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The greatest gift is the

gift of the teachings Guy Armstrong's Dharma Talks Guy Armstrong

Donate to Guy Armstrong What has always engaged me is working with practitioners who are deepening their commitment to the Dharma and then seeing them take a quantum leap in their understanding. My contribution to this commitment is working towards conveying a Theravadan practice with a Mahayana spirit.

The Theravadan practice of vipassana provides simple, direct instructions that can be immediately understood and applied in daily life as well as retreat practice. The Mahayana spirit has the beautiful attitude that we practice not for ourselves alone, but for all sentient beings. Between the two, the unfolding of liberation for ourselves and others becomes a simple, down-to-earth practice that anyone can do. It is fun for me to take the most difficult concepts and put them into accessible language, to unwrap the mystery. So I try to find ways to explore the breadth of concepts like "emptiness" -- to see how the entire path can be explained in terms of this synonym for nibbana. One of my aims is to bring the goal of freedom into the here and now. This way practitioners get a taste of freedom, so they know what they are heading toward on their journey to liberation. The tools of mindfulness and lovingkindness can be picked up by anyone. They are easy to understand and they bring immediate benefit to our lives. The essence of vipassana is ideally suited to western society, especially to the resonance between our psychological turn of mind and our quest for spiritual understanding. -- Select from Guy Armstrong's 253 talks -- VIEW ALL 2008-04-11 A Brief History Of Buddhism In India - part 1 2008-04-12 A Brief History Of Buddhism In India - part 2 1995-07-26 Accepting Life's Characteristics 1996-03-18 Accepting Ourselves 2013-02-18 Afternoon Bhrama Vihara Practice - Compassion 2005-07-14 An Appropriate Response 2019-06-15 An Appropriate Response 2008-02-02 An Attitude Of Mindfulness 2008-11-02 An Attitude Of Mindfulness 2003-11-14 Awakening Concentration 2008-03-19 Awareness Is Like The Unconditioned 2010-11-16 Big Mind Guided Meditation 2015-10-08 Big Mind Guided Meditation 2001-01-05 Big Mind: Guided Meditation 2003-05-12 Bodhisattva Path: Plus Rigpa & Nirvana 2013-02-28 Brahma Vihara Practice 2011-07-20 Brahma Vihara: Equanimity 2004-07-15 Brahma Viharas And The Vicissitudes Of Life 2013-02-05 Brahma Viharas: Metta 2001-06-10 Cascading Pools of Metta 2001-06-10 Cascading Pools of Metta 2019-06-09 Chanting And Morning Instructions: Mindfulness of Breathing 2006-01-14 Closing Talk - Mind and Life Retreat 2006-02-09 Concentration 2014-02-26 Connection to Life 2008-02-26 Consciousness, Awareness And Nibbana 2016-02-10 Day 11: Morning Instructional Sit- Choice-less Attention 2016-02-13 Day 14 Brahma Viahara Instructions: Metta - all beings-pervading metta in all d… 2016-02-15 Day 16: Brahma Vihara Instructions: Compassion: Suffering person, benefactor an… 2016-02-20 Day 20 Morning Instructions: Big Mind Meditation 2016-02-20 Day 20: Brahma Vihara Practice: Mudita for the neutral person and the difficult… 2017-02-24 Day 27: Brahma Vihara Instructions 2016-02-02 Day 3 Morning Instructional Sit 2016-02-05 Day 6 Brahma Vihara Instructions: Metta for Self, Benefactor and Dear Friend 2016-02-06 Day 7 Morning Instructional Sit 2015-09-13 Day One Instructions For the Three Month Retreat 1995-04-14 Death And Three Characteristics 2016-02-01 Delighting in the Wholesome 2001-10-18 Dependent Origination 2000-11-24 Dependent Origination 1998-03-07 Dharma In The Workplace 2010-11-17 Emptiness and Karma 2012-12-04 Emptiness and Karma 2019-06-28 Emptiness and Karma 2017-05-01 Emptiness: A Practical Introduction for Meditators (Drop-in at Spirit Rock) 2002-02-22 Empty Knowing 2016-09-11 Entering the retreat: refuges and precepts 2012-06-21 Factors of Awakening 1997-04-21 Faith 2001-11-25 Faith And Awareness 1999-03-15 Faith and Awareness 2002-05-08 Faith as a Spiritual Faculty 1987-06-04 Fear 2004-11-26 Fear And Fearlessness 2017-09-28 First and Second Noble Truths 