Tibetan Buddhism: The Elegant Mind

We often cannot change our external environment. We certainly cannot change many (or most) of the people we encounter. But Mindfulness practice can lead us to clearly 'see' -- and help us to genuinely understand -- what is happening in the present moment (i.e., as it is happening) rather than being confused and/or lost in our thoughts, opinions and reactions. Through experiential mindfulness, we can insightfully change in remarkable ways. And consider: once we are changed, everything changes. (Length: 17 minutes) Written and shared here by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project (mwinwood@gmail.com) with musical accompaniment by San Francisco Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

From a divine 17th century French Canadian cathedral . . .  to a young couple presenting Medicine Buddha-oriented offerings in the midst of northern Colorado's 'Rawah Wilderness' -- a tale of bountiful faith and practice touching distant times and realms. (Length: 14 minutes) Written and shared here by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project (mwinwood@gmail.com), with musical accompaniment by San Francisco Bay-area musician Bobby Vega in collaboration with Chris Rossbach.

"Tonglen" is a Tibetan term that implies 'exchanging oneself with others'. It refers to a meditation practice found in Himalayan/Mahayana Buddhism which allows the awakening of genuine compassion. "Tong" translates as 'giving or sending', and "len" as 'receiving or taking.' Tonglen practice is experiential; it gradually wears away our habitually obsessive grasping at a false sense of self (e.g., stubborn ego fixation / relentless identification with the personality). Through meditative visualization(s), Tonglen effectively reverses our familiar pattern of avoiding suffering and seeking pleasure. As this occurs, we finally liberate ourselves from the deeply rooted  -- and destructive -- prison of selfishness. (Length: 45 minutes. Included herein: Tonglen discussion followed by a guided meditation which begins at approximately 20 minutes.) Written and shared here by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project (mwinwood@gmail.com).

Reflections on Buddhist Dharma, Indra's Jewel Net and the Trees with which we share our planet . . . as metaphor for the vast intra-connectedness of phenomena, ideas and life. Since all things are intimately -- and infinitely -- intertwined with one another, every action is echoed throughout time and space, creating a butterfly effect across the cosmos . . . and practically, within each moment of our experience(s). Let your contemplative imagination take wing . . .  (Length: 14 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood and presented here by Kathy Ambrose, both of the Chenrezig Project.  Accompanying music composed and performed by the renowned San Francisco Bay-area musician Bobby Vega, joined by the Turtle Island String Quartet.

For your contemplation: Appreciative thoughts and kindness-empowering visualizations are shared in this gentle meditation. As the River flows . . .  May all beings be happy -- May all beings be safe -- May all beings be well -- May all beings be peaceful and at ease. Sit comfortably, focus, center . . . approach and enter your meditative mind.  Or simply listen.  (Length: 28 minutes) Written and shared here by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project.

It is auspicious awareness for Dharma practitioners to remain mindful of how each of our lifetime's event/moments present opportunities for empowering wisdom to arise and abide. Then, as insights blossom, long-held perspectives and self-oriented attitudes, no longer useful or relevant, may transform in vastly unexpected ways. Consider: the flourishing of these insights -- and how we engage with them -- depends on no one but ourselves. (Length: 13 minutes) Written and shared here by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project with accompanying music composed and performed by the San Francisco Bay-area musician Bobby Vega. 

The inherently potent merging of Tibetan Buddhism-supported mind states, in concert with the vibrational qualities of Sanskrit sounds and syllables, provides a direct, enriching stimulus to the energies -- and results -- of our Dharma practice. This has been understood and experienced by practitioners for centuries, who will recite teachings and prayers in their own Tibetan language but have preserved and practice their mantra recitations in Sanskrit, knowing a mantra's intrinsic 'merit' lies mainly in its vibrational qualities rather than in any psychological meaning that society, culture, civilization or humans have placed on it. But initial 'mantra practice' challenges are not uncommon here in the West . . .  (Length: 15 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, shared here by Kathy Ambrose with accompanying music composed and performed by the San Francisco Bay-area musician Bobby Vega. 

