Tea with Mara

"Tilting Toward Happiness" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on a concept in gaming called being “tilted.” Something goes wrong, frustration takes over, and suddenly we’re so focused on the outcome we want that we start behaving in ways that make it even harder to get there. Turns out, we do this all the time outside of games too.

In traffic. In relationships. At work. With our health. Even in our meditation practice.

In this Dharma talk, we look at a piece of gaming advice that sounds surprisingly Buddhist: “Tilt is just bein...

"Do You Even Train, Bro?" is a Dharma Talk and brief guided meditation on spiritual bypassing and the ways we can sometimes use Buddhist teachings to avoid the very things our practice is supposed to help us face. We cover how sometimes, acceptance can become resignation, equanimity can be mistaken for indifference, letting go can become avoidance, and even meditation can become a place to hide. The Dharma isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about learning to see clearly what is actually happening and responding with wisdom and compassion. Sometimes that means sitting with what is. Some...

"True Story" is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation about learning to separate what actually happened from what the mind adds to it, how papañca (mental proliferation) can turn one unpleasant moment into an entire bad day, and how gratitude can help us see everything that is true about an experience without denying what hurts. We don’t always get to choose what happens to us. But we can practice choosing what we carry away from it. I hope you find the talk useful. Enjoy!

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"Who Do You Think You Are?" is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation on Imposter Syndrome and something the Buddha called Māna. I saw Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers in tears in an interview because he didn't feel like he was good enough for the players he wanted to play with on his solo album. I saw Matt Dinniman, who wrote the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, talking about how he keeps thinking someone will figure out he sucks, while in the month of july alone he sold around 16 million books. And I thought about all t...

“Never Be Lonely Again” is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha exploring the difference between loneliness and being alone.

You can be physically alone while carrying a whole room full of people around in your head. You can be surrounded by people and still feel completely lonely. And, in a deeper sense, the Buddha taught about a kind of “aloneness” that has nothing to do with how many people are around us at all.

So what does it mean to be truly alone? When does solitude become isolation? And how do we find the Middl...

"Welcome Back, Stay Awhile" is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation offered in the MindfulnessVR community on the Four Right Efforts. The Buddha taught that our practice isn't simply about finding our way back when we've wandered off the path. We can learn to recognize what pulls us away, let go of what isn't serving us, intentionally cultivate what is wholesome, and protect the good that is already growing. In this talk, we'll explore the Four Right Efforts as a practical way of tending the mind every day to help us stay on the path when we've returned...

"Only A Step Away" is a Dharma talk and very brief meditation suggested in the 11th hour in MindfulnessVR by one of our community members. I walked into our gathering without a Dharma talk planned and moments before we started, someone asked about finding your direction again after letting other people pull you away from your path.

So we talked about wandering, distraction, relationships, boundaries, personal responsibility...and beginning again.

Getting distracted isn't failure, it's simply a part of the practice.

And no matter how far you think you've wandered, the path is...

"Pillars of Thought" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on the topic of Intentions, and of moving from stagnant thoughts (Pillars of thought) to actions which have an arc or a lean toward action. How many things in your life have you been meaning to do? Sometimes what we think is an intention may actually just be a pillar of thought. It may be important, but it’s standing perfectly still. Genuine intentions lean toward action.

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"The BuJu Buddha" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on the oddly aligned topics of Bullet Journaling and the teachings of the Buddha, and Mahasi Sayadaw's method of Noting Practice. As I recently turned to physical journaling using the BuJo method as a way to escape the bonds of electronics in a portion of my life, I was surprised to find that the practice popularized by Ryder Carroll was surprisingly similar to noting practice in the Dharma. And here we are. :) I promise I'm not trying to sell you on the idea of journaling or BuJo...

