Dharma Talk Series
If you weren’t able to attend a talk, check out our Dharma Talk Library where we post recordings of some of these and other talks hosted by Insight San Diego. To be notified when new talks are posted, sign up to receive our email communications.
Generosity
Following a 2,500-year tradition in which the community financially supports the offerings provided, the teachings and meditation sessions in these events are offered on a generosity (Dana) basis. No one is turned away because they cannot give. We are encouraging attendees to give what their budget and hearts of generosity allow, and/or to sign up for monthly giving on our donations page. Information for giving dana to teachers is provided below with each event’s description.
Upcoming Talks
For talks marked as “Save the Date,” we will post additional information as soon as it is available.
All times are U.S. Pacific Time unless indicated otherwise.
Vinny Ferraro
Internal Kindness
Wednesday, August 28, 2024, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Dharma Talk Summary: How do we stop withholding love from ourselves?
Since the mid-90s, Vinny has practiced insight meditation (vipassanā). He is the Guiding Teacher of the Big Heart City Sangha in San Francisco and has led a weekly sitting group for almost two decades. As a fully empowered Dharma Teacher through Spirit Rock/IMS, Vinny has taught residential retreats at Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, and the Esalen Institute. Currently, he leads Spirit Rock's Year to Live course and teaches retreats and daylongs through Big Heart City and meditation centers across the country. Although meditation was not his initial path, it played a vital role in his personal journey, leading him away from drug addiction, incarceration, and violence decades ago. He now utilizes his extensive meditation practice and diverse experience to support individuals in finding their inner strength and overcoming social and personal limitations.
Join the talk via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81909658322?pwd=MxUgf7xbjPb3YcMevyJ4L5GHE10k6L.1
Cara Lai
Authentic Activism
Wednesday, September 25, 2024, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Dharma Talk Summary: Many of us live in a culture that prizes energetic doing and active determination, where being quiet and simply listening is often viewed as laziness or avoidance. The culture of social activism is not exempt from this value system, so it can be easy to question or judge ourselves when we pause to meditate or go on retreat, or to constantly feel as though we are not doing enough. But without a mindful pause, our actions, however well-intended, become infused with fear or ill-will, and we end up feeling depleted, helpless, and angry. Each of us has our own unique gifts to offer the world, our own way of helping. This talk will explore the endless ways to give lovingly to a world in need.
Cara Lai spent most of her life trying to figure out how to be happy, or at least avoid total misery, which ultimately led her to spend the majority of her adulthood meditating. She's explored what it means to be alive through many adventures in consciousness, including long retreats, chronic illness, and having a whole human come out through her vagina.
Cara once worked as an artist, wilderness guide, social worker and psychotherapist, but traded it in for an all-out mindfulness rampage. She’s a working mom whose teaching is relatable, authentic, funny and sometimes crass, and is accessible for many people. She teaches teens and adults at Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, Inward Bound Mindfulness, and Ten Percent Happier; ultimately hoping to get woke enough to bend spoons with her mind in front of large audiences. And to help everyone get free.
Join the talk via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82647230694?pwd=BJfTrTceibYivdY8cFpQU3amMuIBln.1
Vance Pryor
An Exploration of Dukkha and the End of Dukkha
Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Dharma Talk Summary: One of the most nuanced words in Pali, an ancient language used to transmit the teachings of the Buddha, is the word “dukkha.” This word is often times translated into English as meaning suffering or stress, yet such descriptions do not capture the breadth and depth of the term. We will explore what dukkha is, and how to bring about freedom from dukkha through the trainings taught by the Buddha.
Vance Pryor, Psy. D. began practicing insight meditation in 1999 after attending a silent meditation retreat. This would begin a relationship with the Dharma that has endured more than 20 years.
He has been deeply influenced by the Burmese Traditions of insight practice, having practiced with Sayadaw U Pandita and Sayadaw U Tejaniya, previously ordaining with the later.
Through the support of Kamala Masters & Steve Armstrong, he began to assist retreats in his efforts to learn how to guide residential meditation retreats. He has also graduated from The Insight Meditation Society’s Teacher Training Program which ran from 2017 until 2021.
Along with his passion and engagement with the aforementioned mindfulness and wisdom traditions, Vance earned his doctorate in clinical psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, an A.P.A. approved program at the time of graduation. He has been in private practice for close to 10 years, and is licensed as a clinical psychologist in Hawaii, California, and Washington, often employing an integrationist approach to psychotherapy. Exploring the interface and integration between psychological research, thought, clinical practice, and Buddhist understandings of the mind remains an ongoing source of interest.
Dāna for Vance can be given at https://vancepryor.com/donate.Join the talk via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82647230694?pwd=BJfTrTceibYivdY8cFpQU3amMuIBln.1
Marjolein Janssen
Exploring Mudita - The Joy of Sympathetic Joy
Sunday, January 26, 2025, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Dharma Talk Summary: Mudita, often translated as "sympathetic joy" or "appreciative joy," is the practice of finding happiness in the success and well-being of others. This essential virtue helps cultivate a generous heart and counteracts feelings of envy and jealousy, fostering deeper connections and a sense of interconnectedness.
Marjolein Janssen is originally from the Netherlands. She has been practicing insight meditation intensively in Europe, the US, as well as Myanmar, where she was ordained as a Buddhist nun. Marjolein brings both formal practice and practice in daily life to her teachings. She seeks to offer a practical approach to Buddhist concepts and ideas. Her sharing of the Dharma comes from her wish to contribute to the freedom a nd happiness of all beings. Marjolein lives in Richmond (VA), where she is the Guiding Teacher of the Insight Meditation Community. She is a graduate of Sati Center’s Buddhist Eco-chaplaincy program. This spring Marjolein will graduate from the Insight Retreat Center's Dharma Teacher Training as well as the Nature Dharma Teacher Training.
Dāna for Marjolein can be given at https://www.brightdharma.nl/dana/
Join the talk via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82799819776?pwd=eWFqVmNCa1hOQTJMR1hNdllGUDRxZz09