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Teaching Peace
Brooklyn Peace Center
47 episodes
4 days ago
Teaching Peace is a podcast from Brooklyn Peace Center exploring the many paths to justice and reconciliation. Hosted by Rev. Dr. Jason Storbakken, the series features conversations with educators, theologians, organizers, artists, and spiritual leaders on the practices and pedagogies of peacebuilding. Alongside longform interviews, the podcast includes shortform series like Dhammapada: A Sacred Path to Liberation and Sister Sister—offering meditations on sacred wisdom, global sisterhood, and liberating practice. To learn more, visit www.brooklynpeace.center
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Spirituality
Religion & Spirituality
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All content for Teaching Peace is the property of Brooklyn Peace Center and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Teaching Peace is a podcast from Brooklyn Peace Center exploring the many paths to justice and reconciliation. Hosted by Rev. Dr. Jason Storbakken, the series features conversations with educators, theologians, organizers, artists, and spiritual leaders on the practices and pedagogies of peacebuilding. Alongside longform interviews, the podcast includes shortform series like Dhammapada: A Sacred Path to Liberation and Sister Sister—offering meditations on sacred wisdom, global sisterhood, and liberating practice. To learn more, visit www.brooklynpeace.center
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Spirituality
Religion & Spirituality
Episodes (20/47)
Teaching Peace
Ch. 26: Teacher

Teaching is not a title—it’s a path of lived wisdom, earned through practice and compassion.

In this final chapter of the Dhammapada, we explore the reimagining of the term Brahmin—traditionally reserved for the priestly caste—as a spiritual teacher whose authority is earned not by birth, but by awakening. In this radical teaching, Gautama Buddha dismantles caste hierarchies and calls for a priesthood of liberation: a community of peacebuilders shaped by wisdom, not lineage.

Jason Storbakken reflects on:

  • How Buddhism redefines Brahmin as one who embodies peace, compassion, and nonviolence

  • The sramana movement’s roots in renunciation, forest-dwelling, and resistance to ritual domination

  • Parallels between Buddha and Jesus as anti-hierarchical teachers calling forth movements of the marginalized

  • The call to move beyond trauma and privilege—to choose the path of transformation (v. 384)

  • The teacher as one who “neither kills, nor is complicit in killing... but cultivates compassion for all beings” (v. 405)

Drawing from Buddhist teaching, Christian scripture (1 Peter 2:9), and the work of trauma specialist Emily Wanderer Cohen, this episode invites us to embody the role of teacher as healer, transformer, and builder of liberationist communities.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support the journey: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Teacher #Brahmin #PeaceLeadership #Sramana #JesusAndBuddha #IntergenerationalHealing #Antiviolence #PriesthoodOfAllBelievers #TraumaAndPrivilege #LiberationCommunities

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1 month ago
18 minutes 21 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 25: Student

Every path to wisdom begins with the courage to learn.

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 25 of the Dhammapada, a chapter that marks a meaningful shift in the text’s arc. As the penultimate chapter—just before “Teacher”—Student reminds us that spiritual growth begins with humility, discipline, and the willingness to learn.

Jason Storbakken reflects on:

  • The symbolic progression from student to teacher within the Dhammapada

  • Gautama Buddha’s own journey as a student of meditation and ascetic practice

  • The role of the bhikku—the alms-dependent learner committed to wisdom and simplicity

  • How Buddha’s early companions became his first disciples after witnessing his transformation

  • Parallels between Buddhist and Christian discipleship movements, including Jesus and his young followers

  • The revolutionary role of students and youth in global movements—from the sangha to SNCC

As Buddha’s life shows us, the student path is not passive—it is deeply engaged, deeply transformative, and, at its best, deeply collective.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support the journey: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Student #Bhikku #BuddhistDiscipleship #JesusAndBuddha #YouthMovements #SpiritualPractice #FourNobleTruths #SNCC #Sangha #LearningAsLiberation

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1 month ago
15 minutes 14 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 24: Craving

What’s the difference between wanting something—and needing it so badly it consumes you?

