Practical Meditation

Community is a feature of the religious life. A bond of membership around the common purpose of living well with meaning exists between its members. We discuss the benefits of such a community, including how interaction in one is different from interacting with friends and family.

Community is a feature of the religious life. A bond of membership around the common purpose of living well with meaning exists between its members. We discuss the benefits of such a community, including how interaction in one is different from interacting with friends and family.

We speak of faith as a faculty beyond reason, though not against reason, in terms of belief and trust leading to action. For example, we believe that a certain aspect of life that we encounter, be it a career prospect or marriage opportunity, is 'good'; trust that the particular role or partner will work out; and commit the action required to fulfil that aspect of life. We discuss forming the conception of good that goes along with this account, and mechanisms, including meditation, for restoring our faith when life throws suffering and loss at us.

We speak of faith as a faculty beyond reason, though not against reason, in terms of belief and trust leading to action. For example, we believe that a certain aspect of life that we encounter, be it a career prospect or marriage opportunity, is ‘good’; trust that the particular role or partner will work out; and commit the action required to fulfil that aspect of life. We discuss forming the conception of good that goes along with this account, and mechanisms, including meditation, for restoring our faith when life throws suffering and loss at us.

George Pitagorsky, who teaches mindfulness meditation in the non-dual and Buddhist traditions, speaks with me about religion and faith, philosophy and reason, and where meditation fits in. We also discuss the roles of community, humility and practice in apprehending the transcendental and living the moral life. George offers courses and other content at his website self-awareliving.com.

George Pitagorsky, who teaches mindfulness meditation in the non-dual and Buddhist traditions, speaks with me about religion and faith, philosophy and reason, and where meditation fits in. We also discuss the roles of community, humility and practice in apprehending the transcendental and living the moral life. George offers courses and other content at his website self-awareliving.com.

The practice and expression of religion differs from that of philosophy in several noteworthy ways. Unlike philosophy, religion typically features regular practice and repetition, a strong supportive community, and a posture of humility. We discuss the advantages of these, and try to incorporate a practice element in our meditation.

The practice and expression of religion differs from that of philosophy in several noteworthy ways. Unlike philosophy, religion typically features regular practice and repetition, a strong supportive community, and a posture of humility. We discuss the advantages of these, and try to incorporate a practice element in our meditation.

Most of us intimate that experiencing beauty has special value. We develop this intuition by noticing the transcendental qualities of aesthetic judgment; namely, that it requires human-level rationality, freedom from self-interest, and an understanding of others we are in relationship with. Additionally, I suggest that in the presence of the sublime beauty of awe-inducing scenes in nature, we can have quasi-religious experiences and apprehend the transcendental realm of morality.

Most of us intimate that experiencing beauty has special value. We develop this intuition by noticing the transcendental qualities of aesthetic judgment; namely, that it requires human-level rationality, freedom from self-interest, and an understanding of others we are in relationship with. Additionally, I suggest that in the presence of the sublime beauty of awe-inducing scenes in nature, we can have quasi-religious experiences and apprehend the transcendental realm of morality.

What are the characteristics of art, and what makes a piece of art good? As we judge a piece of art work beautiful, how do we judge a scene of nature beautiful? And can we as non-artists, exercise our judgment of beauty in how we arrange our apartments? We continue our exploration of beauty and its connection to apprehending the transcendent.

What are the characteristics of art, and what makes a piece of art good? As we judge a piece of art work beautiful, how do we judge a scene of nature beautiful? And can we as non-artists, exercise our judgment of beauty in how we arrange our apartments? We continue our exploration of beauty and its connection to apprehending the transcendent.

I speak with Melody Fader, a classical pianist who performs in NYC and also Europe in the summers, on her relationship with learning and performing music. An insight arises as to how beauty in the music is related to the listener: it is shaped by the performer in its presentation, to be interpreted by the listener. Connect with Melody through her website www.melodyfader.com. We close with a short piano performance by me to serve as the guided meditation for the week.

