Tea with Mara

“Ghosts of the Mind” is a dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha to get in the spirit of Spooky Season!; the perfect time to talk about fear. Not the kind in haunted houses, but the kind that lives in our heads. The Buddha knew that most of the ghosts that haunt us come from the stories our minds tell when we don’t see clearly. The rope we mistake for a snake. The fear that turns a quiet night into something sinister. The thoughts that rattle like ghosts until we shine the light of mindfulness on them. When we see fear for what it is, just another passing mind state, the monsters vanish. What’s left is peace. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“There You Are” is about the wandering mind, the doubts and distractions that convince us we “can’t meditate”, and why none of that has to stop us. Meditation isn’t about sitting perfectly still or holding perfect focus. It’s about learning to meet the mind with patience, and gently return… again and again. Every return is the practice. Every return is progress. Every return is enough. I hope you'll find some value in this talk. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"Stop, See, Soften, Serve" is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation about Wise Action. Actions tend to be greater than words, and this week’s talk is about making the Dharma visible through what we do. We explored Wise Action’s three threads of non-harming, not taking what isn’t freely given, and honoring intimacy and consent as well as how they braid with Wise Speech to make our lives safer to be around. The practice is simple: Stop. See. Soften. Serve. This talk seemed very timely for our group, and I hope you find it useful in your life. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"Wise and Free" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on the topic of Wise Speech. We often celebrate the idea of free speech (the right to say what we want, when we want). But the Buddha taught something deeper: wise speech.Wise speech isn’t about restriction, it’s about freedom. The kind that comes from words that heal instead of harm, and which connect instead of divide.This talk explores how our words can bind us in regret or set us free in compassion. Just because speech is free doesn’t mean it’s wise, but wise speech will always be freeing.https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"Pumpkinheads" is a Dharma talk and short guided meditation inspired by my daughter’s first job at a pumpkin patch and a graphic novel we read together to celebrate, PumpkinHeads. The story brought to mind what’s sometimes called the Vipassanā Romance.; that tendency we all have to create elaborate stories in our minds about people and situations long before we know the truth. We believe these stories, and when reality doesn’t match, we suffer the disappointment.This talk explores why the mind does this, how it causes trouble, and how practice can help us see more clearly. My hope is that it offers something useful for you, and that you enjoy listening.https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"All I Wanted Was A Pepsi" is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation about respecting and honoring our parents, even when we don't always agree with our parents. It's about how we can always practice respect, gratitude, and compassion. The Buddha taught that even if we carried our parents on our shoulders for a hundred years, we could never fully repay them. What he asked instead was that we repay them through patience, love, and wisdom. Honoring our parents doesn’t mean silencing ourselves, nor does it mean letting go of our integrity. It means walking the Middle Way. And asking ourselves, how can I practice love and respect when it’s difficult?https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"Don't Fear The Reaping" is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation on the topic of karma. Karma isn’t punishment, reward, or judgment. It’s simply the seeds we plant with our intentions, words, and actions. The Buddha taught: “Whatever seed is sown, that is the fruit that will be reaped.”  We only need to pay attention to what we’re planting in this moment. Hope this is helpful. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“Bend, Not Break” is a dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on the topic of resilience in troubling times. We explored how true resilience isn’t about hardening ourselves or pretending to be untouchable, but about staying flexible, grounded, and compassionate in the middle of life’s storms. We also talked about the role of community and everyday kindness in keeping one another steady, so no one has to walk alone. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“A Noble Mind” is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on Mudita. True joy doesn’t shrink when shared, it multiplies. This talk explores mudita  (Appreciative Joy), the practice of rejoicing in the happiness of others, and how it transforms envy into connection and the ordinary into the noble. I hope this will be useful in your life. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“Leaning Into Personality” is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation on the “Buddhist Personality Types”. In the Visuddhimagga, six temperaments are described; ways our minds naturally lean. Some tilt toward craving, some toward irritation, some toward confusion, and others toward faith, wisdom, or creative reflection. The point isn’t to label ourselves, but to notice our tendencies and then meet them with the right practice. I hope this light hearted and fun exploration will be of some service to you. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"Sukha Loops and Shoops" is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation on Sukha, and how we can create beneficial feedback loops that lead to and perpetuate it, as well as how to make the shift (when we are caught in "Dukkha Loops") over to "Sukha Loops" using what I call the Sukha Shoop. The words may sound ridiculous because I am, but I promise it will all make sense! The Buddha often spoke about dukkha—suffering, dissatisfaction, the rough ride of life. But he also pointed us to sukha—ease, well-being, the smooth ride that’s possible when the wheel is aligned. I hope you have some fun with this one and enjoy it!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“The Uplift Mofo Party Plan” is a plan based on a band, a band based on a plan. But...it's also a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha that explores what the Buddha had to say about inspiration. Not the “hang in there” poster kind, but the living rhythm of pasāda (faith, confidence) and veda (joy, uplift). We’ll look at how these two qualities work together to carry us out of boredom, through the hindrances, and onto the path of freedom. Listen in, and see how even the smallest spark of faith can lead to joy, and how joy itself becomes the fuel for practice. Enjoy! (Also, only the title is related to the song, so that's either a bug or a feature, depending on what you like!) https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“The Agony and The Irony” is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation about boredom. We treat boredom like an enemy to avoid, filling every spare moment with noise, screens, and distraction. But the Buddha gave us tools to work with it, and even learn from it. In this talk, we explore boredom as both a mirror and a teacher, using six simple steps. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“Patience As A Strength” is a Dharma talk at Two Hands Sangha reflecting on how we think of patience, and often picture just waiting something out, gritting our teeth until it’s over. But in the Dhamma, patience is an active quality.  It is strength. It is choosing to meet each moment without grasping at what we want it to be or pushing away what it is. We explore three realms of patience and look at how the Buddha taught it as “the highest austerity” https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"33,600 Turbo Miles, Due Up!" is a Dharma talk that looks at what it means to stay on the path when nothing is going according to plan, and it isn't always a straight line. Inspired by the hardworking construction workers renovating my house, and a splash of Daffy Duck’s absurd map to Planet X, we reflect on wise effort, shifting conditions, and the importance of building a life with flexibility, structure, and forgiveness. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“Confidently Traversing Uncertainty” is a Dharma talk at Two Hands Sangha on August 3rd, 2025 about what we do when we don’t know what to do? This talk explores how we navigate life’s forks in the road by cultivating confidence in our ability to meet the unknown with steadiness, presence, and care. We talk about how uncertainty isn’t the enemy, how trust in the Dharma becomes our compass, and how mindfulness can help us take the next step even when we can’t see the whole path. This one’s for anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or facing a big decision. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“Personal Responsibility” is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation about reclaiming your power, not through blame or perfectionism, but through wise, compassionate participation in your own life. It explores how the Buddha framed responsibility as a path to freedom. When we stop waiting for others to change, we can begin asking “What’s  the most skillful thing I can do?” This talk also looks at the relational side of responsibility, how the way we carry our pain can either ricochet harm or create space for healing. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"Four More Things" is the closing talk in our Dharma series that started with exploring our inherent worth, built refuge, and walked the Eightfold Path…Now we zoom out to the bigger picture…the Four Noble Truths. Framed through tech support, equalizers, and a little humor, this talk unpacks the human condition, the causes of suffering, the possibility of freedom, and the path forward. It also includes a brief guided meditation. Enjoy! https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

