Elephant Journal: The Mindful Life with Waylon

Waylon discusses what true richness really is, and reminds us all that our task in this lifetime is to keep our hearts open. It all connects when we keep our hearts open, and raw. " True richness isn't being a billionaire. True richness is being in a society where everyone is safe and can be joyful and can have success." ~ Waylon H. Lewis

Waylon discusses difficult (or not) relationships, the need for respectful honesty (with ourselves, and our loved ones), and the good news that challenging relationships can change, such as his with his own father. " I think a lot of us have difficulty with our mothers or our fathers or our country—whatever it is. So when there's a day celebrating them such as Father's Day, Mother's Day, Independence Day—we're conflicted. And I think it's good, as with funerals and eulogies, to be honest and critical, and respectful in our criticism, and, loving—all of it. I love the Irish wakes: say everything—be joyful, mourn, fully, feel it all, show it all. Be fully honest, but respectful and loving about it, and be bold enough to be critical. Most folks frankly don't share that view. But I think when we have that view, we're full-hearted in what we say. And we can honor that people grow..." ~ Waylon H. Lewis

Waylon discusses democracy, independent media, and how you can be a participant—if you care.  “We [Elephant] often criticize Donald Trump—and we're fine with disagreement and discussion. But we're not fine with hate or lies. That's our line. We're totally fine with people correcting us, or thinking differently. We're not okay with different facts. Facts are facts...because they're true! You drop an apple and it falls. That's related to gravity and to science. From a spiritual point of view, our approach is empathy, openness, learning, not holding on to trying to be perfect. And the most important word, I think, in the Elephant land is 'caring.' Often we get comments about how we're disrespecting the flag, or how we're not patriots, or we should move out of the United States—we get told to eff off or leave the country if we don't love it. Well, my love, like any healthy relationship, is rooted in (hopefully) honesty and the courage to be honest, in a respectful way—which is a journalism ethic.” ~ Waylon H. Lewis

This week on our longrunning “Walk the Talk Show” podcast and video series, Waylon discusses Buddhism and Sadness. Caring isn't easy, but it leads to a beautiful, kind world that is easier on all of us. In a world where aggression is normalized, a soft, naive, joyfully troublemaking or curious heart is easily wounded, saddened, even depressed. Aggression creates further aggression. Kindness, with strength behind it, creates enlightened society. Everyday, little, ordinary moments are the best… ⁠

Waylon talks about Mother's Day and Motherhood with his own Mama, Linda, and his wife, Kelsey. They discuss the Buddhist perspective on Motherhood, the meditation practice of Tonglen (which traditionally starts with a Mother figure), and Kelsey shares how she likes to spend Mother's Day, while Linda shares stories of Mother's Day with Waylon when he was growing up. “I love you, mom—and Happy Mother's Day.  I appreciate that you gave me a love for nature and a love for politics—not being nasty, but caring about our environment, and decency, and honesty. And just caring. Anyone who has been unconditionally kind to your life, Mother's Day is for them, and hopefully that was your mom.” ~ Waylon H. Lewis

Waylon discusses and questions the very real exhaustion that comes with moving. He asked friends for advice on why that is and he's here with their answers, and a few of his own. "It's a letting go process, I guess you could say. It's a spiritual thing. But I think for me it is an exhaustion similar to like when you're in a museum—like in Paris, or Boston, or wherever—and you're looking at an exhibition. By the end of a couple hours on your feet, your brain is exhausted because it's focusing in and coming out, focusing in, coming out." ~ Waylon H. Lewis

Waylon discusses the idea of "stuff" as he goes through the process of moving out of the home he's lived in for 18+ years. A close friend shared that it wasn't Waylon's "life in that box" when Waylon shared a video of his Pod being taken away. Rather, his friend replied that it was "just stuff." "I replied that I half agree. Things are things, and yeah, if a fire consumes my house, I'm gonna run out with my wife and my dog and myself, and count myself lucky—right? Ultimately, our health and our corporeal bodies and minds and hearts are far more important than some cool lamp. At the same time, I disagree..." ~ Waylon Lewis Cheap goods devalue "things."  “Stuff” and "crap" is demeaning, cheap, it's what you buy on Amazon. We're not defending crap, but things that we genuinely appreciate. We give things meaning through use and care and love, and we select things through training or searching for yun.   “When we own craft items, these objects in the Buddhist term give Yun—inherent richness—which contributes to a meaningful home and a meaningful life.” ~ Waylon H. Lewis 