What is beauty? Is there something transcendental going on when we judge a piece of art, otherwise quite useless to us, as beautiful? If so, is there a connection with meditation? In this episode, I start exploring the overlap between the philosophy of beauty and the practice of meditation, as pointers to universal truths that need necessarily be followed by individuals in their individuality.

What is beauty? Is there something transcendental going on when we judge a piece of art, otherwise quite useless to us, as beautiful? If so, is there a connection with meditation? In this episode, I start exploring the overlap between the philosophy of beauty and the practice of meditation, as pointers to universal truths that need necessarily be followed by individuals in their individuality.

We harbor interpersonal attitudes such as gratitute and resentment more intensely with close friends and family than with distant relations. We examine this feature of life, along with how our moral obligations correspond to the degree of relationship. In Q&A, we look at two ways of considering the case of man and machine coming together to enhance human-ness.

We harbor interpersonal attitudes such as gratitute and resentment more intensely with close friends and family than with distant relations. We examine this feature of life, along with how our moral obligations correspond to the degree of relationship. In Q&A, we look at two ways of considering the case of man and machine coming together to enhance human-ness.

I speak with Kimber Domke, a nutrition and fitness coach with clients in New York City and worldwide, on her diagnosis on why many people eat poorly, and her behavioral and gradual approach in helping them improve and reach their health goals. She explains her conception of will-power, and how that need not necessarily be the determining issue in health outcomes. Learn more about her work at kimberdomke.com. We close with a short, spontaneous guided meditation.

I speak with Kimber Domke, a nutrition and fitness coach with clients in New York City and worldwide, on her diagnosis on why many people eat poorly, and her behavioral and gradual approach in helping them improve and reach their health goals. She explains her conception of will-power, and how that need not necessarily be the determining issue in health outcomes. Learn more about her work at kimberdomke.com. We close with a short, spontaneous guided meditation.

According to Aristotle, the exercise of virtue or excellence is key to a fulfiling life. But what does virtue consist in? We discuss how it arises out of relationship, when we give and receive reasons for our actions from each other, and judge their merits, holding each other accountable via human-only sentiments such as praise and blame, resentment and gratitude. In guided meditation, we seek to experience the quality of admiration.

According to Aristotle, the exercise of virtue or excellence is key to a fulfiling life. But what does virtue consist in? We discuss how it arises out of relationship, when we give and receive reasons for our actions from each other, and judge their merits, holding each other accountable via human-only sentiments such as praise and blame, resentment and gratitude. In guided meditation, we seek to experience the quality of admiration.

I speak with Ed Bendy, a Vice-President in charge of product at Semsee, a tech startup. Ed gives an overview of his grappling with what's meaningful in life. He relates his relationship with insight meditation and with church-going, which is currently to the non-credoed Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York. We also discuss briefly the role of detachment in decision-making.

I speak with Ed Bendy, a Vice-President in charge of product at Semsee, a tech startup. Ed gives an overview of his grappling with what’s meaningful in life. He relates his relationship with insight meditation and with church-going, which is currently to the non-credoed Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York. We also discuss briefly the role of detachment in decision-making.

What does it mean to be an individual person? We discuss how our differentiated selves need relating to an other to gain definition, and how freedom is in dialectic with obligation. How do we know if we are a patient person until we have meetings with others and find out whether we tend to be on time? How might we know to form personal plans and intentions if we never had to explain them to someone? In guided meditation, we try and spot the transition from formlessness to form that occurs when we move from doing no work to being addressed and having intention.

What does it mean to be an individual person? We see how our selves need relating to an other to gain definition. Freedom is in dialectic with obligation. How do we know if we are a patient person, if we never have meetings with others and find out if we tend to be on time? How might we know to form personal plans and intentions if we never had to explain them to someone?

I speak with Bruce Parker, a Senior Software Developer at Bloomberg LP and more pertinently, a long-time meditator, on his approach to meditation. In this episode's guided meditation, we attempt to experience the effortlessness he speaks of, through the lens of transcendental awareness and freedom that we have been discussing in the podcast.

