Tara Brach
Tara Brach’s teachings blend Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices, mindful attention to our inner life, and a full, compassionate engagement with our world. The result is a distinctive voice in Western Buddhism, one that offers a wise and caring approach to freeing ourselves and society from suffering.
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Cultivating a Courageous Heart – Part 1
10/15/2026
Cultivating a Courageous Heart – Part 1
How do we keep our hearts open when our world is filled with fear, anger, uncertainty and division? In Part 1 of Cultivating a Courageous Heart, we explore how mindfulness and compassion can help us meet difficult times without becoming imprisoned by reactivity. Courage, at its deepest, is a greatness of heart—the willingness to stay present with vulnerability and respond to life from wisdom and love. When we encounter violence, suffering or injustice, anger and fear are natural. Yet the pathway toward genuine compassion is not to bypass these feelings or force ourselves to forgive. It begins by courageously turning toward what is underneath our reactivity—the fear, hurt and vulnerability asking for our attention. We'll look at the powerful practice of cultivating a “strong back and soft front”: grounding ourselves in belonging, strength and presence while remaining open to the tenderness of our own hearts. When we can stay with vulnerability rather than defend against it, it becomes a doorway to compassion and a wiser response to our lives and our world. In this talk: • Cultivating courage in uncertain and challenging times • Working mindfully with fear, anger and reactivity • Discovering the vulnerability beneath anger and blame • Practicing a “strong back and soft front” • Transforming vulnerability into compassion, wisdom and love Our world needs hearts that are both strong and tender. The invitation is to discover how meeting what is difficult with courageous presence can become a pathway to healing. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Everything Belongs (20:31 min.)
10/14/2026
Meditation: Everything Belongs (20:31 min.)
In this guided meditation, we explore the freedom that comes from allowing our experience to be just as it is. Beginning with the breath and a gentle body scan, we soften habitual tension and awaken to the aliveness within and around us. As the practice deepens, we sense thoughts, emotions and physical sensations as waves moving through a larger sea of awareness. When fear, sadness, anger or discomfort arises, rather than pushing it away, we practice making room—remembering that this, too, belongs. This meditation offers a pathway to greater presence, self-compassion and emotional resilience. By learning to rest as the ocean rather than becoming lost in the waves, we discover the spaciousness and tenderness that can hold the whole of our lives. In this meditation: • Mindfulness of breath and body • Releasing physical tension • Working with difficult emotions • Allowing thoughts and sensations to come and go • Cultivating acceptance and self-compassion • Resting in the spaciousness of presence Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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The Healing Power of Imagination: Transform Yourself and the World, Part 2
10/08/2026
The Healing Power of Imagination: Transform Yourself and the World, Part 2
What becomes possible when we learn to imagine from presence rather than fear? In Part 2 of this series, Tara explores spiritual imagination as a powerful capacity for healing, transformation and awakening. When we are caught in stress, fear or limiting beliefs, our imagination contracts and reinforces a world of separation. Yet when grounded in mindful presence, imagination can open us to new possibilities—to our basic goodness, our capacity to change and our potential to create a more loving world. Through teachings, stories and guided reflections, Tara explores how mindfulness, prayer and imagination can help us loosen the grip of old narratives, heal self-judgment and envision new ways of relating to ourselves and others. We discover how learning to trust what is deepest in us can bring wise hope, resilience and greater freedom to our lives. Ultimately, spiritual imagination invites us to sense beyond who we have believed ourselves to be and begin living from the love, awareness and goodness that are already here. In this talk, Tara explores: ✨ Spiritual imagination as a pathway to healing and transformation ✨ Moving from fear-based thinking toward possibility and wise hope ✨ Trusting our basic goodness ✨ Using mindfulness and prayer to awaken imagination ✨ Healing limiting beliefs and self-judgment ✨ Imagining more loving relationships and a more compassionate world Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Alert Inner Stillness (20:34 Min.)
10/07/2026
Meditation: Alert Inner Stillness (20:34 Min.)
