Tara Brach

Tara Brach
  • 4.8 (10K)
  • Buddhism
  • Updated Semiweekly

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.

  1. Worrier Pose: Finding Freedom from the Body of Fear (retreat talk)

    3h ago

    Worrier Pose: Finding Freedom from the Body of Fear (retreat talk)

    Fear is part of being human. We can't stop life's waves from coming—but we can learn how to meet them with awareness, compassion, and courage. In this talk, I explore how meditation helps us awaken from what I call "worrier pose"—the habitual patterns of anxiety, overthinking, and contraction that keep us from living with an open heart. Together we'll explore how fear becomes less an obstacle and more a doorway to awakening, and practices—including RAIN—that help us move from identifying with fear to resting in the larger awareness that can hold it all. Rather than trying to eliminate fear, we can learn to relate to it with presence, kindness, and a deep sense of belonging. As we learn to turn toward fear with mindful presence instead of resistance, we discover that what we truly are is larger than any wave of anxiety. Beneath fear is an awake, loving awareness that has the capacity to hold every experience with wisdom and compassion.  In this talk Tara explores: Why fear is a natural part of the human experience How anxiety shapes the body, mind, and emotions The difference between reacting to fear and relating to it wisely Using the RAIN practice to meet anxiety with compassion The importance of "resourcing" when emotions feel overwhelming How remembering our shared humanity helps dissolve isolation and fear ******************** Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music Support Tara's Work: If you find value in these talks and wish to support their continuation, please consider making a donation. Your generosity helps us keep these teachings available to all. Visit: https://www.tarabrach.com/donation/ Stay connected to Tara:  ▪️Website: tarabrach.com ▪️YouTube: /@tarabrach ▪️Facebook: /tarabrach  ▪️Instagram: @tarabrach ▪️Threads: @tarabrach

    1h 2m
  2. Meditation: Know that You're Here (19:37 min)

    1d ago

    Meditation: Know that You're Here (19:37 min)

    One of the great gifts of mindfulness is discovering that we can always begin again. In this guided meditation, I invite you to return to the aliveness of the present moment through the breath, the body, and the simple recognition: "Know that you're here." Together we'll gently relax the body, awaken embodied awareness, and practice returning whenever the mind wanders. Rather than judging ourselves for drifting into thought, we discover that each moment of noticing is another opportunity to come home to presence. As awareness opens, we begin to sense the spaciousness that holds every sound, sensation, and breath—revealing the natural peace and wakefulness that are always available. Whether you're beginning a meditation practice or deepening an existing one, this meditation offers a nourishing refuge—a way of returning, again and again, to the living presence that is your true home. In this meditation you'll explore: Relaxing deeply through breath and body awareness Returning to the present with a gentle anchor Working skillfully with a busy mind Resting in open, spacious awareness Offering compassion and blessings from embodied presence Discovering the freedom of simply being here   ******************** Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music Support Tara's Work: If you find value in these talks and wish to support their continuation, please consider making a donation. Your generosity helps us keep these teachings available to all. Visit: https://www.tarabrach.com/donation/ Stay connected to Tara:  ▪️Website: tarabrach.com ▪️YouTube: /@tarabrach ▪️Facebook: /tarabrach  ▪️Instagram: @tarabrach ▪️Threads: @tarabrach

    20 min
  3. The Dance with Pain

    Jul 3

    The Dance with Pain

    Physical pain is part of being human—but suffering arises from how we relate to it. In this talk, I explore how mindfulness and compassion can transform our relationship with pain, helping us move from fear and resistance toward freedom, presence, and peace. Whether you're living with chronic pain, recovering from illness, navigating emotional suffering, or simply meeting the inevitable challenges of life, this teaching offers practical guidance for discovering greater spaciousness and resilience. Rather than waiting for life to be free of discomfort, we can learn to inhabit this moment with an open heart. Drawing from Buddhist wisdom, personal experience, and guided mindfulness practices, we'll explore how pain can become not an enemy, but a doorway into awakening. In this talk we'll look at: - The difference between pain and suffering - How resistance intensifies physical and emotional pain - The Buddhist teaching of the "second arrow" - Mindfulness practices for working with chronic pain - How awareness, kindness, and spaciousness reduce suffering - Practical ways to meet discomfort with compassion instead of fear - Ways that pain can become a portal to presence, healing, and freedom When we stop fighting our experience and begin meeting it with mindful presence, we discover a larger awareness that can hold even life's greatest challenges. In that openness, pain no longer defines us—it becomes part of the dance of being fully alive.