I speak with Bruce Parker, a Senior Software Developer at Bloomberg LP and more pertinently, a long-time meditator, on his approach to meditation. In this episode's guided meditation, we attempt to experience the effortlessness he speaks of, through the lens of transcendental awareness and freedom that we have been discussing in the podcast.

Where does creativity come from? We observe how new ideas occur to us in the guided meditation that opens this episode. We then discuss how the concept of transcendence can serve as an useful explanation here, with 'I Conceive' serving as a shorthand for this experience of transcendental creativity. I further offer a taxonomy of creative modes---ideation, understanding, and pattern-forming.

Where does creativity come from? We observe how new ideas occur to us in the guided meditation that opens this episode. We then discuss how the concept of transcendence can serve as an useful explanation here, with 'I Conceive' serving as a shorthand for this experience of transcendental creativity. I further offer a taxonomy of creative modes---ideation, understanding, and pattern-forming.

We explore the 'I Am'-ness of consciousness, as another facet of 'transcendence', this time of 'Being'. In guided meditation, we see for ourselves this subject of all experience, that precedes thoughts and perceptions. I then present some relevant classic Hindu philosophy called 'advaita', and discuss how upon grokking the 'I Am', one likely develops a new detachment to worldly objects as well as a new camaraderie with fellow human-beings.

We explore the 'I Am'-ness of consciousness, as another facet of 'transcendence', this time of 'Being'. In guided meditation, we see for ourselves this subject of all experience, that precedes thoughts and perceptions. I then present some relevant classic Hindu philosophy called 'advaita', and discuss how upon grokking the 'I Am', one likely develops a new detachment to worldly objects as well as a new camaraderie with fellow human-beings.

What is 'transcendence' and why is it a useful concept? We start with a guided meditation that we then use to help answer this question. In this episode, we focus on the 'Doing' flavor of transcendence, a.k.a. transcendental freedom, for which I offer the shorthand 'I Can' as a slogan to keep in mind.

What is 'transcendence' and why is it a useful concept? We start with a guided meditation that we then use to help answer this question. In this episode, we focus on the 'Doing' flavor of transcendence, a.k.a. transcendental freedom, for which I offer the shorthand 'I Can' as a slogan to keep in mind.

Among the possible actions that confront us, which provide us with meaning? We explore this question, first experientially and post facto via a guided meditation. Then, we discuss the philosopher Immanuel Kant's work that is very relevant to this question, the categorical imperative, which places the welfare of all rational beings as sacrosanct. I offer my interpretation of it that then leads to meaning-making. We conclude with seeing how our meditations so far can make a practical difference in our daily activities.

Among the possible actions that confront us, which provide us with meaning? We explore this question, first experientially and post facto via a guided meditation. Then, we discuss the philosopher Immanuel Kant's work that is very relevant to this question, the categorical imperative, which places the welfare of all rational beings as sacrosanct. I offer my interpretation of it that then leads to meaning-making. We conclude with seeing how our meditations so far can make a practical difference in our daily activities.

We discuss the distinction between understanding what is, and figuring out what to do about it, and consider a taxonomy of the pressures we face when deciding on our actions. We then meditate together to examine the sources behind the work we do through our thinking. In conclusion, we address a question on what makes a successful meditation.

We discuss the distinction between understanding what is, and figuring out what to do about it, and consider a taxonomy of the pressures we face when deciding on our actions. We then meditate together to examine the sources behind the work we do through our thinking. In conclusion, we address a question on what makes a successful meditation.

We contrast practical meditation from pure meditation as an exploration of voluntary action, discuss different conceptions of free will, and meditate together with a simple three-word instruction designed to aid us in grasping the experience of freedom.

We contrast practical meditation from pure meditation as an exploration of voluntary action, discuss different conceptions of free will, and meditate together with a simple three-word instruction designed to aid us in grasping the experience of freedom.