Everything is changing/advancing . . . grossly and/or microscopically, moment-by-moment. Until instinctive awareness begins to manifest, reactions to impermanence set many of our challenges into motion, swirling into what Siddhartha termed afflictive mind-states (aka kleshas) of "dukkha" – ignorance-sourced confusions and complications leading to discontent, stress, anxiety . . . catchword “suffering”. But, once embraced, impermanence becomes profoundly fertile . . . vast, lovely . . . presenting perpetual opportunities . . . fluid, evolving, blossoming. It is the greatest show on Earth . . . alive and playing in your mind. (Length: 12.5 minutes) Written and presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with accompanying music composed and performed by the San Francisco Bay-area musician Bobby Vega. 

Visualize a vast railroad terminal resembling New York City's Grand Central Station, with newly dead people entering all the time, mulling around, eventually moving from the waiting room toward the track on which their departure train sits, ready to take them away on a sojourn through the Bardo of Becoming to their next destination. And while we will all be there one day, the specific train for which each of us is ticketed differs, and the experiences of our journey upon it -- as well as the conditions resident within our destination -- are not randomly determined. Rather, they are earned by Why and How we do the things we do in this life. (Length: 10 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with accompanying music composed and performed by the San Francisco Bay-area musician Bobby Vega. Read by Kathy Ambrose.

The legendary Lao Tzu was living and teaching a harmonious way of being -- simple, modest and true -- traveling throughout China centuries before Siddhartha's birth. Upon achieving enlightenment, Siddhartha Buddha refined, deepened and shared similar ways to all who were inclined to listen. Then, after his death, these teachings were assembled and gradually morphed into what we today know as Buddhism's Mahayana curriculum. The teachings of Lao Tzu . . .  The awakened Bodhisattva path . . .  Both so ancient, yet so relevant today. (Length: 13 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with accompanying music composed and performed by the SF-bay area musician Bobby Vega.

Consider: How convenient would it be to have a 'Karma' Replay Command Center into which we could call when needed to replay an action or moment we had participated in?  An at-the-ready 'redo' button for any occurrence that, upon reflection, we'd like to correct or fix the 'why' or 'how' we behaved with others . . . and thereby repairing or 're-contenting' the unwholesome karmic seed that had been planted in our mindstream. Nice to have?  You bet. Useful?  Sure thing. Necessary?  Let's talk . . . (Length: 12 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with accompanying music composed and performed by the SF-bay area musician Bobby Vega.

"How does my mind work?" It was a question posed to the 21st Century Bodhisattva at the conclusion of a teaching. After pausing to collect her thoughts, the Bodhisattva smiled sofly and began to speak not only about the experiential mechanics of mind-flow, but of the path of progressive engagement that empowers one to begin to understand for themself. (Length: 14 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with accompanying music composed and performed by the SF-bay area musician Bobby Vega.

The historians tell us Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, lived more than 2,500 years ago in Northern India. Having uncovered and freed the enlightened mind, it is said he taught the path of similar achievement to others for 45 years, until his death at the age of 80. Precious work, done remarkably well; obviously the Buddha and his teachings have had a uniquely far-reaching impact. But consider: While affirming and honoring Siddhartha's awakened accomplishments, perhaps Buddhas are a little more 'everyday' . . . ?  (Length: 12 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with accompanying music composed and performed by the SF-bay area musician Bobby Vega.

Posed by a student to the 21st Century Bodhisattva at the conclusion of a teaching: "There's this nagging question, What do I want? The truth is, it's slippery. How can I ever know what I truly want when everything is always changing . . . including my flip-flopping mind, the basis of my entire experience?"   "Do you have any advice for me?" After some moments of thought the Bodhisattva began to speak . . .  (Length: 15 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, presented by Kathy Ambrose . . . with accompanying music composed and performed by the SF-bay area musician Bobby Vega in collaboration with Chris Rossbach.