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 24 of the Dhammapada, where the Buddha names tanha—craving—as one of the deepest obstacles to liberation. While desire may be natural, craving is something else: a grasping that entangles us in suffering. In Buddhist cosmology, tanha is one of Mara’s children, sent to tempt Siddhartha beneath the Bodhi tree and pull him from the path to awakening.

Jason Storbakken reflects on:

  • The subtle but profound difference between desire and craving

  • Craving as addiction—and how Buddhist wisdom informs recovery and healing

  • The metaphor of the “thirty-six streams” and the six senses as a map of our entanglements

  • What it means to break the bonds of Mara through mindfulness, meditation, and insight

As Buddha teaches:
“If you are to break the bonds of Mara… slow down. Deepen in your practice. Dwell in meditation.” (v. 350)

Whether we’re navigating recovery, spiritual practice, or daily distractions, this chapter reminds us that freedom begins with seeing clearly—and letting go.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support the journey: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Craving #Tanha #AddictionRecovery #BuddhismAndHealing #Mindfulness #RecoveryDharma #LiberationSpirituality #BuddhistPsychology #DesireVsCraving #BreakTheChains

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1 month ago
13 minutes 41 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 23: The Elephant

In a noisy world, the one who listens deeply and responds with care becomes truly powerful.

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 23 of the Dhammapada, where the Buddha likens a wise person to an elephant on the battlefield—bearing insults and hurtful words with calm endurance. In Indian tradition, elephants symbolize strength, peace, and deep presence. This chapter invites us to embody those qualities not in retreat, but in the heart of conflict.

Jason Storbakken draws connections between the Buddha’s teaching and Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication, reflecting on:

  • The emotional impact of harsh words—and the resilience it takes not to internalize them

  • How to shift from blame and criticism to empathy and understanding

  • The inner strength that comes from seeing beyond someone’s words to the needs and feelings beneath

  • Compassionate communication as a spiritual practice—and an act of resistance

As Buddha teaches:
“Like an elephant bearing enemy arrows on the battlefield, I endure others’ hurtful words.” (v. 320)

Through mindful presence and heart-centered communication, we can move through the world with the quiet power of the elephant—steadfast, aware, and unshaken.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support the journey: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #TheElephant #CompassionateCommunication #NonviolentCommunication #MarshallRosenberg #Ahimsa #SpiritualResilience #BuddhismAndEmpathy #PeacefulStrength #ElephantWisdom

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2 months ago
9 minutes 55 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 22: Despair

What if hell isn’t a place—but a condition of the heart?

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 22 of the Dhammapada, where Gautama Buddha speaks to the lived reality of despair—not as eternal punishment, but as the result of harmful choices, moral denial, and disconnection from the sacred path.

Jason Storbakken reflects on:

  • The Buddhist understanding of “hell” as a state of despair rather than a place of damnation

  • How lying, blame-shifting, and hypocrisy fuel cycles of harm and spiritual desolation (vv. 306–318)

  • The warning against religious performance without integrity—a timeless caution that still echoes today

  • The way out: intentional practice, honest self-examination, and compassionate connection

As the Buddha teaches:
“A person who lies or denies the harm they have caused chooses the path of despair.” (v. 306)

The path toward liberation is not built on fear or shame, but on truth-telling, humility, and sacred community. In a world rife with harm cycles and moral confusion, this chapter reminds us that we can choose a different way—one of healing, accountability, and collective light.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support the journey: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Despair #SpiritualIntegrity #CyclesOfHarm #BuddhismAndLiberation #HealingPath #Accountability #CompassionateConnection #ReligiousHypocrisy #Wakefulness

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2 months ago
8 minutes 24 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 21: Miscellany

What holds a life together isn’t always one big truth—but many small ones, lived with care.

