Victor von der Heyde

has been practising meditation for thirty five years.  He's spent over two years in total in silent retreats and has taken dharma teaching roles since the mid 1990s. He was co-founder of Sydney Insight Meditators and of the Bodhgaya Development Association. He also trained in Gestalt Therapy and worked for years as a counsellor.

He writes: These days my passions in teaching - and practice - include exploring the various responses to climate breakdown, and the ways that we get often stuck with particular concepts of self and world. And stuck with particular meditation practices. My intention is to open up freeing and soulful possibilities for people.

Teaching schedule 2022

30 January: Sydney Insight Meditators: Hut of the Happy Omen: morning practice and lunch. 9:30am-1:45pm. Theme: Samadhi Practice - Part 1

27 February:  Sydney Insight Meditators: Hut of the Happy Omen: morning practice and lunch. 9:30am-1:45pm. Theme: Samadhi Practice - Part 2

Audio recordings

2021

Buddhism for our time and the Secular School 16th August 2021, Bluegum Sangha

Metta to Phenomena - Guided Meditation 16th August 2021, Bluegum Sangha

2020

Question on clinging and dukkha 14th September 2020, asked at Bluegum Sangha 8 minutes

Climate Breakdown and the Dharma 14th September 2020, Bluegum Sangha, clip from short introduction, 14 mins.

2019

Climate Breakdown and the Dharma - Part 4, 8th September 2019, Heart Insight Group, Brisbane, 26 mins (Minimising harm and effectiveness in social and political movements and actions).

Climate Breakdown and the Dharma - Part 3, 1st September 2019, Heart Insight Group, Brisbane, 21 mins (Covers dukkha in relation to what’s happening to the earth, views that are behind the crisis, age of separation, human supremacy, a commitment: letting go of unhelpful views, climate change nihilism, climate awakening.)

Climate Breakdown and the Dharma - Part 2 (Felt Responses), 5th August, Bluegum Sangha, North Sydney, 33 mins

Climate Breakdown and the Dharma - Part 1, 9th June 2019, Heart Insight Group, Brisbane, 36 mins

Friendships, Influence, The Dependent Nature of our Views and Sense of Entitlement, 18th April, 2019, Golden Wattle Sangha, Bondi Junction, Sydney, 19 mins

2018

Working with Desire and Wanting, 6th December 2018, Hut of the Happy Omen, 26 mins

Working with Emotions and related Mind States, 14th January 2018, Heart Insight Group, 27 mins

2017

Shifting views of Metta and Mudita, 16th July 2017, Intermediate Level course

2015

Ethics: Engaged or Marginalised?, 29th March, Heart Insight Group, 28 mins

2013

Ethics, Climate Change and Practice  2nd April, Bluegum Sangha, 53 mins.

Attitudes to practice: Factors that contribute to different attitudes and how our attitude can influence what happens (part 1)  19th May, Heart Insight Group, Brisbane, 27 mins

Attitudes to practice: Factors that contribute to different attitudes and how our attitude can influence what happens (part 2)  26th May, Heart Insight Group, Brisbane, 30 mins

Ethics, Climate Change and Practice - Part 1  16th June, Heart Insight Group, 43 mins

Ethics, Climate Change and Practice - Part 2  23rd June, Heart Insight Group, 36 mins

Ethics, Climate Change and Practice - Part 3  30th June, Heart Insight Group, 19 mins

Essay

Climate Change, Ethics and the Field of Greed (2013)