Episodes

6d ago

The Buddha was once asked "what is the most important thing for us to practice?" He answered: patience (or khanti, in Pali) and assured us that this skill or quality is something we can learn to apply to absolutely everything we struggle with in our lives - every person, situation, and even ourselves - in order to become much more peaceful, self-controlled, compassionate, and undisturbed by life itself. This talk explores his teachings about how we can do this. It includes a meditation at the end.

May 24

We all tend to seek out and hope for gain, status, praise, and pleasure, and resist or fear loss, disgrace, blame, and pain – even though all are inescapable, and visit each of us in different forms throughout our lives. And how we relate to these hopes and fears – often called the 8 Worldly Winds – often dictates how we experience our entire world. This talk explores how our meditation practice can help us to pay closer attention to these various winds so that we can learn how to better allow them to rise and pass without clinging so tightly to them, and therefore, discover more freedom and ease in our lives. It includes a meditation at the end.

Mar 30

Often during our meditation practice, we encounter a state known as "busy mind," which is when there's a kind of ongoing flow of anxious or repetitive mental chatter that tends to keep us locked in the realm of the past or the future, and therefore, mostly distracted from the reality of the present moment, or … the life we're actually living. This talk explores how this particular mind state is created, and how we can use our mediation practice to mindfully observe and slow down the flow of thoughts, and in turn calm both the mind and body. It includes a meditation at the end.

Feb 8

During difficult times, allowing ourselves to pause, breathe, and come back home to the present moment is exactly how we can regain our footing, become more grounded, and shore up our ability to more wisely respond instead of automatically react to whatever's happening. This talk offers us a variety of ways that our meditation practice can help us learn to rest our attention in awareness itself, and discover more calm, compassion, and wisdom in the face of our challenges. It includes a brief meditation at the end.

Jan 4

An essential aspect of our meditation practice involves training ourselves to very consciously and compassionately navigate the truth of constant change, instead of allowing ourselves to become so unconsciously distracted by the swirl of it that we end up missing out on the life we're actually living. This talk explores how we can use our mindfulness practice to discover more kindness, presence, and a sense of safety - especially during the more major periods of change and grief in our lives. It includes a 10-minute meditation at the end.

Nov 23, 2024

Instead of resisting, denying, or trying to ignore a big change in our lives or in our world, the Buddhist teachings invite us to open up to it and deeply acknowledge: "This Is It," and then ask ourselves: "now what?" Meaning, what's the wisest, most compassionate response to this change? How can I relate in a way that is going to open my heart, rather than shut it down? This talk explores how we can use our mindfulness practice to help us remain calm in the midst of chaos, and discover the most beneficial answers.

Oct 14, 2024

Our common experience of doubt – in ourselves, and in our ability to make good decisions for ourselves, especially - is actually the very last thing the Buddha himself struggled with just before he became enlightened. In fact, his own awakening was his profound message to us: that we all have the innate capability to discover for ourselves what will lead us towards more happiness, and what will lead us towards more suffering. This talk explores how we can use our healthy doubt as the antidote to our unhealthy doubt in order to reveal what is true.

Sep 2, 2024

Whenever we experience pain or suffering, our common tendency is to believe that not only is the cause of our suffering in some way wrong, but that our own response to it is also wrong. And therefore, we tend to surmise that we, ourselves, are also somehow wrong. Happily, the Buddhist teachings are designed to help us notice this common pattern, and learn how we can bravely open up to our own suffering and really get to know it – very intimately – so that we can become wiser and more compassionate, and eventually, become free of it. This new talk from Shell explores how we can better allow ourselves our own feelings through the lens of a half-a-dozen different teaching phrases. It includes a meditation at the end.

Jul 24, 2024

The Buddha insisted that our relationships make up the "whole" of our spiritual life, and and urged us to use our mindfulness practice to become more aware of who we're choosing to associate with in order to assure our sense of peace and well-being. Happily, his teachings offer us numerous ways that we can use our meditation practice to better discern whether our relationships are offering us poison (or, something that makes us feel bad), or medicine. This talk explores how we can tap into our wise bodies and hearts to help us make these important decisions. It includes a meditation at the end.

Jun 29, 2024

As opposed to the act of "striving," which involves a kind of unhealthy or stressful clinging to some sort of expectation, and typically arises from our more self-centered mind, or ego - the quality of aditthana (or determination, in the Pali language) almost always arises from the heart, as in, from our heart's desire. And because our heart is just naturally wise and compassionate, if we commit ourselves to following it, it will almost always lead us towards more joy, ease, and peace in our lives. This talk explores how we can not only use our meditation practice to establish this powerful quality, but learn how to more mindfully discern whether we're being driven by our tricky minds, or by the much vaster space of our heart. It includes a meditation at the end.

May 25, 2024

Whenever we perceive that some sort of harm is being done – either by another person, people, or even on a more national or global level - how can we best confront this without nurturing aversion in our own hearts, or letting it consume us in some way? This talk explores the Buddha's teachings on how we can use our meditation practice to help us to say "no" or maybe "that's enough" without doing further harm to either ourselves or others, or allowing our aversion to shut down our hearts. It includes a meditation at the end.