Waylon discusses what we can do when we're overwhelmed with overwhelm. He also offers a reminder of where Dharma (or expertise) comes from. (Hint: it's not our ego) “We all get overwhelmed. We get overwhelmed by the news. We get overwhelmed by relationships. We get overwhelmed by stress around food, or money, or how we look, whether we're popular or not, depending on what age we are, and what's going on. Overwhelm is really just a lack of oxygen.” ~ Waylon H. Lewis 

Waylon offers a message to those in the United States: What to do now that he's Tariffed you. "This isn't about hoarding, but this is about having a mindful, smart reaction. If you don't have to spend money preparing, save your money and hopefully we can get through this together. Panicking doesn't help but preparing in community does. Big love." ~ Waylon H. Lewis

Waylon asks the question: what is the Buddhist practice of Right Speech when it comes to hate and greed and lies? “From a Buddhist point of view, we need to be honest. We must not be harmful in our speech, but we need to be able to be frank. In fact, the Buddhist notion of idiot compassion would lead us to (hopefully) remember that allowing hate or lies or prejudice or violent speech to go unanswered in any way is actually harmful." ~ Waylon H. Lewis 

Waylon shares a message that isn't exciting, or riveting, or hateful...but is hopefully mature, and reasonable, and helpful:  "I am scared that a lot of the social media [platforms] are one decision—by an already corrupt, greedy billionaire—away from shutting down our means of communication. So I think we gotta invest in community. We gotta invest in resistance. We have to invest in connecting in ways that aren't just on social." ~ Waylon H. Lewis 

Waylon offers a message directly to those who identify with MAHA, aka, Make America Healthy Again, a political platform and slogan used by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who is now in charge of the health of Americans under Trump: " I have a special anger and resentment toward MAHA. And that anger and resentment isn't the neurotic kind of anger and resentment that I, as a Buddhist, want to breathe through and let go of. It is one that I want to share openly and vulnerably." ~ Waylon H. Lewis 

Mindfulness, meditation, compassion… The things Elephant focuses on… These are not separate from caring about politics, policy, public service. If we keep coming from a place of caring, of basic goodness, the boulder we are rolling up the hill will begin to roll down the next hill. We can do this together. Things can get easier. Keep caring.   “Compassion fatigue arises when there's confusion and ego mixed up in [our caring]. Ego doesn't mean that we're bad people. We all have ego. We all get caught up. But if we can truly come from a simple place of caring, that's considered to be an in inexhaustible resource, because it's natural to who we are and to this world.” ~ Waylon H. Lewis 

This week on our longrunning, ongoing “Walk the Talk Show” podcast and video series:  "Groundlessness is something Buddhism talks about a lot. And you think, well, groundlessness, that sounds pretty bad. We always want ground beneath our feet.  We want to be able to ground into Mother Earth, connect with the heavens above, connect with our hearts, our shoulders, connect with society. That's actually a meditation practice in the Buddhist tradition. But groundlessness is something that all of us go through. When we're having a hard time, when we're lonely, when we're feeling rejected, feeling confused, feeling lost...we tend to want to close down or blame other...or blame self, which can lead to depression. We want to find the ground..." ~ Waylon H. Lewis 

Waylon gives practical Buddhist life advice for when you're feeling defeated, depressed, or blue. “The advice from a mindful point of view is obvious, but when we're in that state of mind what's obvious is forgotten: so get in nature, look up and out—force yourself to breathe—meaning going for a walk, biking, anything where you have to [intentionally] breathe because breathing helps us process. Desperately try to avoid negative habitual patterns.” ~ Waylon H. Lewis  For more: Habitual Patterns: https://youtu.be/tt4evvgKxMk  Meditation: https://youtu.be/qzGZcxG4jvw?si=pN9LF5mkdZ4nGAk4 More Meditation: https://youtube.com/shorts/U9wKCVgSblY?si=yZpt8TYU5VzqWgp1 

Waylon and his wife, Kelsey, have a frank conversation about love and dust bunnies with one of our favorite guests: mindful feng shui expert Anjie Cho. They discuss how we can use mindfulness, Buddhism, and feng shui to awaken our love lives this Valentine's Day. Anjie came with the goods—not only does she have specific advice for Waylon and Kelsey, she offers several tips for singles looking to attract a partner into their lives, and those already in a relationship.

