The House of Inner Tranquillity Podcast

This talk looks at the vipassana meditator's journey to stream-winning, the first of the four paths that make up the Buddhist insight-wisdom training. The relationship between the fetters of personality belief, sceptical doubt and rule and ritual, and how they interfere with progress on the first path are described.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.                

This talk was given in September 2018.

We all want meditation to bring happiness, peace, contentment and a vibrancy to living. Paul describes these as our natural state, and that anyone can learn how to craft the best supporting conditions to regularly enjoy such beautiful states of mind. For example, generously thinking of others, by systematically practicing loving-kindness cultivates a divine mental space. The resulting balanced, happy, focussed mind can then generate insight, which gradually brings the transcendental realisation that life is always unfolding perfectly in wonderfully dynamic and beautiful ways.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.               

This talk was given in September 2018.

A story from the life of the Buddha demonstrates how he maintained an attitude of high vulnerability with regard to who he was and the truth that he stood for. He was, however, also low in emotional investment in others and in dependence on results. This combination meant that he was supremely confident and commanding in all that he did. This talk looks at how following his path is a journey towards true confidence, which Paul describes as, "unselfconscious, spontaneous being, free of all neurotic preoccupations."  

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.              

This talk was given in April 2015.

Even if you cannot currently ordain, everyone attending the House of Inner Tranquillity is part of the beneficial and reciprocal arrangement between the monastic and lay community. Paul uses the example of his own training, and relationship to the teacher, to describe how monasticism presents a unique opportunity for wholehearted practice in lessening self-centredness and developing wisdom. The training is essentially the same for all, through paying mindful attention, anyone can come to liberation from the roots of all dissatisfaction and the "cult of selfhood."

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.              

This talk was given in November 2018.

This talk on practicing Metta, loving-kindness, is from Venerable Kapilavaddho Bhikkhu, given at the Hampstead Vihara, London, in April 1970. At that time, both Alan (who was ordained) and Jacqui, the founders of the House of Inner Tranquillity, were his students. Using colourful personal accounts from his time practicing in Thai jungles, it gives an overview of the whole practice, and details of ways to develop this powerful meditation which overcomes fear and aversion, can transforms one’s outlook, personality, and positively affect the world  generally, through cultivating and spreading goodwill.  

This talk was provided for public distribution by Terry Shine to accompany his book, ‘Honour Thy Fathers’, (also available online), as a tribute to the man who did so much to introduce Buddhist Meditation to the West. 

Born in London, William Purfurst was the first Englishman to be ordained in Thailand in 1954, as Kapilavaddho, meaning “to spread and increase the teachings.” After training intensively there, he returned to the UK to establish the first English Theravada Sangha in the West, providing training for many monks, nuns and laypeople. He died in December 1971.

We have been telling ourselves and expanding upon the story of our lives since the moment we became conscious and self-reflecting as children. Now, when we meditate, we find these narratives to be an obstacle to our calm and happiness. This talk discusses how to improve the story of our lives in order that there be fewer to distract us when we meditate. Further we can learn how to remove ourselves from the content of thinking, before finally transcending all our stories completely.

Paul's story is that he is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.             

This talk was given in February 2019.

What constitutes a good Buddhist? Mindfulness is called ‘choice-less awareness’ which means acknowledging and accepting the parts of our personality we consider negative. This way we can see that all mental states have the nature to change and are not ‘me’ or ‘mine’. This talk gives an overview of the four applications of mindfulness and stresses the need for establishing the right context for our mindfulness practice and what it reveals – what in Buddhism is called ‘clear comprehension.’

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.            

This talk was given in May 2014.

People want evidence of rebirth, but what proof is there for a one-life view, of an entity that continues unchanged by conditions? There is, however, overwhelming evidence of the transient processes that give rise to conscious experience. We routinely will actions into being, and learning to use volition skilfully ensures pleasant future results. Developing insight wisdom gradually removes all misperceptions and clinging to the idea of self. This gives limitless freedom to explore the infinite mysteries of the ever-flowing, ever-changing stream of conscious experiencing.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.            

This talk was given in December 2018.