"No, I Am My Father" is a Dharma talk and brief meditation offered in MindfulnessVR on why Disney holds such a powerful allure for adults? Most assume it's about escaping reality. But maybe it’s about our very human longing for joy, wonder, story, connection, and a world intentionally designed around happiness. In this episode, we explore the surprising Dharma hiding beneath the magic: why stories matter, why wonder matters, how our surroundings shape the mind, and why even the most carefully crafted “happiest place on Earth” can’t create happiness for us. What if the happiest place on Earth is...

"The Delicious Itch" is a Dharma talk and brief meditation inspired by the Sirens in The Odyssey and a lovely Instagram post I saw by a young man named Esteban. It's about the persistent voice insisting that happiness exists somewhere other than here. The Sirens sound remarkably like Māra to me. They don’t have to drag us away from our lives. They only have to tempt us enough to keep listening. So, in this talk we explore craving, regret, papañca, impermanence, Māra, and the Buddhist practice that lets us recognize the song without following it. I hope...

"Intention Is Everything" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha inspired by Christopher Nolan's recent movie The Odyssey. We had VR friends visiting from the MindfulnessVR community, and I asked what they might like to hear a talk on. They said anything in the ethics realm, and I prepared a talk. Then I saw The Odyssey, and was inspired to include some of that 3000 year old marvel. I tweaked the talk to include some about "Zeus' Law" and here we are. I hope this talk - which is largely about kindness, ethics, and intention - will give...

"It's That Time Again" is a Dharma Talk offered in MindfulnessVR about birthdays and how they can sometimes get you down. A beloved community member recommended the topic because he struggles on his birthday, always leaning toward focusing on all that he has failed to do or not accomplished, instead of seeing all the good he has done and all the joys present in his life. We love him and did this talk with him in mind, but who can't use a reminder like this on every day of the year? I hope you enjoy the talk!

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"Jimothy Didn't Choose" is a Dharma Talk about free will, and whether or not we have it. I hope you'll find it helpful. Enjoy!

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"Loving Without Losing Yourself" is a Dharma talk and very brief guided meditation on the topic suggested by a community member of how to deal with a parent who is extremely hostile toward you. But in a broader way it's just about how to develop healthy boundaries and hold them, and how to find compassion for difficult people. I hope you'll find some fit in your own life for this one if you need it. Enjoy!

https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"An Unfinished Life" is a Dharma talk inspired by a friend of mine who had a few questions. The common thread across them all, that I saw, was about growth, and about the perfection of imperfection. I don't know if this directly addressed all of her questions, but it definitely was a talk I enjoyed sharing. An Unfinished Life is also something we are all living out every day and may we always be treating it so! I hope you will find some help or inspiration within this talk, and I deeply thank my friend for sharing her questions...

"Stretch Toward Giving Heed" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha inspired by the movie Disclosure Day. While I tried hard not to spoil any of it, the overall meaning - or at least my view of it - is shared. This talk is about paying attention, and I hope you will get some benefit from it. I believe it's something the whole world desperately needs right now. Enjoy!

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"Freedom Fighters" is a Dharma talk and super brief meditation on the five hindrances ("freedom fighters" because they fight our efforts to free ourselves!). It's hopefully a helpful look at the things that get in our way, and it was inspired by discussion following last week's talk. I hope you find it helpful. Enjoy!

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"Use Your Time Wisely" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on the topic of doing non-doing. We talk about boredom and the benefits of sitting and doing absolutely nothing, instead of filling our time with habit driven busywork.I hope this will be useful in your practice. Enjoy!

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"The Agitation of Joy" is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation on the topic of how even joy can sometimes feel painful, and an exploration of how that actually works. This topic was suggested by a community member who received great news, but then couldn't sleep all night which was the pain they endured. We discuss why and how to work with that. I hope you find it useful! Enjoy!

https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"The Greatest Gift" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha inspired by Father's Day and the many different ways the day can be held and felt for people. And also about how the Buddha might have addressed these many ways. I hope you find some value or comfort in this talk and that it can serve you in some way. Enjoy!

https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"Guarding The Garden" is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation based on the wisdom imparted by author Z.S. Diamanti in his wonderful cozy fantasy book "Guard In The Garden". From the first quote I highlighted, where one character tells another "Everyone has loads to be thankful for if they have the eyes to see it. And, when we’re filled up with gratitude, it often overflows as kindness." I knew I would end up doing a talk on this topic. Diamanti is a veteran, and expresses the eternal wisdom through his protagonist Felton who is a wounded wa...