Waylon will support President Trump tomorrow, if... "I always say, I have nothing against Trump—for as much as I despise him and think he's doing awful things in the world, if tomorrow he woke up and was 'buttercups and dancing through meadows' and 'let's be kind to people, and humans and animals and the planet all matter'—that would be great. I would support him tomorrow." ~ Waylon H. Lewis

Waylon's thoughts on the historical day that is January 20th, 2025.  "The fact that all of this is happening on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is both painful and telling. We have so far to go as a country..."  ~ Waylon H. Lewis

Tomorrow, it's Trump. Today, it's Biden. If you're feeling shook, that's normal: here's what we can do and not do for others and ourselves. ~ Waylon H. Lewis

Waylon catches up with one of our favorite guests: mindful feng shui expert Anjie Cho. They discuss methods to welcome the new energy into our homes and lives for 2025 this Lunar, or Eastern New Year. “On the second new moon after the winter solstice, millions around the world celebrate a holiday known as the Lunar New Year. This year, the momentous occasion falls on January 29th when we say goodbye to the fierce Dragon and usher in the energy of the Yin Wood Snake. The Lunar New Year symbolizes transitions, fresh, new beginnings, and reminds us that even within the coldest, darkest depths of winter, there is the promise of spring.” ~ Anjie Cho Read Anjie's article on Elephant Journal and find your personal, mindful aspiration to contemplate in this Year of the Yin Wood Snake based on your zodiac animal. Find Anjie's podcast: https://www.holisticspaces.com

Waylon shares a message with our dear Elephant community about the devastating fires ravaging California right now...and what it means for us. We have to do more than think about taking action. We have to actually do it. “I don't want to completely denigrate good feelings, or love, or caring, but it's just as meaningless as when folks offer thoughts and prayers around gun control. It doesn't change the unfolding reality that is hurting so many people. It was popular on Instagram, TikTok, et cetera, a year or two ago to say that our [personal, eco] changes don't matter. That [environmental damage is] all about rich people—billionaires—and there's a lot of truth to that. But at the same time, we, unlike some of these oligarchs and billionaires, hopefully care. We have to drive this change. We, en masse, are far more powerful than any one billionaire or oligarch.” ~ Waylon Lewis

Waylon welcomes the new year with a message to the Elephant community...and a little honesty for us all to take to heart. He asks: what can you do this year to serve our planet, be kind to yourself, and care about others? “Whatever you can do in this new year is going to be vital. And that includes taking care of yourself.” ~ Waylon Lewis

Jews have Hanukkah. Christians, Xmas. African-Americans, Kwanzaa. Buddhists? Children's Day. Waylon speaks about the Buddhist holiday of Children's Day ahead of the celebrations on December 21, 2024.

Waylon talks about the importance of embracing and appreciating the seasonality and cold weather as we push back against the effects of climate change. “The cycle of seasons is natural and something to appreciate, not take for granted. This is just a reminder that nice weather can be snowy weather!” ~ Waylon Lewis Read more on Elephant Journal on the topic:  Folks love to say “it's bad weather” when it's cold, or “it's nice out” when it's 60 in December in Colorado. - https://elejrnl.com?p=3268075  Frank. 95 years old. Shoveling 200 feet of snow, a big old smile on his face, eyes clear as day, memory sharp. - https://elejrnl.com?p=3642046  For all my friends who hate Christmas and/or Winter. - https://elejrnl.com?p=1168269   

Waylon talks about living in fear, and why he's making an effort as a journalist to speak to our mindful audience about the facts as they come to light during the Trump presidential transition and beyond. "Don't live in fear, but *do* be aware and do advocate for the world you want to live in." ~ Waylon Lewis

Shop local and small! Give nothing?! What it means to give goodness. Read the articles mentioned in the video: https://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/12/elephantjournal-coms-long-awaited-top-10-must-have-green-things-to-buy-for-christmas-list/ https://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/12/how-to-be-rich/ 

MAGA/Trump-voting family + Thanksgiving, what's your approach? Politics aren't something we can—or should—put in a private drawer and forget about or overlook. Read the article on Elephant Journal: https://elejrnl.com?p=4103058  

Waylon Lewis lists his favorite books to get the beginner Buddhist, or anyone, started. Bonus: Waylon leads a meditation at the end.

The notion of moreover: we can live life—relationships, work, neuroses—from the point of view of lost in it, lost in all the details, that feeling of overwhelm and chaos (we all know that feeling of busyness and inefficiency) or we can live it above the clouds, with clarity, moreover. How to get moreover all of it.