Behind the changing sounds, sensations, feelings and thoughts is an alert inner stillness that is purely aware. This meditation begins with accessing the receptivity of a smile, awakening through the body and opening the senses. We then sense the background of awareness and relax back to inhabit that wholeness. When the mind is distracted, the pathway home is a relaxing back, and the essential practice is non-doing, allowing life to be just as it is. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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The Healing Power of Imagination: Transform Yourself and the World, Part 1
09/30/2026
The Healing Power of Imagination: Transform Yourself and the World, Part 1
What becomes possible when we learn to imagine from presence rather than fear? In Part 1 of this series, Tara explores spiritual imagination as a powerful capacity for healing, transformation and awakening. When we are caught in stress, fear or limiting beliefs, our imagination contracts and reinforces a world of separation. Yet when grounded in mindful presence, imagination can open us to new possibilities—to our basic goodness, our capacity to change and our potential to create a more loving world. Through teachings, stories and guided reflections, Tara explores how mindfulness, prayer and imagination can help us loosen the grip of old narratives, heal self-judgment and envision new ways of relating to ourselves and others. We discover how learning to trust what is deepest in us can bring wise hope, resilience and greater freedom to our lives. Ultimately, spiritual imagination invites us to sense beyond who we have believed ourselves to be and begin living from the love, awareness and goodness that are already here. In this talk, Tara explores: ✨ Spiritual imagination as a pathway to healing and transformation ✨ Moving from fear-based thinking toward possibility and wise hope ✨ Trusting our basic goodness ✨ Using mindfulness and prayer to awaken imagination ✨ Healing limiting beliefs and self-judgment ✨ Imagining more loving relationships and a more compassionate world Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Embodied Metta (20:07 min.)
09/30/2026
Meditation: Embodied Metta (20:07 min.)
In this guided meditation, Tara Brach invites us into an embodied practice of metta—loving-kindness—awakening a felt sense of openness, warmth and care throughout the body. Beginning with the image of a smile, we soften the eyes, face, throat, heart and body, allowing this spirit of friendliness to gradually permeate our whole being. As we deepen into presence, we learn to bring this same loving attention to places that feel wounded, blocked or in need of healing. This meditation offers a simple and nourishing pathway back to an embodied, kind presence—a way of meeting whatever is here with greater space, tenderness and acceptance. We close by resting in the shared field of loving awareness and offering the prayer that all beings everywhere may be held in loving-kindness and live from an awake and loving heart. This practice is especially supportive for cultivating self-compassion, metta, mindfulness, emotional healing, nervous system relaxation and a more loving relationship with ourselves and our lives. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Pathways to Trusting the Gold
09/24/2026
Pathways to Trusting the Gold
What would it mean to truly trust the goodness that lives within you? In this talk, Tara Brach explores what she calls “trusting the gold”—awakening from the stories of deficiency, fear and separation that keep us from recognizing our deepest nature. We may spend much of our lives trying to improve ourselves, earn approval or finally become “enough,” while overlooking the loving awareness that is already here. Tara explores how our early experiences of nurturing and belonging shape our capacity to trust ourselves, and how mindfulness and compassion can help heal the places that feel unworthy, unsafe or unloved. Through the practice of RAIN and what she describes as a “U-turn,” we learn to step out of familiar stories, turn toward our vulnerability with care, and discover the wakeful presence beneath them. Ultimately, trusting the gold means learning to recognize and rest in the awareness, goodness and love that are intrinsic to who we are. In this talk, Tara explores: - Awakening from the trance of unworthiness - How early conditioning shapes self-trust - RAIN, self-compassion and “spiritual reparenting” - Moving beyond limiting stories and beliefs- Recognizing our intrinsic goodness - Resting in loving awareness and true nature Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Resting in Reality (24 min)
09/23/2026
Meditation: Resting in Reality (24 min)
In this guided meditation, Tara Brach invites us to relax out of the thinking mind and return to the living presence of the moment. Through a gentle body scan, awareness of breath, sound and sensation, we begin to sense the aliveness that is always here—and to rest more fully in reality. As the mind naturally wanders into thought, we practice letting go and opening again to the changing river of experience. Whatever arises—ease or discomfort, sorrow, fear or peace—can be met with kindness and allowed to belong. This meditation offers a pathway to embodied presence, inner stillness and the natural awareness that holds all of life. It closes with a loving-kindness prayer for our own well-being and for the peace and freedom of all beings. This meditation can support: Mindfulness and present-moment awareness Relaxing the body and quieting the mind Meeting difficult emotions with kindness Deepening embodied awareness Cultivating loving-kindness and inner peace Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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The Wise Heart of Radical Acceptance
09/17/2026
The Wise Heart of Radical Acceptance
What would your life be like if you were no longer at war with your imperfections? In this talk, Tara explores Radical Acceptance as a pathway out of self-judgment, shame and the trance of unworthiness. Rather than believing that acceptance will keep us from changing, we discover the opposite: when we stop making ourselves wrong for what we feel and who we are, we create the conditions for genuine healing and transformation. Through stories, reflection and the practice of RAIN, Tara explores how we can meet our imperfect, conditioned selves with honesty and compassion while remembering the deeper goodness that is our true nature. Radical Acceptance doesn't mean becoming passive or ignoring harmful patterns—it allows us to respond to ourselves, others and our world from greater wisdom, clarity and love. In this talk: ✨ Making peace with our imperfections ✨ Healing self-judgment and the trance of unworthiness ✨ Understanding Radical Acceptance as a path to change ✨ Using RAIN to meet shame, anger and difficult emotions ✨ Remembering and trusting our basic goodness Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Aware and Alive (20 min.)
