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Audio | view transcript | Other talks from Padmaloka

Touching the Void

by Jnanavaca

In this moving talk Jnanavaca relates events in Joe Simpson's popular mountaineering book 'Touching the Void' to aspects of Buddhist practice. look out for some wonderful quotes - from T.E. Lawrence to Einstein. Inspiring stuff all round...

Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2004

Tracks (click play to listen)

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1. Touching the Void; ways of looking at spiritual life (5:05) 
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2. Climbing a mountain; ideals (5:16) 
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3. Naivety and cynicism; a reading from Albert Einstein; personal experience - egotism (5:51) 
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4. The descent (6:35) 
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5. Maturing idealism (4:35) 
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6. Einstein on interdependence (1:37) 
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7. Falling into space; Amoghasiddhi (6:31) 
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8. Cutting the rope; taking responsibility (5:31) 
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9. Personal experience - facing fear (4:46) 
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10. Falling deeper into the dark (7:01) 
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11. Crawling down the mountain; positive pride (1:39) 
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12. At the bottom; humiliation (5:02) 
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13. Losing yourself (7:19) 
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14. Einstein on compassion (1:28) 


Total running time: 1:08:16