Apr 6, 2024

This talk addresses the question: How can we flow between all the different roles, hats, or identities that we place on ourselves every day, and that kind, wise, compassionate presence within us that is actually free of those often-limiting identities, or beliefs about who we think we "should" be? The answer involves using our meditation practice to examine how we can begin to loosen our strong grip on all of our toxic "shoulds," and uncover and find comfort in what is often called our Buddha Nature, or, the truth of who we really are. It includes a meditation at the end.

Feb 29, 2024

Right before the Buddha's enlightenment, a single memory from his childhood apparently not only led him to nirvana, but to the profound teachings of the Middle Way – the whole thing. Essentially, what he remembered was what contentment (or passaddhi ) had felt like to him, at age 8. This talk explores how the Buddha was led to this understanding, along with some of his teachings on how we can train ourselves to experience even more of this precious quality in our lives. It includes a 10-minute meditation at the end.

Feb 2, 2024

The Buddhist teachings are continually calling our attention to the truth of what is called annica , or impermanence, because essentially, it's exactly what we tend to struggle with, in the form of both the fear of uncertainty, and the grief that comes with change. But instead of trying to avoid our fear and grief – which is our natural tendency - the teachings are asking us to instead pause, and allow ourselves to BE with these feelings, so that ultimately, we can transform them, and discover more peace. This talk explores how we can use our meditation practice to train ourselves in the sacred, healing art of the pause. It includes a meditation at the end.

Dec 30, 2023

As the Buddha's teachings remind us over and over, even though it's difficult, we never want to let another person's anger, disrespect, or cruelty harden our own hearts. Instead, we want our meditation practice to serve as a kind of guard for our hearts - a strong shield that can protect us against the power that other people's disrespect can often have over us. This new talk explores how we can develop the mindfulness tools that can help us to more calmly and kindly respond to the unkind behavior of others. It includes a mediation at the end.

Dec 2, 2023

While the Buddha assured us that it's healthy to be aware of all our different intentions, he also suggested that once we've planted the seeds of our plans, our practice becomes surrendering to any determined outcome whatsoever – to truly let go, of all of it. This talk on Shoshin, or "Beginner's Mind," is aimed at helping us to let go more and more often by inviting us to see all things as new – including all situations, people, and especially ourselves – rather than clinging so tightly to our preconceived beliefs and expectations, which tend to keep us stuck. It includes a meditation at the end.

Nov 4, 2023

When we practice what the Buddha called The Middle Way, we start to realize with more clarity that contentment resides at the center of our wanting and not wanting, our indulgence or deprivation. We learn that nothing is really happy or unhappy in and of itself - no person, thing, or situation, and that our joy or sorrow depends entirely on how we are relating to our experience. This talk explores how can use our meditation practice to learn to "walk in the middle" more often in order to discover more joy, ease, and balance in our lives.

Sep 30, 2023

In order for us to practice well, we need to learn how to create and then dwell in a quality the Buddha called Noble Silence – something that is precious and multi-faceted, like a jewel, and not simply about being quiet. This talk explores all the many reasons why it's necessary and essential for us, along with offering practices that can help us to experience it more often, and slowly learn to live our lives from within this peaceful space of silence. It includes a meditation at the end.

Sep 2, 2023

In the Buddhist teachings, the practice of dana (or generosity) is considered the number one heart quality that we are urged to cultivate, in order to discover more joy, and less suffering in our lives. This new talk from Shell explores how we can use our mindfulness practice to become more kind and generous not only to others, but also to ourselves, by honestly revealing and investigating all the ways in which we might not be being as kind, or as generous as we may think. It includes a 10-minute meditation at the end.

Aug 6, 2023

As the Buddha tells us, rejecting, avoiding, or pushing away the reality of the moment - which might be unpleasant - is one of the main ways that we create suffering (or dukkha ) not only for ourselves, but also for others. In the Pali language, this quality of aversion is called dosa . And because it tends to cause so much unnecessary pain and stress in our lives, the teachings urge us to use mindfulness practice to really get to KNOW our dosa, at all levels – from the most minor ways that we resist to the most troubling, or destructive. In this new talk, Shell explores all the many ways that we can start to notice when we're in some way resisting what IS, and start to let BE, instead of being so aversive to other people, life itself, and of course, ourselves. It includes a 10-minute meditation at the end.

Jun 7, 2023

Most of us tend to grapple with what is considered an ancient human torment: the challenge of trying to balance a need for self-care, along with a strong sense of feeling responsible for helping others, and the world in general – a particular push and pull that can often be so painful. Happily the Buddha was also aware of this struggle, 2600 years ago, and offered us some very sage advice about how to work with it. This talk explores one of his most famous sermons, the Acrobat Sutta, which addresses how we can find a more harmonious and peaceful balance between these two needs.

May 6, 2023

In the Buddhist teachings, the Buddha urged us to very consciously be on the lookout for harmful qualities he called "The Near Enemies," – qualities that all "pretend" to be the heart-qualities of kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity, or, The Divine Abodes, considered the highest, most beneficial emotions in the Buddhist teachings. In this talk, we explore how we can use our practice to bring these types of tricksters or "frenemies" up into the light, see them more fully for what they are, and begin to embody their opposites. It includes a meditation at the end.