09/17/2026
Meditation: Aware and Alive (20 min.)
Just as a cup is full with water, this body is filled with awareness. As we sense the awareness inside the body, and the awareness that listens to sounds beyond the body, we discover the continuous space of awareness that includes, and gives rise to this entire creation. Opening in this way allows for homecoming to wholeness and freedom. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Ask Me Anything, Part 3: Tara Answers Questions on Forgiveness, Injustice & Compassionate Parenting
09/10/2026
Ask Me Anything, Part 3: Tara Answers Questions on Forgiveness, Injustice & Compassionate Parenting
How do we keep our hearts open when we’ve been deeply hurt? How do we respond to injustice without becoming consumed by anger? And how can we love without trying to control or change another? In this final installment of the Ask Me Anything series, Tara responds to questions about some of the most challenging places on our spiritual path. She explores how tending our own wounds can open the way to forgiveness, how we can stay awake to the suffering of our world without losing touch with joy, and how meeting the fear and grief beneath anger can reconnect us with compassion. Whether we are facing injustice, conflict or struggles with those we love, the invitation is to act with clarity while remembering our shared humanity—and to trust the healing power of seeing the goodness in one another. In this talk, Tara explores: ✨ Navigating forgiveness after deep hurt ✨ Finding joy amid suffering and injustice ✨ Keeping a soft heart in difficult times ✨ Moving beyond anger and othering ✨ Parenting with compassion rather than judgment Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Inner Refuge of Calm (20:25 min.)
09/09/2026
Meditation: Inner Refuge of Calm (20:25 min.)
In this guided meditation, we explore the possibility of finding an inner refuge of calm—a presence that can hold whatever is moving through our lives. Beginning with the breath, we gradually soften tension through the body and settle into a relaxed, awake presence. As thoughts, emotions or physical discomfort arise, the invitation is not to resist or control our experience, but to acknowledge what is here and allow each wave to come and go. Like the depth of the ocean that remains present beneath the movement of the surface, we can discover an inner stillness spacious enough to include the changing currents of life. Each time we notice that the mind has wandered and return to the immediacy of breath, body and sound, we deepen the pathway home. This meditation offers practices for relaxation, mindfulness, emotional regulation and returning to presence in times of stress or uncertainty. We close by resting in this inner refuge and offering a prayer or blessing to ourselves and our world. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Ask Me Anything: Questions & Responses with Tara - Part II
09/03/2026
Ask Me Anything: Questions & Responses with Tara - Part II
How do we return to presence when we’re overwhelmed? How do we heal the trance of unworthiness, navigate difficult relationships, set healthy boundaries—and find compassion without abandoning ourselves? In Part 2 of this Ask Me Anything series, Tara responds to questions from listeners about some of the most tender and challenging places in our lives. Together, we explore practical ways to come home to presence when emotions take over, how RAIN and self-compassion can help loosen deeply conditioned patterns, and how community and small moments of mindfulness can support us when life feels like too much. We also look closely at relationships: what happens when someone we love is struggling and we cannot change them; how inner healing can transform the way we relate to a partner; and how we might meet betrayal, hurt and conflict with wisdom and care. A central theme is the practice of a “strong back and soft front”—learning to set clear, courageous boundaries while keeping our hearts open. Compassion does not mean allowing harm, bypassing our wounds or forgiving before we are ready. Sometimes love asks us to protect ourselves, create distance and allow accountability. From that ground of safety and truth, genuine healing and compassion can unfold. We close with a guided reflection for bringing mindful awareness to conflict, tending our own vulnerability and listening inwardly for what love is asking of us. In this talk: • Returning to presence during overwhelm • RAIN and the trance of unworthiness • Self-compassion and emotional healing • Mindfulness in difficult relationships • Healing after betrayal • Healthy boundaries and clear communication • “Strong back, soft front” • Compassion without enabling harm • Forgiveness, safety and accountability • Working skillfully with conflict and reactivity Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Basic Body Scan (20 min.)