"Freedom Without, Freedom Within" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha reflecting on the celebration of Independence Day by exploring a different kind of freedom.

Two hundred and fifty years ago, a nation declared its independence from a distant ruler. But what about the rulers we still carry within? The voice of self-criticism. The pull of craving. The grip of fear. The stories we tell ourselves about who we are and how life is supposed to be.

The Buddha spoke often of true freedom from the greed, hatred, and delusion that keep us...

"The Stories We Live Inside" is a Dharma talk exploring the stories we tell ourselves, the identities we cling to, and how we can begin to see that our stories are not the same thing as reality. We may find that freedom can come from loosening our grip on the stories we've been carrying too long. I hope you will find something useful in this talk. Enjoy!

https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"I Thought I Was Right, But I Was Certain" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha about how, when we're young, we often feel remarkably certain about things we have barely experienced. We know what love is. We know what happiness means. We know how life works. Then life happens. Marriage. Children. Loss. Success. Failure. Friendship. Aging. And slowly we discover that reality is far more complicated...and far more beautiful...than our theories about it.

In this talk, we'll explore how wisdom is less about knowing the answersand more about learning to hold our...

"Buddhism Still Ruins Everything" is a Dharma talk about misconceptions, curiosity, and personal responsibility. A starting place perhaps for someone considering a Dharma practice. Raised Catholic, disillusioned by religion, and spending years searching for something that felt true, I eventually discovered the Dharma in a book about mindful eating. What I found wasn't a new belief system. It was a practical path for understanding suffering, identifying its causes, and learning how to live with a little more wisdom and a little less confusion. In this talk we cover some of the most common misunderstandings people have about Buddhism, whether...

"Within You, Without You" is a great Beatles song...and also the name of the Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha tonight on the topic of the differences between fear based beliefs and experience based spiritual practice. We start out by clearing up some common misconceptions about Buddhism, and then talk about how fear based beliefs cause harm, while wisdom and experiential practices lead to happiness. We covered a lot of ground. And we wrapped it up with the Beatles. I hope that this talk will help heal your wounds and incline you toward happiness. Question everything (including...

"Not Picking Up What I'm Putting Down" Is a Dharma Talk and brief guided meditation on the difference between carrying something and controlling it, why the mind clings to burdens that no longer serve us, and how the Buddha's teachings point toward a deep form of relief found through through wisdom, discernment, and learning what can finally be set down. I hope you find it useful! Enjoy!

https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“Radar Rider” was a short Dharma talk offered for Heavy Metta Chicago on the topic of escapism, entertainment, mindfulness, and the stories we disappear into. When Jay invited me to lead the session, I was excited because obviously I love the Dharma, but as a kid I also loved to escape into the fantasy art worlds of the magazine that inspired the HMC logo, Heave Metal. Peppered with my love of the magazine and movie, we explored the differences between restoration and avoidance, how media can both nourish and numb us, and what it means to enjoy art, fantasy, book...

"The Living's Easy" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on the topic of nourishment, presence, and making the most of the fleeting moments of our lives. As summer begins, vacations loom, children grow up, and life shifts around us, we often find ourselves holding both joy and a sadness at the same time. Tonight we’ll explore the Buddha’s teachings on nutriment and ask not only what we feed our bodies, but what we feed our minds, hearts, relationships, and attention. We’ll reflect on presence versus distraction, fear versus love, and how the ordinary moment...

