Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage

Taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, The Triple Gem, is usually done on retreat or other occasions. In this talk, Mary delves into what taking refuge means and how reflecting on ea…

The world seems to be screaming right now - there is so much going on with violence, climate change, oppression and injustice at every turn. We also have our day-to-day issues to deal with. At times …

In this talk Mary discusses the concept of samvega which means the experience we feel when we finally see through the delusion and stories that we have believed and used to guide our lives. It can be…

Mary offers the invitation to start where you are quite often but what does it mean? It's the name of a wonderful book by Pema  Chödrön, but additionally it is a reminder that we cannot be anywhere o…

Buddha taught that the six realms of  Saṃsāra  are where we are caught in the continuing cycle of birth, death and rebirth. We only become free when we are free of craving or clinging, and see clearl…

In this talk Mary dives into how craving and clinging show up in our lives and how much suffering, discomfort and discontent is caused because of it. We chase after pleasure all the time and hold tig…

Reflecting on the themes of humility, equanimity and resilience, Mary talks about how the practice can help us find the strength to meet each moment and each day. Mindfulness and an intention to be a…

Kindness, friendliness, goodwill. The Buddha invited us to greet the world with a kind heart and without causing harm, but how do we do that in a world full of greed, hatred and ignorance. Mary discu…

This simple quote from St. Francis Assisi contains a wise teaching on equanimity. What does it mean? How do we do it? Mary unpacks this invitation to move through the world with spaciousness, compass…

Loneliness and isolation are feelings that are so pervasive these days. In this talk, Mary discusses how damaging this sense of disconnection can be and how the Buddha taught the importance of friend…

This talk was recorded at the Compassionate Heart Retreat in Los Angeles on Nov. 11, 2023. The title speaks for itself. Thanks to Recovery Dharma for the invitation and the recording. Much love!

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The Buddha's famous Fire Sermon describes how our senses are aflame when we're caught in craving and aversion. Mary discusses how often these flames are more like embers that we become used to. They …

Sometimes it feels as we're living in a binary world where there is either grief or gratitude and the mind creates stories as to why one experience is appropriate and the other is not. In this talk, …

A brief reflection on how we are so deeply stuck in our conditioning that we are often unwilling to turn towards the reality of the moment. "Yeah, but" is what shows up when we hold on tightly. Let g…

Mary talks about how the practice of mindfulness and compassion has allowed her to walk through the few days after hearing about her brother's death. Willing to feel the grief, recognizing how we kee…

The story of Milarepa and the Demons is so emblematic of how we live our lives and how we can cultivate a spiritual path. We can choose to fight the reality of this moment or allow ourselves to be op…

Mary reflects on the old story which tells us that there are two wolves at war in our minds - the good wolf and the bad wolf. The one who wins is the one we feed. Many times we get stuck in incredibl…

The world is spinning so quickly and it's easy to become unbalanced when things shift so rapidly. There is fear and anger, grief and sadness. It's important to be grounded and know our priorities in …

Continuing the conversation from last week, Mary discusses ways to stay present in the face of tragedy and the challenging moments we're walking through. Continuity of mindfulness, guarding the sense…

A deep intimacy with our experience without preference is the essence of equanimity, however it's difficult to accomplish especially in the current moment when, once again, there is so much violence,…