Apr 1, 2023

The Buddha was once asked "what is the most important thing for us to practice?" And his answer was simple: patience (or khanti, in Pali). Happily, this vital quality is something we can learn to apply to absolutely everything we struggle with in our lives - every person, situation, and even ourselves - in order to become much more peaceful, self-controlled, compassionate, and undisturbed by life itself. This talk explores the many different ways that we can do this. It includes a 10-minute meditation at the end.

Mar 5, 2023

In the Buddhist teachings it is said that there are 8 different "winds" or conditions that we either hope for, or fear - all of which are constantly blowing into our lives, just like the wind. These 8 are the main things that we tend to preoccupy ourselves with, and consequently become stressed out about. In this talk, Shell explores how we can use our practice to more clearly see and acknowledge these 8 when they rush in, and begin to let go of our strong grip or preoccupation with them in order to discover more peace, joy, and ease in our lives. It includes a 10-minute guided meditation at the end.

Feb 3, 2023

Whenever we think of the word "home" we often think of a kind of brick and mortar "place" where we can physically dwell. But in the Buddhist tradition, home or "refuge" is not something we find outside of ourselves, but instead directly within. In fact, it might be said that the entirety of our practice is aimed at training ourselves how to develop this place of "home" right here - in our own minds, bodies, and hearts. In this talk, we explore what are often called the 3 Refuges or Treasures of our practice, and how we can create a place of safety, ease, and belonging by cultivating all three.

Dec 2, 2022

Modern science has now shown us that what the Buddha was trying to tell us more than 2600 years ago is spot on: that by consciously choosing to incline our minds towards more joy, we can actually change the structure of our brains in a way that will generate even more experiences of joy for ourselves in the future. This talk explores not only how we can use our practice do this, but how we can bust some of the common misunderstandings about how we go about it. It includes a 15-minute meditation at the end, designed to help us discern and loosen habitual or unconscious beliefs that might be blocking us from experiencing more joy and contentment in our lives.

Nov 3, 2022

While the Buddha assured us that our meditation practice is the path to freedom, he also explained that in order for us to achieve a more profound happiness than we could ever find outside of ourselves, we first need to take an honest, courageous look at all the ways that we create more suffering for ourselves. This talk explores the many different types of dukkha (suffering) that we experience, and how shining a light on them through our practice can help soften and even dissipate them.

Oct 8, 2022

Modern science has shown us that our words are not harmless: they have the very real power to not only affect our actual brains, but to either create more hurt and discord in this world, or more harmony and connection. This talk explores some of the Buddha's rich teachings on Wise Speech, and how we can use our meditation practice to train ourselves to become more aware of our unconscious habits of communication, and better understand what we're creating in our lives and in our world through our speech.

Sep 10, 2022

Apologizing is such a challenging skill that the Buddha himself said that learning to do it well is "THE essential factor in achieving purity in thought, word, and deed." This new talk explores how we can use our mindfulness practice to become better at this, and also how we can better discern whether we are either receiving or giving a real apology - or not. It includes a 15-mintue meditation at the end, designed to help us accept when an apology we expected was either lacking, or maybe caused more harm than the original hurt.

Aug 13, 2022

Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh suggests that instead of focusing on everything that's wrong with ourselves, other people, or the world … we should ask: "What's NOT wrong," as a way of practicing the incredibly transformative quality of gratitude. This quality of thankfulness is so powerful, in fact, it's considered 1 of 2 main antidotes to our experience of fear. It also represents the very fruit of our practice, or Equanimity. In this talk, Shell explores how we can use our mindfulness practice to access this quality more and more often, so that eventually, we can live from a place of thankfulness, rather than from a place of complaint.

Jul 13, 2022

The Buddhist teachings warn us of 5 main challenging and complicated mental states that block, confuse, or "hinder" our ability to more fully open our hearts and minds, and prevent us from discovering freedom from suffering. In this talk, Shell explores how we can use the practice of energy (or viriya , in Pali) to more clearly recognize these five mental states, and eventually loosen our grip on them in order to discover more joy, freedom, and ease in our lives. It includes a 15-minute meditation aimed at helping us overcome the pain of desire.

Jun 18, 2022

A common expression among those who practice Insight Meditation is "don't believe everything you think," which points to the idea that in order for us to discover the truth – or any transformation or release from suffering in our lives - we first need to take a good look at what we're believing, then courageously question the validity and/or benefits of these beliefs. In this talk, Shell explores the crucial practice of Investigation (or vicaya), which is considered the 2nd Factor of Awakening.

May 19, 2022

The Buddha taught that you can search the entire universe for someone more deserving of your love and compassion than yourself, and you will not find that person anywhere. And yet, so often for many of us, it seems much easier to offer our care, compassion, and even forgiveness to others than to ourselves. We tend to beat ourselves up, or give ourselves an unnecessarily hard time for our "perfectly human" emotions and imperfections. This talk from Shell explores how our meditation practice can help us learn how to offer more of our love, care, and forgiveness to the person we spend the most time with - ourselves. It includes a 10-minute meditation at the end.

Apr 23, 2022

As the Buddhist teachings show us, our deepest source of pain and suffering arises from our delusion that we are somehow separate from one another, and from Earth itself. Given this, one the most profound practices we are offered to dispel this delusion is by exploring what is called Mahabhuta, or The Great Elements contained within our bodies. This talk explores not only why this practice is essential, but how we can use our meditation practice to investigate it. It includes a 15-minute meditation at the end.