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 21 of the Dhammapada—a collection of varied yet deeply connected teachings from the Buddha. From reflections on solitude to practices of nonviolence, these verses offer practical wisdom for navigating a complex and often disconnected world.

Jason Storbakken reflects on:

  • The distinction between solitude and loneliness, with insight from Maggie Nelson and Rupi Kaur

  • The U.S. Surgeon General’s call to confront the epidemic of loneliness through connection, presence, and care

  • The foundational Three Gems of Buddhism—Buddha (teacher), Dharma (teaching), and Sangha (community)—and three embodied practices: the body, harmlessness, and meditation

  • The path of harmlessness, nonviolence (ahimsa), and antiviolence as a spiritual and societal ethic

As Buddha teaches:
“Even alone in the wilds of the forest, peace is theirs.” (v. 305)

This chapter reminds us that even in solitude, we are never truly alone—and that the path to liberation is built on small, intentional acts of compassion.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support the journey: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Solitude #Loneliness #Nonviolence #ThreeGems #BuddhaDharmaSangha #Ahimsa #MaggieNelson #RupiKaur #CommunityHealing #Mindfulness

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2 months ago
11 minutes 35 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 20: The Path

The path to liberation doesn’t begin with certainty—it begins with a single step.

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 20 of the Dhammapada, where the Buddha invites us to reflect on The Path—not as a fixed road, but as one made by walking. Jason Storbakken traces Siddhartha Gautama’s journey from prince to seeker, from privilege to awakening, and the lessons he discovered in choosing intention over status, and purpose over comfort.

This episode explores:

  • How Gautama left behind the path handed to him to discover the one that leads to freedom

  • The Middle Path—not moderation, but a dynamic third way that resists extremes

  • Insights from Bob Marley, Jesus of Nazareth, and Antonio Machado on the meaning of “the way”

  • How walking the path transforms us—through meditation, intention, and community

  • The spiritual and psychological power of holding multiple perspectives with compassion

As Buddha said: “I have walked this path that leads to liberation, and by walking this path I have shown the way.” (v. 275b)

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support this journey: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #ThePath #MiddleWay #LiberationSpirituality #BobMarley #AntonioMachado #JesusSaid #ThirdWay #Mindfulness #TheoryOfMind #SacredPath #WalkingTogether

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2 months ago
12 minutes 50 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 19: Dharma

What holds us together when the world feels like it’s falling apart?

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 19 of the Dhammapada, centering on the concept of Dharma—that which upholds. Rooted in the Sanskrit word dhri, Dharma represents both inner discipline and cosmic order. For Buddhists, it is the teaching of the Buddha. For seekers, it is the path to liberation.

Jason Storbakken reflects on Dharma’s resonance across traditions—from Torah and Sharia to Gospel and Tao—and how the Wheel of Dharma, much like the turning gears of a bicycle, signifies progress on the spiritual path.

This episode explores:

  • Dharma as spiritual gravity—what holds and propels us

  • The sage who “lives from the heart… beyond good and evil” (v. 267)

  • Parallels with Christian ideas of Alpha and Omega, and MLK’s “arc of the moral universe”

  • The balance between detachment and commitment in the face of suffering

  • Nelson Mandela’s wisdom on sitting with what is—without needing it to be different

When we walk the path of Dharma, we move through life with clarity, discipline, and heart—guided by a vision of justice, harmony, and awakening.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support this work: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Dharma #SpiritualPractice #WheelOfDharma #LiberationPath #MartinLutherKing #NelsonMandela #AlphaAndOmega #Tao #Gospel #Torah #Sharia #BuddhismAndJustice

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3 months ago
9 minutes 40 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 18: Ruin

How do we care for the soul when life wears it down?

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 17 of the Dhammapada, where the Buddha likens the human heart to a home—one that falls into ruin if not tended. Just as rust corrodes metal, so too can worry, ignorance, and distraction eat away at our spirit. But through daily spiritual practice, the light within can be restored.

