Joy blossoms in the moments our hearts open boundlessly to reality, to the 10,000 joys and sorrows. This series reflects on four primary expressions of an awake, wise heart: lovingkindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. In each talk we explore the habitual patterning that blocks our full realization of these innate capacities, and the understandings and practices that nurture their unfolding.

This meditation scans through the body, and awakens attention to the open, inclusive awareness that all life arises in. We then explore experiencing that openness in the region of the heart, saying yes to life and including whatever is here with unconditional presence.

Compassion – the tender resonance of heart – awakens as we allow ourselves to be touched by our shared vulnerability.

This series reflects on four primary expressions of an awake, wise heart: lovingkindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. In each talk we explore the habitual patterning that blocks our full realization of these innate capacities, and the understandings and practices that nurture their unfolding.

This guided practice helps us come into our senses through a body scan. We then rest in the awareness that is listening to and feeling the changing flow of experience. When the mind drifts, the return is a relaxing back to our senses, and to the sea of awareness that includes and experiences the waves of life. 

Discover the essence of lovingkindness in this first talk of Tara Brach's series, "Present Heart: The Universal Expressions of Love." This series delves into four primary qualities of an awake, wise heart: lovingkindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.

In Part 1, Tara explores the nature of lovingkindness — how it can be blocked by our habitual patterns, and how we can nurture and fully realize this innate capacity through mindful practices and understanding. ❤️

What You’ll Learn:

• Understanding the nature of lovingkindness and its role in spiritual growth
• Recognizing the habitual patterns that block the expression of love
• Learning practical techniques to cultivate and deepen lovingkindness
• Insights on how lovingkindness can transform your relationship with yourself and others

This meditation guides us to awaken to our senses through scanning through the body and then listening to sounds. When distracted by thoughts we relax open again and again, learning to rest in the formless awareness that includes sounds, sensations and all passing experience. 

Many recognize that love is the antidote to the suffering in our divided world, yet finding the path to an open heart can feel more challenging than ever. This talk explores the full spectrum of love—both tender and open, as well as fierce, protective, and engaged. When we cultivate this courageous love, we are able to hold even those we see as enemies in our hearts. In its true form, this love is not passive or soft. As Martin Luther King Jr. described, it is a powerful soul force, capable of bringing healing and liberation to all beings.

In this talk, Tara explores:

• how mindfulness serves as a powerful tool for cultivating compassionate awareness
• the importance of unarming our heart as a pathway to Radical Acceptance,
• the deep connection between courage and an awake heart
• the true connection that arises when we fully arrive in the moment.
• the power of the “sacred pause”—how presence allows us to open to love in difficult times

Lovingkindness becomes full when it is energetically experienced in our bodies. This meditation guides us in awakening the receptivity, warmth and openness of metta through our body, and then invites us to rest in the space of loving presence, as we open to whatever arises.

While meditation is widely practiced in today’s world, many miss the opportunity to tap into its profound potential to awaken the heart and mind. Beyond its surface benefits, meditation can guide us to the radiant light, boundless love, and pure awareness that is our true nature. This reflection explores how we often lose touch with the deeper possibility meditation offers, and guides us in approaching practice and daily life in a way that opens us to the timeless freedom and awakening of a Buddha.

In this week’s talk, Tara explores:

• Ways that deepening our meditation practice can help us navigate personal and collective challenges with greater ease.
• The power of mindful presence to awaken compassion and build resilience in the face of difficulty.
• Self-compassion as an essential practice for healing and reconnecting with our inner goodness.
• The transformative role of spiritual community (sangha) in nurturing belonging and shared purpose.
• How the practices of mindfulness and self-compassion can help us awaken from habitual reactivity and find a greater sense of connectedness and freedom.

This guided meditation practice brings attention to the continuous space within and around the body, and the aliveness of sound, sensation and feeling that lives through us. While it’s natural for attention to get distracted, the pathway home is a relaxing back into presence – the awake space that is aware of this changing life.

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 3, Tara explores:

• How the RAIN practice fosters compassion and connection by dismantling barriers to belonging.
• The three primary blocks to compassion: self-centered attention, creating a "bad other," and fear of overwhelm.
• How "stealth metta" and the mantra "We are friends" can soften our habitual biases and awaken kindness.
• The transformative power of seeing the "goodness behind the mask" in ourselves and others.
• The practice of Tonglen - breathing in suffering and breathing out care, to transform pain into a source of strength and connection.