Mar 26, 2022

In the Buddhist teachings, we are asked to use our meditation practice as a way to reflect on the profound truth of anicca, or impermanence: the truth that everything – including ourselves, is always and forever in a constant state of unfolding … along with the truth that if we can learn to trust that flow, and let go of needing to control it, we can truly live with much more joy, freedom, and ease in our lives. This talk investigates how we can learn to live in and even as that constant unfolding. It includes a meditation at the end.

Feb 19, 2022

In the Buddha's teachings on Wise or Right Livelihood, we are urged to shine a strong light on what we're believing about our own worth, as well as our opinions about the worthiness of others, because these assumptions touch, shape, and affect almost everyone and everything in our lives – individually, culturally, and even globally. This talk explores how we can use our practice to take a closer look at these beliefs so that, ultimately, we can take actions that will lead to more joy, compassion, and connection.

Jan 28, 2022

One day, when the Buddha was just 8 years old and upset, he decided to offer himself both calm and compassion by very naturally sitting in what has been called "the first meditation," and consciously nurturing a quality called Passaddhi – a Pali word translated as serenity, composure, or tranquility. In this new talk, Shell explores how we can follow the Buddha's wise example, along with his instructions on how best to develop the same calming, soothing effect through our practice.

Jan 1, 2022

The Buddha's last words to us were said to be: " All conditioned things are impermanent; strive on with diligence! " In these difficult times we're all living through, maintaining our practice, as well as our sense of hopefulness, can often be challenging. In this new talk, Shell explores the quality of aditthana - a Pali word meaning "determination" or "resolve" - and offers us ways to "strive on with diligence" to help us strengthen not only our commitment to our practice, but to ourselves.

Dec 3, 2021

Whenever there seems to be a gap between what is , and how we want it to be – whether this means a situation, person, ourselves, or life itself – we tend to experience frustration, or anger. Yet, if we can allow ourselves to let go of our strong expectations, our suffering can often drop dramatically. In this new talk, Shell offers us some tips – both classic and modern – for how we can use our practice to slowly loosen our grip, and discover more freedom, joy, and ease.

Nov 5, 2021

The Buddhist nun Pema Chodron suggests that we remember to ask ourselves one key question, every day: " Since death is certain, and the timing of death uncertain, what is the most important thing ?" In this talk, we explore what the Buddha calls The Five Remembrances, or, 5 essential truths about our lives, ourselves, and our loved ones which, when contemplated daily, can help us discover more joy, ease, and freedom in our lives.

Oct 11, 2021

In the Buddhist tradition we are asked to develop a quality called Noble Silence, which serves not only as a sacred vehicle for us, but is also in a very real way our destination. In essence, the more we can create the space of Noble Silence, and live and practice within it, eventually, it is what we BECOME. In this talk, Shell explores this multi-layered topic of silence, and how we can use it to become more joyful, awake, and at ease in our lives.

Aug 23, 2021

The Buddhist teachings offer us numerous ways of praying, yet people often ask: in this non-theistic tradition, what does it mean to do this? Or, what is it that we are aspiring to, when we place our hands together and bow our heads in prayer? In this talk, we explore how we can use this powerful form of aspiration to not only direct and open our hearts, but heal our deepest source of pain – which is a sense of a separate self.

Aug 8, 2021

The teachings show us that setting healthy boundaries with others is an incredibly important skill that can help us to live with more balance, joy, and ease in our lives - but of course, this isn't always easy. Students often ask: " The teachings point to the concept of annata, no-self … so, why is there a need for boundaries? The Buddha urges us to care of others like a mother might care for her only child … so, why do I feel selfish or cruel when I say no? " In this talk, we explore what the teachings have to say about these questions and more as they relate to learning how we can more wisely and compassionately know and protect our limits.

Jul 10, 2021

One of the most essential teachings of the Buddha can be found in a single and famous line of advise from him, which is, " Be a lamp unto yourself; be a refuge to yourself; take yourself to no external refuge ." In this new talk, we take a deep dive into the Acrobat Sutra, a story and teaching that points to the importance of caring for yourself FIRST, by becoming the source of your own refuge - which in turn transforms into an offering of care for others. It includes a meditation at the end.

Jun 2, 2021

According to the Buddhist teachings, one of the main ways that we suffer is by trying to hold onto or even control that which is inherently impermanent – including everything and everyone in our lives, as well as our ourselves. Our practice, then, becomes a bit of a paradox: in order to discover more freedom and ease in our lives, we need to learn to let go, and start viewing all phenomena as new – especially ourselves. This new talk from Shell investigates the truth of anicca (impermanence) and how we can learn to live in as even AS that flow of change. It includes a meditation at the end.

Apr 29, 2021

In order for each of us feel understood, and cared for, it's important that our hearts are both seen, and heard. And while our listening skills are absolutely essential for this, so many of us don't know how to do this well. This new talk from Shell explores how we can practice the art of Mindful Listening, and nurture our skills to not only connect more with others, but also with ourselves.

Apr 3, 2021

As we slowly begin to emerge from this difficult time in our history, it's essential for us to remember that we've all experienced loss this year, and to make every effort to offer our kindness, compassion, and care out to both ourselves, and others. In this new talk, Shell explores the Buddhist concept of Sila – or no harm - and how we can use it to not only bring more healing into the world, but to truly awaken.

