Awakening Now with Lama Surya Das

Awakening Now with Lama Surya Das is a podcast that illuminates many aspects of the spiritual path via dharma talks and interviews with Surya Das' fellow spiritual teachers and peers. Lama Surya Das is one of the foremost Western Buddhist meditation teachers and scholars, one of the main interpreters of Tibetan Buddhism in the West, and a leading spokesperson for the emerging American Buddhism. The Dalai Lama affectionately calls him “The Western Lama.”

Rank #1: Ep. 3 - Dzogchen Non-Meditation.
Lama Surya Das breaks down the 3 ‘naturals’ of basic Dzogchen meditation, explaining that our energy moves from effort to effortless and back again, as we turn meditation into action. Questions from the audience reflect a variety of topics including the nature of awareness, fear and anxiety around death, and the stressors surrounding meditation

Rank #2: Ep. 79 – Freedom From Action.
Lama Surya Das pays tribute to Dzogchen master Chatral Rinpoche as he talks about the important practice of letting things come and go, and accepting whatever is in front of you.

Mindrolling with Raghu Markus

Escapades in Mind-Expansion and Cultural Misadventures. Mindrolling Podcast is about coming unstuck and the recent history of awoken awareness. It’s about the intersection of culture, consciousness and realization with Raghu Markus.

Rank #1: Ep. 164 - Dan Harmon and Duncan Trussell.
Our podcast guru, Duncan Trussell, introduces Raghu to writer and producer Dan Harmon. Dan is known for his cutting humor and honest introspection. Our trio sits down in Dan’s studio for a conversation about work, introspection, and finding happiness.Coming from a background of not making enough money and working undesirable jobs, Dan tries to find balance with his life and workload now that everyone wants to hire him for something.  Dan shares his recent struggle of being aware of, and respecting, the feelings and experience of his employees. The group discusses mindfulness and being aware of the destructive patterns that play out in our lives. Tune in for all this and more on this week’s unique episode of the Mindrolling Podcast with Dan Harmon!Show Notes07:30 – Dan talks a bit about his relationship with work and his “workaholism”. It can be hard to turn away any creative work away when you remember what it’s like not having any. 12:30 – The group discusses the idea of mindfulness and finding satisfaction in even the most menial of tasks. There is fulfillment in being present and at one with our work. Dan reminisces about an impactful conversation with a very honest telemarketer about her place in life.17:05 – Dan romanticizes a future where every person has moral dealbreakers on how they spend their time. In an economy where most are forced into sacrificing more of themselves than they may wish, what would the world look like under different circumstances?19:40 – Duncan accidentally uncovers the anarchist roots of Twitter.21:05 – Raghu talks to Dan more about “workaholism”. Dan is currently working on how his “workaholism” is affecting the people who work for him. He is especially sensitive to his actions because of how much abuse workers in the entertainment industry receive already.26:30 – Duncan expresses what it is like being caught in the machine that is corporate entertainment. How does one acknowledge and respect every individual involved in such a high-intensity position?30:05 – Raghu points out that the first step in approaching the issue of fully recognizing others in the moment is having the intention to make that person a priority.  Dan opens up about his difficulty being mindful of this dilemma.35:40 – We go around everyday projecting what others are thinking and allowing them to influence how we interact with the world. This is why the mindfulness movement is gaining so much popularity. Allowing us to understand what is really going on in our mind and what motivates us. Duncan and Dan share where they are at in their lives on the subject of mindfulness.38:50 – There are these recursive videotapes of habit that we run throughout our lives. Duncan exposes about how uneasy he feels thinking about this concept of the replaying tapes, and the work it takes to break the loop they catch us in.45:30 – Dan has difficulty in putting his finger on what exactly he wants, is that a sign that he may already have it? Duncan relates Dan’s dilemma to Buddhist and Bhakti teachings.50:15 – Forget trying to reach Nirvana while we are still asking, “why am I not happy?” We need to focus on simple steps, looking inside is the first step on that path to happiness. Raghu explains Jack Kornfield’s question of “How do we make friends with suffering?”55:35 – Dan Harmon is known for talking about truth no matter how uncomfortable it may be. He shares his view of truth as a life-saving mechanism. It is difficult for Dan to see the duplicity in so much of our modern world, which fuels his pursuit of honesty and truth.1:00:20 – When we remain blind to our self-centeredness we create deeper layers of complexity to our suffering. Duncan relates Dan’s position to Copernicus’s theory of Heliocentrism. Dan expresses his difficulty in separating himself from the “I”.  Raghu reminds us that we all are going through the same trip and explains how his practice has changed the way he navigates life.Dan Harmon is a writer, show runner, and producer. Harmon is best known for creating and producing NBC comedy series Community, co-creating Adult Swim animated television series Rick and Morty, and co-founding the alternative television network/website Channel 101. Keep an eye out for Dan’s hilarious new animated show HarmonQuest and Youtube series Great Minds with Dan Harmon!Also, check out Dan and Duncan’s chat about “workaholism”, being in the moment, and more on the 200 episode anniversary of the “Duncan Trussell Family Hour“

