Podcasts about Bodhisattva

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We first hear from a member of the community about how he is experiencing and responding to what's happening in the larger society and world in our times. We then fairly briefly review last week's session, first identifying the three traditional areas of training--in wisdom, meditation, and ethics--and how each can be important resources for responding to what's happening in our own experience and in our society and world. We focus especially on reviewing our exploration of "ethical practice," responding in our everyday lives and in the larger society and world in caring and compassionate ways. We then explore the traditional figure of the bodhisattva as one who brings together deep commitments both to awakening and to helping others--helping others both in awakening and in terms of their life needs. We look at examples of bodhisattva vows from Theravada, Japanese Zen, and Vietnamese traditions, as well as from passages from Shantideva's "Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life." We show images of archetypal bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteshvara, Tara, Kwan Yin, and Manjushri and discuss the ten ways of training of the Mahayana bodhisattva. We suggest a number of contemporary exemplars of the bodhisattva vocation, and invite participants to develop their own personalized bodhisattva vows. The talk is followed by discussion.

In this important teaching, the Buddha invites us to become intimate with the human condition and to see how we create levels of suffering for ourselves. There is also the recognition that there is a way out - the Eightfold Path. Mary also reflects on Stephen Batchelor's Four Tasks which brings a pragmatic lens to this essential teaching. Recorded Jan 31, 2026 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Every day we're inundated with stories and images of violence, and the three poisons of greed, hatred and ignorance that the Buddha spoke of centuries ago. How do we greet this moment in time? How do we handle the emotions we experience with wisdom and compassion? How do we stay connected to the world we live in and work to end the harm we see?  Mary reflects on the reality of this moment and how to take care of ourselves and others.Recorded Jan. 25, 2026 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Stardust Bones 2025 - Teaching Painting from one of the last Intentional Creativity Certifications, this is the painting that sparked the change. This is my story in a single image with hundreds of stories within…Dear Ones, Today I'm reminded of a letter that I received in 2020 from our Elder Carmen Baraka. It was written to me and Jonathan, and here's one quote that I love. “To know you are between worlds, the I am that I am. I am most comfortable here in this place of giving and receiving. In this place of quantum identity where you find out and can feel this realm in a profound way. An actual view that we are all interconnected in alignment with the stars. When you can actually experience what you feel is your deepest truth. Hold it in your hand and have it be tangible. That is the gift. That is pure joy. That is the awakening.” Carmen Baraka. For those of you that don't know, Carmen was our indigenous elder within all of our communities. We got to guide ceremony together for over 10 years. She walked into her future in 2021 right before my mom, Caron McCloud So today, I'm signaling a change (breathing)And I want to begin with acknowledging that everyone in our community of Musea is a part of my life. MUSEA means many museums and many muses in the plural. MUSEA goes on. The Intentional Creativity Foundation, our 501c3, will continue with Musea. MUSEA is the greater community, a collective.My art studio, is just one MUSEA, albeit it's an important one. Yet I am taking my position as another artist in the lineage of Intentional Creativity Teachings, and I remain the Co-founder with Jonathan McCloud. Yet, it is essential for me at this time to curate my personal part of our work. Since 2008, the first legend, I've been bringing forth the lineage teachings as they came through. Nine certifications later, I am complete with that particular transmission with the last Legend and the last Color of Woman that I will personally lead. And all of that completes in March 2026 with our All Tribes Gathering, which is for Graduates and Guild members of the certifications.Legend was a significant course for me. Because before 2008, I had already created a million dollars worth of revenue with my paintings. I had galleries in San Francisco and Sausalito, Sonoma and Mendocino. I was living the life of a fine artist and having pretty incredible success, all things considered. But then it occurred to me….And I remember because I was with Mary MacDonald, it occurred to me that maybe what people wanted instead of my paintings, well not instead, but like more than my paintings, is to be able to paint their own. They were drawn to my images so powerfully, it was more than just about a painting.We took the huge leap and we decided to teach the first legend. Mary, my mother Caron, and my other mother Sue sat down at the table that's right in this room with me, that I call the Feast Table of Love. We sat down and we reverse engineered a way to make a painting. ALSO let it be known that it was Mary MacDonald that said - “Let's turn on the camera and see what she does”The rest is herstory.Because even though I had the opportunity to be trained in painting, we say Painting with a capital P, which is a more fine art way of painting, I did not take well to it. And Sue had to create what she called “a way of working” which is not, in her world, painting with a capital P.It's like making a way through for someone who really isn't able to follow the how to paint instructions. And so Legend was literally the reverse engineering of the 13 steps of how to make a painting, if you don't know how to paint, that Sue designed for me. And we labeled them and named them. And now we've taught it. literally to thousands and thousands and thousands of people and probably over 800 graduates who learned the 13 steps. And it literally still works to this day… and when I'm teaching paintings of the feminine form, I still use almost the exact formula because it's basically a build.My husband at the time, Isaiah, was so concerned that if I taught people my method, we would lose all of our money. And guess what? I thought we wouldn't. And guess what? We did. There was a