Mar 6, 2021

According to the Buddha, choosing good relationships in this life doesn't just constitute part of our spiritual development, but in fact the whole of it. Because these choices are so critical to our happiness, the teachings offers us numerous and detailed ways in which we can better discern which companions we should seek out, and which we might want to avoid, or abandon. This talk delves into these vital contemplations, and includes a deeper investigation into the relationship we have with ourselves. It includes a meditation at the end .

Feb 6, 2021

The Buddha tells us that our relationships are "the whole of this spiritual life"; that in fact they can greatly determine both our happiness, or our sorrow. Because of this, he urges us to use our practice to closely discern which relationships we should nurture, and which we might want to abandon. This talk dives into the teachings on this in more detail, and offers examples about how we might go about doing this.

Jan 10, 2021

Given all the conditions that are giving rise to worry, anxiety, and fear in our world, it's natural that many of us find ourselves struggling with what the Buddha called unhealthy fear – which occurs when we become trapped in a kind of spiral of our own stories about what the future holds for us. This talk explores how we can use our practice to take a good look at our own fortune-telling skills, and discover more calm and ease by examining and questioning some of these predictions.

Dec 12, 2020

Inevitably, throughout our lives, we will all experience both the beauty and terror of what are called the 8 Worldly Winds, which can arrive in varying degrees –sometimes as a gentle breeze; at other times like a gusting tornado. Either way, the way we work with these winds is what determines how much they affect us as they're passing through. This new talk explores how we can use our practice to discover and take refuge in that calm, still point that rests in the center of this storm we call life.

Nov 14, 2020

Though the experience of being insulted can feel extremely painful, it's actually a common experience. Yet, if we continue to cling to each and every barb, it can greatly affect the quality of our lives. This talk explores some of the Buddha's teachings on this subject, and how it can help us work through these experiences with the qualities of kindness and compassion, rather than with a sense of bitterness, anger, or hatred.

Oct 9, 2020

This new talk is based on the phrase, "This Is A Moment," which through practice can help us to detach from our busy, discursive, and negative thoughts, and bring us back home to the more open, calm, awake space of the present moment - just as it is - with great kindness, compassion, and care. It includes a 10-minute meditation at the end.

Sep 2, 2020

So often, we tend to believe that whenever we're experiencing sadness, there must be something "wrong," or that it "shouldn't" be happening. But when we can use our practice to courageously and compassionately allow ourselves to not only feel our sadness, but listen to what it has to say, we can uncover a profound sense of peace, connection, and freedom. In this new talk, Shell explores how we can open up to the whole flow of our emotions, without making any of it – including ourselves – wrong.

Jul 30, 2020

Especially in times of difficulty, the practice of gratitude (or katavedita , in Pali) is one of the most profound skills we can use to help us discover some sort of balance in our lives, some ground beneath our feet, a sense of safety when everything else around us seems to be coming undone. In this new talk, Shell explores this essential element of our practice, and how we can use it to not only make a deep shift in our consciousness, but open our awareness to the preciousness of each moment of our lives. ( It includes a 10-minute gratitude practice to end .)

Jun 18, 2020

As the teachings show us, in order for us to respond to suffering – our own, and that of others – it is essential that we very consciously give ourselves permission to pause, to temporarily take some sacred time to shore up our own capacity for wisdom and compassion, so that we don't allow what's happening to harden our hearts. This pause is often called "sacred," because when we allow ourselves to enter it, we become better able to not only see what is true, but what is needed.

May 4, 2020

Often, during difficult times, what's most needed to help soothe, quiet, and ease our troubled minds – the quality of patience - is also the most difficult to access. In this new talk, Shell taps into the Buddhist teachings to explore how we can develop more calm, compassion, and patience not only for the situation we find ourselves in, but also for others, and ourselves.

Mar 23, 2020

In this talk, recorded live on Mar. 10, Shell explores how we can use the practice of equanimity (or balanced awareness) to work with our fear, panic, and uncertainty, and discover more kindness, compassion, connection, and ease during these difficult times. (This talk is the 7th in a series of talks on the 7 Factors of Enlightenment).

Feb 26, 2020

In mystical and spiritual literature throughout the ages, deep states of consciousness have been described as having been achieved through the art of concentration – which is exactly what we're trying to cultivate in our meditation practice. As we learn to develop a more refined and skilled awareness, this in turn offers us access to even deeper levels of understanding and insight. In this talk, Shell explores how we can use our practice to train our minds to become more focused, steady, and clear.

Feb 12, 2020

As we deepen our meditation practice, it is crucial for us to learn how to develop the powerful quality of Passaddh i, also translated as "calm," "tranquility," "serenity," or "composure." This soothing, cooling quality of mind and heart can help to keep us peaceful and at ease, especially during times of difficulty. In this talk, Shell explores this essential step along our path, and how we can better develop it.

Feb 7, 2020

In this 25-minute guided meditation, we're invited to look beneath our more shallow intentions to discover our deepest intention, so that we can learn to cultivate, nurture, and embody it, and carry its light out into our lives and our world.

