Talks

Dharma Talks

Most of Stephen’s public talks are available at DharmaSeed.org. See that website for a complete list. Below is a partial list of talks on Dharma Seed and elsewhere with direct link to many talks. Please see the Videos page for videos.

2018–Reggio Emilio, Italy

Italy Interview, Introductory Overview Talk

Date: March 16

Duration: 31:07

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

This interview provides an excellent overview of the teaching and work of Awakening Dharma, and Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder.
» Download Transcript

2017–Spirit Rock

Concentration Meditation and the Jhanas

Date: July 11

Duration: 6:15:06

Taught by Stephen Snyder

2016–Spirit Rock

Concentration Meditation: Purification of Mind

Date: January 16

Duration: 3:48:41

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

2015–Various Locations

Introduction to Concentration Meditation Daylong Part 1

Date: January 16 - Spirit Rock

Duration: 59:41

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Introduction to Concentration Meditation Daylong Part 2

Date: January 16 - Spirit Rock

Duration: 63:19

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Introduction to Concentration Meditation Part 3

Date: January 16 - Spirit Rock

Duration: 14:32

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Introduction to Concentration Meditation Part 4

Date: January 16 - Spirit Rock

Duration: 1:12:15

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Talk 1– Bramaviharas, Metta overview and practice overview, instructions

Date: February 14–Cloud Mountain

Duration: 58:18

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Talk 2–More About Metta and Follow-up

Date: February 14–Cloud Mountain

Duration: 61:47

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Talk 3–Karuna overview and instructions

Date: February 15–Cloud Mountain

Duration: 27:43

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Talk 4–Karuna Follow-up; Mudita overview and instructions

Date: February 15–Cloud Mountain

Duration: 59:32

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Talk 5–Mudita Follow-up; Upekkha overview and instructions

Date: February 16–Cloud Mountain

Duration: 68:07

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Talk 6–Upekkha Follow-up; Purification of Heart

Date: February 17–Cloud Mountain

Duration: 55:52

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Talk 7–Bramaviharas as Concentration Practice

Date: February 18–Cloud Mountain

Duration: 1:17:22

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Transcript from Interview for Italian Newspaper

Date: August 7–Italy Retreat

Duration: 5:55

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

2014–Cloud Mountain

Introduction to Concentration Meditation Daylong Part 1

Date: March 1

Duration: 50:06

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Introduction to Concentration Meditation Daylong Part 2

Duration: 37:50

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Chanting–Homage to the Buddha, Refuges, Precepts

Date: October 1

Duration: 5:23

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

2013–Spirit Rock

What is Purification of Mind?

Date: February 2

Duration: 1:15:05

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

What is the Samatha Practice (Concentration Meditation)?

Duration: 39:41

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

2012–Spirit Rock

Differences Between Samatha and Vipassana

Date: January 14

Duration: 27:38

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

What’s Compelling about the Concentration / Samatha Practice?

Duration: 40:20

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

2008–Forest Refuge

What Is The Jhana Practice? #1

Date: July 2

Duration: 66:22

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

First Sit To First Jhana – talk #2

Date: July 3

Duration: 49:55

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Am I Going To Get Jhana? Talk #3

Date: July 4

Duration: 1:11:33

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

The Four Elements Practice; The Buddha As Our Role Model

Date: July 5

Duration: 61:22

With Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder

Other Talks

Buddhist Geeks Interview

Below is our interview by Vince Horn at BuddhistGeeks. It was a lot of fun talking with Vince about the “Jedi Warrior Training” the yogis described experiencing one of our retreats.

Part 1: BG 159: Mastering the Jhanas  Transcripts

Part 2: BG 160: The Jedi Mind Training of Concentration  Transcripts

Theravada Dhamma Society Talk

At the Request of Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw
In November, 2009, we were invited by Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw to give a talk to the Theravada Dhamma Society, a Burmese Buddhist community in the San Francisco Bay Area. Below is a hotlink to the talk in two parts (as the talk was 2 hours long.) This talk is a good condensed overview of the samatha practice as it is presented in the lineage of Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw.

Samatha Practice Overview Part 1

Samatha Practice Overview Part 2

Monthly Practice Group Dharma Talks

These talks, recorded at our January-May, 2008 monthly sitting group, describe the Samatha meditation practice as presented in the tradition of Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw. This practice leads to purification of mind and the development of powerful concentration that can lessen suffering and and increase the joy of Being, and can lead to the meditative absorptions known as jhanas. To listen or download in MP3 format, please click on the hotlink below each talk, which will take you to DharmaSeed.com where these talks are stored. The talks build on each other, so it is helpful to listen to them in the order they were presented.

Talk #1: Overview of the Samatha Practice

Duration: 43 minutes

Includes: The three stages of practice (Sila, Samatha, Vipassana); The Buddha’s practice of the jhanas; Why do this practice?; and an overview of the path of practice as taught by Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw; meditation instructions. Please also download the accompanying Practice Chart from the hotlink below, which accompanies the audio.

Link: Listen Here

Click here to download the Practice Chart that accompanies this talk

Talk #2: The Three Types of Concentration, and the Territory from the First Sit to First Jhana

Duration: 48 minutes

Includes: What is concentration? The three types of concentration (momentary, access and absorption) and the differences between them; the progression of practice from your first sitting all the way through entering first jhana; meditation instructions; and Q&A.

Link: Listen Here

Talk #3: How the Jhana Factors Neutralize the Hindrances, and Concentration Practice as Purification of Mind

Duration: 1 hour 14 minutes

Includes: Jhana factors overview; how hindrances relate to jhana factors; the role of sila / wholesomeness in this practice; how concentration practice leads to purification of mind; meditation instructions; and Q&A.

Link: Listen Here

Talk #4: Skillful Effort

Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes

Includes: intention; surrender; persistence; Yin and Yang; meditation instructions; and Q&A.

Link: Listen Here

Talk #5: Actions that Support Practice; The Five Jhana Masteries; “Psychic Powers”

Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes

Includes: silence, breathing, timing, resolves; the masteries required in completing a jhana and moving on to the next; and what is meant by “psychic powers” and whether they are necessary; meditation instructions; and Q&A.

Link: Listen Here