Rank #2: Ep. 62 - The Ecstasy of Surrender.
Dr. Judith Orloff guides us through the natural, human and humane ecstasy of true surrender on the road to health and healing…going-with-the-flow style acceptance - whatever - being the true engine for freedom ...the fulfilling courage of working with what we’ve got – David and Raghu take heed…

Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast

The Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast features dharma talks from a rotating lineup of contributors like: Roshi Joan Halifax, Mirabai Starr, Gil Fronsdal, Mirabai Bush, and so many more!

Rank #1: Ep. 28 - Adyashanti - The Always and Already.
In this talk, Adyashanti looks at what is necessary in order to undertake the journey of awakening and uncover our true nature.Find show notes and resources here: https://beherenownetwork.com/bhnn-guest-podcast-ep-28-always-and-already/

Rank #2: Ep. 39 - Stephen Levine – What Is Pain?.
The Be Here Now Guest Podcast presents a talk from Stephen Levine that explores how we relate to mental and physical pain.

Chris Grosso The Indie Spiritualist

Indie Spiritualist host Chris Grosso is a public speaker, writer, recovering addict, spiritual director, and author. Through commentary, interviews and ragged truth-telling, the Indie Spiritualist podcast offers raw and real experiences and insights from an eclectic mix of artists, musicians, yogis, skateboarders, actors, spiritual teachers and more. A come as you are invitation to spiritual exploration.

Rank #1: Ep. 23 - Tara Brach.
Tara Brach is a leading western teacher of Buddhist meditation, emotional healing and spiritual awakening. She has practiced and taught meditation for over 35 years, with an emphasis on vipassana (mindfulness or insight) meditation. Tara is the senior teacher and founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. A clinical psychologist, Tara is the author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge.

Rank #2: Ep. 94 – Panache Desai.
Chris speaks with bestselling author Panache Desai about misconceptions of spirituality, breaking out of societal boxes and paradigms, and finding your true authenticity.

Shakti Hour with Melanie Moser

Melanie is a meditation teacher, musician and peace activist. Her podcast, Shakti Hour on the Be Here Now Network represents her ambition to connect people with the wisdom of the divine feminine.

Rank #1: Ep. 38 – Trudy Goodman Kornfield.
This time on the Shakti Hour Podcast, Melanie Moser and Trudy Goodman Kornfield share a conversation about the process of waking up through spiritual practice.

Rank #2: Ep. 39 – Lynne McTaggart.
Author and science journalist Lynne McTaggart joins Melanie Moser on the Shakti Hour Podcast for a conversation about the current state of scientific research around consciousness and intention.