Jan 29, 2020

The good news of our practice is that, as it deepens, we are bound to experience what in the Pali language is called piti - otherwise known as joy, happiness, delight, and even rapture. It's an important aspect of our journey, and we absolutely want to cultivate and nurture this sense of pleasure, and joy. Yet, it is also vital that we learn how to skillfully work with it as it arises, so as to not become attached to it - which can take us in the wrong direction. In this talk, Shell explores this 4th Factor of Awakening, and how we can both access it, and know when to wisely let it go.

Jan 16, 2020

The root meaning of the Pali word viriya , or energy, is "hero" … and in the Buddhist tradition, when we start walking on the path of meditation, we are considered warriors. This is because what we're doing as we practice is acting as 'warriors' against the great forces of greed, hatred, and fear in ourselves. We're also courageously facing and confronting our natural tendencies … which are to run away from ourselves and our problems, or to fight them, or to completely ignore them, drown them out, or pretend they aren't there. In this talk, Shell explores this 3rd Factor of Awakening - viriya - and how it can inspire us to become more bravely dedicated to our path towards freedom.

Dec 11, 2019

The great teacher Joseph Goldstein tells us that the awakening factor of investigation ( vicaya ) is a refined quality of mind that "discerns and illuminates the truth by means of discriminating wisdom." In our practice, this is the crucial factor that can cut through our delusion, and liberate the mind. In this 2nd talk of a 7-talk series, Shell explores how we can develop, nurture, and harness this important quality of wise discernment to discover more clarity – and therefore more joy and ease – in our lives.

Nov 28, 2019

As you might imagine, we cannot develop a good mindfulness practice without first learning how to be mindful. But, what does mindfulness (or sati, in Pali) really mean? And, how do we do this? In this new talk, Shell explores this foundational factor of our spiritual development, and offers suggestions about how we can both utilize and strengthen it in order to discover more joy and freedom in our lives.

Nov 14, 2019

In the teachings, it is said that there are seven profound qualities of mind that not only lead us to awakening, but also perfectly describe the awakened mind. In fact, all our approaches to practice are to be considered in the light of the development of these profound qualities, or factors. In this talk, Shell offers a summary of how we can use our meditation practice to develop these, in anticipation of a series of talks on each one.

Oct 23, 2019

One of the most profound gifts we can offer both ourselves and others is our kind, compassionate presence. In truth, the most important aspect of all our interactions lies in our ability to listen, along with a deep intention to truly understand – a skill that takes conscious practice. In this talk, Shell explores how we can tap into our practice to create true connection – or communion - with both ourselves, and others, through the art of listening.

Oct 12, 2019

There are many definitions of the word "dharma," which includes natural phenomena, as well as the Buddha's teachings. In our own practice, rather than relying on an outside authority to offer us the answers, we are being asked to contemplate the dharma (or truth) within ourselves , with guidance from the teachings. This inner seeking is often called " come and see " and is the basis of our practice – being willing to look inside, and see for ourselves whether or not the dharma is true. In this talk, Shell explores how we can do this through the 4th Foundation of Mindfulness - Mindful of Dharmas.

Sep 30, 2019

Ever wonder what it means to Take Refuge in the 3 Jewels? In celebration of the meditation group's 9th anniversary, Shell offered a traditional Refuge Ceremony for sangha members, including a brief summary of what it means to take refuge (find sanctuary) in what are called the 3 Jewels of Practice: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. You can listen (and participate) here.

Aug 29, 2019

A popular myth about meditation practice tells us that in order to meditate, we need to get rid of all of our thoughts. This is not only untrue, but unhelpful. Vipassana Insight meditation is actually asking us to take a good, close look into the nature of our minds, and this includes becoming aware of what we're thinking. As we get better at exploring the mind more intimately - gradually we recognize that our thoughts are not "us," and understand that they don't need to define us, or control us. In this talk, Shell explores the 3rd Foundation of Mindfulness - Mindfulness of Mind - in the 3rd talk in a series of 4 talks on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.

Aug 21, 2019

In our exploration of meditation, we are asked to be "mindful of feelings," and to contemplate the "feelings IN the feelings," often described as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. As we learn how to more accurately discern these subtle sensations, we gradually develop a more calm, non-judgmental awareness of whatever is happening in our lives, so that we're no longer so controlled by our conditioned responses to experience. In this new talk, Shell explores this 2nd Foundation of Mindfulness - Feelings - as part of a four-part series of talks on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.

Aug 17, 2019

This meditation was adapted by Thanissaro Bhikkhu the Abbott of the Metta Forest Monastery near San Diego. He learned this from his Thai teacher Ajaan Fuang who learned this technique from Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo (1907-1961). I learned it from my teacher, Pat Coffey, and now it is yours! Thich Nhat Hahn:" Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again."

Aug 1, 2019

For thousands of years, the famous Satipatthana Sutra has been used as a powerful and profound spiritual road map. Contained within it are the rich teachings on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which the Buddha himself called the "direct path to enlightenment." In essence, this sutra is the very basis and ground of our entire practice, and diving deep into its teachings is exactly what can lead us out of suffering, and into more freedom, joy, and ease in our lives. During this series of talks, Shell will explore each of these Four Foundations in more depth. Talk 1: The 1st Foundation of Mindfulness - Mindfulness of Body. This is the grounding foundation, where we begin. By practicing mindfulness of the body, the Buddha is asking us to see "the body IN the body," and to recognize that it is not a solid entity, but made up of parts that are impermanent, constantly changing, and "not self" (anatta). It is here where we discover that our entire spiritual life is em-bodied, that we experience everything from this sacred place of home.

