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Sally Armstrong's Dharma Talks
Sally Armstrong
Sally Clough Armstrong began practicing vipassana meditation in India in 1981. She moved to the Bay Area in 1988, and worked at Spirit Rock until 1994 in a number of roles, including executive director. She began teaching in 1996, and is one of the guiding teachers of Spirit Rock's Dedicated Practitioner Program. Sally has always been inspired by the depth and the breadth of the Buddha’s teaching, as presented in the suttas of the Pali Canon, because the truth and power of the Buddha’s words still speak to us today. Her intention in teaching is to make these ancient texts and practices accessible and relevant to all levels of practitioner, from the very new to the dedicated meditator.
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2017-08-19 Skillful development of pleasure in practice and life (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 58:07
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Though the teachings on dukkha (suffering) are an important part of the Buddhist path, a skillful relationship to sukha (pleasure) actually played a significant part in the Buddha's awakening. This talk explores the wise use of pleasure and the cultivation of beautiful qualities of mind, especially in concentration practice.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Concentration Retreat
2017-08-15 The development of concentration (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 55:06
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This talk explores various supportive factors for the development of a calm and collected mind.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Concentration Retreat
2017-05-29 Paying Attention to What We Pay Attention To (Drop-in at Spirit Rock) 63:32
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Sally Armstrong Monday Night Dharma Talk
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Monday and Wednesday Talks
2017-02-23 3 Kinds of Intention (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 57:10
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To develop any skill, to fully cultivate any qualities in our lives, particularly on the Buddhist path, we need to engage with three kinds of intention that operate on different time frames. Cetana is the moment to moment intention, the urge to do, that we can bring into the field of our mindfulness practice. The next level, Adhitthana, is usually translated as resolve or determination, and is one of the paramis. The highest level is Samma Sankappa, usually translated as right or wise intention. This is the second path factor, after right view, so it is the kind of intention developed by right view. There are three kinds of Right intention - the intention towards renunciation, non-ill will, and non-harming. These skillful intentions can then inform our choices and actions (Adhitthanas) , which we keep in mind through awareness of moment to moment intentions, or cetana.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  February Month-long Retreat
2017-02-18 Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness 58:58
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The Fourth Foundation in the Satipatthana Sutta provides a profound map for our vipassana practice, pointing again and again to how to relate wisely to all experiences.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  February Month-long Retreat
2017-02-12 The Resilience and Strength of a Compassionate Heart (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 59:12
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Compassion is the natural expression of "presence," the availability of an unclouded mind. This talk points to our inherent resilience and wisdom in response to suffering.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  February Month-long Retreat
2017-02-04 Patience in Practice and Life (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 55:25
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Patience is one of the paramis, the 10 beautiful qualities of the heart/mind that we develop in our sincere practice. Patience is essential if we are to deepen in meditation, especially on long retreats, as it allows us to be present when things are difficult or not exciting, which can be a lot of the time! True patience not just tolerance, a willingness to put up with things until they get better. Patience is a full body experience, a commitment to being present with care and acceptance. Patience brings with it many other wholesome factors such as contentment and equanimity.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  February Month-long Retreat
2017-01-29 Wise retreat (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 55:49
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For some people, the idea of retreat implies some form of escape or avoidance. But actually, meditation retreats, especially long ones, are deep dive into our direct experience, both individual and collective. Though we disengage from the busyness and distractions of our daily life, we are still deeply engaged in understanding the world and our place in it, and can return from retreat more balanced and compassionate, ready to engage wisely with our lives and the issues of our time.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  February Month-long Retreat
2016-11-28 Sally Armstrong at Spirit Rock - Living in an Imperfect World 62:41
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Dharma Talk from the Monday Night Meditation class at Spirit Rock on Monday, November 28th 2016.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2016-10-20 The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness 59:51
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The Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (usually translated as the Foundations of Mindfulness) offers a complete description of the practice of mindfulness, beginning with the direct awareness of the breath and the body, progressing through mindfulness of vedana or feeling tone, to the more subtle object of the Third Foundation, mindfulness of mind states. The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness represents the culmination of this series of practices, and can be seen as a direct pointing, again and again, to the possibility of freedom through direct awareness of where we get caught, and how to turn the mind towards liberation. This talk is an overview of the practices of the Fourth Foundation, which can be seen as both the last in the sequence of practices, and as a progression in itself. It also covers how the Fourth Foundation can be skillfully interwoven into our practice of the other foundations.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center :  Three-Month Part 1

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