Jason Storbakken weaves together the teachings of Gautama Buddha, Ella Baker, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Rabbi Abraham Heschel to offer a multi-tradition reflection on what it means to clear away inner decay and step into clarity, stillness, and liberation.

This episode explores:

  • Buddha’s wisdom: “A house falls into ruin when no one dwells in it.”

  • How disciplined practice, silence, and stillness help us return to ourselves

  • The power of shamatha (calming) and vipashyana (insight)

  • Sabbath wisdom from Rabbi Heschel: menuha as peace, rest, and real joy

  • Ella Baker’s guiding light: “Give light and people will find the way.”

Whether through Buddhist meditation, Jewish Sabbath, or simple mindful pauses, the path forward begins with stillness. In silence, we repair the house of the soul.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support this work: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Ruin #Stillness #Shamatha #Vipashyana #Menuha #EllaBaker #ThichNhatHanh #AbrahamHeschel #SpiritualPractice #InnerPeace #LiberationSpirituality

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3 months ago
13 minutes 10 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 17: Anger

What if anger isn’t the root—but the symptom?

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 17 of the Dhammapada, where the Buddha calls us to understand and transform the fire of anger. Drawing from both ancient wisdom and contemporary insight, Jason Storbakken reflects on how anger often masks more vulnerable emotions like fear and sadness—what psychologists call a “secondary emotion.”

Through the lens of pop culture, neuroscience, and lived experience, this episode journeys into:

  • The origin story of the Incredible Hulk and how Bruce Banner’s rage traces back to generational trauma

  • A bike ride through Brooklyn that became a moment of fear, anger, and eventually self-awareness

  • How the nervous system responds to threat, and how mindfulness can shift us from reactivity to reflection

  • The liberating practice of naming what we feel—and offering ourselves compassion

Buddha teaches not to suppress anger but to understand it. When we pause, breathe, and connect with our deeper truth, we can move from harm to healing—and begin breaking the cycles that keep us bound.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support the journey: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Anger #EmotionalHealing #TheHulk #TraumaInformed #SelfCompassion #Mindfulness #LiberationSpirituality #GenerationalHealing #BuddhismAndPopCulture

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3 months ago
11 minutes 24 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 15 & 16: Joy & Pleasure

In this double episode of Teaching Peace, we explore sukha—the deep, enduring joy found in Buddhist teachings—as distinct from fleeting pleasure or the pursuit of happiness.

Jason Storbakken reflects on Chapters 15 and 16 of the Dhammapada, where the Buddha reminds us that true joy is not something we chase—it’s something we cultivate. While pleasure is often tied to circumstance, joy is rooted in safety, trust, and meaningful connection. It is a quality of inner life that sustains us through both celebration and sorrow.

In this episode, we reflect on:

  • The difference between sukha (joy) and piya (pleasure)

  • How joy emerges from trust and inner peace rather than pursuit

  • Buddha’s teachings on relationships, safety, and liberation: “Foster trust in relationships. In all this, seek liberation.” (v. 204b)

  • The insights of Bessel van der Kolk and Allen Ginsberg, linking joy, trauma healing, and cosmic connection

From ancient scripture to modern poetry, joy is revealed as a sacred and sustaining force—one that helps us live well, love deeply, and move toward liberation.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support this work: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Sukha #JoyVsPleasure #TraumaHealing #InnerPeace #Relationships #BuddhismAndPoetry #SpiritualPractice #SafeConnections #LiberationSpirituality

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3 months ago
16 minutes 12 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 14: Awakener

What does it mean to awaken—not just for oneself, but for the liberation of all?

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 14 of the Dhammapada through the lens of the Buddha—the Enlightened One, the Knower, the Awakener. Just as “Christ” is a title that signifies transformation and divine presence, “Buddha” is more than a name—it is an invitation. An invitation to embody awareness, compassion, and liberation.