Jul 26, 2019

Instead of offering the weekly dharma talk, Shell opened the room up to about 30 minutes of questions this week. If you have a question you'd like to ask Shell, please visit us at the website to write your question, and Shell may answer it in the next session! Starting in October, 2019, Shell will be offering these Q&A sessions once a month.

Jul 11, 2019

While the teachings offer us numerous ways of praying, people often ask: in this non-theistic tradition, what does it mean to do this? Or, what is it that we are aspiring to, when we place our hands together and bow our heads in prayer? In this talk, Shell explores how we can use this powerful form of aspiration to open our hearts, expand and connect, and extend more compassion and care to both ourselves and others.

Jun 30, 2019

When we practice what the Buddha called The Middle Way, we start to realize with more and more clarity that happiness resides at the center of wanting and not wanting; that nothing is really happy or unhappy in and of itself - no thing, person, or situation; that our joy or sorrow depends entirely on how we are relating to our experience. In this talk, Shell explores how learning to "walk in the middle" can help us discover more joy, ease, and balance in our lives.

Jun 20, 2019

The teachings warn us of 5 main challenging and complicated mental states that block, confuse, or "hinder" our ability to more fully open our hearts and minds, and prevent us from discovering freedom from suffering. In this talk, Shell explores how we can better recognize these five, and learn to transform and eventually overcome them.

Jun 17, 2019

Often, as we search for deeper spiritual meaning in our practice, it's easy to become stalled or stuck at certain points, and become unclear about which direction we need to take in order to continue further. This talk from Shell explores the famous Heartwood Sutra, which points out four things that are often mistaken for progress in our practice.

May 31, 2019

The Buddha spoke about 5 spiritual faculties which, if cultivated and developed, can flower into spiritual powers. The truth is, we all have these faculties within us, and when we learn to nurture them through our practice and our lives, they can lead us to more joy, ease, and freedom. In this talk, Shell explores these five, and offer ways that we can begin to harness their profound power, and offers a meditation on these to end.

May 27, 2019

Though it's considered an integral part of our formal meditation practice, walking meditation is something that is often not well-known in the West, or practiced, and can seem odd when we first try it. Yet, it can not only help the body refresh and rejuvenate between meditation periods, but can help us to take our practice "off the cushion" and into every single moment of our lives, so that we can become more and more aware of being fully embodied, experiencing the whole of our lives through all of our wonderful senses. In this episode, Shell "walks us through" this important practice with explanation, guided practice, and q&a to end.

May 25, 2019

As we all know, whenever we're having difficulty relaxing, or sleeping, this can often profoundly affect our thinking, mood, behavior, and quality of life. The good news is, the Buddha's teachings (especially those that deal with the hindrance of worry and restlessness) can not only help us to fall asleep more easily, but can allow us to live with greater calm, joy, and ease. In this talk, Shell offer some ways that we can discover sacred rest through the teachings and our practice.

Apr 11, 2019

"If there is to be understanding, compassion, and peace in the world, spiritual teachers must learn to honor the 'jewels,' or 'best values,' at the heart of diverse traditions, and to keep their own alive by interpreting them in light of the here and now" ~ Donna Seaman. In this talk, Shell explores how, so often, the teachings of both the Buddha and Jesus were essentially pointing to the same truths.

Mar 27, 2019

One of the main ways we tend to suffer is when someone insults or blames us, and we can't seem to let go of the hurt or anger it evokes; when it lives in us, and grows bigger and more intense, maybe even overwhelming. During this talk, Shell explores how we can use the teachings and the practice to help us to better let go of our strong grip on blame and insult, and to bring some healing to our vulnerable hearts.

Mar 23, 2019

There are a multitude of reasons why we fall into sleep or a kind of dreaminess or even a sense of "nothingness" during meditation, and it's helpful to know what these are so that we can use our practice to work with these states, and discover more clarity, energy, and wakefulness - not only in our practice, but in our daily lives. Shell explores these and more in this talk on what is called the hindrance of "sloth & torpor."

Mar 6, 2019

This meditation - recorded during one of Shell's Tuesday night classes - is a 30-minute guided visualization practice, designed to help us discover our wisest self, and listen to the wisdom of our hearts for the answers we have been seeking.

Feb 27, 2019

In our modern western lexicon, the word "karma" is often employed as a kind of derogatory term that implies that someone who is experiencing some negative consequences is somehow getting their just reward, or cosmic punishment. Yet in the Buddhist teachings, this is not at all an accurate description, and the Buddha himself was actually critical of many of the beliefs and myths that are attached to this word. In this talk, Shell explores this complicated concept, and how we can use it to bring more happiness and joy into our lives, and into the lives of others.

Feb 21, 2019

In the famous Upaddha Sutta,the Buddha's disciple Ananda suggested that "admirable friendship" is half of the holy life … and the Buddha exclaimed, strongly, "no, it is the whole of the holy life." In this new talk, Shell explores the importance of cultivating Kalyanamitra (a Sanskrit word that means "spiritual friendship, or "noble friend") and why it's essential that we nourish this same strong friendship with the most important person in our lives – ourselves.

