Secular Buddhism
194 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 2.4K ratingsDon't use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist. Use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are.
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Episodes
91 - The Three Poisons
February 04, 2019 00:24 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MBThe three poisons of hatred, greed, and ignorance, can be thought of as the root source from which all unskillful actions arise. In this podcast episode, I will discuss the Buddhist teaching of the three poisons and how we can use this teaching to develop a more skilfull relationship with the greed, hatred, and ignorance we encounter in our own lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
90 - Ultimate Authority
January 29, 2019 00:17 - 17 minutes - 23.7 MBThe ultimate authority in your life is YOU. If you're familiar with the Kalama Sutta, you're aware of the teaching to analyze things against your own experience and to be cautious about relying on external sources for authority. Knowing this, why do we still care so much about external authority? In this podcast episode, I will talk about the idea of ultimate authority. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
89 - Killing The Buddha
January 11, 2019 18:48 - 18 minutes - 25 MBThere is a famous quote in the Zen tradition that says “If you meet the Buddha, kill him”. This quote is attributed to Linji a prominent zen master. What does it mean? How can this teaching help us in our day to day lives as we seek to be less habitually reactive? In this episode, I will discuss this koan and dig deeper to see if we can all apply this teaching to our own lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
88 - Radical Okayness
December 30, 2018 18:49 - 21 minutes - 29.8 MBWhat is the state of radical okayness? There is a very clear message that seems to permeate through many of the Buddha’s teachings, that is, the importance of getting to know yourself, knowing your own mind. I believe that when we learn to look past our own stories and narratives we have about ourselves, others, and life, we begin to experience a state of radical okayness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
87 - Mindful Parenting | An Interview With Shirin Peykar
December 23, 2018 19:32 - 1 hour - 91.5 MBThis is the audio recording of an interview I did with Shirin Peykar where we discussed the topic of mindful parenting. Shirin works with parents who are trying to be more mindful. Parenting is difficult at times and it's easy to find ourselves reacting habitually in the midst of the chaos. In this episode, Shirin will share some fantastic ideas and insight about mindful parenting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
86 - Listening To Understand
December 18, 2018 06:24 - 17 minutes - 24.1 MBWe seem to really struggle when it comes to having conversations about difficult topics. Are we listening with the intent to understand the other person or are we simply assessing to determine what team the other person is on? Are they team "us" or team "them". In this episode I will discuss the idea of listening to understand. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
85 - Sometimes We Try Too Hard
December 02, 2018 19:00 - 16 minutes - 23.3 MBSometimes we fail because we try too hard, other times because don't try hard enough. The trick is to find the right balance, the space in between, the space that is often referred to in Buddhism as The Middle Way. In this podcast episode, I will discuss the idea of the Middle way in terms of space and time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
84 - How To Practice Mindfulness Daily
November 18, 2018 20:12 - 30 minutes - 42.1 MBIn this podcast episode, I will discuss some of the exercises and introspective questions that I believe can lead to a more mindful way of living. These are exercises that are published in the new book "The 5-Minute Mindfulness Journal." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
83 - The Eightfold Path
November 11, 2018 20:01 - 29 minutes - 40.2 MBThe essence of many of the Buddha's discourses and teachings can be found in the Eightfold Path, often referred to as the Path of Liberation. It is not a path we walk only once or in a particular order. It's meant to be a guide for specific areas of life in which we can experience and discover the nature of reality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
82 - Dealing With Dissatisfaction In Life
November 06, 2018 21:42 - 25 minutes - 34.7 MBIf Buddhism were to be summarized in one key teaching, that teaching would be about the nature of dukkha (suffering/dissatisfaction) and the cessation of dukkha. There is a fundamental unsatisfactoriness and stress that we all deal with in life. In the next 3 episodes, I will discuss the core Buddhist teaching of the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and some helpful practices we can all work with to deal with the dissatisfaction that arises from time to time in life. This is part 1 of 3...
