both locally near the center and in Asheville, combining community, inner practices, and helping others. In this session, we look first more at the traditional understanding of the bodhisattva, both in the context of the Buddha's teachings and later Theravada, and then Mahayana. We bring in images of the...2024-10-301h 03Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg: Being a Bodhisattva: Connecting Inner and Outer Practice 2(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We begin with a review of last week's talk and exploration, on being a bodhisattva in our times. The theme was inspired by Donald's experience teaching two retreats north of Asheville, NC during Hurricane Helene and being inspired by the response of the retreat center, Southern Dharma, both locally near the center and in Asheville, combining community, inner practices, and helping others. In this session, we look first more at the traditional understanding of the bodhisattva, both in the context of the Buddha's teachings and later Theravada, and then Mahayana. We bring in images of the...2024-10-301h 03Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg: Being a Bodhisattva: Connecting Inner and Outer Practice(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We start with Donald's experience of being at Southern Dharma Retreat Center in North Carolina, north of Asheville, teaching two retreats during Hurricane Helene, some four weeks ago, and how staff and community members have responded during and in the weeks since the hurricane, grounded in community and their inner practices. Such a response, linking inner practice and the outer support and help of others, resonates with the aspiration of the Bodhisattva, one dedicated to awakening and to meeting the needs of others. We explore some of the qualities and capacities of the bodhisattva, including being...2024-10-231h 02Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg: Being a Bodhisattva: Connecting Inner and Outer Practice(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We start with Donald's experience of being at Southern Dharma Retreat Center in North Carolina, north of Asheville, teaching two retreats during Hurricane Helene, some four weeks ago, and how staff and community members have responded during and in the weeks since the hurricane, grounded in community and their inner practices. Such a response, linking inner practice and the outer support and help of others, resonates with the aspiration of the Bodhisattva, one dedicated to awakening and to meeting the needs of others. We explore some of the qualities and capacities of the bodhisattva, including being...2024-10-231h 02Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg, Ronya Banks: Session 3: A Buddhist Toolkit for Skillful Response(Southern Dharma Retreat Center) In the final session of this series, teachers Ronya Banks and Donald Rothberg will offer a number of resources that can help you navigate these times through the cultivation of meditation, wisdom, and ethics. How can we avoid reinforcing "either/or" mindsets and other binaries that create delusion and misunderstanding? How can we draw on the teachings to strengthen our commitment to compassion for all in these difficult times? And how can we identify and move toward skillful action, rather than being caught in a state of paralysis, frustration, and despair, on the one hand, or...2024-08-251h 33Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg, Ronya Banks: A Community Program on Palestine/Israel: Session 3: A Buddhist Toolkit for Skillful Response(Southern Dharma Retreat Center) In the final session of this series, teachers Ronya Banks and Donald Rothberg offer a number of resources that can help one navigate these times and the conflict between Israel and Palestinians. After a brief period of meditation, we offer four teachings and practices, each first explored through teachings and then briefly guided experientially: (1) the teaching of the Two Arrows and Dependent Origination pointing to the nature of reactivity--habitual and often unconscious grasping after the pleasant and pushing away the unpleasant or painful; (2) the teachings about attachment to views; (3) the cultivation of wise speech and empathy...2024-08-251h 33Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg, Ronya Banks: Session 3: A Buddhist Toolkit for Skillful Response(Southern Dharma Retreat Center) In the final session of this series, teachers Ronya Banks and Donald Rothberg will offer a number of resources that can help you navigate these times through the cultivation of meditation, wisdom, and ethics. How can we avoid reinforcing "either/or" mindsets and other binaries that create delusion and misunderstanding? How can we draw on the teachings to strengthen our commitment to compassion for all in these difficult times? And how can we identify and move toward skillful action, rather than being caught in a state of paralysis, frustration, and despair, on the one hand, or...2024-08-251h 33Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg, Ronya Banks: A Community Program on Palestine/Israel: Session 3: A Buddhist Toolkit for Skillful Response(Southern Dharma Retreat Center) In the final session of this series, teachers Ronya Banks and Donald Rothberg offer a number of resources that can help one navigate these times and the conflict between Israel and Palestinians. After a brief period of meditation, we offer four teachings and practices, each first explored through teachings and then briefly guided experientially: (1) the teaching of the Two Arrows and Dependent Origination pointing to the nature of reactivity--habitual and often unconscious grasping after the pleasant and pushing away the unpleasant or painful; (2) the teachings about attachment to views; (3) the cultivation of wise speech and empathy...2024-08-251h 33