09/02/2026
Meditation: Basic Body Scan (20 min.)
In this guided body scan meditation, we explore a simple and nourishing pathway into presence—awakening awareness through the living sensations of the body. Beginning with a gentle softening of the eyes, face and shoulders, we gradually move awareness through the hands, heart, belly, legs and feet, sensing the aliveness that is already here. As the meditation unfolds, we widen our attention to experience the whole body as a field of sensation, allowing the breath and this moment to be just as they are. When the mind wanders, we practice simply relaxing back into presence—again and again choosing a relaxed, receptive attentiveness. We close by bringing kindness to our own being and allowing that care to widen outward toward all beings. This meditation can support relaxation, embodied awareness, mindfulness, nervous system settling and a deeper sense of presence in daily life. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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A Path with Joy — A conversation between Tara Brach and James Baraz
08/26/2026
A Path with Joy — A conversation between Tara Brach and James Baraz
How much joy do you experience in your life? Joy is part of our natural human capacity—along with the grief, fear, and sorrow that arise in response to the losses and suffering of our lives and our world. Yet habits of thought and feeling can cut us off from joy, even when it is available to us. Opening to joy takes intention—and it can be cultivated. In this conversation with beloved teacher and Awakening Joy author James Baraz, we explore what joy really is, why it matters, what gets in the way, and the practices that help us become more available to it. We also look at finding joy in difficult times, and how joy can deepen our resilience, connection, and engagement with life. For more information about James Baraz and is current programs, visit Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Relax into Happiness (19:38 min.)
08/26/2026
Meditation: Relax into Happiness (19:38 min.)
What if happiness is not something we need to create or strive for, but something we discover when we soften and let go? In this guided meditation, we awaken through the body, inviting the energy of a smile into the eyes, heart, belly and whole field of awareness. As we relax habitual tension and release the effort to control our experience, we begin to sense the aliveness and openness that are already here. The practice guides us to rest back into presence—meeting sensations, sounds and thoughts with a receptive awareness. Again and again, we discover that the pathway to happiness can be surprisingly simple: relaxing our grasping and allowing ourselves to be fully here. This meditation is especially supportive for: Relaxation and stress relief Mindfulness and embodied presence Letting go of tension and over-efforting Cultivating happiness and inner peace Reconnecting with the aliveness of the present moment Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Listening to the Song: The Transformative Power of Deep Listening - Part 2
08/20/2026
Listening to the Song: The Transformative Power of Deep Listening - Part 2
What becomes possible when we truly listen—to ourselves, to one another and to the life around us? In part 2 of this two-part series, we’ll continue to explore listening as a profound spiritual practice and a pathway to intimacy, compassion and healing. When we feel genuinely heard, our defenses can soften, our hearts can open and something that has been blocked begins to flow again. Together, we’ll look at what gets in the way of deep listening, along with practices for cultivating a more receptive presence: setting an intention for understanding and connection, listening inwardly to our own experience, and learning to listen to others with what Saint Benedict called the “ears of the heart.” Especially in a time of distraction and division, deep listening can become a radical expression of care. As we learn to quiet ourselves and listen beneath the words, we create the conditions for greater understanding, connection and healing—in our relationships and in our world Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Embodying Acceptance and Care (16:05 min.)
08/19/2026
Meditation: Embodying Acceptance and Care (16:05 min.)
