[This episode originally aired on Sept. 26, 2023] This period of history has been marked by incredible leaps in efficiency: things that used to take a great deal of time and effort can get done more quickly and easily than ever • but there are whole areas of reality that can't be accessed by efficiency, no matter how quick or clever or speedy we are • in fact, the harder we try and the speedier we get, the further away we are • there's a value, at le...

(This episode originally aired on Sept. 19, 2023) In Buddhist psychology, a lot of emphasis is placed on the process of perception because the way we perceive —and misperceive — has tremendous consequences • in grade school we are taught an oversimplified view of what it means to have a sense perception: there's an object out there, and there's the eyeball, and the brain, and boom, just like that, a perception • you might say, I saw an apple, but of course you ne...

[This episode originally aired on June 6, 2023] There are many ways to look at the connection between spirituality and our everyday lives • in the Buddhist tradition, the basic components are very simple and straightforward: they are wisdom, compassion, and effective action • an image that illustrates how theses three components work together is that of a wheel — a wheel with a hub, spokes, and a rim • the hub at the center connects the wheel t...

[This episode originally aired on May 30, 2023] When the Buddha spoke of being “a son or daughter of noble family,” what was he referring to? • in India, where the Buddha taught, there was a caste system with very clear distinctions between the noble castes, the less noble castes, and the untouchables • the closest thing in many Western societies is being born into wealth or being born into poverty • with extreme wealth comes access to extreme power;...

[This episode originally aired on May 23, 2023] Today’s topic is perception, how we see our world • each of us sees things a little bit differently, and optical illusions highlight this fact • in one well known optical illusion, some people see a chalice, while other people see two women facing each other • which is it? • you might see a chalice when everyone around you sees two women • the problem begins when we take our versi...

[This episode originally aired on May 16, 2023] I find it inspiring to discover wisdom in the midst of so many ordinary stories, even simple children's stories • the Wizard of Oz is one such story • the main character is Dorothy, whose life changes completely when she is swept up in a tornado and lands in a magical place called Oz • there she embarks on a journey of discovery, accompanied by her little dog Toto and three companions: a scarecrow, who ...

[This episode originally aired on May 9, 2023] Buddha nature, or “enlightened genes,” isn’t something outside of us that we need to construct or to import • it is a force of awakening that is within us, and it is quite simple and quite natural • it is like the strong determination of children to learn and to develop; it’s almost a kind of discontent looking to awaken • traditional texts point to this inherent nature as the root cause of awakening •&n...

[This episode originally aired on May 2, 2023] Today we are exploring four traditional methods or practices we can use to awaken our enlightened genes • the first method is cultivating loving kindness, or maitri, which is a key theme in the mahayana; it is connected with the wish that all beings be happy, and that includes you • the second method is cultivating compassion, or karuna • while loving kindness looks into the nature of happiness, compassio...

[This episode originally aired on April 25, 2023] In this episode we will be looking at the obstacles we might encounter in trying to awaken our enlightened genes, as well as situations that support their awakening • Trungpa Rinpoche called the first obstacle intrinsic slavery: we become slaves to our schemes, to our work, to our possessions • the second obstacle is being unaware: having a limited kind of awareness which does not look beyond the superficial level of t...

[This episode originally aired on April 18, 2023] Buddhists are always talking about awakening, but what does that actually mean? • Trungpa Rinpoche taught that what is being awakened are our "enlightened genes" — a term which implies that awakening is somewhat natural, somewhat part of our makeup • sometimes Tibetans use the analogy of an acorn: if you try to get an oak tree by planting a bean seed, it will never work; but if you plant an acorn, you get an oak ...

[This episode originally aired on April 11, 2023] An important transition point on the Buddhist path occurs between the foundational stage, where we focus on our own development, and the mahayana tradition, where the focus is directed toward the cultivation of compassion and concern for others • what makes this vitally important transition possible is training in shamatha and vipashyana, or mindfulness and awareness • shamatha is about taming our mind; it is abou...

[This episode originally aired on April 4, 2023] Meditation practice doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it happens in the context of our life, and our life situations can vary tremendously • in extreme situations it can be easy to lose our connection to practice • one extreme is when our situation is really cozy and going really well • the other extreme, which I would like to focus on here, is when our lives take a dramatic turn and we are faced with dire s...

[This episode originally aired on March 28, 2023] Buddhism’s emphasis on facing the reality of suffering could lead to the perception that the Buddhist path is only focused on what's wrong; but the Buddha also taught how to free ourselves from suffering • facing the reality of suffering straightforwardly can actually be a tremendous relief • when I first encountered Buddhist teachings, I never went to a talk where people didn't just burst into laughter from time...

[This episode originally aired on March 21, 2023] The teachings of the Buddha are often divided into three components: intelligence or discriminating awareness; discipline; and meditation • there can be so much emphasis on sitting practice that there is less discussion of the importance of cultivating knowledge and discipline — what it actually takes to put the teachings into action in our everyday life • being able to observe what is going on with some precision...

[This episode originally aired on March 14, 2023] The great teacher Shantideva emphasized the importance of vigilance, of protecting our minds • at the same time, tremendous emphasis is placed on maintaining an open, welcoming mind • so what's the difference between vigilance and just closing our mind in a negative or unhelpful way? • one way of looking at this is to think of your mind as a house • inside your house are your children or ma...

[This episode originally aired on March 7, 2023] It may seem odd to talk about the benefits of “don't know mind” in a tradition that places such value on learning and on study, and the harm that comes from lack of knowledge, lack of awareness, lack of critical thinking • so how is don't know mind different from delusory mind or ignorance? • the main difference is that don't know mind is about opening out, whereas ignorance is about shutting down • Tr...

[This episode originally aired on February 28, 2023] The Buddhist path includes many methods for reminding us to wake up — from our blurriness, our sleepiness, and the busyness and distractedness of life • it's easy to get lost in the woods; reminders help us find our way back to the path • traditionally there are what are called the four basic or fundamental reminders • the first reminder is acknowledging the amazing opportunity of having this human ...

[This episode originally aired on February 21, 2023] Is there a way to make a sane relationship with our bad deeds and our regrets? • it's not easy to face up to all that we've done; it's not easy to find a way between wallowing in guilt and evading responsibility • in the Buddhist monastic traditions, there is a practice that provides a way of directly facing and working with the harm we have caused • the starting point is remorse; we feel bad about...

[This episode originally aired on February 14, 2023] Images of the Buddha sitting in meditation posture give the impression that the buddhist path is quiescent and still; but actually it's a very dynamic, ever-evolving, and important journey • personally, I connect this idea of journey with a sense of something within us that we have lost and are trying to get back to • I think of this missing thing as our “heart of hearts” • it’s as though we are gr...

[This episode originally aired on February 7, 2023] Early Buddhist meditators spent quite a lot of time alone in retreat in remote, rugged areas • as a result, they were very much in tune with the the five basic elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and space • they observed that everything inside is mirrored by what is outside, and everything outside is mirrored by what is inside • the earth element has the quality of being solid, embodied, unmoving&...