Jason Storbakken reflects on the declaration:
“More than a conqueror, the awakener moves beyond the cycle of conquering and being conquered.” (v. 179)

Drawing parallels with Christian scripture (“...we are more than conquerors...” – Romans 8:37), this episode explores how both traditions subvert domination and point toward healing. We journey through:

  • The meaning of “Buddha” as a path and aspiration

  • The Four Noble Truths as a spiritual response to suffering

  • How awakening intersects with struggles for racial, gender, and economic justice

  • The call to become Awakeners—people who transform pain into peace

With insights from Black and Buddhist by Cheryl A. Giles, this episode centers the First Noble Truth as an act of courage: to face suffering with compassion, and to begin walking the path of liberation—together.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support the work: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Awakener #BuddhaNature #FourNobleTruths #BlackAndBuddhist #LiberationSpirituality #AntiRacism #HealingJustice #BuddhismAndChristianity #MoreThanConquerors #CompassionInAction

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3 months ago
10 minutes 31 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 13: The World

What world do you call home? In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 13 of the Dhammapada, where the Buddha invites us to “peel away illusory worlds and unveil the ground of being” (v. 169). Through the lens of loka—the Pali word for “world”—we reflect on how worldviews shape our sense of belonging, purpose, and collective liberation.

Jason Storbakken draws connections between Buddhist and Christian teachings, linking loka to the Greek oikos (home), Tillich’s “ground of being,” Isaiah’s call for justice, and Dr. King’s moral imperative to resist unjust laws. Across traditions, the message is clear: liberation is not only personal—it’s social, ecological, and cosmic.

This episode explores:

  • What it means to live in alignment with the “ground of being”

  • How peeling away illusion reveals truth, connection, and justice

  • Parallels between Buddhist teachings, Hebrew prophecy, and Christian liberation theology

  • A vision of sacred activism rooted in compassion, resistance, and transformation

As the world groans for redemption, this teaching calls us not to escape the world—but to awaken within it.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support the work: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #TheWorld #Loka #LiberationTheology #GroundOfBeing #Tillich #MLK #Isaiah #Ecospirituality #SacredActivism #BuddhismAndChristianity #JusticeAndCompassion

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4 months ago
9 minutes 46 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 12: Self

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 12 of the Dhammapada, turning inward to examine the Buddhist view of atman—the self that is no self.

Jason Storbakken reflects on how Buddhist teachings disrupt common understandings of the soul. Unlike many world religions that affirm an eternal, individual soul, Buddhism invites us into a different truth: the self is not fixed or separate but an illusion shaped by transient experiences. Yet this illusion points toward a deeper reality—what some call the absolute, the all-self, or no-self at all.

This episode considers:

  • The contrast between Buddhist atman and the Abrahamic view of the soul

  • How the illusion of self contributes to suffering—and how awakening leads to liberation

  • Why these philosophical differences matter for interreligious dialogue, environmental ethics, and social justice

  • The role of mindfulness and meditation in seeing through the illusion of separateness

Rather than a denial of the soul, Buddhism offers a nuanced path that neither clings to permanence nor erases existence—it points to the possibility of freedom beyond ego.

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support this work: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Buddhism #Atman #NoSelf #Soul #Mindfulness #Interfaith #LiberationSpirituality #TraumaInformedFaith #EnvironmentalEthics #SocialJustice

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4 months ago
7 minutes 45 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 11: Things Fall Apart

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 11 of the Dhammapada, a meditation on decay, impermanence, and the unraveling of harmful systems. Drawing from the Buddhist concept of jaramarana—the cycle of aging, deterioration, and death—we reflect on how things fall apart not only within us, but around us: in our relationships, communities, and the world.

Jason Storbakken takes us from ancient wisdom to contemporary resonance, connecting the Dhammapada’s verse 154 with The Roots’ album Things Fall Apart, inspired by Chinua Achebe and illustrated by a photo of police violence in 1960s Brooklyn. This imagery evokes the deep entanglement of personal and systemic collapse—yet also the potential for post-traumatic growth.