    57 min
  4. Meditation: Gladdening the Mind (18:31 min)

    Jul 2

    Meditation: Gladdening the Mind (18:31 min)

    The Buddha taught that one of the most powerful ways to begin meditation is by gladdening the mind—remembering what we love, resting in gratitude, and opening to the goodness that is already here. In this guided meditation, I invite you to awaken a gentle smile throughout the body and heart, allowing appreciation, ease, and spacious awareness to naturally emerge. Together we'll explore how a simple shift toward gratitude can soften habitual contraction, calm the nervous system, and reconnect us with the aliveness of the present moment. As awareness opens like the vast sky, we discover that beneath the changing flow of thoughts, emotions, and sensations is an awake, loving presence that is always here. In this meditation you'll explore: Resting in the stillness and openness of true awareness How gratitude helps settle and gladden the mind Relaxing the body through the felt sense of a smile Opening to spacious, embodied awareness Returning from mental busyness to present-moment presence Whether you're new to meditation or an experienced practitioner, this practice invites you to come home to the peace, presence, and loving awareness that is your true nature.

    19 min
  5. Spiritual Reparenting

    Jun 25

    Spiritual Reparenting

    Many of us carry a deep sense that something is wrong with us—that we are not enough, not lovable, or somehow disconnected from belonging. Yet beneath these conditioned beliefs lives a natural capacity for healing, wisdom, and love. In this talk, I explore the practice of Spiritual Reparenting—bringing the qualities of mindful awareness and compassion to the wounded places within us. Through stories, reflections, and practical guidance, we discover how to meet our fears, shame, loneliness, and unmet needs with the same presence and care that every child longs to receive. Together we'll explore: ✨ Why feeling truly seen and loved is essential for healing and awakening ✨ How early wounds create patterns of separation, self-judgment, and reactivity ✨ The transformative question: "Where does it hurt?" ✨ How mindfulness and compassion help us reconnect with our deepest belonging ✨ Ways to offer ourselves the loving presence that allows healing to unfold naturally This talk is an invitation to move beyond the trance of separation and remember the truth of who we are: connected, awake, and held within a larger field of love. As we learn to meet ourselves with understanding and kindness, we become more able to bring that same healing presence to our relationships and to our world.   Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music

    57 min
  6. Meditation: Awakening an Intimate Presence (21 min)

    Jun 24

    Meditation: Awakening an Intimate Presence (21 min)

    What if the peace and presence you long for is already here—closer than you imagine? In this guided meditation, we explore the practice of awakening an intimate presence with life as it is. Through mindful awareness of the body, breath, heart, and senses, we gently release habitual striving and return to the living reality of this moment. As we soften into a receptive awareness, we discover a natural spaciousness that can hold whatever arises with kindness and ease. This meditation invites you to: ✨ Relax into embodied awareness and presence ✨ Cultivate a gentle, friendly attention toward your inner experience ✨ Sense the aliveness of the body from the inside out ✨ Rest in the stillness and openness of awareness itself ✨ Deepen trust in the loving presence that is your true nature Whether you're new to meditation or a longtime practitioner, this practice offers a pathway home—to the intimacy, peace, and awake heart that are always here. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music

    21 min
  7. Widening the Circles of Care

    Jun 18

    Widening the Circles of Care

    What helps us widen our circles of care and awaken a more inclusive, compassionate heart?  As we navigate political division, collective uncertainty, and personal challenges, mindful awareness and spiritual imagination can help us stay connected to love without being overwhelmed by the suffering we witness.  Drawing from mindfulness, compassion practices, personal stories, and timeless wisdom teachings, Tara explores how we can move beyond fear, reactivity, and "othering" toward a deeper experience of our shared humanity.  This talk is an invitation to reconnect with the truth of our belonging—to ourselves, to one another, and to the living world. When we deepen our attention and allow our hearts to be touched, we become part of weaving a more loving future.  In this talk, you'll learn: -How fear and stress fuel division, blame, and "othering" -Why opening to suffering can deepen wisdom and compassion -The role of mindfulness in staying present without becoming overwhelmed -How spiritual imagination helps us envision and create a more loving world -Practices for recognizing the vulnerability and goodness in others   Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music

    1h 2m
  8. Meditation: Mindful Body Scan (10:06 min.)

    Jun 17

    Meditation: Mindful Body Scan (10:06 min.)

    This guided meditation invites us to reconnect with the aliveness that is here in this very moment by bringing a kind and mindful attention through the body. Moving slowly from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet, we explore how awareness can soften habitual tension, deepen presence, and reveal the vibrant field of sensations that make up our embodied experience. As we rest in receptive awareness, we discover that the body is not a problem to solve but a gateway to presence, healing, and inner freedom. Even areas that feel numb or disconnected can become doorways to greater intimacy with life when met with patience and curiosity. Through mindful attention, we begin to sense the body as a living field of changing sensations—an ever-unfolding expression of awareness itself. This simple practice can help us come home to the presence, peace, and wakefulness that are always available beneath the busyness of the mind.   Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music

    10 min
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4.8
out of 5
10,257 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Tara Brach
  • Years Active
    2007 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.6K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Tara Brach - All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Tara Brach

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