"Onward And Upward" is the next installment in a series of Dharma talks exploring how this practice of the Dhamma can help us see our value and express it. This installment brings us to the Samādhi section (Wise Effort, Wise Mindfulness, and Wise Concentration) and dives into how these qualities support and sustain the entire path of practice. Rather than treating this as an ending, we reflect on how every return to the path is a new beginning, spiraling upward with greater clarity, steadiness, and compassion each time around. I hope this gives you something you need. Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

“Shake It Up Baby!” is a Dharma talk and brief guided meditation that explores the Sīla section of the Eightfold Path (Wise Speech, Wise Action, and Wise Livelihood) and how ethical living becomes a radical act of belonging. We ask the question: How do I live like it matters that I’m here? And then we shake up our habits, voices, and our choices! This is a continuation of the series we’ve been doing for a few weeks now. There’s a little Ferris Bueller. A little heart. A lot of integrity. And a whole lot of encouragement. I hope you enjoy! And I’ve been doing these podcast posts for a couple of years almost. I’ve never spoiled the easter egg hiding at the end of these episodes, but since tonight invokes Ferris Bueller, I’ll tell you that there’s always been a special Ferris inspired ending if you stay all the way to the end.  It mixes Ferris’ wisdom, and the Buddha’s, for a little light hearted humor! Enjoy!https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com