The Gay Buddhist Forum by GBFAm I "Buddhist?" Donald RothbergWhat core Buddhist teachings are reflected in all other wisdom traditions? As stated in the Kālāma Sutta, known as the Buddha's "charter of free inquiry," Donald Rothberg encourages us not to believe anything simply because we are told to, but rather apply our own experience and discernment. He encourages us to embrace the very practical core teachings of Buddhism and consider how those resonate with other religious traditions. He explores the foundations of our teachings in familiar Buddhist language, framing them in terms of: EthicsThe heart pract...2024-08-1857 minDonald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg, Ronya Banks: A Community Program on Palestine/Israel: Session 2: A Dialogue between Teachers and Friends (with Ronya Banks and Donald Rothberg)(Southern Dharma Retreat Center) In session 2 of this series, Donald Rothberg and Ronya Banks will engage in dialogue around their Jewish and Palestinian identities, their family histories, and their own experiences of being Buddhist teachers navigating the complexities of the conflict in Palestine/Israel. During the course of the conversation, they will offer reflections on what has been most helpful to each of them in dealing with painful truths, strong emotions, and difficult conversations. In the last part of the session, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and offer reflections.2024-08-111h 31Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg, Ronya Banks: A Community Program on Palestine/Israel: Session 2: A Dialogue between Teachers and Friends (with Ronya Banks and Donald Rothberg)(Southern Dharma Retreat Center) In session 2 of this series, Donald Rothberg and Ronya Banks will engage in dialogue around their Jewish and Palestinian identities, their family histories, and their own experiences of being Buddhist teachers navigating the complexities of the conflict in Palestine/Israel. During the course of the conversation, they will offer reflections on what has been most helpful to each of them in dealing with painful truths, strong emotions, and difficult conversations. In the last part of the session, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and offer reflections.2024-08-111h 31Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg: Ten Ways of Deepening Practice(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We continue with the main ways of deepening practice identified in the talk from the week before, based on ways of deepening experienced in Donald's March four weeks of retreat. We go into more depth on each of the ten, inviting listeners to choose one or two ways of deepening for the next period of time. The talk is followed by discussion, and there's a downloadable pdf listing the ten ways of deepening practice (see below).2024-04-101h 06Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg: Ten Ways of Deepening Practice(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We continue with the main ways of deepening practice identified in the talk from the week before, based on ways of deepening experienced in Donald's March four weeks of retreat. We go into more depth on each of the ten, inviting listeners to choose one or two ways of deepening for the next period of time. The talk is followed by discussion, and there's a downloadable pdf listing the ten ways of deepening practice (see below).2024-04-101h 06Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg: Ways of Deepening Practice and Taking One's Next Steps: Reflections on a Four-Week Retreat(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Following four weeks of Donald's personal retreat, he identifies a number of ways of deepening practice that he experienced and that we might bring into our lives. The invitation is to see what one or two or three ways of deepening resonate and seem to call us to our "next steps." Among the ways of deepening are going on retreats (understood as periods of intensive training), staying in touch with and periodically remembering one's deeper intentions, pausing and stopping regularly, clarifying priorities, the importance of working with the subtle energy body, opening to non-doing in meditation...2024-04-0351 minDonald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg: Ways of Deepening Practice and Taking One's Next Steps: Reflections on a Four-Week Retreat(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Following four weeks of Donald's personal retreat, he identifies a number of ways of deepening practice that he experienced and that we might bring into our lives. The invitation is to see what one or two or three ways of deepening resonate and seem to call us to our "next steps." Among the ways of deepening are going on retreats (understood as periods of intensive training), staying in touch with and periodically remembering one's deeper intentions, pausing and stopping regularly, clarifying priorities, the importance of working with the subtle energy body, opening to non-doing in meditation...2024-04-0351 min
Mindfulness Exercises, with Sean FargoThe Tradition of Loving-Kindness, with Donald RothbergThis episode is sponsored by our Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification. Register today for 80% off at https://mindfulnessexercises.com/certify
Loving-kindness, or metta meditation, is a unique, thousands of years old method of uncovering the boundless warmth at the center of our being. This contemplative practice is often taught alongside mindfulness, as the awakened heart and mind cannot be separated.