Absolutely everything (i.e., anything) we can point to as 'this' or 'that' is occurring in a dynamically ever-changing manner . . . organic . . . on the fly . . . at times seemingly chaotic . . . the sum of its parts . . . perpetually compiling and re-compiling . . . including the profoundly complex occurrences we refer to as You and Me and Us. All phenomena emanate from a myriad of causes . . . sounds, tastes, aromas, sights, thoughts, feelings . . . aggregated causes give rise to effects, which then evolve into the causes for new effects . . . on and on . . . ad infinitum. The methodological science of this process of "dependent origination" resides deep in the heart of all Buddhist perspectives.  (Length: 12 minutes) Written and presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega -- special guests: the Turtle Island String Quartet.

Reflection upon a foundational Diamond Sutra verse yields a clear and relevant message to those on the Mahayana path: Every sentient being is equally worthy of our attention, caring, cherishing, virtuous intentions and actions. This understanding -- from which the great mind of equanimity, compassion's fertile ground, arises and abides -- is profoundly empowering.  Feel free to allow your most inclusive visions to emerge and clarify, discover and embrace perspectives beyond your (no longer) comfortable mind boundaries, let your imagination soar . . . Sentient beings come in all bodies, shapes, colors and sizes . . . and we are everywhere. (Length: 10 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, presented by Kathy Ambrose; with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega in collaboration with Chris Rossbach.

Holiday season can be difficult for many -- obligatory family gatherings, stress, pressure, stale relationships, contrived cheer, discomfort. But consider: perhaps there's no more fertile laboratory for meaningful Dharma practice than within our own families. Because while holiday time shared with those we've been most familial with can be challenging, it just might present our greatest opportunities for wholesome growth, and the profound rewards that brings. -- Herein, a tale in which a modern day Bodhisattva provides some thoughtful perspectives . . .  (Length: 16 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega in collaboration with Chris Rossbach.

Teachers -- those we learn from; they are everywhere . . . and always have been. Consider the people of your life -- in your past and those who are here now. Try to clear your mind of feelings of attachment and/or aversion and ask yourself, with an openly honest heart: “What has this person taught me? How have they influenced me, enabling me to be the person I am today?" Be patient with this, allow contemplation . . . perhaps you will experience the clarity through which you see and appreciate them (and yourself) in increasingly -- and profoundly -- empowering new ways. (Length: 13 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

A Tibetan craftsman created the Thangka for her, depicting a luminous Buddha surrounded by empowering deities and Dharma protectors. Over the years she has spent many hours in its presence; fondly sitting with it, adoring and appreciating it as one would a precious friend. The Buddha at its center had never spoken to her. Until now. (Length: 12 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Finally . . . tangible proof. A product that confirms karmic seeds DO exist -- and both 'plant' and 'blossom' at all moments, within all minds. Introducing Apple's new mobile app -- the iKarma Kounter . . . the revolutionary real-time monitor of personal behaviorism right on your smartphone . . . a perfectly awakened partnership of technology, engaged psychology and Buddhist spirituality . . . savvy tap-the-app 'knowing' at all times. OM AH iHUM . . . Svaha! ** Yes, this is a parody, but . . .   (Length: 14 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega in collaboration with Chris Rossbach.

In our rush to purchase and consume, everything becomes commodity, and we often forget about -- if we ever considered them at all -- the sources from which our desired goods and products come.  And we easily ignore all that has been done to bring them to us . . . even when extreme hardships have been endured. Please don't allow that to happen with the profoundly empowering teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, for which deepest appreciation and gratitude for so many is warranted. (Length: 11 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

An ordinary package delivery . . . refreshing iced tea accompanied by an awakening conversation between a United Parcel Service driver and the 21st Century Bodhisattva. The topics: timeless interconnection and deeply felt gratitude. (Length: 8 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, recorded in collaboration with Claire Van Bergen.  With music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

It seems there are some who see Buddhist practice as a path of tame irrelevance: a way that promotes peace (aka passivity), gentleness (aka weakness) and non-violence (aka non-action) . . . docile, inconsequential, tuned-out. Of course, anyone who has gazed -- and plunged -- into the deep, fiercely loving eyes of a trusted lama, or who lives and practices in accordance with the empowering intensity of Dharma teachings, knows a reality that is quite different. (Length: 11 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