Insight Hour with Joseph Goldstein

Joseph Goldstein has been a leading light for the practice of Insight and Loving Kindness meditation since his days in India and Burma where he studied with eminent masters of the tradition. In his podcast, The Insight Hour, Joseph delivers these essential mindfulness teachings in a practical and down to earth way that illuminates the practice through his own personal experience and wonderful story telling.

Rank #1: Ep. 03 - Merging Awareness and Expression.
Our thoughts and emotions have the unique ability to condition both our suffering and our well-being. A deeper investigation regarding the relative versus ultimate truths of our experience becomes crucial in learning to work more skillfully with these predominant aspects of our lives. A natural balance is necessary in the application of this deeper knowledge; to both prevent attachment to or avoidance of any one modality of thinking. This merging in awareness of our emptiness and our soulful expression is a profound step in the maturation of spiritual practice.

Rank #2: Ep. 41 - Free the Mind.
This week Joseph explores different ways of freeing the mind by understanding the habits of preference, the emptiness of thoughts and the seduction of "I am."

Heart Wisdom with Jack Kornfield

The Jack Kornfield Heart Wisdom hour celebrates Jack’s ability to mash up his long established Buddhist practices with many other mystical traditions, revealing the poignancy of life’s predicaments and the path to finding freedom from self-interest, self-judgment and unhappiness.

Rank #1: Ep. 3 - Karma and the Power of Intention.
One of the most important tools for navigating through our complicated existence is the understanding of Karma. We consistently create patterns in our lives but often fail to see the cause and effect relationship that unfolds. Karma speaks to the way in which we respond to that which comes to us, to the life that we are given. It’s not the action but the intention that is the source of karma. Through meditation we expose the patterns that we create for ourselves. By tending to our hearts we discover a deeper motivation for our being. It is from this place that we learn to plant our seeds of intention, and the seeds we plant become how are lives are lived.

Rank #2: Ep. 61 - Letting Go.
On this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack helps us better navigate the mysteries of life and death by letting go of our attachments.

Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

The Sharon Salzberg Metta Hour features Buddhist philosophy in a practical, common sense vernacular. Sharon’s natural wisdom, sense of humor and the ease with which she translates these teachings forge an intimate connection with the listener. From everyday experiences to pithy revelations, each podcast is a journey on the path of self-discovery.

Rank #1: Ep. 03 - Faith and Loving Kindness.
Within Buddhism, Faith is not held as a commodity, but is actually experienced as a journey that we embark upon. It becomes necessary to explore and investigate the insight surrounding this extraordinary sense of presence and connectedness. There is a natural evolution that occurs which involves a personal validation of, and eventual merging with, the process itself. We learn to abide in and flow with Faith, no longer seeing it as separate from ourselves. The practice of loving kindness is a powerful method for cultivating this environment of discovery. When we train our attention to be inclusive toward all of life’s happenings, we quickly see the interconnected nature of our lives, and our limited perspective shifts to encompass the greater whole.

Rank #2: Ep. 98 – Dr. Kristin Neff.
For episode 98 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon shares a conversation with Dr. Kristin Neff Ph.D.Dr. Kristin Neff is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Neff is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, conducting the first studies on self-compassion fifteen years ago. She is the author of Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself and The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook. In this conversation, Sharon and Kristin speak about how Kristin came to specialize in the work of self-compassion, and the nuances between self-esteem and self-compassion. They discuss many of the scientific discoveries about self-compassion that research has uncovered, and how these findings debunk many of the cultural myths surrounding compassion today. The conversation closes with Kristin leading a 10-Minute guided meditation on balancing Compassion Burnout.

The Road Home with Ethan Nichtern

The Road Home podcast with Ethan Nichtern is a contemporary exploration of Buddhist teachings.  Since 2001, Ethan has taught meditation and Buddhist psychology classes and workshops around New York City and the United States. Formerly a Shastri, a senior teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition, and on the part-time faculty at Eugene Lang College at New School University and has lectured at Brown, Wesleyan, Yale, NYU, FIT, Antioch and other universities, and as well as at many meditation/yoga centers and conferences around the country and world.