2017-02-03 First and Second Noble Truths (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 2007-11-04 First Noble Truth: Suffering 2011-09-25 Five Aggregates: Self and Emptines 2019-10-08 Forgiveness Meditation 2010-11-13 Formation of Self-View 2012-11-30 Formation of Self-View 2016-06-18 Four Noble Truths: An Overview 1987-06-03 From Ego to Expansiveness 2008-11-30 From Ignorance Come Impulses 2009-02-21 From Ignorance Come Impulses 2013-02-26 Guided Meditation - Empty Awareness 2012-09-25 Guided Meditation - The Practice Of Forgiveness 1996-06-15 Healing And Freedom 2004-02-17 Healing And Freedom 2005-02-03 Impermanence 2009-10-05 Impermanence 2004-10-26 Impermanence: A Characteristic Of Existence 2015-10-16 Impulses Come From Ignorance 2003-05-14 Integrating Vipassana & Dzogchen 2010-11-11 Introduction to Emptiness Retreat 2013-10-20 Joy and Happiness . 2015-10-23 Joy and Happiness 2003-11-07 Judging Ourselves 1999-03-01 Karma 2004-12-10 Karma & The End Of Karma 2011-10-16 Karma and the End of Karma 2008-12-07 Karma And The End Of Karma 2019-10-17 Karma And The End Of Karma 2017-02-22 Karma and the End of Karma (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 2011-09-11 Keys To A Long Retreat 2002-03-11 Living in a World of Change 2011-07-18 Loving Kindness, Movement of the Heart 2011-07-16 Loving Kindness; Reflecting on our Goodness 2007-12-03 Loving-Kindness And Gratitude 2001-09-25 Meditation In The Eight Fold Path 1997-01-27 Metta & Concentration 2011-07-21 Metta and Connection 2008-02-13 Metta, Tenderness And Connection 2000-07-26 Metta: Effort and Fruits 2005-07-10 Metta: Its Near & Far Enemies 2008-07-13 Metta: Near And Far Enemies 2011-07-17 Metta: Near and Far Enemies 2004-01-08 Metta: Purity And Purification 2011-02-19 Metta: Tenderness & Connection 2011-10-09 Metta: Tenderness and Connection 2006-02-04 Mindfulness 2006-10-14 Mindfulness Of Breathing 2017-09-14 Mindfulness of Breathing 2019-09-12 Mindfulness Of Breathing 2014-02-22 Morning Instruction - Expansive Awareness 2010-11-13 Morning Instructions 2013-02-08 Morning Instructions 2013-04-14 Morning Instructions 2017-09-15 Morning Instructions 2019-06-26 Morning Instructions 2019-06-28 Morning Instructions 2019-09-12 Morning Instructions 2012-03-22 Morning Instructions - Choiceless Attention 2015-09-23 Morning Instructions - Intention or Cetanā in Pali 2015-09-23 Morning Instructions - Intentions 2019-09-18 Morning Instructions - Thoughts 2013-02-14 Morning Instructions Day 12 2014-02-06 Morning Instructions Day 5 2013-02-10 Morning Instructions, Day 7 - Mindfulness of Thoughts 2019-06-24 Morning Instructions: Abiding in Emptiness 2012-12-03 Morning Instructions: Big Mind 2019-10-11 Morning Instructions: Big Mind Guided Meditation 2016-09-23 Morning instructions: choiceless attention 2017-09-27 Morning Instructions: Choiceless Attention 2019-09-22 Morning Instructions: Choiceless Attention 2014-02-15 Morning Instructions: Day 14 2014-02-10 Morning Instructions: Day 9 2019-06-23 Morning Instructions: Natural State 2019-06-18 Morning Instructions: Objects, Space, and Awareness 2019-06-11 Morning Instructions: On Metta Practice 2019-06-16 Morning Instructions: Pervading Metta for All Beings 2019-06-14 Morning Instructions: Practice of Mudita 2019-06-13 Morning Instructions: The Practice of Compassion 2017-09-21 Morning Instructions: Thought Game 2016-09-17 Morning instructions–mindfulness of moods and emotions 1999-03-08 Motivation In Practice 2005-11-24 Mudita, Joy And Gratitude 2008-07-15 Mudita: Guided Meditation 2007-07-18 Mudita: Practicing Joy And Gratitude 2011-02-22 Nature of Awareness 2019-06-20 Nature of Awareness, Part 2 2003-05-13 Non-Dual Awareness 2012-02-06 Patterns of Becoming 1: Introduction 2012-02-11 Patterns of Becoming 2: The Five Aggregates 2012-02-17 Patterns of Becoming 3: Unentangled Knowing 2012-02-21 Patterns of Becoming 4: Karma and Rebirth 2012-02-26 Patterns of Becoming 5: the End of Karma 2006-04-11 Practicing Rigpa - Part 1 2006-04-12 Practicing Rigpa - Part 2 2000-12-31 Purification Of The Heart 1999-02-22 Purification of the Heart 2003-03-25 Purity And Purification 1996-06-03 Relating