In this guided meditation, we cultivate an embodied sense of acceptance, kindness and care—learning to meet each moment with a friendly, allowing presence. Beginning with the breath and a relaxed, awake awareness, we explore the felt sense of an inner smile, allowing its warmth to move through the face, heart, belly and whole body. This embodied friendliness becomes a way of making room for whatever is here, without pushing away our experience or holding on to it. As thoughts, emotions or tension arise, the practice invites us to soften, open and return to a heart-space that can include it all. Rather than needing this moment—or ourselves—to be different, we discover the peace that comes from meeting life with acceptance and care. As poet Dorothy Hunt writes, “Peace is this moment without judgment.” This meditation is especially supportive for cultivating mindfulness, self-compassion, loving-kindness (metta), emotional healing, inner peace and embodied presence. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Listening to the Song: The Transformative Power of Deep Listening, Part 1
08/13/2026
Listening to the Song: The Transformative Power of Deep Listening, Part 1
What becomes possible when we truly listen—to ourselves, to one another and to the life around us? In part 1 of this two-part series, we’ll explore listening as a profound spiritual practice and a pathway to intimacy, compassion and healing. When we feel genuinely heard, our defenses can soften, our hearts can open and something that has been blocked begins to flow again. Together, we’ll look at what gets in the way of deep listening, along with practices for cultivating a more receptive presence: setting an intention for understanding and connection, listening inwardly to our own experience, and learning to listen to others with what Saint Benedict called the “ears of the heart.” Especially in a time of distraction and division, deep listening can become a radical expression of care. As we learn to quiet ourselves and listen beneath the words, we create the conditions for greater understanding, connection and healing—in our relationships and in our world. In this talk, you will: ✨ Discover how deep listening can create greater intimacy, understanding, and connection ✨ Recognize the habits—distraction, fear, reactivity, and hidden agendas—that keep us from truly hearing one another ✨ Learn to listen inwardly with mindfulness and self-compassion so we can be more present with others ✨ Explore how listening with an open, undefended heart can bring healing to our relationships ✨ Practice cultivating a receptive presence that helps us listen more deeply to ourselves, each other, and our world Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Remembering Our True Home (15:44 min.)
08/12/2026
Remembering Our True Home (15:44 min.)
In this guided meditation, we turn attention inward and come into intimate presence with the life that is here. Beginning with the body, breath and sensations, we gradually open into the spacious awareness that holds all experience. As we soften habitual tension and allow thoughts, emotions and sensations to arise and pass, we discover the tender wakefulness that is always here. Like waves held by the ocean, our changing experiences belong to awareness but do not define who we are. As we close, we are invited to rest in that open, loving presence—and to remember that beneath the changing forms of our lives, awake awareness is our true home. This meditation is especially supportive for: ✨ Relaxing physical and emotional tension ✨ Cultivating embodied mindfulness and presence ✨ Meeting difficult emotions with tenderness ✨ Resting in open awareness ✨ Remembering our shared belonging and essential nature Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Namaste: Honoring the Light in All Beings
08/06/2026
Namaste: Honoring the Light in All Beings
What does it truly mean to say Namaste? In this talk, we'll look at the deeper invitation behind this ancient greeting—not merely as a gesture, but as a living practice of recognizing the sacred essence within ourselves and one another. When we learn to look beyond fear, judgment, and the stories we carry about ourselves and others, we begin to remember our shared basic goodness. When we pause long enough to truly see one another, we nourish the possibility of compassion—not only in our relationships, but in the collective heart of humanity. Together, we'll explore: -The deeper meaning of Namaste -Seeing beyond the "small self" and conditioned identity -Awakening to our shared basic goodness -Transforming judgment through mindful awareness -Bringing compassion into difficult relationships -Living with greater reverence, belonging, and love Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Being Here (21:22 min.)
08/05/2026
Meditation: Being Here (21:22 min.)
