Tara Brach podcast

Tara Brach

Tara Brach, Ph.D is an internationally known meditation teacher and author of bestselling Radical Acceptance and True Refuge. Tara shares a weekly guided meditation and talk that blend Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices. The podcast addresses the value of mindfulness meditation and self-compassion in relieving emotional suffering, serving spiritual awakening and bringing healing to our world.

Tara Brach, Ph.D is an internationally known meditation teacher and author of bestselling Radical Acceptance and True Refuge. Tara shares a weekly guided meditation and talk that blend Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices. The podcast addresses the value of mindfulness meditation and self-compassion in relieving emotional suffering, serving spiritual awakening and bringing healing to our world.

 

#1458

Part 2 - Radical Compassion - Loving Ourselves and Our World into Healing

Drawn from Tara’s book, Radical Compassion (2020), these three talks explore how the RAIN practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) awakens the active, embodied caring that heals and frees our hearts. Through the framework of this practice, we look at how we can reconnect with the gold of our true nature, navigating life’s challenges with mindfulness and love.   In Part 2, Tara explores: ---How unmet needs and emotional reactivity block authentic connection in relationships. ---The "limbic controller" and its strategies, such as blame, avoidance, and pretending, that create distance in relationships. ---The transformative power of the RAIN practice in healing relational patterns and fostering deeper intimacy. ---The importance of recognizing the "goodness behind the mask" in ourselves and others to bridge separation. ---Stories and reflections that illustrate the healing potential of Radical Compassion in even the most challenging relationships. ... Read more

16 Jan 2025

59 MINS

59:11

16 Jan 2025


#1457

Meditation: Surrender into Living Presence

In this guided meditation we begin with a body scan, and rest in awareness with our senses awake. The key practice is to recognize when the mind immerses in virtual reality, reawaken our senses, and surrender again and again into the immediacy, vibrance and mystery of living presence. ... Read more

16 Jan 2025

19 MINS

19:44

16 Jan 2025


#1456

Radical Compassion: Loving Ourselves and Our World into Healing, Part 1

Drawn from Tara’s book, Radical Compassion (2020), these three talks explore how the RAIN practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) awakens the active, embodied caring that heals and frees our hearts. Through the framework of this practice, we look at how we can reconnect with the gold of our true nature, navigating life’s challenges with mindfulness and love.    In Part 1, Tara explores: ---How the RAIN practice weaves mindfulness and compassion to release self-judgment and awaken our hearts. ---The story of the "golden Buddha" as a metaphor for discovering our inner radiance beneath protective layers. ---The shift from "I" to "We" as an essential movement toward connection and wholeness. ---The importance of self-compassion in transforming the trance of unworthiness and reconnecting with our true nature. ---Practical ways to bring mindful presence to our daily lives and relationships, creating space for healing and growth.  ... Read more

09 Jan 2025

59 MINS

59:28

09 Jan 2025


#1455

Meditation: Cultivating a Gentle, Kind Attention (19:07 min.)

This meditation calls on the image and felt sense of a smile as we scan through the body, and invites a receptive and caring presence, as we open our attention to the changing flow of life. ... Read more

09 Jan 2025

19 MINS

19:07

09 Jan 2025


#1454

The Three Refuges - Gateways to Belonging and Freedom

We all need ways to guide our attention that allow us to find wisdom, love and freedom in the midst of our lives. This talk reviews three archetypal gateways—Buddha/awareness, Dharma/truth, and Sangha/loving community. Through teachings, guided meditations and a traditional refuge ritual, we engage together in bringing alive these pathways to healing and peace.   In this video, Tara explores: --- Spiritual practice as a journey of remembering our inherent goodness and reconnecting to what truly matters. ---The Three Refuges—Buddha (awareness), Dharma (truth), and Sangha (community)—as pathways to peace and belonging. ---The difference between false refuges, like seeking approval or blame, and true refuge found in presence and self-compassion. ---How the RAIN practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) transforms challenging emotions into spacious awareness. ---The power of widening our circles of belonging through vulnerability, active listening, and embracing shared humanity. ... Read more

02 Jan 2025

58 MINS

58:14

02 Jan 2025


#1453

Meditation: Relaxed and Awake (16:59 min.)

This guided meditation helps us find ease and wakefulness in our body and mind. With the breath as our home base, we offer a gentle and full attention to the changing waves. We close with a beautiful poem, “Walk Slowly,” by Danna Faulds. ... Read more

02 Jan 2025

16 MINS

16:59

02 Jan 2025


#1452

Short Talk and Meditation: Saying “Yes” to Our Life (11:23 min.)

Our habitual ways of avoiding pain keep us from experiencing intimacy with our inner life and with each other. This short talk and guided meditation offers instruction in saying “yes” to the life we encounter. As we release resistance, we discover the creativity, wisdom and love that express our truest nature (a reflection from the archives). Listen to the full talk: <a href= "https://www.tarabrach.com/saying-yes-meeting-edge-softening/">Saying “Yes” – Meeting Your Edge and Softening.</a>  ... Read more

25 Dec 2024

11 MINS

11:47

25 Dec 2024


#1451

Trusting Who We Are (retreat talk)

When we are suffering, we are believing something untrue - usually a limiting story about who we are. This talk explores the roots of our self-doubts, and the teachings and practices that remind us of our basic goodness - the loving awareness that is our source (given at the Fall 2019 IMCW 7-Day Silent Retreat - 2019-11-06).  ... Read more