moment at the completion of that marriage, actually, when we went to zero after creating so much abundance for ourselves and investing so heavily in community.It turns out Intentional Creativity and the feminine image is what women wanted. They wanted to paint their own image more than they wanted to purchase my paintings. I still sell paintings, by the way. I have lots available lol. But now thousands and thousands of people have their own images instead of mine. What an incredible journey. So it took a while to rebuild with this model. But at that moment, something happened… I moved out of the individual serving my own creative desire and I moved into this bigger framework of serving the community with the feminine image. There's so much behind why that matters, and why that's important and how we've had 40,000 years of images of the feminine and then the past 5,000 to 8,000 years intentional silencing and erasing of the feminine and her presence. When women reclaim the feminine image it is so huge, and to do that instead of my own paintings has been so powerful!!And it's also emotional because my style changed dramatically to reverse engineer it for others. I look at my paintings before I started teaching and I wonder where I'd be.. how I might have developed… a but I really did put my work in service to creation. I really did do the great work of the Ancestors. I really did bring through what my mothers taught me, and with the help of Mary MacDonald and Jennifer Owen and Elizabeth Gibbons in particular, brought forward Intentional Creativity at an all gorgeous level. I then taught it since 2008 until this year. I didn't expect to get so emotional. Tears flowing. So it is essential for me at this time to begin my own work with painting and writing. And it will still be in service to the community, but in a different way because it won't be certifications which require such a high level of integrity and management. The certifications will continue to be managed by the Intentional Creativity Foundation, our 501 c3. My own work begins nowand of course it's still connected with all of you. It's called the Stardust Lineage. It's the evolution of Cosmic Cowgirls, whose anniversary founding is today in 2004. I have no idea what my new work is going to be yet, and I suspect that the new work is the old work in different forms. Especially this year because I'm crossing a bridge of change and going one step at a time across that bridge. I'm not running across. I still have lots of work to do to complete, and it's utterly overwhelming to complete a legacy while you're alive. (More tears)Of course, whatever I do will be connected with MUSEA. Of course, whatever I do is coming from the Ancestors, and it's also my work now. Of course, Intentional Creativity will continue. That is my work and many of our work. But it's time for me, having delivered what feels like the great work of the ancestors, to now begin to reveal my own. The work started when they were living, but continues after. And so many of the teachings, they came through my “shiloh filter” but they weren't really from me. I could never just bring that out. I think of Carl Jung's Red Book where he said that there was more than enough material for one lifetime and that it was so much that it threatened to break him.In 1957, near the end of his life, Jung spoke about the Red Book and the process which yielded it; in that interview he stated:“The years… when I pursued the inner images, were the most important time of my life. Everything else is to be derived from this. It began at that time, and the later details hardly matter anymore. My entire life consisted in elaborating what had burst forth from the unconscious and flooded me like an enigmatic stream and threatened to break me. That was the stuff and material for more than only one life. Everything later was merely the outer classification, scientific elaboration, and the integration into life. But the numinous beginning, which contained everything, was then.”For me, there were moments when there was so much coming through, I was like how am I gonna get this all down in time??!!?? And I did it. And I did it with all of you who participated in the certification. I don't know what my work is going to mean from now on. I know that I had to do Path of Mystics, guiding women to develop their intuition and their spiritual gifts as a part of it. I have a teaching for healers and entrepreneurship. That's a part of it. I mean, I'm going to keep teaching because that's what I am. I'm just not going to do the certification. I'm also changing the name of the Sonoma property from MUSEA Center to Stardust Ranch. That's a part of it. Stardust Ranch is a MUSEA Center. It's just that holding and financing the entire container for the community isn't something I can physically and financially do anymore. I have to make it more personal to me and my work because most of the time, I'm there by myself. it's a huge space to be in, 6,500 square feet and it's a community space but the community is not there like except for events and that's like one or two times a month. So I have to make it my own somehow in order to continue. But we're still a MUSEA Center. All right, let me get through this. The truth is that my brain has been entirely occupied with the certifications and the structure of the community, aka the corporation, the legality, the paperwork. Oh my gosh, I have like four corporations. It's just insane. I want something much more simple for myself. And I haven't had the spaciousness to develop my own work. I really haven't. I haven't developed my own painting.There just wasn't enough hours and brains in the day. This work had to come through and I let it because this work was the work of this lifetime. It's work for these times. Intentional Creativity is what to do in times of chaos and suffering. It just is. It works. It helps every time.I believe in Intentional Creativity so powerfully… and I I don't regret it, although I have my moments. As most of you know, I didn't get to have children. I wanted to. And many miscarriages. And I think of that one child who kept trying to come through as an ancestor now, Her name is Musette. She's mine and Jonathan's love child. And the mother love that I had for that child, literally since the time I was born, I knew she was coming. That love went into this work. I gave the mother love I had into the community and this matriarchal space that we co-create.So I want you to know I'm not stepping out. I'm stepping in. But as the artist and as the