Waylon demonstrates how to use natural hierarchy to uplift your life without being uptight. Many of us have an expectation that spirituality should be pleasant, pretty, affirming. It can be. But it can also be tough, scary, uncomfortable. What it is, most fundamentally, is natural. In harmony with Nature, we learn to abide by its laws. Read the article on Elephant Journal: https://elejrnl.com?p=910955

Waylon shares his favorite poem with the Elephant Journal community. Poems can be helpful to us in a spiritual, heartfelt way. But there are also practical, life-helpful poems. And the poem he's sharing today is a practical poem for everyday life, that has been especially helpful for Waylon and his family in recent days. "This poem is a roadmap for a lot of life's challenges in a way that very few are." ~ Waylon Lewis

Waylon talks with Janette Spiezio of Sustainable Haus, a zero-waste store in Summit, New Jersey. Check out her helpful articles on Elephant! "The most inspiring woman you'll want to learn from today!" ~ Waylon Lewis Waylon talks with Janette about: > Keys to successful entrepreneurship and why so many zero-waste shops close > How to actually change society: bottom-up creating more top-down change > Anti-plastic vs. non-toxic > Perfection vs. effort > The power of word of mouth

Waylon (dumb) vs Dr. John Douillard (expert) talk health!   The Ideal Summer Diet According to Ayurveda with Waylon Lewis & Dr. John Douillard. Has Walk the Talk Show been of benefit to your life? Give us a Tip in our Tip Jar.

We don't have to worship Biden to vote for him...because when we vote for him, we're voting for us and we're voting for democracy, and this is our last chance. If that sounds like partisan hyperbole, you're not listening to Trump and his acolyte's own words. And after that debate—lying on one side, goodness and aged exhaustion on the other...I feel a sense of care and sadness for this American experiment: that is, freedom, and democracy. While I said the below before the many and growing calls for his retirement to make space for a new group of candidates, the ethics or values herein apply 100%: Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis presents: Our natural and healthy tendency to become distracted by the daily vicissitudes of life and, is, on the flip side, the result of not treating what is urgent as urgent because we are...distracted.  Has Walk the Talk Show been of benefit to your life? Give us a Tip in our Tip Jar.

Selflessness is a path, not a state of perfection. If, along the way, we practice thinking of others, first, we might find our ego's self-concern dissolve. Enjoy Walk the Talk Show? Keep us sustainable. Give us a Tip in our Tip Jar.

Inside this classic Walk the Talk Show conversation, Waylon starts by leading us with a simple meditation and then discusses how to slow down, be present, and mindfully enjoy what's left of summer. Enjoy Walk the Talk Show? Keep us sustainable. Give us a Tip in our Tip Jar.

Why July 4th is more than a party. Thoughtful Dissent & Non-violent Activism is Patriotism: Happy July 4th! Enjoy Walk the Talk Show? Keep us sustainable. Give us a Tip in our Tip Jar.

Waylon shares his views after the June 27th Presidential debate with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. He also addresses the common comments he, and Elephant Journal, field after sharing political articles and social media posts and why we do what we do.  Hint: it's because we care. Enjoy Walk the Talk Show? Keep us sustainable. Give us a Tip in our Tip Jar.

Habitual patterns are so tough—we are stuck with them our whole lives. No matter how much discipline or willpower we exert, they come back. So start small: be gentle with yourself, meditate, relax with multi-tasking…and witness your whole life awaken like an unfolding flower. Try this for one week and let me know how it goes. Enjoy Walk the Talk Show? Keep us sustainable. Give us a Tip in our Tip Jar.

Waylon & Kelsey, sittin' in a tree…have some big news. In the latest episode of Elephant's long-running, award-winning podcast and video series Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis... Waylon and his beloved, Kelsey, share some big news. They talk through the Buddhist framework they used as they navigated this change to their life paths: outer, inner, and secret.

In this week's Mindful Monday video & podcast, Waylon shares a simple Buddhist practice that you can do anywhere, anytime. " One of the most wonderful Buddhist instructions for how to become present and available, open, joyful, and genuine, in your life is as simple as this: any time of the day, particularly if you're having a hard time, if you're feeling speedy, if you're feeling exhausted, look out your window. Go outside if you can. Then..." ~ Waylon Lewis  Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly.

Waylon chats with Ellie Laks of the beloved animal sanctuaries known as The Gentle Barn, this time about her new book: “Cow Hug Therapy.” Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly.

Waylon speaks about the role of journalism as the pursuit of truth, the trap of "fake news," and how we can all develop our antenna for bullsh*t (including our own) if we pause to examine our sources of "facts."  "Journalism is simply the search for truth, which makes it similar to science. If you're interested in journalism—whether you're liberal or conservative—you're interested in facts, and you're open to changing your mind and opening your mind, and being proven wrong." ~ Waylon Lewis Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly.