What does it mean to acknowledge decay, not as the end, but as the opening to transformation? From the entropy of systems to the liberation of the spirit, this episode weaves together trauma-aware spirituality, liberation theology, and Buddhist insight. We hear echoes of Audre Lorde—“the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house”—as a call for revolutionary change through nonviolence and compassion.

We explore:

  • Jaramarana and the law of entropy

  • Healing from decay through breath, awareness, and intention

  • Why systems built on violence can’t be reformed—they must be replaced

  • The Buddha’s declaration: "House-builder, you are seen. The structure shall not be rebuilt." (v. 154)

🎧 New episodes drop Mondays at 6 AM EST
🕊️ Support the work: www.brooklynpeace.center
#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #ThingsFallApart #Jaramarana #LiberationTheology #AudreLorde #Buddhism #Antiviolence #TraumaHealing #NonviolentResistance

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4 months ago
10 minutes 1 second

Teaching Peace
Ch. 10: Violence

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 10 of the Dhammapada: Violence (Pali: donda, literally “the stick”)—a sobering meditation on the roots, cycles, and transformation of violence, from interpersonal harm to systemic injustice.

Through a trauma-aware and liberationist lens, Jason Storbakken reflects on the Buddha’s powerful insight:
“Those who oppress others to maintain their own happiness transfer sorrow even to the next generation.” (v. 131)

Drawing on Johan Galtung’s typology of violence—direct, structural, and cultural—we consider how violence is normalized and transmitted across generations. Yet, Gautama Buddha offers a liberative alternative: resisting oppression through the pursuit of personal and collective liberation. From the breath-based wisdom of Hawaiian Aloha to the transformative practice of deep listening, this episode highlights how peace begins within and ripples outward into relationships, communities, and systems.

We also trace the spiritual lineage of dreadlocks from Indian ascetics to Caribbean Maroons, and hear the Buddha’s challenge to religious performance without inner peace:
“A close-minded, hard-hearted religious devotee... remains far from the noble path.” (v. 141)

Join us as we examine how violence is sustained—and how it can be disrupted through breath, presence, and compassionate action.

🔔 New episodes drop every Monday at 6 AM EST.
🎧 Subscribe & share to support this journey of peace and wisdom.
🕊️ Donate to the Brooklyn Peace Center to help us continue producing trauma-aware, liberationist content — www.brooklynpeace.center

#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Violence #AntiviolentSpirituality #GautamaBuddha #Nonviolence #DeepListening #LiberationTheology #PeaceBuilding #Aloha #TraumaInformedFaith

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4 months ago
15 minutes 2 seconds

Teaching Peace
Little by Little: Arts Residency at Brooklyn Peace Center

This episode of Teaching Peace, the podcast from Brooklyn Peace Center, turns inward to spotlight Little by Little—a performance residency and curatorial project founded by Isabella Thorpe-Woods. Over the past two years, Little by Little has welcomed seven resident artists into a space shaped by care, slowness, and relational process, rather than urgency or polished outcomes.

Host Jason Storbakken is joined by Thorpe-Woods to explore what it means to curate from the margins, to reimagine corners as sites of community and resistance, and to hold space for vulnerability, experimentation, and unfinished work. Together, they reflect on the role of performance in sacred architecture, the politics of visibility in the arts, and the quiet, subversive power of creating without capital-driven demands.

This conversation invites listeners into an emerging model of arts practice—rooted in hospitality, intergenerational and intercultural connection, and the radical possibility of building peace little by little.

📍 Learn more at www.brooklynpeace.center and follow @littlebylittlebrooklyn on Instagram.

🎧 Until next time: keep listening, keep learning, and keep building peace.