author. Here I go. Oh, so slowly. Slowly. The reveal is almost suspenseful as my Soul is offering only one little glimmer at a time. And this is all I can take, really.Because I still have months and months of work and paperwork and emails to edit and pages to build to complete this cycle in a good way. As you likely know, some of you don't. My beautiful husband, Jonathan, and I, we completed our marriage at the end of last year, 12-31-2025. Our deep abiding friendship and connection is growing daily. And we've spent lots of time together over the past couple weeks. Including today, we're going to be together. We are teaching a new Apothecary based on his work called Chaos is the New Black. And the class is Apothecary, which was always his curriculum. But this one is going to be even more so rooted in his work. And I'm the backup singer on this one. On 12-12, the feast day of Our Lady, with the support of my CFO (Jen) and my best friend Amy Ahlers and Jonathan and Michelle Pappe and Ali Stoddard and many community members on so many levels, I moved to Sonoma Mountain. Sonoma Mountain is the birthplace of creation of the Coastal Miwok people and is in the glen called Glen Ellen. This is actually one of the places of my first significant trauma of being removed from my home because we were under threat because my family was protecting women. Interestingly enough, I had a space clearing person clear the ranch in another part of Sonoma County, like 20 minutes from here. And they said I was forcibly removed from that property in another lifetime. So I have this pattern of being removed against my will. And then the fires just perpetuated that.So I find it interesting that I'm back on the mountain to complete my life here. I pray I never have to move. And if I do, then I accept that. But I'm moving in as if I'm going to stay forever. There's a burnt ridge out my bedroom window and it reminds me that everything is temporary and I honor that…and so unless fire or flood make me move I'm hoping to stay here. I am grateful to have purchased a home with the generosity of the Ancestors who made it possible. Because I did not personally have enough to make it happen. But my Ancestors made an offering that's old, old, from my grandparents on my father's side. And I was able to purchase this home with the down payment. Humbled, grateful, in awe.Meanwhile, the world around us needs Intentional Creativity more than ever. And even with that need of the world, I need to find a way to myself, my original Legendary self.My first legend painting is coming true now. This is that place, and Stardust Ranch, is that ranch where my Legendary self works. So I will be in circle with all of you for the next 500 years. So please do not think I've gone anywhere. The Cura Council is the place where all the communities converge in ceremony.I'm not going anywhere. Quite the opposite. I am right here. with my quantum identity, emerging my Legendary Self. Stardust Lineage is the name for my personal work, but held within the greater framework of the Intentional Creativity Teaching. So you could just think of it as my MUSEA Center, called Stardust Ranch.My teachings are through the Stardust lineage. And anyone who works with me becomes a part of that. So this is a life…a story…a lineage to be continued. Big, big love. I just want to say that the biggest love I've ever experienced, what Carmen calls quantum love, which was the name of the subject line of that email, Quantum Love…Learning to love people that I've never met, learning to love you so much that I would actually stop my own art career and painting process in order to see if that's what you wanted. Loving you so much to give the mother love I had for my own baby to all of you. To Love you in that quantum way, meaning virtual, to reach people across the miles. I'll never forget the feeling on that first day that we Live streamed. He brought the technology. and I was able to reach you all. Not just through video. But through live transmission. Everything changed. That was in 2013. And amazingly. About nine months ago, I was brought in to be a speaker at a place called Edge City that was in Healdsburg, a pop-up. Literally my exact teaching spot to broadcast from was that exact building where Cosmic Cowgirls was and the exact spot where I first taught the very first live stream. You can't make this stuff up. You know what I mean? You just can't make it up. I have so many more things to say, but I'll keep saying them.That quantum love is the biggest experience that I've ever had in my lifetime, and I try to teach it to all of you. I think it's the key, actually, to our intuitive gifts and spiritual transmissions and businesses and even income and being able to create what you love with joy and service is this feeling of loving someone that you've never met. The first time I ever heard about it was reading in a book from Pema Chodron where she talked about the Bodhisattva, which is this unreasonable desire to end suffering. And in particular for people that you've never met. I'm not saying I'm a Bodhisattva or anything, but that feeling of loving you. It's huge. It's my biggest experience. It is quantum love and I can't recommend it enough. And I think I do see it all the time, because you fall in love with each other. And friendships happen when you've never even met. Sometimes at the Stardust Ranch, I get to see you meeting each other for the first time. And sometimes people come, like a new and special friend, my Star, who come and they say, I'm here for this. I'm part of this lineage. So my life continues in this curious and delightful way. Love is here. Relationship is here. Evolution is here. Sharing my new household with someone that I love is here. Healing is here. The ongoing story of the Stardust Lineage is right here as the sun comes up over the mountain and shines its light in my home. Breathing through this share, thank you for caring enough to listen and loving me in the quantum way that you do. Sue had a painting that said, I have loved you from my deepist heart. So dear ones, with the deepist heart love and stardust, I love you. I'm grateful for you. May our journey continue for generations to come. I'll be here.Will you?p.s. on the painting she spelled it, deepist. Get full access to Tea with the Muse at teawiththemuse.substack.com/subscribe