This guided meditation invites you to come home to the simple aliveness of this moment. Through mindful breathing, softening the body, and resting in the awareness that is already here, we discover that presence is not something we create—it is our true home. As we gently release the momentum of thinking, we begin to recognize the quiet wakefulness that is always available beneath the changing flow of sensations, emotions, and thoughts. Each time we return to the immediacy of "here," we strengthen the pathway home to ourselves. This practice offers a refuge for times of stress, anxiety, overwhelm, or uncertainty, reminding us that freedom begins by simply arriving—fully and compassionately—in this moment. In this meditation you'll explore: - Mindful breathing as a portal to presence - Relaxing the body with awareness - Resting in witnessing awareness - Returning gently from distraction without judgment - Cultivating inner peace and embodied presence Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: At Home in the Moment (21:02 min)
07/30/2026
Meditation: At Home in the Moment (21:02 min)
When we pause and gently return to the living experience of this moment, we begin to discover a refuge that has always been here. This guided meditation invites you to relax the body, soften the heart, and awaken to the vibrant aliveness that is present beneath the constant stream of thinking. Together we'll practice using the breath and the body as a home base—learning to meet whatever arises with kindness, openness, and an accepting "yes." As we become more intimate with our present-moment experience, we begin to realize that true peace isn't found by changing this moment, but by fully inhabiting it. Whether you're new to meditation or a longtime practitioner, this practice offers a gentle pathway to greater presence, inner ease, and a deeper sense of belonging to life. In this meditation you'll explore: • Relaxing deeply into the body and breath • Using the body as an anchor for mindful awareness • Meeting thoughts and emotions with compassion instead of resistance • Returning again and again to the aliveness of the present moment • Resting in the spacious awareness that is always here Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Ask Me Anything (Part 1): Fear, Self-Compassion, Grief, Trauma & Awakening
07/29/2026
Ask Me Anything (Part 1): Fear, Self-Compassion, Grief, Trauma & Awakening
What is the difference between having goals and living from aspiration? How do we respond when fear takes over? What if self-compassion feels impossible? How do we forgive ourselves, navigate profound grief, heal from trauma, or rediscover joy in practice? In this first Ask Me Anything session, Tara responds to heartfelt questions from our global community, exploring many of the challenges that touch us most deeply. Together we investigate how mindfulness and compassion help us meet fear, shame, loss, trauma, illness, and uncertainty—not by escaping our experience, but by discovering the awareness and love that can hold it all. These reflections are offered as practical guidance and as an invitation to trust the innate wisdom and tenderness that live within each of us. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Stories That Imprison Our Heart - Part 2
07/23/2026
Stories That Imprison Our Heart - Part 2
The stories we believe shape the life we experience—but they are not the truth of who we are. In Part 2 of Stories That Imprison Our Heart, we explore how fear-based narratives create separation, anxiety, and suffering, and how mindfulness allows us to recognize these stories without becoming trapped inside them. When we learn to meet the vulnerable feelings beneath our thoughts with compassionate awareness, we begin to rediscover the freedom, wisdom, and love of our true nature. In this talk you'll discover: -Why our thoughts are maps of reality—not reality itself -How fear-based stories create suffering in our relationships and inner life -The practice of recognizing limiting narratives with mindfulness -Why healing comes from meeting the emotions beneath our stories with compassion -How presence reveals the innate goodness and belonging that no story can diminish Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: The Breath - Portal to Presence
07/23/2026
Meditation: The Breath - Portal to Presence
In this guided meditation, you're invited to discover the breath as a refuge—a steady anchor that can return you, again and again, to the aliveness of this moment. As we soften the body, awaken the heart, and gently release the habit of being lost in thought, the simple rhythm of breathing becomes a portal to presence, peace, and belonging. Together we'll explore: -How intentional breathing helps calm the nervous system and quiet the busy mind -Relaxing the body through mindful awareness and compassionate presence -Meeting difficult emotions with kindness rather than resistance -Returning to the breath whenever attention wanders -Opening the heart through loving-kindness and shared intention for all beings Whether you're new to meditation or a longtime practitioner, this practice offers a simple yet profound way to reconnect with your natural awareness and inner ease. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Stories That Imprison Our Heart - Part 1
07/16/2026
Stories That Imprison Our Heart - Part 1
Much of our suffering begins not with reality itself, but with the stories we believe about ourselves, others, and the world. In this first talk of a two-part series, I explore how unconscious narratives—shaped by fear, conditioning, and past experience—can imprison the heart and keep us feeling separate, defensive, or unworthy. Through mindfulness and compassion, we can begin to recognize these stories, loosen their grip, and awaken to the freedom of our true nature. In this talk, Tara explores: - How fear-based stories shape our identity and relationships - Why the "storytelling mind" is both essential and limiting - Recognizing the unconscious beliefs that create suffering - The healing power of mindful awareness and self-compassion - How love helps us release old narratives and rediscover belonging This teaching offers practical reflections for anyone longing to move beyond self-judgment, heal old conditioning, and live with greater freedom, authenticity, and connection. May this exploration support you in seeing beyond the stories that keep the heart small, and in remembering the boundless awareness and love that are your deepest nature. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: The Art of Letting Go (19:32 min.)