In this week's Mindful Monday video & podcast, Waylon talks about one thing we can do—every day—to transform our lives for the better.  "The notion of duty, which we talk a lot about in the military realm or public service, or say in my Buddhist upbringing...it's a very un-American word from the point of view of 'we Americans cherish our freedom or independence.' The way we generally think of it in America or write about it is: my freedom is separate from yours. So it's a sort of independent freedom, not interdependent, not co-dependent, not cooperative. It's all about 'me' and 'my freedom.' That's an interesting notion when you think about the notion of duty. It would seem to be a contradiction. So, what is our duty as human beings? I introduced this as the one daily reminder that if you do it every day, it'll transform your entire life.  I don't think that's an exaggeration. In the Buddhist teachings, they talk about vision or view, or Christians may think of it as mission. What is our mission in life?" ~ Waylon Lewis Learn more about Elephant Academy's Meditation course: https://bit.ly/meditation_for_crazy_busy_people  Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly: https://elephantjournal.com/videos

Waylon meets his all-time favorite Elephant Journal writer, Lynn Shattuck, for the first time. They talk about writing, finding your voice as a writer, how to write about your life in a cathartic, genuine, way and Lynn's thread through much of her writing: the loss of a beloved sibling. "I was really fortunate. [Elephant] felt like a safe home for my writing. I felt welcomed from the beginning by the editors, and it was a cozy connection." ~ Lynn Shattuck Read Lynn's writing on Elephant Journal: https://www.elephantjournal.com/profile/lynn-shattuck/ Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly: https://bit.ly/WTTSSubscribe

Waylon talks about how, as human being and as a writer, we can uncover our voices. Hint: it's not as impossible as it feels. “Ironically, simply getting present with yourself and out of your own thoughts will enable you to find the words that are genuine and helpful to others.” ~ Waylon Lewis Learn more about Elephant Academy's Find your Voice course: https://bit.ly/FindYourVoiceFall2024 Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly: https://elephantjournal.com/videos

Waylon shares a little (big) way we can thank mothers and all good parents everywhere: “I want to do a video in honor of Mother's Day and of wonderful parents everywhere, including fathers. But particularly single parents, and particularly single mothers, and particularly my mom, who is a single mom. One of the gifts of society—or lack or lack of gift—can be supporting single parents..” ~ Waylon Lewis Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly.

In this week's Mindful Monday video & podcast, Waylon talks politics. "Stop covering politics," some of our dear readers cry every time we post something relephant. Look: politics are life. Equal rights, empathy, fair economy, healthcare. We can't ignore what's happening, and you shouldn't either. ~ Waylon Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly.

Waylon shares with readers one simple, quick reminder about the act of being vulnerable. “Vulnerability is not weakness. It's true strength—if it's genuine, not mere emotionalism. ~ Waylon Lewis  >> Read more about emotionalism: Emotionalism Isn't Cool. >> Curious about Elephant Academy and what we teach? What we offer is hard to explain in a handful of words without them turning into word soup, but it's got a little something for everyone out there on the path of discovering their passion, finding their voice, and, yes, embracing their vulnerability. Find out more here.  Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly.

Waylon encourages us to honor Earth Day every day, not just one day a year. Giving a care for our one and only planet is not about being perfect, or being a goody-two-shoes, but about living a mindful life and ensuring future generations can as well. "Ultimately, like any kind of love, any kind of open heart, caring is ultimately our only conduit or connection to a meaningful life—even if sometimes caring means we're sad. Let's try to actually honor Earth Day and actually honor equity and actually honor and address our climate crisis in a meaningful way." ~ Waylon Lewis  Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly.

Waylon talks with long-time friend Sue Van Raes about mindful eating, staying in the present moment, traveling, our personal food stories, and just eating the nachos.  Her new book, “Food and Freedom,” is out now! "We can look back at our lives, look back at our stories...and we all have our food story. But we also have many other stories that play into how we relate to food. So we can look back and investigate...   ...and then just eat the nachos! Recognizing what's happening in the moment, right? Just simple recognition.   What's so important to consider is that if we decide to eat nachos...eat nachos.    Just fully be there with them. Enjoy the nachos. What happens so much is that we might go and do that thing that's a little bit indulgent or feels really pleasure-based, but then because we're checked out, we're not even enjoying it." ~ Sue Van Raes Subscribe to get our full conversations weekly.