Dhamma Talks

**Under Construction**

Since she began teaching in 2015, Rachael has given hundreds of hours of Dhamma talks. The audio files of these talks will be gradually added to this page as they are edited and formatted for publication.

Rachael acknowledges with great gratitude the efforts of Pāli scholars and translators who continue to make the Buddha’s teachings accessible to students and teachers of Buddhism alike. Her Dhamma talks rely entirely on the English translations of the Pāli Canon by the Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi, the Venerable Thānissaro Bhikkhu, the Venerable Bhikkhu Sujato, and many others.

Retreat Talks

2023/24 Winter TWIM Retreat Dec. 23, 2023 - Jan. 1, 2024
St. Francis Retreat Center, San Juan Bautista, CA

Talk 1: Why the Path?/Meditation Instructions
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 2: MN 18 The Honeyball
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 3: MN 19 Two Kinds of Thought
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 4: SN 12.65 Dependent Origination
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 5: SN 12.23 Transcendental Dependent Origination
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 6: SN 46.54 The Brahmavihārā Method
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 7: MN 64; The Story of Sona
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 8: Advice for Lay Practice
Rachael O'Brien

2023 Easter Retreat April 7-16, 2023
St. Francis Retreat Center, San Juan Bautista, CA

Talk 1: Right View, The Moralities, Sense Restraint
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 2: The Hindrances
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 3: First Jhāna
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 4: Second Jhāna
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 5: Third Jhāna
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 6: Fourth Jhāna and Approaches to Jhāna
Rachael O'Brien
Talk 7: Review of Jhānas, Immaterial States, Insight
Rachael O'Brien