Jan 30, 2019

According to the Buddhist teachings, there are 8 main "anxieties" or "hang-ups" that take up an enormous amount of our emotional energy, and keep us trapped in a cycle of pain, frustration, and suffering. These 8 are praise and blame, recognition and disregard, gain and loss, and pleasure and pain. As we use our practice to learn to face these inevitable winds in our lives without being constantly blown over by them, the more peace, steadiness, and ease we experience. In this talk, Shell explores these 8 Winds (also called 8 Worldly Dharmas, Attachments, or Concerns).

Jan 16, 2019

In the Pāli canon, the Buddha asks us to practice reflecting each day on what are called "The 5 Remembrances" as they relate to the truth of annica (impermanence). Over time, and with practice, reflecting upon these 5 things can help us to more deeply recognize and accept that change, loss, and death are not unusual events, but are woven into the very fabric of existence. As we continue to reflect on these truths, the more the mind becomes imbued with peace, & equanimous in the face of difficulties. This talk from Shell explores these 5.

Dec 20, 2018

" If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel's heart beat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence." ~ George Eliot This talk explores how we can cultivate a deeper sense of sustained silence and presence through meditation practice, and how, more and more, as this silence deepens, we can begin to let go of words and concepts and preconceived notions, and go right to direct experience.

Dec 14, 2018

During a recent "Noble Silence" night at Shell's meditation class, she was asked to record the metta (loving-kindness) meditation that she offers. This recording includes a brief explanation, followed by the meditation. Enjoy!

Dec 13, 2018

"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom." ~ Victor Frankl In this talk, Shell explores how, through our mindfulness practice, we can better access what has often been called "The Sacred Pause," to create more calm, ease, and grace in our lives.

Nov 28, 2018

" Listen to Sadness. Sadness is important. Sadness has something to teach you. It stands in opposition to an entire culture that tells people that happiness is the highest, best, and sometimes only permissible emotion, and that sadness is an obstacle to being happy, and that we should concentrate all of our emotional and cultural energy on trying to eradicate sadness so that everyone can be happy." ~ Roger Ebert During this talk, Shell explores the great importance of allowing ourselves to be sad, and points to the truth of the saying "the way out is through."

Nov 23, 2018

As the Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh tells us, " Suffering is not enough ." Yes, the First Noble Truth tells us that there is suffering, but our practice is not to live and dwell there; it is to cultivate a kind of lightness, joy, and ease in our lives, so that we'll be better able to deal with the inevitable suffering. One of the easiest ways to practice this is to nurture and cultivate a strong sense of gratitude. During this talk, Shell explores how we can access even more thankfulness and joy in our lives through our practice.

Nov 1, 2018

In this talk, Shell dives into the idea of "humility" - a word fraught with shame in the English language - and explores how, through the teachings and the practice, we can start to view humility more and more as a pathway to love, genuineness, reverence, and connection.

Oct 18, 2018

Traditionally, realms and states of deep consciousness have been described in mystical and spiritual literature as having been achieved through the art of concentration – which is exactly what we're trying to cultivate in our Vipassana practice. As we develop a more refined and skilled awareness, this in turn offers us access to even deeper levels of understanding and insight. This talk explores how we can use our practice to train our minds to become more focused, steady, and clear.

Oct 11, 2018

Mindfulness is whole-body-and-mind awareness of the present moment. When we are mindful, we are fully present, without judgment, with exactly what's happening, right now. We're not lost in the past or future … not tangled up in daydreams, anticipation, indulgences, or worry. We are right here, witnessing our bodies and minds and whatever is present. During this talk, Shell explores this essential component of our practice and path.

Sep 27, 2018

In his teachings about how we should go about investigating the nature of our minds and hearts, the Buddha continually emphasized the words diligent , ardent , and resolute . If we really want to experience more joy and freedom in our lives, we need to apply a more sustained and wise effort to our practice in order to discover more clarity - or insight - into which mind states lead us to happiness, and which ones lead us towards more suffering. In this talk, Shell dives into what this "wise effort" looks like in more detail.

Sep 16, 2018

In anticipation of an annual Refuge Ceremony, Shell offers this talk on what it means to Take Refuge (find sanctuary) in what are called the 3 Jewels of Practice: 1. Buddha: (who we are not worshiping in any way, but honoring as an example of what is possible within ourselves.) 2. Dharma: Here we are agreeing to take a deep look within ourselves, through the teachings, and discover for ourselves what is true, and what leads us towards freedom. 3. Sangha: Here we are honoring the support and encouragement we find in the community of us who meet weekly to practice together, as well as the larger community (the maha-sangha) of like-minded people who are also courageously looking within their own hearts, bodies, and minds to discover more peace and freedom.

Sep 10, 2018

As the great Zen master Thich Nhat Hahn tells us, "Suffering is not enough." In order for us to not be pulled under by the great forces of greed, hatred, and delusion in our world, the teachings urge us to continually and consciously nurture the heart and mind states of kindness, compassion, peace, and joy (mudita), which includes a deep wish or aspiration for all beings to be happy and to know the causes of happiness – including ourselves. During this talk, Shell dives into the rich practice of Mudita, and shows us how it can help to more fully open and expand our hearts, and discover more joy in our lives.