I have heard stories of a man, regarded by some to be odd in his ways, who lives camped on a small ridge overlooking a creek near the bottom of a particularly deep watershed ravine deep in the mountains . . .  a wilderness man who is said to be a deeply awakened Buddhist practitioner, perhaps even a burgeoning Buddha. And so, early one morning, I set out . . .  (Length: 13 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Beginning with a discussion about the Pineal gland -- and prompted by aspersions of "narrow-mindedness" -- here are some thoughts on the nature of imagination and its role on the path of Buddhist study, practice and engagement. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of imagination includes "the ability to think of new and/or familiar things in new ways." And so, consider imagination not to be something unreal or perhaps even magical, but rather quite practical in terms of how to cultivate and empower our potential(s) . . . both intellectual/rational and creative. (Length: 12 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Some people look upon crying as an indication of self-pity or weakness, a loss of self-control or indication of some sort of emotional disorder or infirmity . . . or perhaps merely a means of manipulation.  But for those on the Buddhist path, tears often emerge for reasons quite different; signaling a profound opening to a richer embrace of our range of experience. Sometimes we cry on the outside, our eyes filling with tears . . . but the crying of which we're speaking here occurs inside, in that aspect of mind we refer to as heart. And the Buddhist heart cries not tears of weakness but of understanding and strength . . . tears of compassion. As such, crying can be a wonderful moment, the physical effect of a quantum spiritual step, akin to breaking out of the shell of self-cherishing and preparing to fly. (Length: 12 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

The question of how to most effectively communicate Dharma insights and sensitivities with those not familiar with Buddhist perspectives was raised at a recent gathering. Some ideas on how notions such as Interpersonal Relationships, Navigating Impermanence, Patience, Joy, Confidence and Well-Being arise through understanding-born wisdom . . . and might be demonstrably shared . . . are presented. (Length: 9 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Tibetan Buddhism is a path of accumulated wisdom, a path of practice and engagement . . . leading away from ignorant self-centeredness toward true virtue and happiness.  It is the way of Dharma, of honesty -- beautiful, challenging, perhaps scary at times and always beneficial. It leads to a reality so intuitively correct and freeing that, upon encountering it, one's only remaining element of disbelief is wonder at how we could have been unaware of its presence for so long. (Length: 11 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

There are countless Buddhas throughout the universe continuously working for our benefit by emanating in every sort of fashion . . . bringing about insights, realizations and perhaps even moments of progressive awakening. In Buddhism these experiences are known as blessings, and the only thing that restricts our direct knowledge of them is our own narrow-mindedness. In this podcast, the 21st Century Bodhisattva explains . . . (Length: 10 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, recorded by Kathy Ambrose.  Accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.  

(Written and inspired by the joy of HH Dalai Lama's 86th birthday.) An excerpt: "Things are going well for me, Mother.  I am in good health and enthusiastic in my work.  Intellectual, imaginative, stimulating, virtuous and joyous is this path; I am profoundly appreciative to you for providing me with the life force that has enabled me to journey upon it.    Always I am reminded of the precious foundations of well-being and confidence your love and compassion birthed in me, and which have continued to blossom with purpose and clarity in the years since.  For you, dear one, my enduring gratitude . . . " (Length: 12 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, recorded in collaboration with Kathy Adams.  Accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Most Westerners equate Mind with thinking, but in Buddhism it is acknowledged to be vastly more . . . Mind is the entire spectrum of our inner experiences: thoughts, feelings, perceptions, consciousness, subconsciousness, unconsciousness. It is our perceiver, translator, reflector and mirror. Without it there is nothing . . . within it is everything. To begin a meditation practice is to embark on a journey,  an adventure of sorts, during which we learn how to observe --  and best 'use' -- our Mind.  (Length: 10 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

From the 17th century French Canadian basilica of Sainte-Anne de Beaupre, to a young couple performing Medicine Buddha-oriented offerings in a verdant meadow in the midst of Washington State's Alpine Enchantments, virtuous paths of belief and practice abound as years and miles melt together. Good hearts . . . confident minds . . . clear and harmonious . . . unencumbered. (Length: 11 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, spoken by Kathy Adams, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Buddhist practice leads us to see that our mind is beyond precious and teaches us how to tend to it, learning to discern those states of mind that are unwholesome or harmful and those that are beneficial.  Once identified, we choose -- hopefully wisely -- which to let pass and which to nourish. This is the animated structure of beneficial Karmic activity. To understand, embrace and engage with its workings will, in both the short- and long-terms, transform one's life. (Length: 10 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega (joined by the Turtle Island String Quartet).

