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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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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The Dance with Pain
07/03/2026
The Dance with Pain
Physical pain is part of being human—but suffering arises from how we relate to it. In this talk, I explore how mindfulness and compassion can transform our relationship with pain, helping us move from fear and resistance toward freedom, presence, and peace. Whether you're living with chronic pain, recovering from illness, navigating emotional suffering, or simply meeting the inevitable challenges of life, this teaching offers practical guidance for discovering greater spaciousness and resilience. Rather than waiting for life to be free of discomfort, we can learn to inhabit this moment with an open heart. Drawing from Buddhist wisdom, personal experience, and guided mindfulness practices, we'll explore how pain can become not an enemy, but a doorway into awakening. In this talk we'll look at: - The difference between pain and suffering - How resistance intensifies physical and emotional pain - The Buddhist teaching of the "second arrow" - Mindfulness practices for working with chronic pain - How awareness, kindness, and spaciousness reduce suffering - Practical ways to meet discomfort with compassion instead of fear - Ways that pain can become a portal to presence, healing, and freedom When we stop fighting our experience and begin meeting it with mindful presence, we discover a larger awareness that can hold even life's greatest challenges. In that openness, pain no longer defines us—it becomes part of the dance of being fully alive.
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Meditation: Gladdening the Mind (18:31 min)
07/02/2026
Meditation: Gladdening the Mind (18:31 min)
The Buddha taught that one of the most powerful ways to begin meditation is by gladdening the mind—remembering what we love, resting in gratitude, and opening to the goodness that is already here. In this guided meditation, I invite you to awaken a gentle smile throughout the body and heart, allowing appreciation, ease, and spacious awareness to naturally emerge. Together we'll explore how a simple shift toward gratitude can soften habitual contraction, calm the nervous system, and reconnect us with the aliveness of the present moment. As awareness opens like the vast sky, we discover that beneath the changing flow of thoughts, emotions, and sensations is an awake, loving presence that is always here. In this meditation you'll explore: Resting in the stillness and openness of true awareness How gratitude helps settle and gladden the mind Relaxing the body through the felt sense of a smile Opening to spacious, embodied awareness Returning from mental busyness to present-moment presence Whether you're new to meditation or an experienced practitioner, this practice invites you to come home to the peace, presence, and loving awareness that is your true nature.
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Spiritual Reparenting
06/25/2026
Spiritual Reparenting
Many of us carry a deep sense that something is wrong with us—that we are not enough, not lovable, or somehow disconnected from belonging. Yet beneath these conditioned beliefs lives a natural capacity for healing, wisdom, and love. In this talk, I explore the practice of Spiritual Reparenting—bringing the qualities of mindful awareness and compassion to the wounded places within us. Through stories, reflections, and practical guidance, we discover how to meet our fears, shame, loneliness, and unmet needs with the same presence and care that every child longs to receive. Together we'll explore: ✨ Why feeling truly seen and loved is essential for healing and awakening ✨ How early wounds create patterns of separation, self-judgment, and reactivity ✨ The transformative question: "Where does it hurt?" ✨ How mindfulness and compassion help us reconnect with our deepest belonging ✨ Ways to offer ourselves the loving presence that allows healing to unfold naturally This talk is an invitation to move beyond the trance of separation and remember the truth of who we are: connected, awake, and held within a larger field of love. As we learn to meet ourselves with understanding and kindness, we become more able to bring that same healing presence to our relationships and to our world. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Awakening an Intimate Presence (21 min)
06/24/2026
Meditation: Awakening an Intimate Presence (21 min)
What if the peace and presence you long for is already here—closer than you imagine? In this guided meditation, we explore the practice of awakening an intimate presence with life as it is. Through mindful awareness of the body, breath, heart, and senses, we gently release habitual striving and return to the living reality of this moment. As we soften into a receptive awareness, we discover a natural spaciousness that can hold whatever arises with kindness and ease. This meditation invites you to: ✨ Relax into embodied awareness and presence ✨ Cultivate a gentle, friendly attention toward your inner experience ✨ Sense the aliveness of the body from the inside out ✨ Rest in the stillness and openness of awareness itself ✨ Deepen trust in the loving presence that is your true nature Whether you're new to meditation or a longtime practitioner, this practice offers a pathway home—to the intimacy, peace, and awake heart that are always here. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Widening the Circles of Care
06/18/2026
Widening the Circles of Care
What helps us widen our circles of care and awaken a more inclusive, compassionate heart? As we navigate political division, collective uncertainty, and personal challenges, mindful awareness and spiritual imagination can help us stay connected to love without being overwhelmed by the suffering we witness. Drawing from mindfulness, compassion practices, personal stories, and timeless wisdom teachings, Tara explores how we can move beyond fear, reactivity, and "othering" toward a deeper experience of our shared humanity. This talk is an invitation to reconnect with the truth of our belonging—to ourselves, to one another, and to the living world. When we deepen our attention and allow our hearts to be touched, we become part of weaving a more loving future. In this talk, you'll learn: -How fear and stress fuel division, blame, and "othering" -Why opening to suffering can deepen wisdom and compassion -The role of mindfulness in staying present without becoming overwhelmed -How spiritual imagination helps us envision and create a more loving world -Practices for recognizing the vulnerability and goodness in others Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Mindful Body Scan (10:06 min.)