The Buddha's teaching on Wise Speech remains as important and necessary today as it did over 2,500 years ago. It may be even more important to be grounded in wisdom and clarity because there are so many more ways to interact with each other and we see the impact and harm of unwise speech around us on a daily basis. Mary talks about how we can make this part of our life.Recorded Jan. 17, 2026 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

“People are weary of so many theories, now they want practical matters. They do not want more theories, or more intellectual vagueness, or more exploitation. So, let us come to practical facts. Let us come to the point.” —Samael Aun Weor, The Major Mysteries Enacting enlightened, compassionate, or conscious love is different from intending it. While intention and action are different, they are both needed to awaken and develop bodhichitta. See how through an exploration of Tibetan Buddhist psychology and Gnostic exercises. Resources and References: https://chicagognosis.org/lectures/cultivating-bodhichitta-through-intention-and-practice

This spiritual exercise is known in some gnostic circles as the prayer for the irradiation of love, a direct means for awakening, developing, and empowering bodhichitta. Such an exercise can be practiced any time to inflame and inspire the consciousness towards alleviating humanity's suffering. It is also a remedy for reducing one's own pain, because by focusing on others, we develop genuine virtue and strengthen our best qualities (because if we are blinded by our passions and desires, we are less effective in serving our communities). Learn how to develop concentration, imagination, and prayer in combination to produce a profound synthesis: the rare virtue of impactful, divine compassion in service of others' wellbeing. This exercise accompanies the lecture Cultivating Bodhichitta Through Intention and Practice from The Way of the Bodhisattva course. Resources and References: Awakening Compassion Through Concentration, Imagination, and Prayer

Through the lense of Upaya 'the skilful means' of the Bodhisattva, Parami explores the seemingly contradictory themes of withdrawal and engagement on the Bodhisattva path. She demonstrates how they are synthesised by drawing on the last four stages of the spiral / transcendental path and how they culminate in the arising of the bodhicitta. Glasgow Buddhist Centre, 2023. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

For the first regular episode of the year (excepting our New Year's recap) we take a look at the New Year Traditions at Temmu's court.  How did the court celebrate the New Year in the late 7th century? For more, check out our blogpost:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-141 Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 141: Temmu's New Year's Traditions   The chill winter air meant that most of the assembled crowd had donned multiple layers of robes.  Men and women had assembled together, upon the open, rock-covered courtyard, both to see and be seen.  To the north and east of the courtyard were the walls and gates of the buildings that made up the royal palace, the rooves of the buildings just visible beyond the gates. The onlookers stood arrayed around the open lanes that had been created for the event—at one end of the rocky field were targets, while at the other were archers, also arrayed in their finest outfits.  While technically they wore hunting robes, cut to allow greater movement in the arm, many of these fabrics had no business being anywhere near a moor or the dirt of open fields.  After all, this wasn't just some hunt:  They were demonstrating their skills in the center of the State.  At the officials' command, the archers let loose their arrows.  The crowd murmured at the soft crack of the bowstring, the faint whisper of arrow as the fletchings cut through the air, and the thud as the arrows struck their targets.  Looking downrange, approval bubbled through the crowd: the targets were well-struck.  Behind the archers on the field, another group awaited their turn. The events of the day would be the talk of the court, from the lowest clerk to the highest prince , for days to come.   Not just the well-placed shot, but also the grace and poise of the one who had let loose an arrow of particular note.  And heaven forbid an arrow miss its target.  Even kicking up stones or scraping the earth could have negative social consequences.  A particularly good showing could inspire poetry, and beyond the prizes being offered to the winner, could also bring notice to those from more obscure backgrounds. The new year had just started, and a good performance might be just what was needed to help put the rest of the year on a good footing.     Welcome back!  This is the first episode of the new year, 2026, and we are still going through the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tenno, covering the period from 672 to 686. Before we get started, though, a quick shout out to Suzuki for supporting us on Patreon.  It means a lot and helps us keep this thing going.  If you would like to support us or our efforts to maintain the website, where we also have the Armor manual, clothing, and a miscellany on various topics, we have information at Sengokudaimyo.com and we will have more information at the end of this and every episode.  Support is appreciated as I really do want to try and minimize ads—I don't put any into the podcast myself, though some platforms may place ads around the podcast, which I cannot always control.  Now we've covered a lot this reign, but this episode we are going to cover three things in particular.  First off, and perhaps a bit of a tangent, we'll talk about some of the issues with the Chronicles when it comes to reading it,especially in translation.  It seems quite clear to me that even the sources that the Chroniclers were using weren't always in agreement with each other on how they spelled certain things or even in properly recording when things happened. After that we'll cover the major topics of this episode, focusing primarily on the New Year traditions of the court—we'll look at the major events of the first month for each year in the reign, allowing us to see some of the similarities, and differences. Finally, we'll look at the last year of Ohoama's reign, particularly as he grew ill, because it can be a fascinating question:  What did people do when disease struck before we had modern medicine?  Here the Chronicles reveal a lot about not only the beliefs of the time, but of their syncretism: how people were willing to reach out to whatever power they could in order to cure disease.  