25 Dec 2024

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:57

25 Dec 2024


#1450

Revolutionary Love: A Conversation with Tara Brach & Valarie Kaur

In a divided, reactive, and violent world, how do we embrace love and joy? How do we genuinely include our opponents in our hearts? What gives us the courage to bring our whole being into serving and savoring? And what is our vision for a new world?   In this fresh and profoundly relevant conversation, Tara Brach and Valarie Kaur explore the challenges and potential of these turbulent times. Valarie, a Sikh activist, filmmaker, civil rights lawyer, and author, shares insights from her powerful books, including See No Stranger and her recent works, World of Wonder and Sage Warrior. Together, Tara and Valarie reflect on: How Revolutionary Love can be a guide in times of division and despair. --- Valarie’s ancestral teachings on surviving apocalyptic times with courage. --- The role of joy, music, and community in building resilience and connection. ---Forgiveness, reconciliation, and transforming anger into meaningful action. ---Visioning a new world while staying rooted in hope, presence, and love.   Learn more about Valarie and the Revolutionary Love project at <a href= "https://revolutionarylove.org/">www.revolutionarylove.org</a> . ... Read more

19 Dec 2024

58 MINS

58:08

19 Dec 2024


#1449

Meditation: Breath by Breath – Inviting Relaxation and Ease

This meditation invites relaxation and ease. We begin with a long deep breathing that helps calm the body and mind. Then we release tensions that might be held in the body, and settle our attention in a receptive way with the breath. The intention is to discover the relaxed wakefulness that expresses our natural being. ... Read more

19 Dec 2024

16 MINS

16:36

19 Dec 2024


#1448

Part 2: A Heart that is Ready for Anything - The Gateway of Equanimity

In a world where the pace and magnitude of change is beyond anything ever experienced by humans, we are being called to cultivate the qualities of calm, inner balance and a steady, wise heart. These two talks look at the conditioning that fuels our emotional reactivity, and the practices that cultivate equanimity, resilience and a full, openhearted presence. We dedicate to these practices for the sake of our own freedom, and the wellbeing of all beings. ... Read more

12 Dec 2024

48 MINS

48:44

12 Dec 2024


#1447

Guided Meditation: Opening to the Sea of Presence (19:53 min.)

When our body and mind is relaxed, we become filled with a very awake, dynamic quality of presence. This meditation guides us in relaxing, opening our senses and resting in the vastness and inherent freedom of our own natural awareness. ... Read more

12 Dec 2024

19 MINS

19:53

12 Dec 2024


#1446

A Heart that is Ready for Anything- The Gateway of Equanimity - Part I

In a world where the pace and magnitude of change is beyond anything ever experienced by humans, we are being called to cultivate the qualities of calm, inner balance and a steady, wise heart. These two talks look at the conditioning that fuels our emotional reactivity, and the practices that cultivate equanimity, resilience and a full, openhearted presence. We dedicate to these practices for the sake of our own freedom, and the wellbeing of all beings. ... Read more

06 Dec 2024

45 MINS

45:02

06 Dec 2024


#1445

Meditation: Relaxing Back into Full Presence

This guided practice begins with a conscious breath that relaxes the body and mind, and then a body scan to awaken to the aliveness of the present moment. We then open into the natural awareness that includes the changing flow of sounds, feelings and sensations, and practice “relaxing back” when the mind gets lost in thought. ... Read more

06 Dec 2024

23 MINS

23:25

06 Dec 2024


#1444

Gratitude: Entering Sacred Relationship

Gratitude arises when we are in sacred relationship with life—present, open and receptive. This talk explores how central gratitude is to our physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and then looks at the ways we can directly gladden our minds with gratitude. We end with a guided meditation that includes sharings from the group. The audio includes a poem of blessing by John O’Donohue with a brief cut from Robert Gass – Om Namaha Shivaya (from the archives). ... Read more

28 Nov 2024

52 MINS

52:26

28 Nov 2024


#1443

Heart Meditation: Taking in the Goodness (24:08 min.)

Taking in the Goodness: Rumi said, “Whenever some kindness comes to you, turn that way – toward the source of kindness.” This meditation guides us to look for the source of loving and to turn in that direction. It begins with a lovingkindness practice that spreads the image of a smile into the body, then continues with a practice of seeing the goodness of ourselves and others. ... Read more

28 Nov 2024

24 MINS

24:08

28 Nov 2024


#1442

The Honesty Challenge - Getting More Truthful with Ourselves and Our World

Most of us value honesty yet are not aware of how regularly we avoid facing what’s difficult inside us, and how we are less than truthful with others. This talk explores the practice of radical self-honesty as the grounds of being more honest with others, and bringing more love and freedom to our lives.  ... Read more

21 Nov 2024

57 MINS

57:24

21 Nov 2024


#1441

Meditation: Vipassana - The Practice of Seeing Clearly (18:02 min.)

Vipassana, also known as insight meditation, is training in bringing a clear, mindful attention to our moment-to-moment experience. We begin by relaxing through the body and then resting attention with the breath – or some other sensory anchor – and allowing the mind to settle. Then we open to whatever is predominant or calling our attention – sensations, emotions, sounds – meeting each arising experience with a clear, kind attention. The gift of this process is discovering balance in the midst of the changing flow, and gaining deep insight into the nature of reality. ... Read more

21 Nov 2024

18 MINS

18:02

21 Nov 2024