Latest Bhuddhism Podcast Episodes
Shining a Light on Grief
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - April 23, 2024 00:00 - 20 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsGrief seems to be a constant companion these days and making space for it is an important part of our practice. Grief can be scary and we're tempted to push it away instead of inviting it in. When we do acknowledge our grief, we reconnect with all of humanity and recognize we're not alone. Conne...
Everyday Impermanence
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - April 15, 2024 23:00 - 17 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsThe teaching of impermanence is a core tenet of Buddhism and our ability to recognize the impermanence we meet each day is so important for us in order to be free. How we relate to shifting and changing experiences while staying in the present is the key. Mary discusses the places we get stuck a...
Dropping the 2nd Arrow
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - April 08, 2024 15:00 - 22 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsMary discusses this famous teaching of the Buddha. When we experience pain or something uncomfortable the tendency is to react it a way that mitigates the discomfort. The reactivity often just intensifies the initial pain rather than helping us be present with the discomfort. This reactivity is ...
The Four Efforts
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - April 01, 2024 22:00 - 26 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsBuilding on last week's talk about overwhelm, Mary discusses how vital it is to make the effort to come back from those places and stories that are not helpful an to make the effort to stay where we are. How do we let go and how do we stay present with whatever is showing up? And once we find pl...
Overwhelm is in the Mind
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - March 26, 2024 01:00 - 16 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsWhen life gets busy, we can become overwhelmed by everything. Both our lives and the world can be too much. However, the invitation of practice is to be right where we are -- overwhelm occurs when we spend our time in the future or the past and being present is how we cope. It's overwhelming if ...
Grounded in Gratitude
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - March 19, 2024 05:00 - 21 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsIn this talk Mary discusses how important being grounded is in the present moment is to be open to gratitude. When we're stuck in thoughts about I, me and mine, it's a challenge to recognize how connected we are to the world and how gratitude arises naturally when we are. Recorded March 16, 2024...
Heart Practices for Our Times
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - March 12, 2024 00:00 - 29 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsWhen we practice for extended periods of time we find that our hearts become tender. But often we don't have the time to practice so intensely. The question becomes how can we cultivate a loving and compassionate heart right now, and in a world that can be challenging. Mary discusses the Buddha'...
Reflections in the Moment
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - March 05, 2024 00:00 - 7 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsThere is no dharma talk this week so Mary offers a few reflections on the benefits of residential retreat and the invitation to make peace with the way things are. Recorded March 4, 2024 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.
Taking Refuge
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - February 27, 2024 02:00 - 24 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsTaking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, The Triple Gem, is usually done on retreat or other occasions. In this talk, Mary delves into what taking refuge means and how reflecting on each of these supports our journey to liberation. "Taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the ...
Love and a Very Loud World
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - February 19, 2024 23:00 - 24 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsThe world seems to be screaming right now - there is so much going on with violence, climate change, oppression and injustice at every turn. We also have our day-to-day issues to deal with. At times it like these it is more important than ever to realize that love is the path to liberation rathe...
It's All Real
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - February 13, 2024 01:00 - 32 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsIn this talk Mary discusses the concept of samvega which means the experience we feel when we finally see through the delusion and stories that we have believed and used to guide our lives. It can be a shocking experience and an example is when the Buddha saw a sick person, an old person and a c...
Untitled Episode
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - February 13, 2024 01:00 - 32 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsIn this talk Mary discusses the concept of samvega which means the experience we feel when we finally see through the delusion and stories that we have believed and used to guide our lives. It can be a shocking experience and an example is when the Buddha saw a sick person, an old person and a c...
The Six Realms of Saṃsāra
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - January 29, 2024 22:00 - 29 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsBuddha taught that the six realms of Saṃsāra are where we are caught in the continuing cycle of birth, death and rebirth. We only become free when we are free of craving or clinging, and see clearly into the characteristics of existence. These realms can also be viewed as psychological states ...
To Cling is to Suffer
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - January 23, 2024 02:00 - 24 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsIn this talk Mary dives into how craving and clinging show up in our lives and how much suffering, discomfort and discontent is caused because of it. We chase after pleasure all the time and hold tight to ideas and beliefs we think will give us what we want. The suttas are full of examples and w...
Spiritual Reslience
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - January 16, 2024 00:00 - 27 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsReflecting on the themes of humility, equanimity and resilience, Mary talks about how the practice can help us find the strength to meet each moment and each day. Mindfulness and an intention to be an advocate for ourselves are powerful ways we stay grounded in an upside down world. This talk o...
