Wednesday Wake-Up with Gregory Maloof

12/9/20 - Happy Bodhi Day: Exploring the Significance of the Buddha's Awakening

December 13, 2020 00:04 - 38 minutes - 35 MB

This week we use the celebration of Bodhi Day as an opportunity to explore the significance of the Buddha’s enlightenment from a historical, psychological, and personal perspective. What do you imagine when you think of the word ‘enlightenment?’ What does spiritual awakening mean to you and do you consider it to be a worthy pursuit? What would it mean for you to show up each day with an unwavering commitment to fulfill your highest potential as a human being? We explore these questions and m...

12/2/20 - Foundations of Well-Being: Celebration, Gratitude and Reverence

December 05, 2020 06:39 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MB

In this week’s episode we explore why learning to celebrate the goodness in ourselves and the world is important in facilitating personal growth and awakening. We discuss the relationship between celebration and the cultivation of gratitude and look at the similarities between how both Buddhism and Western Psychology encourage celebration as a form of psychological integration, skillful means and even an act of reverence for life itself. Gregory Maloof is a western Dharma teacher from the...

11/18/20 - The 3rd Foundation of Mindfulness - Part 1: The Karma of Thoughts & Emotions

November 21, 2020 05:52 - 38 minutes - 34.8 MB

In this week's talk we explore some basic differences between Buddhist frameworks and Western psychology when it comes to understanding the nature of thoughts and emotions. In particular, we draw attention to how Buddhist frameworks emphasize process and causality and invite us to consider our inner world as a dynamic heart-mind dance rich in wisdom for our awakening. Gregory Maloof is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. He follows the traditional Buddhist practice of ...

11/11/20- The Sacred Practice of Renunciation: Part 2 – Letting Go On The Path

November 13, 2020 01:22 - 39 minutes - 36.4 MB

What does it really mean to let go? What exactly are we letting go of and what do we get in return? This week we complete our series by exploring how the activities of mindfulness, loving kindness, and a commitment to precepts are actually practices of renunciation. We take a detailed look into how these tools clear out stress, remove discontentment and open the heart and mind to make room for generosity, resilience, community, gratitude and authentic healing. Gregory Maloof follows the tr...

11/4/20 - Guided Meditation: Recollecting our Shared Humanity

November 09, 2020 02:22 - 33 minutes - 30.4 MB

This week we had a unique meeting due to the United States national election. Instead of a formal Dharma talk, as a group we shared our experiences about using mindfulness during this time. For the sake of privacy this episode only contains the guided meditation. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dh...

10/28/20 - The Sacred Practice of Renunciation: Part 1 – Trading Up for Happiness

October 29, 2020 22:38 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MB

On this week’s podcast we explore the cultural and spiritual inheritance of views that often discourage us from fully participating in the practice of renunciation. We discuss the misunderstandings and myths about the nature of freedom in hopes of letting go of the unconscious fears and prejudice that prevent us from receiving the incredible treasures of the spiritual life. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving be...

10/21/20 - The Second Foundation – Part 3: Happiness Beyond the Sense Doors

October 23, 2020 02:35 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MB

In this week’s talk we explore the aspiration to cultivate pleasure that is not dependent on sensual experience and discuss the transformative power of the deeper nourishing pleasures that are the rewards of wisdom, generosity, loving kindness, concentration and letting go. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a...

10/14/20 - The Second Foundation – Part 2: Worldly and Unworldy Feelings

October 15, 2020 21:07 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MB

This week we talk about the powerful distinction the Buddha makes between feelings that arise from sense door contact that keep us bound in stress, discontent and suffering and feelings that arise directly from our spiritual practice. This topic is important because it speaks to the source of the Buddha’s insight about the nature of his awakening and helps us to conceptualize the experience of enlightenment. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teach...

10/7/20 - The Second Foundation - Part 1: Finding Freedom in Feelings

October 09, 2020 05:57 - 48 minutes - 44 MB

In this talk we explore how the Buddha saw pleasant, unpleasant and neutral emotion and body sensations as the ground of all thoughts, views and complex mental states. We consider ways that these sensations can be turned against us to cause unconscious harm to ourselves and others and we explore the importance of being able to make direct contact with these sensations with mindfulness in order to decrease suffering. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging...