81 - The Tale Of Many Tales
October 17, 2018 16:46 - 34 minutes - 46.7 MBThe tale of many tales is the story we have about ourselves and the story we try to ensure that others have of us too. What are some of the stories you have about yourself? How attached are you to these stories? Does that attachment cause any self-inflicted suffering to arise? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
80 - Life Is Not Fair
September 18, 2018 20:11 - 23 minutes - 32.4 MBLife is not fair, it's true! But is that really a problem? In this podcast episode, I will discuss the monkey reward experiment where one monkey was given cucumbers and another was given grapes and the result of that decision. I will also discuss the idea of sitting with discomfort. If you can sit with discomfort, you can do anything… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
79 - The Blind Leading The Blind
September 05, 2018 17:08 - 30 minutes - 41.2 MBIn a reality that is continually changing, our views are limited in space and time. The result is that we are essentially the blind leading the blind. In this episode, I will discuss the teaching of the blind men and the elephant and share 5 tips for people who are in mixed-belief relationships (we all are). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
78 - No Hope No Fear
August 18, 2018 01:16 - 21 minutes - 28.8 MBSuffering arises when we want things to be other than how they are. Where there is hope, there is fear and where there is fear there is hope. They are like two sides of the same coin. When we feel uneasy, we get restless, we want to change something about ourselves or others, we hope things could be another way. Having no hope can be the start of a radical form of acceptance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
77 - Embracing Rebellion
July 29, 2018 21:05 - 25 minutes - 35 MB"I think of mindfulness meditation as almost a rebellion against natural selection...Natural selection sets our agenda, and Buddhism says, 'We don't have to play this game." In this episode, I will discuss the concept of embracing rebellion as a form of living more mindfully. I will also clarify a couple of things from last week's episode. I hope you enjoy this topic! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
76 - Patience With Ourselves, Others, And Life
July 20, 2018 22:24 - 30 minutes - 41.2 MBWhat does it mean to be patient with ourselves, others, and life? How do we practice patience? Is Mindfulness practice for everyone? These are a few of the questions and ideas I will explore in this podcast episode. I hope you enjoy this topic and I hope some of this information may be beneficial to you in your day to day lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
75 - Everyday Buddhism Interview
July 09, 2018 02:55 - 1 hour - 89.3 MBThis podcast episode is the audio of a recent interview I did on the Everyday Buddhism podcast with my friend Wendy. If you enjoy this podcast episode, check out the Everyday Buddhism Podcast on your favorite podcasting app or visit everyday-buddhism.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
74 - Goals, Relationships, and Non-Attachment
June 11, 2018 01:10 - 37 minutes - 50.8 MBIf we're practicing non-attachment, how should we approach things like goals and relationships? Should we avoid such things? I don't think so. Goals are great and so are relationships. So how should we approach goals and relationships in the context of non-attachment? These are the ideas I will explore in this podcast episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
73 - What Moves Us? The 5 Core Social Motives
June 04, 2018 05:13 - 31 minutes - 43.4 MBWhat Moves Us? Why do we fear rejection? Why are we so motivated to want to belong? In this episode, I will discuss the 5 core social motives of Belonging, Understanding, Control, Enhancing Self, and Trust as presented by Susan Fiske. I will also correlate the idea of the core social motives with some Buddhist concepts and ideas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
72 - Yanny Or Laurel? - A Lesson in Mindful Communication
May 16, 2018 22:42 - 31 minutes - 42.6 MBIn this episode, I will share an audio clip that's gone viral where some people hear the word "yanny" and others hear the word "laurel". I will also discuss 6 tips to help us be more mindful of how we communicate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
71 - Breaking The Chain Of Reactivity
May 01, 2018 20:09 - 22 minutes - 31.5 MBAt any given moment, we’re all acting upon what has been set in motion by others. A central teaching of Buddhism is that we can pause and break the cycle of reactivity. We can learn to be more skillful in how we contribute to the never-ending web of causes and effects going on all around us. In this episode, I will discuss the notion of breaking the chain or reactivity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
70 - Beware Of The Guru Mind
April 22, 2018 19:29 - 30 minutes - 42.6 MBIn this episode, I will discuss my personal views about having a Guru/teacher. In order to learn something new or to develop a new skill, it can be helpful and wise to have the guidance and advice of a teacher but it can also become detrimental when we create a dependency on that teacher. The Buddha compared his own teachings to a raft that when no longer needed, should be left behind. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
69 - Sitting With Sadness
April 09, 2018 01:51 - 27 minutes - 37.5 MBBuddhist teachings often talk about "being with our emotions" or learning to "sit with an emotion" but what does that really mean? What does that look like in our day to day lives? In this episode, I will discuss a recent experience I had with sitting with sadness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
68 - Questions About Buddhism
April 03, 2018 23:30 - 20 minutes - 27.5 MBIn this podcast episode, I will discuss my newest book and I will share some of the specific Q&A's directly from the book. Presented in a practical Q&A format, No-Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners is the most clear-cut introductory guide to understanding the essential concepts of Buddhism and how they relate to your daily life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
67 - Never Enough
March 26, 2018 03:19 - 30 minutes - 41.5 MBIn this podcast episode, I will discuss how the attitude of "never enough" can lead to a form emotional abuse that we inflict on our selves. I will discuss the idea of how letting go of the unhealthy views, ideas, and beliefs we have of ourselves can lead to a form of liberation where we are finally vulnerable and free to fly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
66 - The Joy & Pain Of Sharing Experiences
March 19, 2018 01:27 - 25 minutes - 34.9 MBHave you ever felt the strong urge to capture the experience you're having and then to share it with others? We do this with movies, books, restaurants, and of course ideas, opinions, and beliefs. In this episode, I will discuss the joy and pain that often arise when we try to share our experiences and how that joy/pain doesn't have to take away from the original experience itself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
65 - What Does it Mean to Forgive?