Greeting the World with Goodwill
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - January 09, 2024 02:00 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsKindness, friendliness, goodwill. The Buddha invited us to greet the world with a kind heart and without causing harm, but how do we do that in a world full of greed, hatred and ignorance. Mary discusses what gets in the way and how to move towards a heart of goodwill with integrity and wisdom. ...
Wear the World as a Loose Garment
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - January 01, 2024 21:00 - 18 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsThis simple quote from St. Francis Assisi contains a wise teaching on equanimity. What does it mean? How do we do it? Mary unpacks this invitation to move through the world with spaciousness, compassion and wisdom. Recorded Dec. 28, 2023 in the virtual world Visit Mary's website for more info o...
Connection and Community
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - December 26, 2023 17:00 - 28 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsLoneliness and isolation are feelings that are so pervasive these days. In this talk, Mary discusses how damaging this sense of disconnection can be and how the Buddha taught the importance of friendship and community. Finding true friends on the path supports our movement toward liberation. Rec...
Finding Ease in the Present Moment
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - December 19, 2023 01:00 - 28 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsThis talk was recorded at the Compassionate Heart Retreat in Los Angeles on Nov. 11, 2023. The title speaks for itself. Thanks to Recovery Dharma for the invitation and the recording. Much love! Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.
It's On Fire
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - December 12, 2023 02:00 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsThe Buddha's famous Fire Sermon describes how our senses are aflame when we're caught in craving and aversion. Mary discusses how often these flames are more like embers that we become used to. They smolder and continue unchecked while we're lost in our delusions. Paying attention helps to put t...
Gratitude and Grief
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - December 04, 2023 23:00 - 19 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsSometimes it feels as we're living in a binary world where there is either grief or gratitude and the mind creates stories as to why one experience is appropriate and the other is not. In this talk, Mary discusses being open to both - they do not cancel each other our, but with awareness, we can...
Yeah, but...
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - November 28, 2023 00:00 - 9 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsA brief reflection on how we are so deeply stuck in our conditioning that we are often unwilling to turn towards the reality of the moment. "Yeah, but" is what shows up when we hold on tightly. Let go of the 'yeah, buts' and greet the moment. Recorded Nov. 27, 2023, in the virtual world Visit M...
My Brother Died
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - November 21, 2023 00:00 - 18 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsMary talks about how the practice of mindfulness and compassion has allowed her to walk through the few days after hearing about her brother's death. Willing to feel the grief, recognizing how we keep ourselves from feeling, and simply being present for the experiences of life is the simplicity ...
Greeting the Demons
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - November 14, 2023 16:00 - 21 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsThe story of Milarepa and the Demons is so emblematic of how we live our lives and how we can cultivate a spiritual path. We can choose to fight the reality of this moment or allow ourselves to be open to whatever arises. Mary talks about how this teaching can help us stay present for our lives ...
Good Wolf or Bad Wolf?
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - November 06, 2023 21:00 - 22 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsMary reflects on the old story which tells us that there are two wolves at war in our minds - the good wolf and the bad wolf. The one who wins is the one we feed. Many times we get stuck in incredibly mundane ideas that cause so much discomfort. How do we recognize when we're caught up in those...
Staying Grounded in a World of Uncertainty
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - October 30, 2023 23:00 - 35 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsThe world is spinning so quickly and it's easy to become unbalanced when things shift so rapidly. There is fear and anger, grief and sadness. It's important to be grounded and know our priorities in order to navigate each moment. In this talk Mary discusses developing a foundation that will supp...
Living the Dharma in Difficult Times
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - October 23, 2023 23:00 - 19 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsContinuing the conversation from last week, Mary discusses ways to stay present in the face of tragedy and the challenging moments we're walking through. Continuity of mindfulness, guarding the sense doors, skillful means, continuity of compassion and seeking connection with others are ways we c...
Deep Intimacy with our Experience
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - October 16, 2023 22:00 - 32 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsA deep intimacy with our experience without preference is the essence of equanimity, however it's difficult to accomplish especially in the current moment when, once again, there is so much violence, suffering, greed, hatred and ignorance. There is so much grief and anger to hold. How do we sit ...
Generosity, Patience, Metta
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - October 09, 2023 23:00 - 34 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsMary looks at three qualities in the Paramis, Generosity, Patience and Metta, that will enable us to love unconditionally, and with an undefended heart. These qualities are within reach of all of us and can be cultivated to move towards a freedom in how we move through the world. We learn to tre...
Everything is in This Moment
Undefended Dharma with Mary Stancavage - October 03, 2023 00:00 - 19 minutes ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsReflecting on the passage of time and also how life is contained in just this moment, Mary discusses how we can be present for both. Awareness allows us to see both the big picture of our lives and still be intimate with each moment and emotion as it arises. She also touches on the Nine Contempl...
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