Is it possible to always love the people around you? Paul explains that the realisation of ‘non-separation’ or ‘non-duality’ found at enlightenment is the realisation of love, however it is much more subtle than many think. Following a spiritual path helps us transcend the apparent divisions between things. For instance, practicing compassion brings the understanding of what unites us, rather than what divides us. Practicing Insight meditation shows us ultimately indivisible nature of conscious experience and leads to the recognition of that peace, happiness and undivided love that we are all seeking. 

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.            

This talk was given in October 2018.

Composure is the attitude of being self-possessed, or the absence of wildness. The Buddha encouraged his monks to adapt this mental quality in order to deal successfully with the ever-changing conditions of the world. This talk discusses four key aspects to develop mastery in composure: our views and intentions; being harmless; knowing oneself and realising emptiness. Even when you stub your toe, "the wisdom becomes so deep and complete that, in the end, you don't even have to practice composure."

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.           

This talk was given in August 2015.

What can we do when the mind is gripped by resentment? The Buddha encouraged students not to repay mean and hurtful behaviour in kind. Instead he taught loving-kindness as a way to respond positively. This talk explains various reflections we can employ to help release ourselves from resentment when it arises. When we can send out metta equally to everyone, including those with whom we have experienced difficulties, then we can be said to have won a battle hard to win.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.          

This talk was given in November 2014.

The topic of food is a good way to show us how the Buddha's teaching works. He advocated generosity as a simple way to learn about action and result, and established the tradition of giving alms. The talk looks at the problems of obesity and anorexia, and how to mindfully deal with craving for food. Using Vipassana meditation we to observe the transient nature of the six senses and in so doing overcome all clinging attachment to the senses. 

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.         

This talk was given in September 2012.

To find lasting peace, love and understanding requires us to examine our deeply held assumptions about life and this requires commitment. In the world, we gauge a thing's worth by how difficult it is to acquire - there is always a cost. The cost of following the Buddha's way is in giving up our choices and options. This talk explains two levels of commitment: external and internal, and demonstrates how the recollection of death helps to clarify one's priorities in life. Enlightenment is rare but entirely possible with the right commitment.  

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.        

This talk was given in June 2012.

To find the highest happiness, the Buddha said, you have to know how this life works, rather than being preoccupied with the past or trying to make the future as you wish it to be. This talk looks at the Buddha's teaching on non-self, a much misunderstood aspect of his description of reality.

Alan James founded the House of Inner Tranquillity, along with his wife Jacqui James in 1980. He continued to teach the way to enlightenment until his retirement in 2010.   

This talk was originally given in January 1996.

Descriptions of enlightenment are like postcards in that they express what it's like to go 'beyond' but can never produce the experience itself. This talk looks at the value of hearing descriptions, debunks a few of the myths that surround it and discusses the limitations and dangers of all such descriptions. Hearing more and better descriptions cannot bring about the realisation. Rather, we must find out directly for ourselves that, "There is a conceptual reality which is constructed from ultimately existing phenomena. The total realisation of this is the 'beyond.'"

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.       

This talk was given in December 2007, when Paul was still a monk.

A talk on mindful investigation of what in Buddhism is known as the materiality aggregate. Are the fundamental building blocks of our physical universe dependable? What is the relationship between the material world and mind? 

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.      

This talk was given in December 2004, when Paul was still a monk.

What are some of the qualities of an "unshakeable" mind, the meditative mind that is capable of investigating and comprehending the deeper realities of existence?

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.     

This talk was given in October 2018

It could be said that there are as many definitions of love as there are people; from greed and attachment at one end of the spectrum to religious or mystical experience at the other. This talk describes how following the Buddhist training helps to develop and nurture our capacity to love by gradually discarding selfish action that harms ourselves and others, and generating relatively unselfish action that produces beneficial results. Finally, the training shows us the way to realise, for ourselves, the love that transcends all opposites - enlightenment.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.    

This talk was given in December 2013

Spiritual teachings often portray life as an eternal dance, coming and going, twisting and turning, rolling up, evolving and dissolving, changing and changing again, all the while saying that this apparent movement is nothing more or less than "maya"  illusion.

Alan James founded the House of Inner Tranquillity, along with his wife Jacqui James in 1980. He continued to teach the way to enlightenment until his retirement in 2010.  

This talk was originally given in March 1988.

Seeking is craving. If you seek calm, all you get is turmoil. If you seek wisdom, all you get is stupidity. You need to learn how to abandon the search for happiness. When you finally stop seeking, then, and only then, can happiness visit you.