February 15, 2018 00:59 - 35 minutes - 48.8 MBThe Buddhist approach to forgiveness is about changing our relationship with the reactive patterns that run our lives. It’s a form of introspection that allows me to understand my reactive patterns and then, more importantly to change my relationship with those patterns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
64 - We Don't Need To Change Ourselves
January 30, 2018 15:58 - 27 minutes - 37.1 MBIn this episode, I will discuss the concept of inherent perfection and how from the Buddhist perspective, that implies that we don't need to change ourselves. The idea of "perfection" from the Buddhist perspective is not a moral qualification. There is no "should" or compelling in ethical or moral behavior because your inherent nature is kindness and goodness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
63 - Mindful Eating - A Discussion With Paige Smathers
January 16, 2018 16:55 - 1 hour - 83.8 MBLike breathing, eating is one of the most common things we do, but how mindful are we of this process? How mindful are we of our relationship with food? In this podcast episode, I will discuss the topic of mindful eating with Paige Smathers, host of the Nutrition Matters podcast. We talk about mindful eating, our relationship with food, and how we can gain insight and wisdom by becoming more mindful about eating. I hope you enjoy this podcast episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy ...
62 - What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully
December 22, 2017 16:32 - 1 hour - 108 MBIn this episode, I discuss the topic of death with Frank Ostaseski, author of "The Five Invitations: What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully". Death is perhaps our greatest teacher, a close encounter with death can forever change our perspectives and priorities. Awareness of death is the secret to living more mindfully. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
61 - Mindful Relationships, Social Justice & More - Yael Shy
December 15, 2017 00:33 - 1 hour - 93.1 MBIn this podcast episode, I am sharing the audio of an interview with Yael Shy. Yael offers expert guidance on beginning a meditation practice and explores how to bring that practice to relationships, social justice, and the general ups and downs of everyday life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
60 - "Happiness" - A discussion with Ellen Petry Leanse
November 29, 2017 05:42 - 1 hour - 95.4 MBThis is the audio recording of an interview with Ellen Petry Leanse (TEDx: Happiness by Design) and author of "The Happiness Hack: a brain-aware guide to life satisfaction". I hope you enjoy listening to our discussion on the topic of happiness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
59 - "Escape Into Discomfort" - A discussion with Shinzen Young
November 20, 2017 02:30 - 1 hour - 132 MBIn this episode, I am sharing the audio from an interview/discussion I had with Shinzen Young on the topic of "Escaping into Discomfort". This interview was streamed live on November 16th, 2017. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
58 - The Art of Stopping & Seeing
November 08, 2017 19:22 - 34 minutes - 46.9 MBThe Buddha told Angulimala (the murderer), "I stopped long ago, it's you that hasn't stopped". The art of learning to stop….is about having the ability to pause for a moment and to shine some light on the hidden agendas that often determine why we say what we say, do what we do, and think what we think. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
57 - Why Do We Experience All-Pervasive Suffering?
October 30, 2017 17:25 - 27 minutes - 38.3 MBWhy is it common to have that nagging feeling that things aren't how they're supposed to be? Do you ever feel like life is not how it's supposed to be, others are not how they're supposed to be or that you yourself are not how you're supposed to be? In this episode, I will talk about the 3 types of suffering and specifically the 3rd type: all-pervasive suffering. I will talk about where it comes from and how we can begin to understand it better and work with it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...
56 - What Makes You You?
October 24, 2017 19:12 - 28 minutes - 38.9 MBAccording to classical Buddhist thought, "self" is a view...It is a product of our perception…and perception is always happening. What if perception is an event that occurs rather than a thing that exists? In this episode, I will talk about the 5 Skandhas / Aggregates and how this teaching can help us to loosen our grip on the sense of self we all experience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
55 - The Four Foundations Of Mindfulness
October 10, 2017 18:54 - 23 minutes - 31.6 MBDeveloping the four foundations of mindfulness helps us to remove the conceptual constructs that often blind us from seeing reality as it is. Imagine being able to see things as they really are, free from our ideas and concepts. This is the very liberation we refer to as "enlightenment". In this episode, I will discuss the four foundations of mindfulness and how each foundation can help us to gain more clarity and understanding about the nature of reality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...