On the eve of Saka Dawa, the full moon day on which Siddhartha's birth, enlightenment and passing into Parinirvana upon his death are joyously celebrated in Tibetan Buddhist communities and among practitioners world-wide, here is a heartfelt dispatch to him . . . along with a request. (Length: 14 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

The Dharma path is one of grace; teachings are everywhere. Be curious, remain humble. Read, watch and listen carefully . . . learn from everyone and everything and continue doing so while maintaining your sense of humor. You already have all you'll ever need -- lace up your traveling shoes and get on with it . . . in short order you'll be walking differently upon the Earth. (Length: 9 minutes) Presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, accompanied by music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

She is within each and every step you take . . . She guides you toward moments of clarity and wisdom, helping to free you when you are confused and distracted. She is safety . . . She is brilliance . . . She is fearlessness . . . She is your wisest self, your very best mind, your kindest heart . . . She is Awakening . . . She is Precious . . . She is You. (Length: 7 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, presented by Kathy Adams; with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega in collaboration with Chris Rossbach.

They are the Coastal Redwoods, aka Sequoia Sempervirens -- native to the American West, living among the clouds and foggy canyons of the Pacific coastal mountains.  Bunyan-esque and virtually indestructible (except by human loggers and their saw mills), they are perhaps our most noble Dharma teachers.  (Length: 13 minutes) Shared here by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

For your consideration: If you would receive great wealth to forget all the Dharma you've ever learned and/or experienced . . .  your insights and understandings, knowledge and practices . . . all of it, every bit . . . and by so doing slip back into the mind you had before first encountering the Dharma . . . might you do it?   (Length: 12 minutes) Written and presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

We live in a world of often-forgettable sound bites: advertising jingles, political slogans, song verses, news headlines, tweets, jargon, etc. Here is a message we believe is significantly worth remembering, it comes from the 8th century Indian master, Shantideva . . .   (Length: 10 minutes) Written and presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project, with music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Change -- sometimes wanted, often unwanted -- is a central feature of life. It can be both subtle and obvious; exhilarating, confusing, exhausting and relieving. It will often spark deep sadness or relief, resistance or grasping . . . and it rarely comes in a form we prefer.  Here is a story of Charlie and Olivia . . . and change. (Length: 11 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project; presented by Kathy Adams. Background music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

It is in the river waters of the Pacific North that Salmon, the essence of  nature's wild and bountiful grandeur, are born and, after years swimming free in the vast ocean, return to spawn.  Herein are some thoughts on the lives --and the ultimate dignity -- of these regional sentient treasures. (Length: 10 minutes) Written by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project; presented by Kathy Adams. Background music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Q: What role does Karma play in the ongoing experiences of our rebirth and next life? A: An innately intrinsic one -- you are architecting the tone and tenor of your future mind now, moment-by-moment . . . just as was done by those who came before you.  Meaningful awareness of this can be profoundly beneficial.  (Length: 11 minutes)  Written and presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project.  Accompanying music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

As much as Tibetan Buddhism is an intrinsic aspect of the Himalaya, so also are those mysterious beings known to the world as the Yeti.  Noting the devastating earthquake(s) that struck Nepal in April of 2015, we share this "might have been" tale.  (Length: 10 minutes) Written and presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project.  Background music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Chitray is a tiny hamlet perched on a Himalayan ridge along the Sikkim-Nepal border.  For one Western trekker, absorbing the 'effects' of sitting alongside its stupa early on a foggy morning, Chitray became one of the most far-reaching places she's ever been.  (Length: 9 minutes) Written and presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project.  Background music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