Rank #1: Ep. 23 – Cultivating Confidence with Sharon Salzberg.
Sharon Salzberg joins Ethan Nichtern for an exploration of the ways we can develop our confidence through the practices of mindfulness and meditation.Recorded at the Garrison Institute, Sharon and Ethan share insight into the eight vicissitudes from the Buddhist tradition. Looking at how the vicissitudes can help us move away from the traps our ego and walk through life with confidence that comes from clear perspective and skillful action.

Rank #2: Ep. 4 – Dr. Miles Neale.
Ethan is joined by Dr. Miles Neale for a conversation about the intersection of Eastern and Western psychology and the challenge of effectively teaching contemplative practices in a way that is accessible to secular audiences.Find show notes and resources here: https://beherenownetwork.com/the-road-home-ep-4-dr-miles-neale/Dr. Miles Neale is among the leading voices of the current generation of Buddhist teachers and a forerunner in the emerging field of contemplative psychotherapy. He is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice, international speaker, and faculty member of Tibet House US and Weill Cornell Medical College. Miles is the author of Gradual Awakening: The Tibetan Buddhist Path of Becoming Fully Human along with its audio companion of guided meditations The Gradual Path (Sounds True, 2018), which support the Kopan Nunnery in Nepal. Learn more at milesneale.com.

Buddha at the Gas Pump

Interviews with "Ordinary" Spiritually Awakening People

Rank #1: 452. Ken Wilber.
With over two-dozen published books translated in nearly as many languages, Ken Wilber has created what is widely considered the first truly comprehensive Integral Map of human experience. By exploring and integrating the major insights and conclusions of nearly every … Continue reading →

Rank #2: 259. Rupert Spira, 2nd Interview.
From an early age Rupert Spira was deeply interested in the nature of reality. At the age of seventeen he learnt to meditate, and began a twenty-year period of study and practice in the classical Advaita Vedanta tradition under the … Continue reading →

The Wisdom Podcast

Wisdom Publications

Rank #1: Alan Wallace: Dzogchen and the Science of Mind.
In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a part of the Wisdom Academy course Introduction to Dzogchen, we hear an interview, lecture, and Q&A with Alan Wallace, renowned Tibetan Buddhist scholar and teacher. We hear how Alan’s spiritual path began and what drew him to dzogchen practice in particular. He describes his life in college and how he dropped out to study meditation intensively. He traveled to India where he met many great teachers, including the Dalai Lama, who became his root guru. He tells us about the years he spent in intensive meditation retreat and explains why he feels that he was “born at age 20.” After spending time in India he returned to college at Amherst and began studying physics under the guidance of Arthur Zajonc. Alan also tells us what drew him to shamatha practice and relays a teaching on how shamatha supports the development of bodhicitta. He tells of the pivotal experience he had while on a retreat with S. N. Goenka and reflects on why shamatha is so important across Buddhist traditions. Alan then tells the story of how the Buddha slipped into a state of mindfulness when he was only a child and comments on what this meant. Alan then gives an illuminating talk about dzogchen practice, touching on the conversation currently happening between science and Buddhism. He also teaches on the essential nature of the mind and how to truly and wisely observe the mind and naturally discover awareness. Finally, the Q&A with the live audience provides even more rich, eye-opening, and immediately applicable teachings to help you along the Buddhist path. The post Alan Wallace: Dzogchen and the Science of Mind appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