Wisely With Anger 1996-06-10 Relating Wisely With Fear 2003-05-11 Relating With Emotions; Plus Mindfulness, Consciousness And Awareness 1999-09-23 Renunciation 1999-02-15 Renunciation 2007-11-01 Right Attitude 2006-04-13 Rigpa Consciousness and Nirvana 2007-11-19 Second Noble Truth: Craving 1987-06-01 Self Acceptance 2013-02-07 Self and Proliferation 2013-10-06 Seven Factors Of Awakening 2019-09-26 Seven Factors Of Awakening 2015-10-09 Seven Factors of Enlightenment 2001-11-29 Since Feeling Is First 2010-09-12 Starting A Long Retreat 2013-06-16 Sutta Study Class Series: Majjhima Nikaya; All the Taints, Part 1 of 2 2013-06-16 Sutta Study Class Series: Majjhima Nikaya; All the Taints, Part 2 of 2 2013-01-20 Sutta Study Class: The Honeyball Sutta (part 1) 2013-01-20 Sutta Study Class: The Honeyball Sutta (part 2) 2006-04-15 Taking the Practice Home 2019-06-29 Taking the Practice Home 1999-03-22 The 5 Aggregates 2019-06-24 The Aggregates Are Empty 2013-04-13 The Attitude In Awareness 2008-03-15 The Attitude Of Awareness 2007-07-14 The Benefits Of Metta 2001-05-23 The Buddha Knows The Dhamma 2001-05-27 The Eight Worldly Conditions 2010-11-14 The Emptiness of Phenomena 2012-12-01 The Emptiness of Phenomena 2010-11-16 The Empty Nature of Awareness 2010-10-01 The Factors of Awakening 2014-02-05 The First Noble Truth 2005-12-02 The Five Aggregates 2008-01-12 The Five Aggregates 1998-12-01 The Five Aggregates - part 2 1998-11-28 The Five Aggregates - part I 2016-10-09 The five aggregates are empty. 2008-11-16 The Five Aggregates Are Not Self 2013-09-22 The Five Aggregates Are Not Self 2015-10-02 The Five Aggregates Are Not Self 2016-02-14 The Five Aggregates Are Not Self 2016-09-25 The five aggregates are not self 2017-10-05 The Five Aggregates Are Not Self 2019-10-03 The Five Aggregates Are Not self 1994-12-30 The Five Hindrances 1997-07-20 The Five Hindrances 2013-09-15 The Five Hindrances - Part 1 2001-10-04 The Four Noble Truths 2001-07-09 The Fruits Of Metta Practice 2006-04-09 The History of Buddhism in India - Part 1 2006-04-10 The History of Buddhism in India - Part 2 2002-02-03 The Joy In Renunciation 2003-03-28 The Nature Of Awareness 2019-06-19 The Nature of Awareness 2016-02-09 The Power of Lovingkindness 2016-10-02 The power of lovingkindness 2019-06-10 The Power of Lovingkindness 2001-07-06 The Power Of Metta 2003-11-28 The Power Of Metta 2002-12-02 The Power Of Metta: Is Insight Enough? 2003-11-01 The Power Of Mindfulness 2007-04-05 The Practice of Joy and Gratitude 1999-03-06 The Practice of Loving Kindness 2008-04-01 The Pure And Luminous Mind 2011-02-12 The Seven Factors of Awakening 2010-09-17 The Sources Of Happiness 2017-10-12 The Third Noble Truth and Nibbana 2002-05-23 The Three Characteristics 2012-03-21 The Three Characteristics 1999-02-25 The Three Characteristics 2007-11-26 Third Noble Truth & Nibbana 2016-06-21 Third Noble Truth & NIbbana 2002-07-20 Transcendent Dependent Origination 2016-10-17 Transcendent dependent origination 2000-11-28 Transcendent Dependent Origination 2017-10-19 Transcendent Dependent Origination 1998-11-24 Uncovering Ego 2010-10-07 Unentangled Knowing 2011-10-03 Unentangled Knowing 2011-02-27 Unentangled Knowing 2011-07-28 Unentangled Knowing 2013-02-19 Unentangled Knowing 2013-10-13 Unentangled Knowing 2016-02-19 Unentangled Knowing 2007-04-02 Untitled 2001-08-01 Vicissitudes of Life 2001-08-01 Vicissitudes of Life 2012-01-15 Week 1, Part 1: Introduction to the Suttas 2012-01-15 Week 1, Part 2: Introduction to the Suttas 2011-02-07 Where Does Happiness Come From? 2010-09-23 Working with Difficult Emotions 2011-09-18 Working with Difficult Emotions 2007-11-12 Working With Difficult Emotions 2005-11-11 Working With Difficult Emotions 2008-11-09 Working With Difficult Emotions 2011-07-24 Working with Difficult Emotions 2012-06-18 Working with Difficult Emotions 2019-09-19 Working with Difficult Emotions 2016-09-18 Working with difficult emotions. 2015-09-25 Working With Fear 2019-06-16 Morning Instructions: Pervading Metta for All Beings 45:24 Download Listen Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge : June 2019 at IMS - Forest Refuge