10/7/20 - The Second Foundation: Finding Freedom in Feelings

October 09, 2020 05:57 - 48 minutes - 44 MB

In this talk we explore how the Buddha saw pleasant, unpleasant and neutral emotion and body sensations as the ground of all thoughts, views and complex mental states. We consider ways that these sensations can be turned against us to cause unconscious harm to ourselves and others and we explore the importance of being able to make direct contact with these sensations with mindfulness in order to decrease suffering.

9/30/20 -The Wisdom of Impermanence (Includes Guided Meditation)

October 05, 2020 06:08 - 1 hour - 79.3 MB

This recording is from the Wednesday Wake-Up group meeting on Zoom. It has been edited for clarity and time. Guided Meditation is at the beginning, to skip to talk, start at 37 min 12 sec. In this talk we explore how the Buddha uses the fact of aging and dying as a path to bringing deeper honesty, authenticity and freedom to our day to day lived experience. We also discuss how to frame the context of death so it becomes an inspiring and welcoming topic of spiritual reflection rather than ...

9/23/20 - 32-Body Part Meditation Part 2 (Includes Talk and Guided Meditations)

September 26, 2020 20:57 - 1 hour - 87 MB

This week's talk provides a highly detailed explanation of how to successfully engage in this famous but often undervalued meditation practice. We explore how to use this practice to explore the wisdom of impermanence, suffering and not-self. The instructions include how to combine both verbal and mental fabrication to create a concentrated balance between visualization and contemplation work to gain deeper experience in your sits. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice o...

9/16/20 - The Hinderance of Worry (Includes Opening Meditation)

September 21, 2020 06:14 - 1 hour - 82.5 MB

This recording includes the opening guided meditation. If you would like to skip it and head direct to the Dharma talk, skip to 36 min, 23 sec in. In this talk, we explore how to use the wisdom of wise view, not-self and Sangha as tools to manage and liberate ourselves from the suffering caused by worry. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, p...

32-Part Body Meditation - Part 1 - (Guided Meditation Only, No Dharma talk)

September 03, 2020 22:09 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MB

A guided meditation that walks you through the steps of how to use the first parts of 'hair, nails and teeth' as objects of concentration to explore suffering, impermanence and not-self. (See episode 9/2/20 if you are interested in this with the Dharma Talk, this is for those who just want the guided meditation.) Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly...

9/2/20 - 32-Part Body Meditation -Part1- with Guided Meditation

September 03, 2020 21:56 - 49 minutes - 45.8 MB

This week's podcast includes a short overview of the 32-body part meditation followed by an in depth guided meditation that walks you through the steps of how to use the first parts of 'hair, nails and teeth' as objects of concentration to explore suffering, impermanence and not-self. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here G...

8/26/20 - The Elemental Self: The Earth, Wind, Fire & Water Within

August 27, 2020 06:26 - 48 minutes - 44 MB

This week’s talk is a primer on the 32-body part meditation. We talked about various ways to use the traditional 4 elements as meditative objects and engaged in a 20-minute guided elemental meditation. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about ...

8/19/20 - Why are we Meditating? (Includes guided meditation with Metta practice)

August 20, 2020 19:11 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MB

Without a clear understanding of how meditation works it is very easy to get side tracked or lost in our practice. When this happens meditation can quickly become routine, boring and dare we say, mindless. In this week’s talk we discuss how to keep your practice on track by gaining a deeper understanding of what skills you are developing, how healing and growth takes place in meditation and how heart/mind qualities are awakened during practice. This talk includes a special guided body scan ...

8/12/20 - The Power of Presence Part 4: Breathing out the past, Breathing in the future

August 13, 2020 04:17 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MB

Today we conclude our 4-part series exploring how we can access the interconnectedness of the past, present and future to free ourselves from stress and suffering while planting seeds of joy and awakening. In this episode we specifically explore the myth and drawbacks of the stereotypical ‘going with the flow’ framework and discuss ways to harness the power of intention, wakefulness, aspiration and fabrication to open the future to the grand possibility of our own imagining. Gregory Maloof...

8/5/20 - The Power of Presence Part 3: The Healing Wisdom of Karma, Not-Self & Equanimity

August 06, 2020 18:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MB

This is the third part of a four-part series on the power of presence. In this week's talk we explore how to use the insights of Karma, Not-Self, and Equanimity as tools to heal the hurt from our past and how to increase the speed of this healing by changing our relationship with the past by letting go of grudges and resentment. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a...

