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PODCAST

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage

Mary Stancavage

Dharma talks from meditation teacher Mary Stancavage. These focus primarily on the pragmatic aspects of Buddhist teachings and philosophy drawing strongly on wisdom and heart practices. All are viewed through the lens of learning to live with an Undefended Heart. (photo by @kimanhuynh)

religion & spirituality buddhism

All Episodes

25:09

Building a Foundation for Freedom

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/06/03

When we don't pay attention to our thoughts, we’re often acting from habits that have been strengthened over the years, and which can be difficult to break. The Buddha’s teaching on liberation and awakening, the Eightfold Path, also offers us a path to freedom from these habits. When we intentionally use this path as a roadmap for how we move through the world, we are building a foundation that is strong and serves us in all aspects of our lives. It’s a foundation that offers freedom gr...

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13:27

Calm Knowing

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/05/27

This is a short reflection on the arising of insight from knowing and sensing and the calmness that allows us to meet each moment as it is. The world is on fire and developing the capacity to be present for ourselves and others is vital. Insight meditation practice offers us a way to meet the moment. Recorded May 24, 2025 in the virtual world Bhikkhu Bodhi's Commentary in Lion's Roar Send me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's...

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20:44

Managing the Transition

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/05/20

With every ending there is a time to reflect before the beginning, but we often neglect this time in our haste to be on to the next new thing. The Buddha's teaching of impermanence or anicca, reminds us that all things come to an end whether we're ready or not. Citing William Bridges' work in The Way of Transition, Mary reminds to be present with the time between endings and beginnings, and to tend to the experience in the time of not-knowing. Recorded May 17, 2025 in the virtual world Send m...

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21:11

Skillful Means

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/05/13

Mary discusses the idea of Skillful Means which Joseph Goldstein says is "for liberating the clinging mind from suffering." Using the wisdom, discernment and compassion that has arisen from our practice, we can navigate life skillfully while being fully grounded in the Buddha's teachings. Being fully present in the moment allows us to respond to everything wisely and skillfully. We let go of what doesn't serve us anymore as we develop new and wholesome, or skillful, ways of being in the...

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23:26

Internal Revolution of the Heart

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/05/06

During these days when greed, hatred and delusion are running rampant, the Buddha's teachings on nonviolence and compassion are extremely relevant. Mary offers some examples from the suttas and points out the similarities to other world traditions who are deeply grounded in love. Recorded May 1, 2025 in the virtual world Send me a text with any questions or comments! Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

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22:18

Just Collecting Data

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/04/29

Additional reflections on insight practice and how our insights are experienced at the somatic and instinctive level rather than our trying to figure things out. Inspired by the teachings on a recent retreat, Mary offers thoughts on seeing clearly, intuitive awareness and paying attention wherever we are. Recorded April 26, 2024 in the virtual world Send me a text with any questions or comments! Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

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12:26

Reflections on Retreat

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/04/22

Mary attended a retreat this week and offers some reflections on kindness to ourselves, awareness, insight and interconnections. The name of the retreat was Retreat as Ceremony: Mindfulness and Indigenous Presence for Wellness and Healing. Check it out! Recorded April 21, 2025 in the virtual world Send me a text with any questions or comments! Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

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20:14

Heirs to Our Actions

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/04/15

The Five Remembrances (AN 5.57) allow us to become comfortable with our mortality and the human condition and serve as an antidote to clinging. The fifth remembrance is to reflect on the fact that all we have are our actions since we will be separated from everything because of impermanence. Mary discusses the importance of understanding this idea so we can move through the world acting wisely and skillfully, for our own liberation and for the liberation of all beings. Recorded April 12, 2025...

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19:45

Care for Ourselves, Care for Others

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/04/08

Reflecting on the Rajan Sutta, Mary talks about the twofold teaching it offers. Just as we hold ourselves dear, we realized that others feel the same and knowing this, we vow to cause no harm. However, this can be a challenging practice and Mary offers thoughts on what might get in the way and how we can begin to hold both ourselves and others with kindness and compassion. Recorded April 5, 2025 in the virtual world Send me a text with any questions or comments! Visit Mary's website for more ...

