2023 Talks

One Earth Sangha Teaching and Guided Meditations - Increasing Resiliency, Decreasing Reactiity through 6 Somatic Practices, Heart Practices and Teachings from the Fire Sermon
www.oneearthsangha.org/articles/pgm-post/ecodharma-explorations/23-01/

The Filling Up and Emptying Out of Sense of Self
https://sactoinsight.org/05-18-2023-teachings-practices-for-the-experience-of-filling-up-and-emptying-out-the-sense-of-self-with-heather-sundberg/


2022 Talks

Letting Go: Inspired by the teachings of Ajahn Chah

Taking the One Seat In the Body, In Stillness, and With All Experience
Teachings and practices on the following expressions of Ajahn Chah's teaching Taking the One Seat will be offered: somatically, steadying the mind and working with non-reactivity at the sense doors.

Images of the Mind's Potential
Using teachings from Ajahn Chah and the Thai forest tradition elders, we will explore how the mind gets caught and how to develop clarity, equanimity and freedom.

4 Qualities Which Support Inner Transformation and Service in the World
Based on a wonderful teaching from long-term Buddhist teacher and activist Joanna Macy, the Talk explores the 4 Qualities which are Gratitude, Compassion, Wisdom Lenses, and Intentions for Service, and will include a short guided meditation to explore the qualities directly.


2021 Talks

The World is Burning: Transforming Reactivity Into Presence  53.46
This talk explores the Fire Sermon taught by the Buddha and offers reflections and 5 somatic practices which help us transform reactivity into freedom.

Not Moving Forwards, Backwards, or Standing Still  41.11
In these times of a particular amount of making, changing and breaking plans, this Talk uses a teaching from Ajahn Chah to explore an alternative attitude of mind to bring to the fluctuations of life, based in wisdom-awareness.

Emptiness and Suchness  43.09
When we understand that direct experience is not solid/not separate, we can embrace experience in its changing conditionality with the heart of compassion and inclusion born of non-clinging. This is the inter-weaving of the teachings of emptiness and suchness, and the talk will explore teachings and practices which support us to live from this wiser view.

Between Emptiness and Suchness  39.24

How To Practice Using the Bahiya Sutta: Non-Reactivity at the Sense Doors 40.18
Includes teachings, tools, and guided practice.

Tips for Working with Reactivity and Release 36.53
Includes teachings and guided practices.

2021 Guided Meditations

Resiliency Somactic Guided Meditation for Practicing with Collective Trauma 21.14

Guided Meditation with Instructions for Working with Emotions  57.33


2020 Talks

2020-4-13  Body, Nervous System, Energy Practices and Teachings for COVID-19  
   Times and For Anytime  https://dharmaseed.org/talks/61989/

2020 Introduction to Qi Gong and Qi Gong Guided Practice 21.34 

2020-05-16 Heather’s Spiritual Resiliency Toolkit 56:53
                   1.  Staying Embodied & Grounded
                   2.  Remembering our deeper Intentions & Values
                   3.  Gratitude and other Heart Practices
                   4.  Take Refuge, including in Awareness Itself
                   5.  Staying Connected with Others
                   6.  Offering Service
                   7.  Dedicating the Merit

2019 March Monthlong Spirit Rock Retreat Talks

2019-03-04 Awakening through the Body: First Foundation of Mindfulness 62:07
The Talk explores the traditional teachings of First Foundation of Mindfulness through personal stories & modern perspectives - emphasizing the elements of Calming the Bodily Formation & nervous system practices, the 4 Postures of Awakening, and the aspects of impermanence & not self in the Wisdom Refrain of the Sutta.

2019-03-13 Cycles of Deepening Insight Practice 61:00
This Talk explores how deepening stages of Insight practice lead to awakening. Beginning with the ground of Sila (ethical conduct), supporting the development of Samadhi (concentration) which provides the power & pliancy of mind for Panna (seeing clearly) practice. The Three Characteristics (impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, not self) are explored, as well as working with cycles of purification. With continuous practice a new cycle into mature Equanimity can emerge as a jumping off point to further awakening.