07/15/2026
Meditation: The Art of Letting Go (19:32 min.)
When life feels overwhelming, our first instinct is often to tighten, resist, or try to control what is unfolding. Yet true freedom begins when we discover the courage to soften and allow this moment to be just as it is. Inspired by the timeless teachings of mindfulness, this guided meditation offers a gentle pathway into presence through the practice of letting go—not by pushing experience away, but by releasing the resistance that keeps the heart contracted. Together, we'll explore: - Letting go of repetitive thoughts and returning to presence - Releasing physical tension and softening the body - Opening beyond emotional armoring into an undefended heart - Resting in the spacious awareness that holds all experience - Discovering the peace that naturally arises when we stop resisting life As Ajahn Chah reminds us, "If you let go a little, you'll have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you'll have a lot of peace." This meditation is an invitation to experience that peace for yourself. Whether you're seeking stress relief, emotional healing, deeper mindfulness, or a way to reconnect with your natural presence, may this practice help you come home to the awareness and love that are always here. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Worrier Pose: Finding Freedom from the Body of Fear (retreat talk)
07/10/2026
Worrier Pose: Finding Freedom from the Body of Fear (retreat talk)
Fear is part of being human. We can't stop life's waves from coming—but we can learn how to meet them with awareness, compassion, and courage. In this talk, I explore how meditation helps us awaken from what I call "worrier pose"—the habitual patterns of anxiety, overthinking, and contraction that keep us from living with an open heart. Together we'll explore how fear becomes less an obstacle and more a doorway to awakening, and practices—including RAIN—that help us move from identifying with fear to resting in the larger awareness that can hold it all. Rather than trying to eliminate fear, we can learn to relate to it with presence, kindness, and a deep sense of belonging. As we learn to turn toward fear with mindful presence instead of resistance, we discover that what we truly are is larger than any wave of anxiety. Beneath fear is an awake, loving awareness that has the capacity to hold every experience with wisdom and compassion. In this talk Tara explores: Why fear is a natural part of the human experience How anxiety shapes the body, mind, and emotions The difference between reacting to fear and relating to it wisely Using the RAIN practice to meet anxiety with compassion The importance of "resourcing" when emotions feel overwhelming How remembering our shared humanity helps dissolve isolation and fear ******************** Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music Support Tara's Work: If you find value in these talks and wish to support their continuation, please consider making a donation. Your generosity helps us keep these teachings available to all. Visit: https://www.tarabrach.com/donation/ Stay connected to Tara: ▪️Website: tarabrach.com ▪️YouTube: /@tarabrach ▪️Facebook: /tarabrach ▪️Instagram: @tarabrach ▪️Threads: @tarabrach
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Meditation: Know that You're Here (19:37 min)
07/09/2026
Meditation: Know that You're Here (19:37 min)
One of the great gifts of mindfulness is discovering that we can always begin again. In this guided meditation, I invite you to return to the aliveness of the present moment through the breath, the body, and the simple recognition: "Know that you're here." Together we'll gently relax the body, awaken embodied awareness, and practice returning whenever the mind wanders. Rather than judging ourselves for drifting into thought, we discover that each moment of noticing is another opportunity to come home to presence. As awareness opens, we begin to sense the spaciousness that holds every sound, sensation, and breath—revealing the natural peace and wakefulness that are always available. Whether you're beginning a meditation practice or deepening an existing one, this meditation offers a nourishing refuge—a way of returning, again and again, to the living presence that is your true home. In this meditation you'll explore: Relaxing deeply through breath and body awareness Returning to the present with a gentle anchor Working skillfully with a busy mind Resting in open, spacious awareness Offering compassion and blessings from embodied presence Discovering the freedom of simply being here ******************** Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music Support Tara's Work: If you find value in these talks and wish to support their continuation, please consider making a donation. Your generosity helps us keep these teachings available to all. Visit: Stay connected to Tara: ▪️Website: tarabrach.com ▪️YouTube: /@tarabrach ▪️Facebook: /tarabrach ▪️Instagram: @tarabrach ▪️Threads: @tarabrach
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