Whether it was Yin-yang divination, beseeching the local kami, or attempting to make merit, all of these things were on the table when it came to illness and mortality. And so, let's get into it. One of the first things I want to talk about is the problem that we have in trying to read the Chronicles, both in the way they are written and then the translation issue on top of that.  Even in Japanese the Chronicles have to be translated out of an ancient form of kanbun—basically a Japanese version of Chinese, using Sinitic characters.  Like any document written by non-native speakers, the Chronicles have their idiosyncrasies that make it different from what someone in Chang'an might be writing at the same time.  There are times and places where it is clear that something is meant to be read in the Japanese pronunciation, which itself was different from modern Japanese.  Add to this the fact that there are many times that different Sinitic characters sound alike in Japanese—especially in modern Japanese.  So any English translation of the Chronicles which doesn't give the actual characters in the source text can add to the confusion.  This is why I like to consult either the Japanese Historical Text Initiative or an electronic version of the National History series text—though even those have issues at times when the characters used in the text don't exist in modern character sets, though that seems to be less and less of a problem. One example I want to give of the complexities of reading the Chronicles, and the need to dive deeper into the original language and consult multiple versions, is a set of records for Ki no Omi no Abemaro and others.  He is our first mention of a member of the Ki family: on the 9th day of the 8th month of 673, the first year since Ohoama's ascension and one year after the Jinshin no Ran, we are told that Ki no Omi no Abemaro and others were given favors and rewards for their service during the war in Iga province.  Indeed, Ki no Omi no Abemaro is listed prominently in the records of the Jinshin no Ran and appears to have been one of the generals for Ohoama and the Yoshino faction in general.  Less than a year later, on the 28th day of the 2nd month, Ki no Omi no Abemaro died and was posthumously awarded the rank of Daishi, which was 5th from the top in the old system of 26 ranks.  A rather respectable rank, to be sure. Later that same year we get a note that Ki no Omi no KATAmaro—another member of the family, apparently--was appointed, along with a "Prince Mino" as a commissioner for the erection of the Great Temple of Takechi. Two years later, however, we get a record on the 22nd day of the 4th month of 676 that the sovereign, Ohoama, sent an order to the Governor of Mino telling him to let the children of Ki no Omi no Abemaro, resident in the district of Toki, be removed to the East country and become peasants in that country.  On the face of it, this appears to be an incredible fall from grace.  Ki no Omi no Abemaro is basically one of the top generals and heroes of the Jinshin no Ran, but his children are so unruly that they are banished to the East and stripped of their noble status?  There has to be a story there, right? Then in 679, on the 3rd day of the 2nd month, we are told that Ki no Omi no Katamaro died.  For his service in the Jinshin War he received the posthumous rank of Upper Daikin.  That would have been roughly the 7th rank—two below Ki no Abemaro.  So was the Ki family back in the good graces of the court?  What is going on? First off, when we go to the original text, we see that Aston, whose translation of the Nihon Shoki we've been working on Ihas made an apparent error in translation.  Remember, Aston was translating the Chronicles back in 1896, without the aid of modern computers, along with a lot of other research that has happened since then, and I can hardly fault him for missing things here and there.  This is why, if you cannot check the original, you may want to also look at the new translation from John Bentley.  Here we can see that he translates the name not as "Ki no Omi no Abemaro", but rather that of "Ki no Omi no KASAmaro".  And if we compare Ki no Omi no KaSAmaro with the previous entry on Ki no Omi no KaTAmaro we can see that these are actually the exact same names except for a single character.  Which leads us to the question:  Are these the same person, and the scribes simply miswrote one of the characters in the name?  It may not even be on the Chroniclers so much as whatever texts they were, themselves, working on.  This isn't helped by the fact that we later on see another entry for Ki no KATAmaro, but that one uses character for "KATA", meaning "hard", using the kun'yomi, or Japanese reading, rather than using two phonetic characters in the on'yomi reading.  So is this just another way to write "KATAmaro" or is this a different person altogether? Ultimately, we cannot be entirely sure.  It does seem wild that there would be two "Ki no Omi no Katamaro" at court at the same time and nobody otherwise distinguished the two.  The question about KaSAmaro and KaTAmaro, and whose kids were sent into exile, is a bit harder to untangle. And, truth be told, it is ultimately a minor point.  We have only a couple of lines here, and maybe these passages will help illuminate something later in the histories, but for now, they are just fragments of the story of what was happening.  Parts of the tattered tapestry from which the royal history was ripped out and restitched together, the rest of the story largely discarded, unless it made its way to us through other means. The Chronicles may be flawed, but they are still our main source for the period, and while we might challenge individual items, we still get a glimpse at how things operated back at this time.  For instance, if we look at the events happening around the New Year, we can see some common threads. The New Year is an important tradition in many cultures.  Whether it was a solar or lunar cycle—or some combination—the new year indicated a new cycle, and was often accompanied by associated symbols and rituals.  Today in the US it is often celebrated with fireworks and champagne, followed by making resolutions for the new year.  In Japan, people will often go to their local shrine or temple for an important first visit, and temple bells will ring out 108 times. Another tradition is the osechi-ryori, the  traditional new years foods.  This has grown over time from a tradition of eating a large bowl of rice to various other foods that are seen as auspicious or having special properties, such as the hardening of teeth—a major concern before the era of modern dental hygiene!  