Jacqui James was a Buddhist Insight meditation teacher and the co-founder of the House of Inner Tranquillity. Jacqui passed away in 1989, aged only 42.  

This talk was given in December 1987

Some people are attracted to the Buddha's teaching because of its exotic eastern cultural heritage. At the House of Inner Tranquillity, we choose not use wind-chimes or prayer flags and neither do we chant or sit cross-legged. One student was disappointed about that and suggested that we "hadn't quite caught the essence of Buddhism." 

This talk considers the Buddha's most fundamental teaching, the Four Noble Truths. Suffering, its origin and cessation constitute the basic premise on which the entire teaching rests. The sole aim of its practice is to provide the means for direct realisation of enlightenment and this is the true essence of Buddhism.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.   

This talk was given in February 2006 when Paul was still a monk in training.

An outline of best practice for metta, a Buddhist meditation technique for the development of loving-kindness, friendliness and patience.

Alan James founded the House of Inner Tranquillity, along with his wife Jacqui James in 1980. He continued to teach the way to enlightenment until his retirement in 2010. 

This talk was originally given in December 1981. It has been remastered but the sound quality is variable.

Myths abound about the goal of the Buddha's teaching. Is enlightenment really absolute goodness and, if so, how do we define goodness? Is it the end of all desires, even the desire to get up in the morning? This talk looks at how wrong ideas about nibbana can warp a meditator's practice and how to let go of them, whilst continuing to walk the Buddha's Noble Path.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.   

This talk was given in April 2015.

Following the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path requires us to generate and encourage the growth of right speech. There is more to speech, however, than simply the words we use. We are in constant communication with one another both verbally and non-verbally.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.  

This talk was given in March 2005 when Paul was still a monk in training.

How many of us have felt frustrated and disconnected from life? How many of us have felt that there must be more to life than just going to work everyday to earn money in order to eat just to go back to work again the next day?

The infinite is calling each and everyone of us. It calls in a deep, silent voice, one that we find extremely difficult to recognise…

Alan James founded the House of Inner Tranquillity, along with his wife Jacqui James in 1980. He continued to teach the way to enlightenment until his retirement in 2010.

This talk was originally given in July 1982. It has been remastered but the sound quality is variable.

We have a genetic heritage and an identity created for us when we enter this world. Is that, however, who we really are? In this talk Paul describes life as seen from the point of view of a Buddhist practitioner who is open to the idea of rebirth and that we are inheriting the results of our own past actions. Through the development of vipassana, insight-wisdom, we can come to realise that which lies beyond all worldly identification.   

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity. 

This talk was given in October 2013

The idea behind this talk will only really make sense if we first accept that the purpose of life is to realise nibbana, the cessation of suffering.

Alan James founded the House of Inner Tranquillity, along with his wife Jacqui James in 1980. He continued to teach the way to enlightenment until his retirement in 2010.  

This talk was originally given in April 1985

The title of the talk says it all, but, as Jacqui points out, the difficulties faced by newcomers to meditation may still be just as relevant for those with years of meditative experience. Despite the age of the talk, the points raised are just as pertinent for today's practitioners.

Jacqui James was a Buddhist Insight meditation teacher and the co-founder of the House of Inner Tranquillity. Jacqui passed away in 1989, aged only 42. 

This talk was given in December 1982

Our modern western education tends to create within us a bias towards a rational, empirical view of the world. When approaching the Buddha's teaching there can be a strong urge to dismiss anything we find that does not conform with such a-priori assumptions. In this talk, Paul discusses why this is a mistake. He contents that there are vastly more things and ways to know and experience than our scientific materialist philosophical orthodoxy admits.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.

This talk was given in June 2018

A somewhat more technical talk about the Buddha's higher teaching on the constituents of ultimate reality.

In meditation, once the mind is calm and free of hindrances, the next step is to turn the attention to investigating and noting the arising and passing of the five aggregates. It is this process that undoes the tendency to passionately crave for life to be different. We recognise that the things of life to which we normally cling are, in reality, no more real than a rainbow; all appearance, but empty of any solid, enduring self-existence.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.

This talk was given in April 2017

'Awareness' is a word you hear used time and time again when you come across meditation. What is awareness? How do you develop it? And what benefits will it give you if you do develop it?

