Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage
Dharma talks from meditation teacher Mary Stancavage. These focus primarily on the pragmatic aspects of Buddhist teachings and philosophy drawing strongly on wisdom and heart practices. All are viewed through the lens of learning to live with an Undefended Heart. (photo by @kimanhuynh)
Episodes
Dogen said that enlightenment is an intimacy with all things. Mary reflects on this thought and it's similarity to equanimity and an undefended heart. How do we show up for the reality of the moment with complete openness. It is a journey and all we can do is begin with right now.
Recorded Mary 23, 2026 in the virtual world
In this talk, recorded at Insight Community of the Desert, Mary discusses the Second Precept. It's often just referred to as not stealing, but this precept is about recognizing all the different places that craving and greed show up and how to let go of that. Additionally, the cultivation of generosity is an important step in freedom from craving and a way to live in harmony with others and in contentment with ourselves.
Record...
The Buddha taught the Five Remembrances as a way to normalize our relationship to the human condition. We we all grow old, get sick and die, yet some of us fight tooth and nail against, especially in our Western culture. But when we truly greet this reality there is quite a freedom - we no longer have to hide or try to change our reality. Become a friend to this teaching and find some ease.
Recorded May 2, 2026 in the virtual world
Oftentimes when things are especially awful, we think that joy may be inappropriate and that we must stay focused on the difficulties. But this is not the case. Bhikkhu Bodhi says that cultivation of joy is important to regulate despair. In this talk Mary discusses what gets in the way of joy and how to allow it into our lives. Equanimity means being present for everything that shows up, even the good.
Recorded April 25, 2026 in the...
Our practice is really about developing a different relationship with our mind - one that is wise and kind. In this talk Mary reflects on how the Buddha talks about the mind using the Dhammapada, and how Rick Hanson explains the mind from a scientific perspective. These two offer insights in how we can tend to our thoughts and reactions in a wise way that leads towards more freedom and less suffering.
Recorded April 16, 2026 in the ...
The Buddha's wise teaching on the Eight Worldly Winds reminds us that the ups and downs of life (pleasure and pain, gain and loss, praise and blame, fame and disrepute) are common to all humanity. It is a teaching on equanimity - the capacity to be present with our experience, whatever it may be. We're invited to let go of chasing specific experiences and open to what is here.
Recorded April 11, 2026 in the virtual world
We spend so much time in the future and the past entangled in experiences that do not actually exist. In this talk, Mary discusses what we get stuck on and how to let go. There is no other place to be but right here, so working towards being there is important and part of the journey towards liberation.
Recorded April 2, 2026 in the virtual world
Send me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would ...
The Shambala Warrior is a 1200 year old Tibetan prophecy that is relevant to our world today. The weapons of this warrior are wisdom and compassion. Mary talks about each of these as tools to liberation for ourselves, others and to aid in healing the world.
Recorded March 30, 2026 in the virtual world
Grief is an emotion that all humans experience although many of us have a difficult time turning towards and being with it. Right now so many folk are grieving a multitude of losses and in this talk Mary reflects on the invitation to meet our grief and take care of ourselves as we open to wholeness - not hiding from any part of our experience.
Recorded March 19, 2026 in the virtual world
Effort and persistence are an important part of the path to liberation and awakening, but sometimes we get caught in thinking we should be there by now and ask when it's enough. This is when the practice of patience is necessary. Patience is necessary when there is resistance to what is. In this talk Mary reflects on the effort of equanimity and letting go of expectations. There is only right here and right now.
Recorded March ...
In this talk Mary reflects on the Mahayana idea of bodhicitta. At it's heart, it is the idea of an awakened mind and an aspiration to awaken and experience an end of suffering both for ourselves and for all. And why not?
Recorded March 7, 2026 in the virtual world
So much of what we think, say and do is habitual - we react without thinking. The Buddha taught that our reactivity is also impacted by whether we experience something as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. In this talk Mary discusses how this colors our experiences in the world and how to create new habits that are not reactive, but instead, are truly in the moment and grounded in wisdom and compassion.
Recorded Feb. 28, 2026 in the v...
The word Samadhi is usually translated as concentration, but it's also thought of as collectedness of mind and steadiness. This important teaching - the 8th factor on the Eightfold Path is necessary for awakening and liberation. Mary discusses what Samadhi is and isn't and how we cultivate this important quality.
Recorded Feb. 21, 2022 in the virtual world
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In this time of great dukkha, it's imperative to remember the importance of love and how we ground ourselves and our practice in it. Mary reflects on the wisdom of bell hooks and others to find a way to make this a foundation of our practice, and our intention as we move the the world and deal with the vicissitudes of life.
Recorded Feb 14, 2026 in the virtual world
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The old story about a good wolf and bad wolf that live in our minds aligns beautifully with the Buddha's teachings on cultivating what's beneficial and letting go of what isn't. Mary reflects on how we often feed the ideas that don't serve us and how to move in a different, more wise, direction.
Recorded Feb. 7, 2026 in the virtual world
Send me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if...
In this important teaching, the Buddha invites us to become intimate with the human condition and to see how we create levels of suffering for ourselves. There is also the recognition that there is a way out - the Eightfold Path. Mary also reflects on Stephen Batchelor's Four Tasks which brings a pragmatic lens to this essential teaching.
Recorded Jan 31, 2026 in the virtual world
Every day we're inundated with stories and images of violence, and the three poisons of greed, hatred and ignorance that the Buddha spoke of centuries ago. How do we greet this moment in time? How do we handle the emotions we experience with wisdom and compassion? How do we stay connected to the world we live in and work to end the harm we see? Mary reflects on the reality of this moment and how to take care of ourselves and ...
The Buddha's teaching on Wise Speech remains as important and necessary today as it did over 2,500 years ago. It may be even more important to be grounded in wisdom and clarity because there are so many more ways to interact with each other and we see the impact and harm of unwise speech around us on a daily basis. Mary talks about how we can make this part of our life.
Recorded Jan. 17, 2026 in the virtual world
Mary answers the question, "How do we offer Loving Kindness to those that commit atrocities?" This is a common question, and is especially relevant right now. The heart practices do not ask us to ignore feelings or emotions that arise when faced with the violence and oppression so rampant today. Instead we are invited to greet whatever shows up and reflect on where we are and how we are holding our own pain. The heart pr...
There are a lot of misconceptions of basic Buddhist teachings and in this talk Mary reflects on a few. The Buddha did not say that "Life is Suffering", but instead that there is suffering, and there is a way out. Additionally, equanimity and being present for what is, does not condone injustice or greed, hatred and ignorance. Buddhist practice is a way of being in the world and fully engaged with it.
Recorded Jan. 2, 2025 ...
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