It is said that Buddhas -- fully awakened beings -- may manifest in any place, at any time and in any form . . . even as a spiny urchin in the icy waters of the Pacific Northwest's Salish Sea.    (Length: 8 minutes) Written and presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project.  Background music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Consider: Emptiness -- that often referred to, generally misunderstood aspect of mind that is so often referred to in the Buddhist wisdom teachings . . . is anything but empty. It is within the limitless nature of emptiness – the emptiness of any inherent and consistent self -- that the vastness of our potential(s) dwell.  So what is it we are empty of? For starters, how about our (seemingly real) limitations, boundaries, restrictions, hindrances, impediments and inhibitions . . . i.e., our tenaciously self-sabotaging confusions.  (Length: 12 minutes) Written and presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project.  Background music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

Reflections on Buddhist Dharma, trees and Indra's Net as a metaphor for the interconnectedness of all concepts, ideas, and life. Since all things are intimately intertwined with one another, every action is echoed throughout time and space creating a butterfly effect across the cosmos. Peace begets peace, violence begets violence.  (Length: 12 minutes) Written and presented by Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project.  Background music composed and performed by the renowned SF Bay-area musician Bobby Vega.

One of the enduring Dharma discussions in the West centers around "What Is Buddhism -- Is it Science, Social Perspective or Religion?"  In this broadcast, the Chenrezig Project's Mark Winwood examines the science within Tibetan Buddhist practice, including some of the notions that are relevant to so many . . . whether students/practitioners of Buddhism or not. (Length: 62 minutes) -- Note: This podcast was originally broadcast as an "Elegant Mind" episode on  KAPY Valley Radio 104.9 FM, a community radio station serving the lower Snoqualmie River Valley of western Washington State. It includes commentary as well music composed and performed by Bobby Vega, a renowned SF Bay-area musician.   

In this broadcast, the Chenrezig Project's Mark Winwood welcomes Teresa Opolka, a local (Carnation) wetland ecologist/botanist. Teresa is the founder of the Aquatica Environmental Consulting group specializing in projects in the greater Puget Sound region, focusing on wetland and stream resources. The interconnections between the increasingly inhabited lower Snoqualmie Valley, nestled between the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific Ocean and its prodigious -- and crucial -- natural world wetlands are discussed. (Length: 56 minutes) -- Note: This podcast was originally broadcast as an "Elegant Mind" episode on  KAPY Valley Radio 104.9 FM, a community radio station serving the lower Snoqualmie River Valley of western Washington State. It includes commentary as well music composed and performed by Bobby Vega, a renowned SF Bay-area musician.   

Many of us are seeking to develop our innate capacity for compassion and wisdom in order to live a most happy, peaceful and beneficial life.  The "16 Guidelines" are a simple and robust Tibetan Buddhism-sourced framework for reflecting on the ways we think, act, relate to others and find meaning in life . . . as well as for creating the causes of true happiness and fulfillment. In this broadcast, Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project summarizes each of the 16 guidelines in a manner that is accessible to all.  (Length: 60 minutes) -- Note: This podcast was originally broadcast as an "Elegant Mind" episode on  KAPY Valley Radio 104.9 FM, a community radio station serving the lower Snoqualmie River Valley of western Washington State. It includes commentary as well music composed and performed by Bobby Vega, a renowned SF Bay-area musician.   

Mind: every sentient being has one but very few understand -- or even think about -- how their mind works.  In this broadcast, Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project shares the fundamental Buddhist wisdom teaching The Heart Sutra, which puts forth a description of the ongoing workings of mind in terms of "what's there" . . . and what's not.  -- Psst . . . it's all about 'heaps' . . .  (Length: 57 minutes)  -- Note: This podcast was originally broadcast as an "Elegant Mind" episode on  KAPY Valley Radio 104.9 FM, a community radio station serving the lower Snoqualmie River Valley of western Washington State. It includes commentary as well music composed and performed by Bobby Vega, a renowned SF Bay-area musician.