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29:07

Relax the Body, Relax the Mind

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/04/01

We're often given the instruction to relax during meditation. It is not just so that we feel relaxed or calm, but it allows us to let go of what we're holding and to make space for what's right here. We're creating the environment to be present for reality and move towards equanimity in each moment. Recorded 3/29/2025 in the virtual world Send me a text with any questions or comments! Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

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19:01

The Roller Coaster is the Human Condition

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/03/24

In this brief reflection, Mary discusses the Buddha's teaching on the Eight Worldly Winds and how appropriate it is for today's world. Equanimity invites us to an appropriate response to whatever experience we have and when we understand the teaching of the winds and how we're driven by them if we don't pay attention, there is a chance for liberation. The roller coaster calms when we see things as they are and don't take it all so personally. Recorded March 22, 2025 in the virtual world Send ...

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16:49

Hope as a Practice

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/03/18

Although the Buddha did not teach using the word hope, his teachings are, as Oren Jay Sofer says, fundamentally hopeful: It affirms that there is a reliable way to release ourselves from suffering, to protect other beings, mitigate harm, and build a better world. In this talk Mary reflects on the importance of hope in this world today and how it is an action not tied to expectations or outcomes. As Austin Channing Brown says, "hope is a duty". Send me a text with any questions or commen...

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19:02

Taming the Monkey Mind

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/03/11

The monkey mind is a phrase often used to describe a mind that is all over the place and seldom in the present. All of us experience monkey mind, overwhelm or the Pali word Papañca. In this reflection Mary invites us to recognize when we get lost in this proliferation of thought and how to stay present. In these difficult days, we can be overwhelmed quite easily and recognition and returning to this moment enable us to stay where we are and experience equanimity. What is Papañca? by Andrew Ol...

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25:24

The Path of No Preference

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/03/04

A lovely definition of equanimity is to be intimate with our deepest experience, without preference. In this talk, Mary discusses what that means and doesn't mean and how no preference in this moment is a practice of liberation. Recorded at the Insight Community of the Desert in Palm Springs on March 2, 2025 Send me a text with any questions or comments! Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

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16:27

Be a Buddha

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/02/25

Oftentimes we think that studying or following Buddhist teachings requires us to fit a certain mold or behave in a particular way. But this is not about a rigid practice and one size fits all. In this talk Mary reflects on how we're invited to live with righteous intention, grounded in love and wisdom. As Larry Ward says, we have "an evenness of heart and mind". Let the path be messy, love yourself and others, as you move toward liberation and the liberation of all beings. Recorded Feb. 20, 2...

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25:13

The Antidote to Fear

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/02/18

The Metta Sutta was the Buddha's offering to fearful monks and the practice of loving kindness and good will is still a path of liberation. As Ruth King says, metta is the antidote for aversion and those ways we hold ourselves captive. We live in fearful times and in this talk Mary discusses the practice of metta and how we can utilize it to free ourselves in these challenging days. Recorded Feb. 15, 2025 in the virtual world All About Love by bell hooks See No Stranger by Valarie Kaur ...

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20:08

Stepping into the Darkness

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/02/11

Inspired by a talk from Ayya Santacitta (We Are Not Without Medicine) Mary discusses how the world is in a time of darkness, and how our Buddhist practice helps us to move through it. We open to this moment and allow our wisdom and compassion move us towards the appropriate response. It is scary right now but we have our practice, and can move through this as we open to the moment. Recorded Feb. 8, 2025 in the virtual world Article: Association with the Wise by Bhikkhu Bodhi Send me a text wi...

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18:36

Cruising the Dharma

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/02/04

Scrolling through the talk titles on Dharmaseed can offer insight in how to maneuver through the difficult challenges we're all facing in 2025. Connection, community, compassion, clarity and intention, all important principles of practice support our capacity to hold the moment. In this talk, Mary reflects on how we build a solid foundation. Recorded Feb. 1, 2025 in the virtual world Send me a text with any questions or comments! Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

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19:41

The Long Journey

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/01/28

Reflecting on a quote by Thich Nhat Hanh which says "There is not one action or one ritual that will bring you liberation" It require continual effort and commitment to practice. Mary discusses how this flies in the face of our culture's belief that it is up to us to find the fix that will bring us success or happiness or instant gratification. As we deal with the problems of the world and of our lives, we need to remember to be present, to open to the moment and to allow things to be as they...

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27:05

The Bodhisattva Realm

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/01/21

The Bodhisattva realm is an existence that is open to all of us and is as important today as it's ever been. It's one of the four realms in Mahayana tradition and Mary discusses how meaningful it can be for us to live in a way that is wise and of benefit to all. As Diana Winston says, it is a "...wonderful and useful archetype for our work as socially engaged Buddhists." We "choose to act with as much wisdom and compassion as we possible can." Today's world demands that we show up as a Bodhis...

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348 results

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