54 - Guided Meditation: Fostering Kindness And Compassion
October 02, 2017 19:51 - 10 minutes - 14.4 MBThis is a 10-minute guided meditation aimed at fostering kindness and compassion. Revisit this meditation anytime you feel the need to foster feelings of kindness and compassion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
53 - Freedom From The Bonds Of Anger & Hatred
October 02, 2017 19:48 - 27 minutes - 38.2 MBIn order to be free from the bonds of anger and hatred, we have to practice. We cannot simply pray or ask for anger or hatred to be removed from us. In this episode, I will discuss how we can use mindfulness practice as a tool to transform the craving, anger, and delusion within us and instead experience transformation and healing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
52 - The Sound Of Silence
September 19, 2017 19:37 - 23 minutes - 31.9 MBWhat is the sound of silence? Listen to find out...In this episode, I will discuss the ideas of emptiness, signlessness, and aimlessness, known as the 3 doors of liberation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
51 - "Secular Buddhism" - A discussion with Stephen Batchelor
September 14, 2017 04:30 - 1 hour - 84.6 MB(This is the audio of the live interview I had with Stephen Batchelor).What if we understood the 4 Noble Truths to be tasks rather than truths? What if we were no longer burdened by the quest for truth regarding metaphysical claims/beliefs? In this episode, I will discuss what Stephen Batchelor calls Buddhism 2.0. We're not concerned with the question "Is it true?" we're wondering, "Does it work?". In this episode, I will discuss Secular Buddhism with Stephen Batchelor. This interview can be ...
50 - Creating Moments Of Awareness
September 06, 2017 16:29 - 21 minutes - 29.1 MB3 simple questions are all it takes to create a moment of awareness. Where am I? What am I doing? What did it take for this moment to arise? In this episode, I will discuss how I use these 3 simple questions as a technique to allow myself to become more mindful and to become more anchored in the present moment. I hope you can pause and ask yourself these 3 questions from time to time in order to expereicne more mindfulness in your day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa...
49 - "Addiction & Recovery" - A discussion with Noah Levine
August 31, 2017 23:18 - 1 hour - 88 MBEarlier this week, I had the opportunity to interview Noah Levine, founder of Refuge Recovery, a mindfulness-based addiction recovery community that practices and utilizes Buddhist philosophy as the foundation of the recovery process. We all know someone who is / has been / or will be affected by addiction (maybe it's you?). The information presented in this discussion could change your life or the life of someone you love. The original interview was broadcast live to the Secular Buddhism FB ...
48 - Humanitarian Work In Uganda
August 28, 2017 17:24 - 35 minutes - 48.3 MBEarlier this year, I had the priviledge of visiting Uganda with 16 podcast listners to do humanitarian work and also to spend time practicing mindfulness. A lot of people have asked me questions about this trip and want to know details about the upcoming trip (we're going again) in February 2018. If you're interested in learning more about the trip, this podcast episode will answer any questions you might have. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
47 - Buddhism And Christianity
August 14, 2017 22:37 - 26 minutes - 35.9 MBI'm often asked whether or not Buddhism and Christianity are compatible. Can you be a Christian and a Buddhist? In this podcast episode, I will address some of the main differences between these two spiritual paths and I will highlight some of the key differences in the Buddhist path that allow it to be so compatible with other traditions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
46 - "Why Buddhism Is True" - A discussion with Robert Wright
August 08, 2017 06:28 - 1 hour - 83.2 MBIn this podcast episode, I had the privilege of interviewing New York Times bestselling author Robert Wright about his newest book "Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment". Wright leads readers on a journey through psychology, philosophy, and a great many silent retreats to show how and why meditation can serve as the foundation for a spiritual life in a secular age. This podcast features the audio of the interview I had with Robert Wright. Hosted o...
45 - Questions And Answers 1
July 19, 2017 01:44 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBIn this podcast episode, I will answer questions from several podcast listeners. This is part 1 of an occasional series of Q&A's that I will post as podcast episodes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
44 - Finding The Teacher Within
July 11, 2017 01:29 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBOne of the things I appreciate most about Buddhism is the emphasis on becoming your own teacher. In one of the last teachings the Buddha gave, he said, "Be a light unto yourselves." In other words, be your own guide. "Don’t look for anyone for guidance". In this episode, I will discuss the idea of finding the teacher within. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
43 - No Cows, No Problems
June 26, 2017 19:12 - 28 minutes - 38.7 MBIn this short episode, I want to talk about a story that is often shared about a farmer who lost his cows. To me, this is a story about attachment to our possessions. It’s a story about the suffering that arises out of our attachment to our possessions. It’s relevant because we ALL HAVE COWS. I want to talk about the story, and talk about what the moral of the story is. What can we learn from this story when we apply it to our daily lives? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf...
42 - We Didn't Sign Up For This
June 14, 2017 17:10 - 28 minutes - 38.9 MBImagine what it would be like to suddenly wake up and realize you are on a roller coaster ride. You didn't choose to get on, you woke up on the ride. This is what it's like to wake up to life. We didn't will ourselves into existence. We are the result of causes and conditions. For me, the idea of not having signed up for this, allows me to be open to whatever may come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.