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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

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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23:00

Grief, Anger and All the Feels

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/01/14

Sitting with the freshness of the destructive Los Angeles fires, Mary talks about how grief, anger and so many other emotions come and go and when they're challenging we push them away or ignore them, but that is perhaps the worst thing we can do. Our practice invites us to open to everything. To be with the grief and sadness can be frightening but we turn with gentleness and compassion towards these emotions and make space for what is already here. Find your way to holding the difficulties a...

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32:34

Supporting Our Intentions

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2025/01/07

We often make intentions at the beginning of a new year, but it's also important that our intentions have a solid foundation. In this talk Mary discusses what intentions are and how we support them with the precepts, the paramis or other core values that allow us to see clearly and move with wisdom and compassion. There is a short meditation at the end to reflect on your intentions.Recorded Jan 5, 2025 at Insight Community of the Desert in Palm SpringsThe Noble Eightfold Path by Bhikkhu Bodhi...

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18:39

So Many Rules

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2024/12/31

Left to its own devices our minds will latch on to something and create whole scenarios and worlds that we then think are real. Often we create rules for behavior, either ours or others. When these rules clash with reality, we experience dukkha. When we practice mindfulness we develop the clarity needed to see these stories and rules for what they are and let them go, moving us toward liberation from craving and aversion. Recorded Dec. 28, 2024 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any...

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17:49

Greet the Moment with Peace

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2024/12/24

How many times during the day or week do we experience situations that we find uncomfortable or unpleasant? We often react with annoyance or impatience which can tend to make it worse, even if only in our mind. In this talk Mary invites us to greet each moment with peace which is a way to be with whatever is going on with ease. We're not denying the unpleasant, but we're relating to it in an entirely different way which is where our freedom lies.Recorded Dec. 21, 2024 in the virtual worldPeac...

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26:16

Finding Your Way

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2024/12/17

Oftentimes when faced with issues or problems in our lives, we ask what would the Buddhist response be. In the teachings however, the Buddha asked us to find our own way - to see for ourselves which actions are wise or unwise. The Buddha gave us a framework and foundation and invites us to cultivate our own wisdom in walking the path to liberation. In this talk Mary discusses how we do this and what it might look like for each of us.Recorded Dec. 12, 2024 in the virtual worldSend me a text wi...

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25:00

Let Go Let Be

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2024/12/10

Plans go sideways all the time, things happen. How do we greet those moments? And how do we learn to recognize all the places we're stuck? Once we can begin to let go, then we can let things be without getting caught up in the first place. This is the freedom the Buddha promised, "liberation through not clinging."Recorded Dec. 7, 2024 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments!Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

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25:17

Opening Ourselves

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2024/12/02

The topic of gratitude is quite common at this time of year and Mary discusses the idea of gratitude as a heart practice which also encompasses love and connection. Using the writing bell hooks as a starting point she invites us to let gratitude allow us to love and let our hearts be opened. The Buddha points out that "gratitude and contentment are the highest blessings" - definitely worth pursuing.Recorded Nov. 30, 2024 in the virtual world.Books mentioned: All About Love by bell hooks, See ...

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24:12

Suffering and Joy

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2024/11/26

Suffering and Joy seem incompatible, but in this talk Mary shows how they are not mutually exclusive. Joy is not dependent on outside circumstances. As teacher Larry Ward has said, "Joy is possible in the midst of suffering and without ignoring the suffering." Using the wisdom of several authors, Mary talks about how we can access joy without waiting for everything to be okay. With our practice we create the conditions for joy to arise at any time.Recorded Nov. 23, 2024 in the virtual worldBo...

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22:46

Finding Our Foundation

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2024/11/19

In this talk Mary discusses two seemingly different ideas of what a foundation can be in our practice. There is the stillness and grounding of meditation practice and the foundation offered by the Eightfold Path. They are not mutually exclusive and in fact, work together on the path to liberation.Recorded Nov. 16, 2024 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments!Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

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26:32

November 2024

Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage ·

2024/11/12

The results of the 2024 presidential election in the United States have brought up several levels of grief, fear, anger, despair and many more emotions for several of us. In this talk Mary reflects on where we are right now, how to hold our experience, and how to move forward. Connection, community, practice and finding hope in the words and experiences of those who have walked this path before are vital in these challenging days. Stay connected, and don't miss the joy.Recorded Nov. 9, 2024 i...

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358 results

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