In this episode, we hear from Donald Rothberg, a leading spiritual teacher and author of The Engaged Spiritual Life: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World. Rothberg teaches on the history and tra...2024-02-0720 minDonald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Dharma Seed)Donald Rothberg, Stephen Fulder: The Dharma in Times of Crisis(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Stephen Fulder, the founder and senior teacher of Tovana (the Israel Insight Society), is in conversation with Donald Rothberg. We hold the understanding of "crisis" broadly, remembering that we are in the midst of multiple crises, while giving more attention to Israel/Palestine. Such crises are a major challenge to our dharma practice. In this context, we explore a number of different themes, including bringing our practice to difficult experiences that often arise in a crisis, such as fear, emotional pain, reactivity, numbness, and the presence of repetitive negative narratives and views. We also identify, during...2023-12-201h 20Donald Rothberg's most recent Dharma talks (Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley)Donald Rothberg, Stephen Fulder: The Dharma in Times of Crisis(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Stephen Fulder, the founder and senior teacher of Tovana (the Israel Insight Society), is in conversation with Donald Rothberg. We hold the understanding of "crisis" broadly, remembering that we are in the midst of multiple crises, while giving more attention to Israel/Palestine. Such crises are a major challenge to our dharma practice. In this context, we explore a number of different themes, including bringing our practice to difficult experiences that often arise in a crisis, such as fear, emotional pain, reactivity, numbness, and the presence of repetitive negative narratives and views. We also identify, during...2023-12-201h 20
The Gay Buddhist Forum by GBFExtending the Retreat into Your Daily Life - Donald RothbergPart 3: GBF 2023 Fall Retreat.How do we embody in our lives the practices we learn and the qualities we develop on retreat? In this talk, Donald Rothberg examines how we can 'bring the retreat home' with us and make our practice real in everyday life. He suggests key methods for accomplishing this, including: Become grounded in one's body. Meditate on a different quality each week, such as impermanence, reactivity, non-self, Commit to engaging in one heart practice daily: loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, or equanimity (the Four Immeasurables). Set an intention before each interaction with...2023-10-231h 23
The Gay Buddhist Forum by GBFIntegrating the Kind Heart with Wisdom - Donald RothbergPart 2 - GBF 2023 Fall RetreatMost spiritual traditions and religions speak about the value of compassion, but Buddhism seems to be the only one with specific practices for developing this quality and opening our hearts. In this talk, Donald Rothberg explores the challenges we face when opening our hearts. Once we do, how do we integrate this compassion with wisdom? What challenges do we face when we try this? He also identifies how traditional gender roles can hinder opening our hearts and developing compassion. A rich Q&A dialogue follows. ______________ 2023-10-221h 13
The Gay Buddhist Forum by GBFCultivating Clear Seeing, Wisdom, and Insight - Donald RothbergPart 1: GBF 2023 Fall Retreat. Our teacher for the weekend, Donald Rothberg, informs us that the purpose of Buddhist practice is to move beyond techniques and teachings, into a deep state of resting in one's own being. There we can experience insight into Impermanence, Dukkha, and Not-Self that informs our behavior in daily life.A 45-min dharma talk is followed by a 45-min Q&A and group dialogue.______________ Donald Rothberg, Ph.D., a member of the Teachers Council at Spirit Rock Center, and a teacher at the East Bay Meditation...2023-10-221h 32
The Gay Buddhist Forum by GBF10 Ways of Transforming Reactivity - Donald RothbergWhat does the Third Noble Truth really promise when it speaks of "an end to dukkha?" Does it mean an end to unpleasant experiences? In this rich talk, Donald Rothberg shares that the end of dukkha actually means the cessation of our REACTIVITY to unpleasant experiences. He relates the analogy of "the second arrow" to our reactivity (both clinging and aversion) rather than the typical translation of "suffering." He introduces 10 guidelines for working with reactivity: Understand the nature of reactivity and how it becomes institutionalizedAssess your level of reactivity and determine an appropriate responseBe min...2023-08-2056 min