As our societies unravel in fear and reactivity, we are called to live from our most awake and wise heart. This talk and meditation was first offered to Satyam, a community of Palestinians, Israelis, and internationals devoted to creating a future of justice, safety, freedom, and dignity for all. It invites us to move beyond the conditioning of “bad-othering,” and to cultivate clarity, compassion, and the capacity to respond in ways that seed healing.

In this talk, Tara explores:

• how the trance of “bad othering” fuels division and how compassion can free us from blame.
• the practice of the U-turn—turning inward with kindness to transform anger, fear, and grief into care.
• the balance of a “strong back and soft front,” cultivating courage and tenderness in times of violence.
• how seeing the suffering beneath harmful actions allows us to meet others with wise compassion.
• how presence, RAIN practice, and shared belonging can guide us toward healing and peace.

Behind the activity of thinking, and the ever-changing flow of sounds, sensations and feelings, there is a great and awake silence that holds all that unfolds. This space of awareness is our formless essence, and learning to open and rest into this alert, knowing vastness has the blessings of homecoming.

If we are suffering, we are believing an interpretation of reality that is limiting and untrue. At these times we are imprisoned in a painful looping of fear-driven thoughts and feelings. This talk explores the ways our practices of mindfulness, compassion and loving presence can guide us from addictive thinking to perceiving life with a wise heart.

In this talk, Tara explores:

• how fear-based thoughts create suffering and keep us locked in cycles of insecurity and separation.
  * the pathway of moving from the prison of looping thoughts to the freedom of open-hearted presence.
  * Ihow recognizing thoughts as “real but not true” opens the door to compassion and release.
  * three pathways—returning to presence, awakening the heart, and resting in awareness—that guide us from head to heart.
  * how mindfulness and loving awareness reconnect us with our wholeness and the joy of simply being.

https://www.tarabrach.com/from-head-to-heart-2025/