Rank #2: Barry Magid: Psychologically Minded Zen.
For this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken speaks with Dr. Barry Magid, psychoanalyst, meditation teacher, and author of Nothing Is Hidden: The Psychology of Zen Koans. Barry has dedicated his life’s work to the integration of Western psychoanalytic psychology and Zen Buddhist practices. In this fascinating conversation, Barry discusses what he calls “top down” versus “bottom up” approaches to practice, and the difference between searching for peak experiences in meditation versus engaging in moment-to-moment vulnerability with oneself. He then offers illuminating insights on the pitfalls of viewing zazen as a “technique” versus zazen as a religious practice, or in other words, meditation beyond the framework of means-to-end thinking. Furthermore, Barry points out that our worst experiences in meditation are actually the most beneficial and that it is possible to discover the absolute in the most mundane aspects of ordinary life.  The post Barry Magid: Psychologically Minded Zen appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

Upaya Zen Center's Dharma Podcast

The Upaya Dharma Podcast features Wednesday evening Dharma Talks and recordings from Upaya’s diverse array of programs. Our podcasts exemplify Upaya’s focus on socially engaged Buddhism, including prison work, end-of-life care, serving the homeless, training in socially engaged practices, peace & nonviolence, compassionate care training, and delivering healthcare in the Himalayas.

Rank #1: Joan Halifax: Transforming Suffering Today: Imagination and the Bodhisattva Attitude.
Roshi Joan Halifax has deeply explored the notion of hope. She began her talk reminding us that the young environmental activist Greta Thurberg has just arrived in the United States, and pointed out that people like her, Malala, and the Parkland students are igniting direction and wise hope in our fraught time.  She was interested to touch […]

Rank #2: Petra Zenryū Hubbeling: How to Live this Year as if It Were Your Last.
Petra Zenryū Hubbeling chose to live this year as if it were her last…. again. In this honest and practical talk, Petra describes five common regrets people have on their death bed, the focus of each month of the year-long program, and the ways the program has changed her life. Quoting Stephen Levine, author of A Year […]

Thich Nhat Hanh Dharma Talks

Talks given by Thay and Senior Dharma Teachers from around the world.

Rank #1: Handling Strong Emotions.
The Retreat on Buddhist Psychology continues in Key West, Florida. The date is November 7, 1997. This is the sixth talk (96-minutes) offered as an audio recording below.Seed of anger. Mindfulness of anger. How do we practice with this energy of anger? How do we make peace with another in which we are angry? One method is to use the practice of deep looking. First, we generate our energy of mindfulness. Then we recognize our anger. Finally we look deeply into the nature of our anger. Teaching on the four mantras, deep listening, and loving speech. We can restore communication.Thay shares the text of a song he wrote to help us with our practice.It rains softly outside, and yet I feel the sadness and the sorrow coming up in me. Please go to sleep my little pain and let my in breath and out breath embrace you tenderly. I know you are there and I do my best to take good care of you. You know I am trying to plant and water the seeds of harmony and loving kindness everyday so tomorrow from the soil of my consciousness flowers of peace and joy and forgiveness will bloom for everyone. Please go to sleep my little knots. My little pain.With this practice there will be transformation and tomorrow we will be able to accept and love each other.How are we watering our store consciousness through our consumption? Are we intoxicating ourselves with seeds of craving and despair? Thay shares his excitement about mindfulness being applied in legislation (smoking) and in what we can buy in the supermarket (tofu). The five mindfulness trainings are a concrete practice to help us to become more mindful of our consciousness.We continue with a deeper teaching on the first aspect of meditation: stopping.In the concluding 15-minutes, we return to the teaching on the verses of consciousness. We are on verse 13 exploring inter-penetration.If you appreciate this teaching, please consider making a donation to support the ongoing efforts of the online monastery. Please make a note with your donation that it was because of this talk.