“Jealous Again” is a Dharma talk offered at Mindfulness VR on the topics of jealousy, envy, comparison, chronic illness, and the tenderness that often lives beneath those experiences. We discuss the difference between jealousy and envy, why the mind compares itself to others so naturally, and how suffering deepens when we build identity around those comparisons. We’ll look at the Buddha’s teaching of the “second arrow,” appreciative joy (muditā), and how longing itself is not the problem…bitterness is. This talk is not about pretending difficult emotions don’t exist or trying to spiritually bypass pain. It’s about learning ho...

“When We Stand On Unsteady Ground” is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on how we can actually practice when things feel heavy, uncertain, painful, or overwhelming. Without focusing on any one specific kind of suffering, this talk explores practical Dharma-based ways to steady ourselves during difficult times. We’ll look at the Buddha’s teachings on grief, fear, overwhelm, patience, compassion, and resilience as pragmatic tools for surviving hard moments without losing ourselves inside them. I hope this is useful for you!

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"Something Has Changed" is a Dharma Talk and brief guided meditation offered at MindfulnessVR on the subtle and often surprising nature of genuine happiness. Sometimes transformation appears in a simple moment where we suddenly realize, “I think I’m actually okay.” This talk explores contentment, healing, friendship, gratitude, emotional resilience, and the gradual rewiring of the heart through practice. And, crucially, it's about paying attention so that we notice when it happens! Enjoy!

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“Mother Matters” is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha exploring the many dimensions of motherhood, care, grief, gratitude, and the maternal heart. Mother’s Day is not always simple. For some, it is joyful. For others, it carries loss, longing, regret, complicated relationships, or deep tenderness. In this talk we’ll explore the Buddha’s own experience with maternal loss, the story of Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī who raised him, and how the Dharma invites us to hold love and suffering together with compassion and honesty. May it be of use to you!

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"Another Chapter" is a Dharma Talk and brief guided meditation on the topics of change, impermanence, and letting go. This talk was inspired by my favorite social book tracker app shutting down. It's been my favorite place for over a year, and it's closing up shop. This made me think of the MindfulnessVR community (where this talk was given) and all the changes we have encountered, grieved, and survived. It seems only natural to offer a talk that might help another community through their own suffering of loss like this. I hope someone will find it helpful!

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"Mid-Life Crisis or Spiritual Awakening?" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on the topic of saṁvega ...the spiritual urgency that arises when we begin to clearly see aging, impermanence, mortality, and the unsatisfying nature of trying to build lasting happiness from changing conditions.

What we often call a “mid-life crisis” may sometimes actually be the moment the story we’ve been living inside of stops fully working…forcing us to ask deeper questions about meaning, identity, fulfillment, and what truly leads to peace.

This talk explores the Buddha’s teachings on disillusionm...

"The Four Kinds of Friends" is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation on a topic inspired by another recent talk, after which the discussion arose about how to handle difficult friends. The Buddha actually had some very specific kinds of advice he offered around this, so we dove into it in this talk. I hope it helps you gain some clarity around these kinds of relationships and how to grow the healthy ones and let go of unhealthy ones. May it be of use. Enjoy!

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"The Most Sublime Bookshelf" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on the topic of the Four Brahma Viharas. In this talk, we explore loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity; the practical ways the Buddha taught that the heart can meet the world. Framed here by gratitude at the beginning and forgiveness at the end, this talk looks at how we open the heart, train it, and learn to let go of what keeps it closed. I hope you find it helpful. Enjoy!

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"The Suffering of Expectation" is a Dharma talk offered at the Two Hands Sangha about how we suffer because of the expectations we place on things. Particularly when we ask someone for help, and we expect a certain answer, that is a recipe for suffering. It means we aren't really asking for something, we are expecting it, and if the answer doesn't meet our expectations, suffering will follow most certainly. I hope this is of some use to someone listening, and that you enjoy it!

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"The Direction of Perfection" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on the topic of doing the best we can with what we have where we are. It's about the Paramis (or The Ten Perfections), but really it is ultimately about how our imperfection is actually just perfectly perfect as it is. I hope this will be a fun and useful talk for you. Enjoy!

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