Jacqui James was a Buddhist Insight meditation teacher and the co-founder of the House of Inner Tranquillity. Jacqui passed away in 1989, aged only 42.

This talk was given in September 1986

Have you ever smelled a rose in the evening after the rain has fallen? Anyone who has examined and explored life to any degree knows that there is something special and mysterious about the world we live in. The Buddha's teaching shows us how to realise the wonder and perfection of life for ourselves.

Alan James founded the House of Inner Tranquillity, along with his wife Jacqui James in 1980. He continued to teach the way to enlightenment until his retirement in 2010. 

This talk was originally given in July 1988

The increased popularity in mindfulness practices is to be welcomed, although with some reservations. Paul talks about how, through taking the practice of mindfulness beyond just aiming to feel "a bit calmer," we can begin to revolutionise the way we comprehend life.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.     

This talk was given in October 2015

Many spiritual traditions emphasise the more feminine aspects of meditation, like faith, tranquillity and openness, but can sometimes neglect the equally important masculine components, such as investigation, essential for the development of insight-wisdom and the realisation of freedom from suffering. 

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.    

This talk was given in March 2018

Are political views simply the invention of the ignorant mind that craves for life to be different? Paul explores how embracing the law of kamma and adopting the view of rebirth fulfils both the need for collective responsibility and personal liberty. Further, discovering how the conventional reality of time and space emerges from the play of conditional forces, brings the transcendent understanding that life has always been perfect as it is.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.   

This talk was given in November 2017

What is the role of the meditation teacher and how best might students behave towards their guide? Although only 24 minutes long, this is one of the most powerful talks Jacqui gave. The sound quality of the recording is not so great, but the subject matter is still just as relevant and important.

Jacqui James was a Buddhist Insight meditation teacher and the co-founder of the House of Inner Tranquillity. Jacqui passed away in 1989, aged only 42. 

This talk was given in September 1981

What is the perfection of compassion and how does it relate to walking the path to enlightenment? Paul discusses the bodhisattva vow and whether spontaneous enlightenment ever really happens without significant prior spiritual work.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.    This talk was given in February 2018

Composure is an attitude of self-possession, collectedness, readying oneself and understanding what needs to be done. It is the absence of a "wildness of heart." Paul talks about the role composure has in meditation and walking the spiritual path.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.  

This talk was given in August 2015

Jacqui talks about why we are here on this planet Earth and whether there is or is not a purpose to life.

Jacqui James was a Buddhist Insight meditation teacher and the co-founder of the House of Inner Tranquillity. Jacqui passed away in 1989, aged only 42.

This talk was given in February 1987

It is fair to say that people meditate because they believe there is a deeper dimension to life, one with which they can get in touch by pursuing that particular path.

Alan James founded the House of Inner Tranquillity, along with his wife Jacqui James in 1980. He continued to teach the way to enlightenment until his retirement in 2010. 

This talk was delivered in December 1988

At some point, especially when things are not going well, most of us wonder what life is all about. We ask questions like, "Why me?" or "What have I done to deserve this?" This, Alan James suggests, is the call to the spiritual quest, to discover for ourselves that which lies beyond the conditioned universe.

Alan James founded the House of Inner Tranquillity, along with his wife Jacqui James in 1980. He continued to teach the way to enlightenment until his retirement in 2010.

This talk was originally given in March 2002

What is the one thing that omniscient knowledge lacks? Can you say life is perfect without imperfection? 

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity. 

This talk was given in December 2017

What gives rise to compassion, the "melting of the heart," where one intuitively understands another's suffering and its cause?

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity. 

This talk was given in May 2016

Jhanas are deep states of concentration wherein the mind is fixed or absorbed in a single object of contemplation. Hindrances are the mental qualities, based in self-concern and resistance, that prevent such deep states of absorption from arising.

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.

This talk was given in May 2016

Why is perception such an important part of life and meditation?

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.  

This talk was given in October 2016

How do we deal with unwanted memories, the concomitant painful feelings and sense of regret that arise as a consequence?

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity. 

This talk was given in April 2017

Why is the Sangha, the community of practitioners, such an important part of the Buddhist philosophy and training?

Paul Harris is the Spiritual Head and principal meditation teacher at the House of Inner Tranquillity.

This talk was given in August 2017