Rank #2: Happiness is Found in the Present Moment.
In this December 10, 2006 dharma talk from Lower Hamlet, Thay reflects on the 2005 trip to Vietnam followed by a teaching on mindfulness of walking and eating. The sangha is in the Annual Winter Retreat and the talk is 77-minutes.It was a warm winter at Plum Village in 2006 and Thay reflects on walking meditation on the grass and the leaves. We can enjoy every step we make on this planet. When a novice monk at the root temple in Vietnam, Thay did not know the practice of walking meditation. As a you don't no Dharma Teacher, Thay still did not find the time for waking meditation. But when he returned to the root temple in 2005, it was wonderful to practice walking meditation on the hills with over 900 monastics. What is important, there is no need to make any effort and the practice is perfect. Only you can produce this step in mindfulness and concentration. Thay shares of returning to Vietnam and of bringing the monastic sangha together in harmony. The happiness and the joy of they incorporating some of the Plum Village practices, such as practicing as a fourfold sangha and gender equity.Mindfulness is a mental formation - one of the fifty mental formations. When we are inhabited by the energy of mindfulness, we can have the eyes of the Buddha and the feet of the Buddha. We know how to generate the energy of mindfulness from our seed of mindfulness. Walking like a Buddha can happen right now. We don't have to force ourselves. It is a pleasure.Walking meditation is not a practice, it is an enjoyment. The best reason to do walking meditation is, because I like it! The same is true of sitting meditation. We don't force it, but we enjoy it. It is an act of love.Getting in touch with the food and our ancestors through eating meditation. Thay recalls his mothers cooking. A meal is a time to know who we are - through what we are eating and how we are eating. Eating can nourish our compassion. We can get in touch with the nature of reality. Are we eating in a way to nourish our compassion? We can get enlightenment just by eating. It should be a relaxing time, to eat as a sangha. To allow more time. For sisterhood and brotherhood. In the Plum Village tradition, eating is a deep practice. How?Mindfulness is the kind of energy that has the power of knowing what is going on. Mindfulness is a miracle. It is like a light that allows us to see things, and everyone has this light of mindfulness. Mindfulness is mere recognition; we don't try to grasp it. When mindfulness is there, everything will be different. Including your joy and your pain. And it is always for the better. When mindfulness is there, the Buddha is there.If you appreciate this teaching, please consider making a donation to support the ongoing efforts of the online monastery. Please make a note with your donation that it was because of this talk.

Against the Stream

Dharma talks by teachers at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society in Los Angeles, San Francisco and elsewhere.

Rank #1: Let Go of Everything.
Dharma Talk by Noah Levine - 5/11/2016

Rank #2: Urban Heart Dharma.
Jack Kornfield at a benefit for ATS San Francisco - 5/16/2015

Dharma Ocean

Dharma Ocean presents compelling talks by Reggie Ray, a unique and dynamic teacher in the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Reggie has a special gift for applying the ancient wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism to the unique problems, inspirations, and spiritual imperatives of modern people. As spiritual director of the Dharma Ocean Foundation, Reggie mentors a worldwide community of practitioners committed to meditation as a path of discovering wakefulness in everyday life. His teaching is marked by humor, insight, and an absolute trust in the relevance of meditation to all aspects of human experience: our relationships and jobs, our dreams and heartbreaks, our fears and aspirations.To find out more about teachings, retreats, community life, and our extensive selection of audio resources for beginner and advanced meditators please visit www.dharmaocean.org.

Rank #1: Episode 265: Journey of Individuation.
In today’s episode, Reggie discusses the meditative journey of individuation. He acknowledges societal obstacles, such as institutional bureaucracies, that can undermine inspiration and waylay personal development. True freedom requires taking responsibility for our life and completely trusting the inner voice of our body. This talk was given in 2009 at the September Meditating with the Body retreat held at the Blazing Mountain Retreat Center in Crestone, CO. To find out about the upcoming 10-week Awakening the Body: The Way of Somatic Meditation online program, please visit our program calendar.

Rank #2: Episode 229: Esoteric Tradition of the Body.
Reggie comments on the tradition of Vajrayana meditation that he was trained in by his teacher, Chögyam Trungpa. He says that, even though the teachings of the practicing lineage are widely offered, few people choose to make the full tantric journey. This talk is excerpted from Reggie’s upcoming online course called Awakening the Body: The Way of Somatic Meditation. To register for the course, please visit our program calendar.