In this extended archive recording from the Annual New Year’s Tibet House US Dharma and Yoga Retreat held at Menla Retreat Professor Thurman, Sharon Salzberg, Carolyn Christie, Brooke Myers and Paul Bloom lead a discussion with retreat participants on how the daily practice of Buddhist Dharma and all Yoga traditions can transform one's life.

Opening with a group recitation of the "Heart Sutra" Robert A.F. Thurman and Sharon Salzberg share rare personal stories about their decades of studying Buddhism and meditation and a round robin of New Year's stories of gratitude by each of the retreat teachers.

Robert A.F. Thurman gives a short history of Menla Retreat and the Pantherkill Valley in New York's Catskill mountains before presenting the Buddhist Eight Fold Path in modern language for a general audience. Presentation includes a discussion of each of it's eight parts and a guided meditation.

Includes a discussion of the centrality of causation to understanding the Eight Fold Path, a re-telling of the myth of the Buddhist Kingdom of Shambhala, a recommendation of the oral biography of Neem Karoli Baba "Love Everyone" and about the teachings of Shantideva passed down through the life and work of Lama Khunu Rinpoche and his Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

Recording concludes with a traditional guided meditation and recitation dedication practice led by Robert Thurman offering the merit of the day's teachings to those who have helped to support Tibetan culture by visiting Menla in Upstate, New York and to the selfless work of Sharon Salzberg, Nena Thurman and the Tibet House US Membership community over the years.

This teaching includes a call to action to all sensitive beings to join the on-going efforts to present and preserve Tibetan culture by becoming apart of the Menla Tibet House US Membership community.

Dharma and Yoga : Podcast Bonus RAFT Archives Photo by Raimond Klavins.

Dharma and Yoga : Podcast Bonus RAFT Archives was excerpted from the Tibet House US Member Archive’s Annual New Year’s “Real Love Meditation & Yoga Retreat” with Robert A.F. Thurman & Sharon Salzberg recorded Dec 2015 at Menla in Phoenicia, New York.

To learn about this annual event, please visit: www.menla.us.

This week’s episode’s of the Bob Thurman Podcast was brought to you in part through the support of the Tibet House US Membership Community and Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa in Phoenicia, New York.

Listen to more archive recordings from from past Robert A.F. Thurman teachings + public events please consider becoming a Tibet House US member. To learn about the benefits of Tibet House US Membership please visit: www.tibethouse.us.

The song ‘Dancing Ling’ by Tenzin Choegyal from the album ‘Heart Sutra‘ (2004) by