Talks

Bob French

Jolene

The teaching that has been coming to mind this week is the teaching on equanimity. I’ve been thinking about it in terms of all the things that we get presented with in a lifetime, a year, in a single day. Anything along the spectrum of what we consider pleasant, or meet favorably, to what we feel neutral about, to what we consider unpleasant, or unfavorable. We don’t get to choose what comes. We have the power to cultivate more of something, but so much is out of our control and largely because we are all connected and so even if I do my best to nourish positive seeds, many unwholesome seeds have already been watered by me, around me, and I’m not separate from them. Even if I were to hide away in a cave, I cannot escape the full experience. How do we practice meeting what comes with equanimity? This talk includes an excerpt from The Heart of The Buddha's Teachings by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Talk on 10-22-23: Strengthening the Muscle of Equanimity

In meditation, we talk about letting go. But, what does it mean to let go? Most of the time, it’s not something we can simply say and then "poof," we let it go. Have a listen to this talk recorded live on Zoom at Sunday night meditation.

Talk on 2/18/24: Letting Go

With the fear factor high these days and likely to raise as the year goes on, it seems like a good time to strengthen our capacity to face fear. I am planning to continue talks and readings on the subject. Here is one from this past week.

Talk on 6/30/24: Fear Talk #1

This talk was given live on Zoom. A busy mind is exhausting and our thoughts can be very convincing. We tend to believe them. This talk reminds us why meditation practice helps us to not be a servant to our thoughts.

Talk on 8-18-24: Not A Servant To My Thoughts

After 11 years, we held the last Sunday evening meditation as a group. This was the talk I gave. Recorded live on Zoom.

Talk on 8-25-24: Last Sunday Session - No Beginning & No Ending

A 6 minute meditation to bring us into the spirit of gratefulness.

Meditation of Thanks (6 min)

This is a recorded version of the talk I gave on New Year's Day 2025.

New Year's Day Talk 2025

Cry Out to Jesus

Shark Hoodie Week...Recently watched "JAWS", again. Inspired by John Williams original score, here's how I would have layed it down...Happy Halloween fam!!!! Enjoy!!!.....get the Download!!!

Killing Machine (Halloween Special)

Real time solo guitar improvisation, one mic to one mono track.

Telecaster, pedal board, Twin Reverb

Failure To Launch

This is quite a different kind of outing for me. I've always admired the Soundcloud guitar players who play blues to pre-recorded backing tracks and burn them up. Many years ago, I played the blues myself, or tried to. So, around four years ago I thought I'd give the backing track blues thing a try. I decided at the time that the results weren't good enough to post. In fact, I'd forgotten that I'd even done it when I found this on my hard drive. I enjoyed hearing it, and inspired by Bill Boethius' recent original mega-exploded-blues postings (check them out!), I thought I'd share it.

I got the backing track free online, but can't now recall from where.

Fake Blews

Karin Tarabochia: German text and voice

Jonathan Beckenstein: English text, voice, music

The words are below, followed by a note from Karin.

Mit der Königsdisziplin vertraut werden, dem Feind die Hand reichen, der Liebe ins Wort schauen, mein Herzwohl in den Raum öffnen und verzichten auf das Normale, vergessen, was normal war, mein Jetzt, das Katastrophale, ins Licht stellen, anvertrauen, übergeben, die Sichel vom Nacken nehmen, den Brand von den Flammen lösen, Abschied nehmen vom Gewohnten, ich werde diesen Weg gehen.

Are we sleeping together tonight
As the room goes on fire around us
And the walls crumble into our bed
Are we sleeping together again?

Are we sleeping together my love
As the hours pass by us untried
Do our dreams disappear when we waken
Are we sleeping again side by side?

Are we sleeping together this year
As the seasons pass by us untasted
And only a handful to come
Are we sleeping together my love?

from Karin:

We create a LOVE NET by making "chains", adding the own love music and vocals to music or vocals that are already in the playlist. Feel free to use any existing part in love and respect, and remix, develop, continue, add ... the aim is to let chains grow and spread to a net. In order to that it makes sense to keep the parts short, that is possible to hear longer chains. It would be lovely to hear love messages in many languages. Please copy the description in your description, that it can go on, and when publishing please make it downloadable for others.
1. download an existing chain or single part
2. add yours
3.publish all together including the description in your description

And from me: If anyone wants individual stems from this piece to use in any way with Karin's voice, as she suggests, please message me. Thanks.

Part the Fire, Side by Side (with Augenmerk)

Real time live-looped solo guitar improvisation, one mic to one mono track.

Come On, It's Just a Walk

Real time solo guitar improvisation with effects and loop pedal. One mic to one mono track.

Talk on 10-22-23: Strengthening the Muscle of Equanimity

jnv1

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