The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Rob Burbea's Dharma Talks at Gaia House
Rob Burbea
ROB BURBEA (1965-2020) was Gaia House’s much-loved resident teacher for 10 years from 2005 - 2015, when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During his time at Gaia House, Rob wrote Seeing that Frees: Meditations on Emptiness and Dependent Arising – an important and influential work that continues to shape and open the meditative exploration of many. Emerging from this deep experiential understanding of emptiness, Rob dedicated much of his time and energy during the last years of his life to conceiving, developing, and establishing a new body of teachings that he called ‘A Soulmaking Dharma’. Before his death, Rob initiated the Hermes Amara Foundation (HAF), an organisation that is working to preserve and develop Rob's vast Dharma teaching legacy, and to support practitioners and teachers who are engaged with these teachings. All donations go directly to HAF - your financial support is much needed if Rob’s legacy is to sustain and thrive. To join the HAF mailing list and find out more about Rob's work please go to hermesamara.org or get in touch at info@hermesamara.org. Rob was also a guiding teacher of Freely Given Retreats (freelygivenretreats.org), a co-founder of Sanghaseva, an organisation exploring the Dharma through international service work (sanghaseva.org) and a co-initiator of DANCE, the Dharma Action Network for Climate Engagement (thedancewebsite.org).
2009-01-24 Samadhi in the Practice of Emptiness 44:40
Please note that these talks are from a 4 week retreat for experienced meditators. The talks and meditations can be listened to in any order or individually, but as they progressively unfold different levels of understanding of Emptiness, they will probably be more fully understood and the practices more easily developed if taken in series
Gaia House Meditation on Emptiness (2009)
2008-12-31 Beyond Impermanence 59:16
Gaia House Stillness and Insight - The New Year's Retreat
2008-12-28 The Meaning of Refuge 55:25
Gaia House Stillness and Insight - The New Year's Retreat
2008-11-27 Maya and Nirvana (Beyond the Measure of Mind) 63:48
What did the Buddha mean when he said that the world is 'like an illusion or a magic show' and that 'only nirvana is real'? This talk explores some of the Buddha's teaching of Dependent Arising, and how, through right practice, the illusion may be untangled, revealing the true nature of things, of mind, and of Nirvana.
Gaia House Solitary Month Retreat
2008-11-21 Living in the Truth 66:18
A life dedicated to discovering the Truth of things is a life lived beautifully, and leading organically to freedom from suffering. Yet we frequently approach our seeking with hidden attachments to assumptions, preconceptions and views (often about Truth or the ways it is realised) that hinder a really complete, far-reaching, open and radical inquiry. On every level, from the personal to the mystical and ultimate, how can we give free reign to the heart's longing to live the truth?
Gaia House Solitary Month Retreat
2008-11-14 Sense Desire 59:34
We exist and move in the world of sense contacts, and yet often we neglect to examine this relationship very deeply, or it becomes just another way to judge ourselves. Can we challenge our assumptions, habits and views and inquire caringly in this area in order to open to a more profound and unexpected freedom?
Gaia House Solitary Month Retreat
2008-11-09 Working with Thought in Meditation 62:15
As meditators, it can be tempting to see the thinking mind as an enemy, but we can instead discover a wise and skillful relationship with it. This talk presents possible ways of working with the wide range of manifestations of thought: from papanca (proliferation) and obsession to creative, reflective and helpful thinking, to seeing the empty nature of all thought.
Gaia House Solitary Month Retreat
2008-11-06 Approaches to the Hindrances 1:30:46
Gaia House Solitary Month Retreat
2008-10-05 The Unshakeable Heart (Part 2) 30:55
Gaia House Equanimity
2008-10-04 Second Day Instructions - Vedana 20:51
Gaia House Equanimity

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