7/29/20 - The Power of Presence Part 2: The First Noble Truth

July 30, 2020 04:42 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MB

This is the second part of a four-part series on the power of presence. In this week’s talk we continue the second part of our journey by exploring how comprehending the First Noble Truth of Suffering is a challenging but necessary step on the road to healing from our past. The talk also includes a framework for understanding how to know when the heart and mind are truly in alignment with the First Noble Truth. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for t...

7/22/20 The Power of Presence Part 1: Doorway to the Past, Gateway to the Future

July 23, 2020 04:30 - 36 minutes - 33.1 MB

This is the first part of a four-part series on the power of presence. In this talk we reviewed the various ways that mindfulness can be used to enter the present moment as a dynamic way of changing our relationship with both the past and future. By understanding intimately how the past conditions our present experience and how the present is connected to our future, we are able to heal from deep wounds while simultaneously planting seeds of an awakened life filled with joy, wisdom and compa...

7/15/20 - Grief & Loss during the pandemic: Healing Lessons from the Dharma

July 19, 2020 20:27 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MB

We are living through an unprecedented time of loss. Loss of jobs, loss of health, loss of connection and belonging, loss of confidence and loss of trust just to name a few. It is an ideal time for deep self-reflection and much needed self-compassion. This week we explored the power of honoring the First Noble Truth and the inevitability of impermanence as opportunities to lessen suffering and live with authenticity and grace. Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not...

7/8/20 - Opportunities to Apply Skillful Reflection: Present, Past, Future (Plus Journal Exercise)

July 12, 2020 22:26 - 44 minutes - 40.5 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

6/24/20 - Mindfulness, Ardency, and Alertness: Basics of Vipassana

July 07, 2020 05:05 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

6/17/20 - Engaged Dharma Part 3 - Taking Refuge in the Dharma During These Times

June 22, 2020 02:58 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

6/10/20 - Engaged Dharma Part 2: Beginners Mind

June 14, 2020 21:13 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

6/3/20 - Engaged Dharma Part 1 - Using Mindfulness to Lean into the Truth of Suffering

June 08, 2020 21:34 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

5/27/20 - The Present Moment is the Doorway to Freedom (with Guided Meditation and Practical Techniques)

June 01, 2020 22:36 - 1 hour - 83.6 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

5/13/20 - Cultivating Concentration, Pleasure, and Understanding Fabrication

May 18, 2020 22:32 - 43 minutes - 40.2 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

The Four Noble Truths, Interconnectivity, and Taking Skillful Actions

May 10, 2020 23:59 - 53 minutes - 48.5 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

4/29/20 - Journaling and Reflection in the Dharma

May 04, 2020 02:36 - 46 minutes - 43 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

4/22/20 - Habit Formation and Equanimity

April 26, 2020 21:49 - 26 minutes - 24 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

4/15/20 - Understanding and Working With Equanimity

April 19, 2020 22:24 - 47 minutes - 43.7 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To learn about retreats, news, and classes first, CLICK HERE to keep in touch and get on the Wednesday Wake-Up mailing list.

4/8/20 - Happiness Is A Habit - Tips and Tricks

April 12, 2020 21:17 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To join Wednesday Wake-Up's mailing list to get news, retreat information, and support for your practice, click here

4/1/20 - Suffering is a Verb

April 05, 2020 21:34 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MB

Gregory Maloof follows the traditional Buddhist practice of not charging for teachings. If you have been receiving benefit and want to support Gregory Maloof as a teacher directly, please donate Dana here Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To join Wednesday Wake-Up's mailing list to get news, retreat information, and support for your practice, click here

3/18/20 - Creating Inner Stability In A Time of Instability and Guided Meditation

March 23, 2020 00:23 - 1 hour - 61.6 MB

Guided Meditation is first, if you would like to bypass the meditation and listen to the talk, it begins at 40 minutes into the recording. Gregory is a western Dharma teacher from the Ruth Denison lineage. To join Wednesday Wake-Up's mailing list to get news, retreat information, and support for your practice, click here To support Gregory as a Dharma teacher and donate to the podcast, click here

3/11/20 - 12 Minute Live Guided Metta Meditation with added Tibetan Bells and Nature Sounds

March 16, 2020 00:59 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MB

This guided meditation was made collectively by the Wednesday Wake-Up group that met 3/11/20. Participants were asked to offer a loving-kindness phrase for themselves and the world. Phrases were written on flash cards then read as the guided metta meditation for the group. (Reading done by Dharma Teacher Gregory Maloof) Additional sounds provided by "Stream, Water, C.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org and the_very_Real_Horst Tibetan Bells "Ganesha-Merkur-Uranus-a-02" o...