Then there are traditions such as the Kagami Biraki, or opening of the mirror, and the creation of special mochi, or rice cakes for the purpose.  Of course all of these traditions started somewhere and have evolved over time, so what do we know about the New Year celebrations during the late 7th century? One caveat: in the Chronicles, we only really see what was happening in the court, and the Yamato court at that.  There may have been local traditions that others were following that, unless we find documentation about them, we likely would never know.  But many of the court traditions were passed down to later generations. These traditions appear to include the giving of gifts; large, celebratory banquets; and the annual archery tournament. Banquets are some of the first and most common things we see.  We see a banquet as Ohoama assumed the throne in 673—which probably was the event that overshadowed anything else they might have done that year.  The following year, 674, there doesn't seem to have been much recorded, and I wonder if they were still pulling everything together after the turmoil of Ohoama's ascension.  And so it is that in the first month of 675 we really get to see the annual new year's events in their full form.  On the second day of that year, from the Royal Princes on down, all of the public functionaries presented their respects to the sovereign.  I suspect that this was a large ceremony, where everyone gathered in the courtyard of the palace together or something similar, not that each person individually went up and presented their respects—I doubt Ohoama would have wanted to sit through all of that.  Also, as we've already seen, there were limits on what parts of the palace different functionaries were allowed to enter.  So some of these well-wishers may have been "outside", others in the courtyard, and others in the palace building itself, depending on their rank and importance in the bureaucratic hierarchy. On the following day, all public functionaries, from the initial rank upwards, presented firewood.  Aston notes that this is the first mention of what would become a yearly practice.  Firewood may not seem like much, but it would have likely been important to keeping things running, especially given how early people were supposed to arrive at the palace and administrative complex each day.  This wasn't firewood for a fireplace—they didn't have those—but probably would have been used either for cooking or, I suspect, for the large braziers that burned with wood and pitch to light the darkness, particularly in the winter months.  Firewood could also be processed into smaller pieces of coal for other uses.  It is interesting that for the first ceremony, the Chronicles describe the court from the Royal Princes on down, while for the giving of firewood the order is from the initial—which is to say the lowest—ranks upwards.  This could indicate the order in which things progressed in these cases. Several days after that, on the 7th day of the first month, a banquet was given at court for the Ministers—so only the higher ranking functionaries.  But ten days later, on the 17th, everyone of rank—the Ministers of State; the Daibu, or high officials; and all of the public functionaries from the initial rank upwards had an archery meeting in the Court of the Western Gate. Archery and archery contests had been important to the Yamato people for ages—and the same on the continent.  Confucius, in his day, suggested that archery was a martial skill that even nobles should cultivate.  I believe we've noted before how archery could be used both for warfare and for just feeding your family.  As such, it was considered a particularly useful skill for just about everyone to have.  It probably also helped that it was a martial skill that noblemen and others could use to show off without actually risking any injury to themselves in the process.  I'm just saying.  And as we described at the top of the episode, this particular archery contest would, for both participants and spectators, likely have been a chance to show off the top of their game, whether in martial prowess, clothing, or behavior. And since we are looking at the new year's celebrations, let's keep this going and look at later years in Ohoama's reign. As I go through these you'll start to see the patterns, where the events I've just described will generally recur year after year, but not identically, sometimes with a shuffle in the schedule. In 676, we see that the Ministers and public functionaries pay their respects on the first day of the new year.  On the 4th day, the sovereign granted gifts to the higher level officials, from Royal Prince Takechi, down to the high officials, or Daibu, of Shoukin rank.  Their not so secret Santa gifts included robes, hakama, lined garments, obi for their waist, leg straps, and staves, or walking sticks.  We are also told that everyone above the rank of Shoukin also got an armrest thrown in, as well.  Further gifts or grants were given out several days later, on the 7th, to everyone from Shoukin on up, based on their individual circumstances.  Then, on the 15th, we again see all of the functionaries present firewood and then they were all entertained at a court banquet. The following day they held the annual new year's archery contest, with prizes, at the court of the western gate.  Those who hit the target received prizes of different values.  In his recent translation of the Nihon Shoki, Bentley references Kuroita on Article 41 of Miscellaneous Statutes, saying that this archery event was apparently a regular new year's occurrence, and even the prizes were noted as varying over time. The same day they held the archery contest, that year, Ohoama held a banquet at the Shima Palace.  Shima was the name given to the Soga Prime Minister, back in the day, so I assume that this was at or near the site of the old Soga residence? In 677, by comparison, we don't see nearly as much referenced.  There is archery at the South Gate, vice the west gate, but that is it.  The festivities in 678 similarly only talk about the archery at the south gate.  There is also mention of a preparation for worshipping the kami of heaven and earth, for which a purification was held throughout the state.  In addition, an abstinence palace, or saiguu, was erected on the bank of the Kurahashi river.  Kurahashi appears to refer to a tributary of the Ohara river, in Sakurai.  This feels less like a New Year's celebration, however, and more like a sign of merit-making.  