2019-03-20 Mature Mindfulness, Emptiness, and Release 64:43
Offered on the Spring Equinox Full Moon, the Talk opens with stories & metaphors of the Moon, and then moves into exploring a map of practice from the Thai forest tradition from the perspectives of theory, practical application and guided practice. Sati (Mindfulness) - MahaSati (Great Mindfulness) - Sati-Panna (Mindfulness Wisdom) - Panna-Vimutti (Wisdom which leads to Release).

2019-03-25 Integrating Insights to Deepen Our Practice 58:24
This innovative talk describes the process and advanced practice of Integrating our Insights, including types of insight, what the mind does immediately after an insight, teasing apart the clinging & the natural impulse to integrate insight, how to test the insight, how to include & purify 'the clinging that remains', and learning to live the insight.

2019 March Monthlong Spirit Rock Retreat Full Insight Meditation Instructions

2019-03-14 Review of Insight Meditation Full Instructions 42:32
Includes guidance about practicing with: 1. A Primary Object such as the breath, 2. Secondary Objects such as other body sensations or sounds, 3. Opening into Choiceness Awareness of numerous arising & passing objects - In addition the guidance includes some tips on how to listen to our practice to know which instructions to engage in during different cycles of meditation practice.

Metta Mandala Guided Meditations

2019-03-06 Metta Mandala Guided Meditation 42:13
This "Sacred Circle of Well Wishing" Guided Meditation includes visualization & somatic metta practice working with the main categories in Metta Practice - Self, Benefactor, Good Friend, Familiar Stranger, Difficult Person and All Beings.

2019-01-13 Metta Mandala - Including Metta For All Beings 42:29 


2018 Awareness/MahaSati Public Talk

2018-4-30  Wisdom-Awareness Map (MahaSati)  60:01
An introduction to a wisdom-awareness map from the Thai Forest tradition: Mindfulness - Great Mindfulness - Mindfulness-Wisdom - Wisdom which leads to Release. Includes metaphors & descriptions of maturing awareness which is able to release reactivity & access the 3 Lenses of Wisdom (impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, not self). Concludes with a fun somatic exercise on holding on & letting go, based on a teaching from Ajahn Chah. For more information about these teachings, visit Heather's website & look up Talks & Retreat Schedule.


2017 Talks

2017-1-13    Metta for the Difficult  64:48

2017-5-16    Body As Teacher  53:58

2017-12-20  Transforming Fear Into Love 55:49


2017 Awareness/MahaSati Public Talk

2017-5-19  Mindfulness-Wisdom  50:36
An introduction to A Map of Awareness from the Thai Forest Tradition: Sati-Mindfulness-Mahi Sati (Great Mindfulness), Sati Panna (Mindfulness Wisdom), Panna-Vimutti (Wisdom which leads to release). Includes teachings on how to approach teachings and practices of awareness, how to use the Three Characteristics, (impermanence, unsatisfactotoriness, not self) to decrease and release activity of the Defilements (greed, hatred and delusion) and a fun experiential exercise based on a teaching from Ajahn Chah about letting go. For more information about these teachings, visit Heather's website and look up Talks, Retreat Schedule and ongoing trainings on MahaSati.


2016 Talks

2016-1-19    5 Things Which Wake Us Up!  61.59
1. Wise Friends 2. Celebrating Basic Integrity 3. Hearing the Dharma 4. Wise Effort 5. Harmony with Impermanence

2016-1-15    Meeting Life with Equanimity  56:28
Talk explores Six Qualities of Equanimity: Equanimity is the Spacious (1) Balance (2) of the Non Reactive (3) mind-heart, grounded in Wisdom (4), with supports a deep Caring (5) , and leads to an Appropriate Response (6).


