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Silence Talks
Silence is the absence of ambient audible sound, the emission of sounds of such low intensity that they do not draw attention to themselves, or the state of having ceased to produce sounds; this latter sense can be extended to apply to the cessation or absence of any form of communication, whether through speech or other medium. Remaining mute can be a symptom of mental illness.
Sometimes speakers fall silent when they hesitate in searching for a word, or interrupt themselves before correcting themselves. Discourse analysis shows that people use brief silences to mark the boundaries of prosodic units, in turn-taking, or as reactive tokens, for example, as a sign of displeasure, disagreement, embarrassment, desire to think, confusion, and the like. Relatively prolonged intervals of silence can be used in rituals; in some religious disciplines, people maintain silence for protracted periods, or even for the rest of their lives, as an ascetic means of spiritual transformation.
| Title | Speaker | |
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Embracing Stillness Amidst Life's ChaosA talk from a retreat in Sweden.
Anger, Stillness, Silence |
Aug 26 2025 Oshofors |
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Whispers Beyond Words: Zen's Truth Silence, Lotus Sutra, Buddhism |
Jan 17 2023 Green Gulch Farm |
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Cultivating True Compassionate Enlightenment Stillness, Silence, Vow |
Nov 07 2021 |
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Embracing Boundaries Through Zen Wisdom Emptiness, Stillness, Silence |
Mar 31 2021 |
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Yoga Room Class - March 30th, 2021This recording is intended to be shared with class members only YRB-2021-Spring, Emptiness, Silence, Stillness |
Mar 30 2021 The Yoga Room |
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Yoga Room Class - March 23rd, 2021This recording is intended to be shared with class members only YRB-2021-Spring, Lotus Sutra, Silence, Enthusiasm |
Mar 23 2021 The Yoga Room |
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Buddha Meets Buddha in Stillness Stillness, Lotus Sutra, Silence |
Mar 10 2021 |
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Yoga Room Class - March 9th, 2021This recording is intended to be shared with class members only Rumi, YRB-2021-Spring, Stillness, Lotus Sutra, Silence |
Mar 09 2021 The Yoga Room |
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Interwoven Paths of Zen Practice Samadhi, Attachment, Silence |
Feb 07 2020 |
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Zen's Imperceptible Interwoven Stillness Stillness, Silence, Delusion |
Jan 12 2020 |
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The Non-Duality of Silence and Language Silence, Transmission, Perfect Wisdom, Non-duality, Balance, Duality, Observe, Heart... |
Nov 23 2019 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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Teachings for the Welfare of the WorldIn this summer series, teachings will be offered for those who aspire to embrace and sustain the great earth and all living beings in order to realize peace and freedom in our troubled world. ...YRB-2019-Summer, Silence, Japan, Don't Know Mind, Soto Zen |
Jul 16 2019 4/7 The Yoga Room |
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Teachings for the Welfare of the WorldIn this summer series, teachings will be offered for those who aspire to embrace and sustain the great earth and all living beings in order to realize peace and freedom in our troubled world. YRB-2019-Summer, Silence, Transmission, Religion, Passions, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen,... |
Jul 02 2019 2/7 The Yoga Room |
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Teachings for the Welfare of the WorldSerial: RA-04487 In this summer series, teachings will be offered for those who aspire to embrace and sustain the great earth and all living beings in order to realize peace and freedom in our... YRB-2019-Summer, Stillness, Silence, Karma |
Jul 02 2019 2/7 The Yoga Room |
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Buddha ActivityThe work of buddhas — buddha activity — is realizing intimacy and liberation in conversation together with all beings. In this series of meetings we will contemplate what it is to fully engage with... YRB-2019-Spring, Karmic Consciousness, Silence, Intimacy, Ego, Nirvana, Teacher-and-... |
Apr 16 2019 7/7 The Yoga Room |
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Silent Awakening Through Interconnected Stillness Stillness, Silence, Bodhidharma |
Apr 02 2019 |
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Buddha ActivityThe work of buddhas — buddha activity — is realizing intimacy and liberation in conversation together with all beings. In this series of meetings we will contemplate what it is to fully engage with... YRB-2019-Spring, Silence, Interdependence, Attachment, Mahayana |
Mar 26 2019 4/7 The Yoga Room |
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The New CoffinSummary of the unrecorded morning talk. The practice of just sitting. Remembering stillness, letting go of 'what next.' Training to ready for this moment, and for death. Death-and-Dying, Stillness, Bell, Silence |
Dec 15 2018 PM No Abode Hermitage |
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Presence in the Face of Mortality Stillness, Bell, Silence |
Dec 15 2018 |
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Silent Sitting & Social ActionSerial: RA-04451 Zen students often ask how our practice of silence and stillness relates to injustice and our environmental crisis. In this class we explore this question and study the... YRB-2018-Fall, Silence, Attachment, Daily Life, Desire, Duality, Tassajara, Passions... |
Nov 27 2018 7 of 7 The Yoga Room |
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Silent Sitting & Social ActionZen students often ask how our practice of silence and stillness relates to injustice and our environmental crisis. In this class we explore this question and study the intimate interplay of... YRB-2018-Fall, Intimacy, Silence, Doubt, Addiction, Attachment, Mindfulness, Desire,... |
Nov 20 2018 6 of 7 The Yoga Room |
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Silent Sitting & Social ActionZen students often ask how our practice of silence and stillness relates to injustice and our environmental crisis. In this class we explore this question and study the intimate interplay of... YRB-2018-Fall, Silence, Bodhidharma, cognitive process, Observe, Fundraising, Lay,... |