The Saiguu would have likely been to prepare for a trip to Ise shrine, and three months later Ohoama was preparing to go to the Saiguu, but that is when Princess Towochi suddenly died, and they scuttled the plans. In 679, the court greeted the New Year with a new decree.  Ohoama declared that Princes, Ministers, and public functionaries—anyone in service to the government, basically, were to refrain from paying respects during New Years or other ceremonies to anyone except relatives of the grade of elder brother, elder sister, and above, or to the senior members of the Houses.  Princes weren't even to pay respects to their own mothers unless they were, themselves, princesses.  Ministers were likewise not to pay respects to their mothers if they were of "mean" rank.  In other words, if they were commoners. These kinds of statutes are interesting.  First of all, you ask yourself why?  In all likelihood, there were various local traditions and individuals paid respects to their parents as well as to others to whom they owed respect for one reason or another.  Here the State is ordering society such that there is a clear hierarchy, at least among the members of the court.   Since women often found advancement by marrying up, it was usual for one's mother to have been born a lower rank in society than oneself.  And so we see them enforcing the social order. That new order was based on Confucian concepts of hierarchy, and this seems to go along with those same ideas. What we don't really see is how this was enforced—if at all.  The day after that, the yearly archery competition took place at the West Gate of the palace. The next year, 680, we see a New Year's Banquet at the Court of the Great Hall.  Ohoama himself occupied the Mukai-kodono, which appears to refer to one of the smaller wings.  Based on the palace layout that we see in the posthole remains, this probably means that he was set up in the smaller wing, likely in a more intimate space, while most of the other guests were in the large hall, maintaining that crucial separation of sovereign and subjects. This New Year's archery event included Princes of the Blood all the way down to the rank of Shouken—the very lowest rank in the court—and it was held at the South Gate. You may be noticing a pattern, that the archery competition is listed as being held at either the south or west gates.  The south gate probably refers to the main gate of the later Okamoto—aka the Kiyomihara—palace.  The West gate refers to the west gate of the Ebinoko enclosure.   We talked about these and the general layout of the palace back in Episode 134, and you can check out that podcast blog post for some images of what things looked like, as well.  These gates were on the north and east sides of a large, rectangular courtyard, which was likely the actual event location.  So it isn't as if these were separate areas, just a difference of where things were set up in what was otherwise the same relative space. The following year, 681, we see similar ceremonies.  We see offerings made to the kami of Heaven and Earth, and we once again see a note about various functionaries paying their respects at court.  Even though this wasn't mentioned every year, it could have been an annual thing and just wasn't always recorded so the Chroniclers just wrote down what they had records for.  There are certainly other things we don't necessarily witness in the records, such as the annual promotions and promulgations.  We see irregular promotions, of course, such as on someone's passing, but the regular administration of the government and promotions of people to new positions is not something we really see regularly documented, since it doesn't really shed much light on the sovereign and the royal household.  And so we sometimes see things if they get mentioned, but otherwise we only see glimpses.  That would change as records became more administrative and the histories were more about simply recording what was happening—though still from a particular angle.  At this point, however, we aren't dealing with a single court record, but rather with numerous records, stories, and recollections.  That same year, 681, we also see another banquet, with Ohoama situated in the Mukai no Kodono, while the Princes of the Blood and non-royal Princes were both introduced into the inner reception chamber.  Ministers attended in the outer reception chamber.  They all received sake and musical performances, and rank advancements were given out.  Kusakabe no Kihi no Ohogata was graduated from the rank of Upper Daisen to Lower Daikin, and given the title of Naniwa no Muraji.  A few days later, Sakahibe no Muraji no Iwazumi was granted a fief with 60 horses and received presents of coarse silk, floss silk, cloth, and one hundred mattocks—the last one being a rather interesting gift, I have to admit.  Of course, in true Chronicles fashion, we have no idea why these gifts were made—we don't even have another reference to Iwazumi around there, but he must have done something. We are later told that there was the annual archery shoot, and then a decree, possibly unrelated to New Years, that the various provinces were ordered to repair the shrines to the kami of heaven and earth. The year 682 is an anomaly.  There is no mention of a banquet, nor of an archery tournament.  I wonder if this may have to do with some of the sad events of that first month.  While it started fine—Toneri no Miyatsuko no Nukamushi was raised from Daisen to Lower Shoukin—we are told that on the 18th, Lady Higami, one of Ohoama's consorts, died in the palace.  The next day there was an earthquake, and she was buried on the 27th.  A prominent illness and death may have put a pall on the ceremonies, and could explain why we don't see any mention of them for that year. It is also possible that some of this New Year tradition had become so routine that people were no longer commenting on it, and therefore the Chroniclers weren't including references to it. The following year, in 683, we again see the functionaries paying their respects.  We also see the presentation of a three legged sparrow by the Viceroy of Tsukushi, Tajihi no Mabito no Shima, along with others.  A three legged sparrow would have been something: it is reminiscent of the three legged crow, often depicted in the sun.  It is unclear if it was still alive, but that wasn't the point.  They invited the Princes of the Blood down to the Ministers to great hall, the Daigokuden, for a banquet, where the three legged sparrow was displayed. .  