06/17/2026
Meditation: Mindful Body Scan (10:06 min.)
This guided meditation invites us to reconnect with the aliveness that is here in this very moment by bringing a kind and mindful attention through the body. Moving slowly from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet, we explore how awareness can soften habitual tension, deepen presence, and reveal the vibrant field of sensations that make up our embodied experience. As we rest in receptive awareness, we discover that the body is not a problem to solve but a gateway to presence, healing, and inner freedom. Even areas that feel numb or disconnected can become doorways to greater intimacy with life when met with patience and curiosity. Through mindful attention, we begin to sense the body as a living field of changing sensations—an ever-unfolding expression of awareness itself. This simple practice can help us come home to the presence, peace, and wakefulness that are always available beneath the busyness of the mind. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Waking Up from the Victim Trance
06/11/2026
Waking Up from the Victim Trance
Most of us know what it is like to feel emotionally reactive—hurt by others, overwhelmed by circumstances, horrified by what is unfolding in our world, betrayed by our own body, hijacked by our mind. In those moments, we can become identified with a small and vulnerable self—a victim self who feels at the mercy of forces larger than us. In this talk, we will examine how we become trapped in this often unconscious pattern, personally and collectively, and how it leaves us fearful, isolated, and cut off from our natural power. We’ll then explore how the wings of mindfulness and compassion can carry us beyond that trance, revealing the freedom, love, and aliveness of our true nature. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: Relaxing Back into the Mystery (18:48 min.)
06/10/2026
Meditation: Relaxing Back into the Mystery (18:48 min.)
All true meditation guides us back to presence, and the mystery that is our source. In this guided meditation we awaken the senses, collect with the breath, and when lost in thought, practice relaxing back into the aliveness and awareness that is always here. We close with a beautiful poem from poet Danna Faulds. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Living with a Courageous Heart: Tami Simon in Conversation with Tara Brach
06/04/2026
Living with a Courageous Heart: Tami Simon in Conversation with Tara Brach
In a recent conversation on Tami Simon's podcast Insights at the Edge, Tara and Tami reflected on themes from The Courageous Heart Workbook: Choosing to Love in Perilous Times. As many know, Tami is an exceptional interviewer, and the dialogue opened into questions that feel deeply relevant for these times. What does it mean to be bodhisattvas—to be awakening beings and caring beings—in a world marked by uncertainty and division? What is being asked of us now? The conversation touched on the deeper meaning of courage, the relationship between spiritual practice and engagement with the world, and the ways spirituality can sometimes become a means of avoiding what most needs our attention and care. It also explored how we can actively choose love, recognize our shared basic goodness, and shift from the busyness of the mind into a more awake and connected heart. It was a rich and heartfelt exploration, offering reflections and practices to support a more open, courageous, and engaged way of being in our world. Pick up your copy of The Courageous Heart Workbook at your favorite bookseller, or Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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Meditation: A Listening Presence | Tara Brach
06/03/2026
Meditation: A Listening Presence | Tara Brach
In this guided meditation, Tara invites us to discover the healing power of a listening presence—an awake and receptive awareness that allows us to come home to the aliveness of this moment. Together, we'll explore how listening deeply—to sounds, sensations, the breath, and the heart—can soften the grip of habitual thinking and reconnect us with the peace, openness, and tenderness that live beneath the surface of our busy minds. As we rest in a relaxed and alert attention, we begin to sense the simple miracle of being here. Again and again, we gently return from distraction to presence, cultivating a compassionate awareness that can hold our experience with kindness and ease. This meditation concludes with an invitation to awaken the heart's natural capacity for care, extending our wishes for well-being to ourselves and all beings. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
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