Nov 13 2018 5 of 7 The Yoga Room |
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The Hands And Eyes Of AvalokiteshvaraCompassion is the teaching of the Buddha. Stories of the different statues and scrolls at No Abode. Yunmen and Daowu, the thousand arms of Avalokiteshvara. Compassion, Avalokitesvara, Transmission, Silence, Avalokitesvara, Perfect Wisdom,... |
Nov 10 2018 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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The Hands And Eyes Of AvalokiteshvaraSerial: RA-04449 Compassion is the teaching of the Buddha. Stories of the different statues and scrolls at No Abode. Yunmen and Daowu, the thousand arms of Avalokiteshvara. ... Compassion, Avalokitesvara, Dharma Transmission, Silence, Stillness, Avalokitesvara... |
Nov 10 2018 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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Silent Sitting & Social ActionZen students often ask how our practice of silence and stillness relates to injustice and our environmental crisis. In this class we explore this question and study the intimate interplay of... YRB-2018-Fall, Silence, Daily Life, Emotions |
Oct 23 2018 2 of 7 |
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Zen Beyond Silence: Interconnected Practice Compassion, Silence, Stillness |
Oct 21 2018 |
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Silent Sitting & Social ActionZen students often ask how our practice of silence and stillness relates to injustice and our environmental crisis. In this class we explore this question and study the intimate interplay of... YRB-2018-Fall, Stillness, Silence, Global Warming |
Oct 16 2018 1 of 7 The Yoga Room |
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The Womb of the Tathagata #5Meeting a teacher, asking about the teaching and listening to the teaching. Bodies and minds sitting silently and conversing. Lotus Sutra, Silence, Buddha Mind |
Aug 11 2018 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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The Womb of the Tathagata #5Serial: RA-04444 Meeting a teacher, asking about the teaching and listening to the teaching. Bodies and minds sitting silently and conversing.
Lotus Sutra, Silence, Buddha Mind, Buddha, Compassion, Practice |
Aug 11 2018 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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Bodhidharma Listening to the Cries of the WorldAvalokiteshvara's eyes of compassion observing all sentient beings; Bodhidharma and Emperor Wu, facing the wall for nine years; the Sixth Ancestor's training; Buddha Ancestors, Consciousness, Compassion, Bodhisattva, Bodhidharma, cognitive... |
Mar 03 2018 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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Stillness: Pathway to Enlightenment Stillness, Delusion, Silence |
Jun 11 2017 |
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Conversations of the Buddha Mind Buddha Mind, Silence, Consciousness |
Jun 03 2017 AM |
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The Buddha Mind Seal Is Face-to-Face ConversationBuddha mind is an intimate conversation; Dogen's meeting a master for the first time; conscious and unconscious mind. Buddha Mind, Transmission, Buddha Mind, Conversation, Silence |
Jun 03 2017 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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The One Vehicle Lives In Silence And StillnessThe desire for awakening for the welfare of all beings; social engagement and silence, both practices pervade all beings; practicing with the limitations of the body. Mahayana, Compassion, Meditation, Silence, Conversation, Transmission, Hate |
May 06 2017 PM No Abode Hermitage |
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Unified Paths: Silent and Social Enlightenment Practice, Silence, Buddha |
May 06 2017 PM |
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A Sanctuary Is Built Right Here, Right NowBuddha's 'a good place to build a sanctuary'; buddha mind is intimately transmitted - Sandokai; undergoing surgery; baby developing a self; Transmission, Buddha Nature, Sanctuary, Conversation, Intimate Communication,... |
Apr 01 2017 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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Silent Symphony: Zen's Living Transmission Stillness, Transmission, Silence |
Dec 06 2016 |
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Silent Mind, Compassionate Action Stillness, Silence, Healing |
Nov 01 2016 |
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Perfect Wisdom - The Mother of All Buddhas Perfect Wisdom, Wisdom, Silence |
Apr 10 2014 The Yoga Room |
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The Good Friendship of Shitou, Matsu and Yaoshan Suzuki Roshi, Japan, Silence, Three Treasures, Bodhisattva Way |
Feb 01 2014 Afternoon No Abode Hermitage |
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Zen's Enigmatic Dance of Wisdom Perfect Wisdom, Silence, Heart Sutra |
Jan 26 2014 |
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The Work of Going Beyond Buddha“Going Beyond Buddha” (partial) Sept 2013 No Abode Right Speech, Conversation, Silence, Perfect Wisdom, Buddha Ancestors |
Sep 21 2013 Morning No Abode Hermitage |
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Embracing Silence for Ultimate Liberation Stillness, Silence, Don't Know Mind |
Jan 13 2013 |
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Three Kinds of CompassionThree Kinds of Compassion Duality, Separation, Letting Go, Silence |
Nov 11 2012 Morning No Abode Hermitage |
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Wisdom Verifies WisdomWhen Wisdom Verifies Wisdom Letting Go, Avalokitesvara, Addiction, Silence |
Aug 11 2012 Morning No Abode Hermitage |
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The Seeds and Fruits of True Awakening Lineage, Paramitas, Precepts, Silence |
Apr 12 2012 The Yoga Room |
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The Boatman Does Not Use a Wooden Goose Manjushri, Silence, Transmission |
Dec 17 2011 Morning No Abode Hermitage |
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Xiang Yan hears the sound of stones striking bamboo Letting Go, Silence |
Sep 10 2011 Afternoon No Abode Hermitage |
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Embracing Enlightenment I Karmic Consciousness, Book of Serenity, Silence, Attachment |
Jun 11 2011 Morning No Abode Hermitage |
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The Sitting Meditation of this School Separation, Duality, Silence, Emptiness |
May 21 2011 Afternoon No Abode Hermitage |