The House of Inner Tranquillity Podcast

S10 Ep6: S10 Ep6 "From Darkness to Light" by Paul Harris

With less emphasis being placed on teaching children the nativity, the winter solstice now appears to have become a celebration of consumerism. And with the growth of sci

S10 Ep5: "Spiritual Intelligence" by Paul Harris

In essence, meditation is simply the ability to be conscious of present experience in a peaceful and balanced way so as to observe and comprehend the true nature of reali

S10 Ep4: "Conditioned Dependent Orginination" by Paul Harris

The wheel of Condition-Dependent Origination is the Buddha's description of how life goes on in an endless series of birth and death. Success in vipassana meditation requ

S10 Ep3: "The Elephant Shrew" by Paul Harris

Enlightenment is attainable by anyone, but sometimes students feel unworthy of realising it themselves. As the story of the monk Culapanthaka illustrates, you do not have

S10 Ep2: "If Not Now, When" by Paul Harris

An article in a Buddhist journal suggested that it is not possible to realise enlightenment in our times because there is too much greed, hatred and delusion. The best we

S10 Ep1: "Learning to Breathe" by Paul Harris

 We are so caught up in trying to make life different than it is that we take life for granted and miss the wonder and mystery of it all. The practice of Mindfulness of B

S9 Ep12: "Influence" by Paul Harris

Everything in life is interconnected. From the huge gravitational pull of black holes, planets and suns to the 'spooky action at a distance' of minute photons, in reality

S9 Ep11: "The Uncertainty Principal" by Paul Harris

Although appearing relatively stable, life is actually very unpredictable. We seek greater knowledge of life as a way to master the uncertainty. Meditation is voluntarily

S9 Ep10: "The Seven Factors of Enlightenment" by Paul Harris

So called because they are the necessary mental capacities that lead to enlightenment, the way the seven factors develop through meditation is explained in this talk. Sta

S9 Ep9: "Discover the Magic" by Paul Harris

The point of following the Buddhas teaching is to bring us to the realisation that life is perfect as it is. This talk illustrates how, using this idea as a starting poin

S9 Ep8: "21st Century Buddha" by Paul Harris

Is Buddhism relevant in the twenty-first century? The Buddha's teaching on the Four Nobel Truths relate to the same basic condition common to all humans regardless of the

S9 Ep7: "After the Gold Rush" by Paul Harris

During the Olympic Games people spontaneously developed the wholesome mental quality of sympathetic joy. This talk describes how to practice this 'divine abiding' and it'

S9 Ep6: "Meditation on Friendliness" by Paul Harris

Mind is a tool that we can learn to use effectively. Developing the practice of Metta teaches us how to use  thinking skilfully. We learn how to acknowledge our negative

S9 Ep5: "Cula Panthaka" by Paul Harris

When new to this training, we may not wish to comply with the rules, we may want to choose our own path, to maintain control. It is, however, the giving up of our attempt

S9 Ep4: "Goodbye Cruel Aggregates" by Paul Harris

The problem of suffering cannot be eradicated through external means alone. Such activity merely perpetuates the round of suffering indefinitely and still one's own freed

S9 Ep3: "Kaliyanamitta Spiritual Friendship" by Peter Case

This talk considers the importance of a good teacher and also of a sangha. It discusses ways of relating to the teacher and how to determine whether the teacher and the t

S9 Ep2: "What Enlightenment is Not" by Peter Case

This podcast explores the myths around enlightenment and the importance of personal practice rather than book learning. It discusses how vipassana meditation gradually er

S9 Ep1: "The Arahant" by Paul Harris

An arahant is a 'Perfected One', someone who has completed the Buddhist training and has realised the way life truly is. As such, they have accomplished the one true goal

S8 Ep7: "The Lotus Stalk" by Paul Harris

This podcast considers the problems with speculating about life and contrasts speculation with the pragmatic and practical approach of the Buddha’s teaching. The unease t

S8 Ep6: "Uses and Abuses of Mental Energy" by Paul Harris

This talk discusses the correct level of mental energy for meditation, describing the Buddha’s teaching on Right Effort. The effects of imbalances in energy on meditation