2016 Awareness/MahaSati Talks

2016 -11- 5  MahaSati (Awareness) Map Overview, Including Awakening in the Body  53:30

2016 -11- 9  MahaSati (Awareness), Mindfulness-Wisdom (Sati-Panna), Wisdom Leading to Release (Panna-Vimutti)   1:00


2016 Metta Guided Meditations & Instructions

2016-1-12    Metta Meditation Overview  37:43
Instructions provide overview of metta, the phrases of well-wishing, the muses (categories), and the supports of using an internal image and somatic resonance.

2016-1-16    Metta For the Difficult Person  42:09
Instructions provide overview of metta for the difficult person + a guided Metta Mandala meditation using all of the categories (muses).


2015 Talks

2015-11-7    MahaSati (Pure Awareness) Map Talk+ Guided Meditations 59:13 

2015-11-5    Monkeys on the Kora:  Mindfulness & Metta of the Body 1:05:52

2015 -5-14   The Five Spiritual Faculties:  The Awakened Mind IS the Awakened Heart 60:40


These 5 Talks are from the March Monthlong Retreat at SRMC 2015:  

2015-3-23    Integrating Insights & Other Ah-ha Moments in Practice 62:58

2015-3-19    Mindfulness, Great Mindfulness, Wisdom & Release  (MahaSati) 60:48

2015-3-13    The Four Noble Truths (monthlong retreat version) 61:04

2015-3-09    Compassion:  Cultivation & Fruition 64:12

2015-3-04    First Foundation of Mindfulness 61:47


2015-2-19    Cleaning Up Our Minds, Cleaning Up the World 57:07

2015-1-19    The Perfect Gift: Mindfulness & Metta 58:11


2015 Heart Practice Guided Meditations from March Monthlong Retreat at SRMC:

Introduction to Metta Meditation (Lovingkindness)  35 mins.

Metta for the Familiar Stranger (Neutral Person)  35 mins.

Introduction to Compassion  34 mins.

Mudita (Sympathetic Joy)  37 mins.

Equanimity  37 mins.


2015 Insight Meditation Guided Meditations from March Monthlong Retreat at SRMC:

Mindfulness of the Body (including nervous system practices)   15 mins.

Choiceless Awareness Meditation    11 mins.


Metta Sutta Talks 2015:

2015-1-17    Metta Sutta Talk #2: By Not Holding to Fixed Views 60:02

2015-1-12    Metta Sutta Talk #1: The Joy of Basic Integrity 64:38


2014 Talks:

2014-1-20    Bridging the Practice into the World 55:56

2014-1-18    The Eleven Benefits of Metta 54:32

2014-1-15    The Difficulties are the Gifts:  Metta, Compassion & their Hindrances 56:11


2013 Talks:

2013-12-19  The Seven Enlightenment Factors (retreat talk) 63:53

2013-10-10  The Seven Enlightment Factors (daily life talk) 53:46

2013-02-21  The Power of the Five Spiritual Faculties 57.21

2013-01-21  20 Years of Dharma at Spirit Rock 54.57

2013-01-19  Metta for All Beings  64.57


2012 Talks:

2012-09-06  The Two Truths:  The Personal View & The Universal View  52:46

2012-09-08  Relating Wisely to the Sense of Self  33:10

2012-04-26  Is Metta Enough?  49:19

2012-04-22  The Brahma Viharas: Shifting the Center of Gravity  56:13

2012-04-20  A Map for Transformation of Judgments  55:41


These Talks are from the March Monthlong Retreat at SRMC 2012:

2012-3-25   Riding the Eight Worldly Winds 60:35

2012-3-18   The Doors to the Deathless are Open! Cycles of Awakening 59:15

2012-3-10   Compassion as the Path & Expression of Awakening 59:40

2012-3-05   Body as Teacher: First Foundation of Mindfulness 58:04