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5 months ago
24 minutes 43 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 9: Harm

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we explore Chapter 9 of the Dhammapada: Harm (Pali: papa)—a word often translated as evil or sin, but here rendered as harm, pointing to the real and measurable ways suffering is caused, carried, and passed on.

Through a trauma-informed lens, Jason Storbakken unpacks how harm moves through bodies, communities, and generations. Drawing from Gautama Buddha, Richard Rohr, and Resmaa Menakem, this episode reveals how unhealed pain becomes patterned and transferred—unless disrupted.

The teachings in this chapter challenge us to break free from cycles of reactivity and retribution. As the Buddha teaches, “Be mindful that the harm you cause does not become a pattern.” And as Jesus of Nazareth urges: “Love your enemies… pray for those who harm you.” Together, these paths guide us toward interrupting harm with compassion, transforming pain with love, and advancing steadily on the noble path.

Join us as we reflect on how to stop the spiral of generational harm and walk a path of healing, accountability, and transformation.

🔔 New episodes drop every Monday at 6 AM EST.
🎧 Subscribe & share to support this journey of peace and wisdom.
🕊️ Donate to the Brooklyn Peace Center to help us continue producing trauma-aware, liberationist content — www.brooklynpeace.center

#TeachingPeace #Dhammapada #Harm #TraumaInformedSpirituality #GenerationalHealing #LiberationistFaith #RichardRohr #ResmaaMenakem #BuddhistWisdom #LoveHeals

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5 months ago
10 minutes 45 seconds

Teaching Peace
Sister Sister: Live from Rome with Sister Nina Krapic (Part 2)

In part two of our conversation, Sister Maria Nina Benedicta Krapic joins host Zipporah Storbakken to share her personal journey—from Croatian journalist to Vatican communicator and Sister of Mercy. Speaking with warmth and conviction, she reflects on what it means to love courageously in a wounded world.

In this episode, Sister Nina shares:

  • How community brought her back to faith

  • Why she chose Edith Stein (St. Benedicta of the Cross) as her spiritual guide

  • What mercy means—beyond theory, as maternal, embodied love

  • Insights from her work with migrants and survivors of violence

  • The evolving role of women in the Church

Part of our special Sister Sister series, uplifting the voices of women healing a broken world.

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5 months ago
18 minutes 37 seconds

Teaching Peace
Ch. 8: Thousands

In this episode of Teaching Peace, we reflect on Chapter 8 of the Dhammapada: Thousands (Pali: sahassa)—a powerful teaching on the value of presence over performance, and substance over spectacle.

Gautama Buddha reminds us that a single verse rooted in peace is worth more than a thousand hollow ones. He challenges superficial religiosity and instead calls for a path of deep engagement, compassion, and inner transformation. This chapter critiques the temptation to use religion as a shield—what modern psychology calls spiritual bypassing—and offers a way forward grounded in authenticity and mercy.

Jason Storbakken explores these truths through the lens of his work at The Bowery Mission, where many in recovery wrestle with replacing harmful behaviors with spiritual language that avoids real healing. With echoes of the Hebrew prophet Hosea and Jesus of Nazareth, this episode encourages us to move beyond fear-based religion toward a life of mercy, mindfulness, and meaningful action.

Join us for a timely conversation on words that heal, actions that liberate, and the sacred journey beyond dualities.

🔔 New episodes drop every Monday at 6 AM EST.
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5 months ago
9 minutes 46 seconds

Teaching Peace
Teaching Peace is a podcast from Brooklyn Peace Center exploring the many paths to justice and reconciliation. Hosted by Rev. Dr. Jason Storbakken, the series features conversations with educators, theologians, organizers, artists, and spiritual leaders on the practices and pedagogies of peacebuilding. Alongside longform interviews, the podcast includes shortform series like Dhammapada: A Sacred Path to Liberation and Sister Sister—offering meditations on sacred wisdom, global sisterhood, and liberating practice. To learn more, visit www.brooklynpeace.center