Later that month, Ohoama issued a decree in regards to all of the auspicious omens and made presents to everyone, from Shouken rank upwards.  There was also a general amnesty—all crimes were pardoned, from capital offenses on down, and all forced labor was remitted, so that people didn't have to provide the normal service.  The phrasing for this particular entry is intriguing.  Ohoama is mentioned as Yamato Neko Sumera no Mikoto and is specifically called a "God Incarnate".  This is one of the rare times that we see the Chronicles explicitly call out the sovereign as a living deity.  Of course, they trace the royal lineage back to Amaterasu, but there isn't a lot suggesting that the sovereign is necessarily a deity. And in reality, this was probably something that was more honorific than anything else.  Heck, at times in Japanese history we would see sovereigns selling their calligraphy to help keep the royal palace funded while warriors went around actually being in charge of things.  However, this divine language did show up in the 19th and 20th century, especially as the Tennou, now called Emperor in English terminology, once again was recognized as the Head of State, and people would actually pray to him.  Not necessarily like praying at a shrine, but out of respect.  And remember, a lot of time the Tennou was kept out of sight of regular people and hidden, much like the way that the kami were treated.  The concept of the Emperor's divinity was very much tied up in the elevation of the State and the general sense of Nationalism that had gripped Japan in the early half of the 20th century.  And so the allies quite explicitly had Emperor Showa renounce his divinity after Japan  World War II. Those studying Japanese history have probably heard of this concept, and so it is interesting to see evidence of it here, as well as the nature of the royal house, where the sovereign is kept at a distance from those of lower rank, unless they are directly serving him.  But it was not as though the sovereign was a god in the sense of being all powerful.  Even if he were considered a living, visible kami, the kami were not omnipotent, and there was no getting over the fact that our particular sovereign, Ohoama, was getting older.  Only a year or so earlier, he had suffered a rather bad illness, so he clearly was not invincible.  And it is of course possible that this language was simply royal exaggeration, rather than any attempt to define the sovereign as something more than he was.  Still, that concept would continue to play a part throughout Japanese history. The same day in 683 that Ohoama issued the pardons, we are told that there was a special performance at the Woharida Court of dance and music from Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla—the "Three Countries" of the Korean peninsula, even if only one of them was still going strong.  The Woharida palace is thought to have been north, along the banks of the Asuka River.  It may have been moved over time—there appears to have been a palace in the Furumiya area, near Toyoura, but there is also evidence of a palace by a shared name over by Ikazuchi-no-oka, on the other side of the river.  Excavations at Ikazuchi no oka revealed pottery with the name of the palace, suggesting that this was the site, but even then, that pottery was from the later Tempyo era.  Regardless, it seems that the Asuka valley was just chock full of palaces, new and old, though the older ones were not as regularly used for government functions, one assumes. The following year, 684, we again get told about the annual archery shoot.  It took place in the Eastern court this time, with Ministers in attendance.  Apparently they had men skilled in archery shooting alongside palace attendants and little people—the word used in Japanese is "Shuju" or "Hikihito".  This word is often translated as "dwarf"; it appears to be a derogatory term for anyone considered short of stature, though it is also used to refer more generally to those seen as either lacking wit or to actors and performers. This isn't the first time we see the term.  Back in 675, about 9 years prior, Ohoama had sent orders to a number of regions near the capital, from Awaji to Tamba, to Afumi and to Mino and Wohari, among others, to send as tribute common people who could sing, shuju—or dwarfs—and jugglers.  More generally they seem to be referring to entertainers, and it strikes me that could be what is meant here.  Either way, the entertainment industry was hardly a lucrative one, and we can see that performers are almost more of a commodity, to be "paid" as tribute, rather than a professional who is "hired" to work.  I suspect that, as in many other times and places, individuals who were shorter than average often found work as entertainers in this sense—whether they wished it or not. The year 685 we don't see any mention of archery, though it probably still happened.  Instead the Chronicles focus on the various government officials paying their respects to their sovereign.  The rest of the entries for the month are largely concerned with changes to the rank system as of that year. The year 686, we get the last records of various new years festivals—four months later, the sovereign would grow terribly ill, and he would eventually pass away later that year.  However, for those still celebrating the new year in 686, that was all in the future. The last year of Ohoama's reign started out relatively like others. Ohoama went to the Daigokuden, the Great Hall of Audience, and gave a banquet to the Princes and High Officials.  There he decided to have something of a riddle challenge.  He would ask riddles, and then offer prizes for the correct answer. And no, unfortunately we don't have any of the riddles, at least that I have seen.  Aston calls these "conundrums" and notes that they are specifically nonsensical questions, and provides examples such as "Why does a horse, after a rapid run, listen to the earth? Why does a dog, when he goes slowly, raise his leg?"  Ohoama's son, Prince Takechi, answered correctly, and so did Prince Ise.  Their prizes differed in content, but in both cases were pretty extensive.  The winners received ceremonial robes, brocade or purple hakama, numerous bolts of coarse silk, many pounds of thread, hundreds of pounds of flossed Silk, and hundreds of bolts of cloth. I think that makes it quite a bit more lucrative than any of the quiz nights I've ever been to. Later that month, there was another banquet, this time for nine Buddhist monks of Daikan-daiji. Besides its status as a national temple, this may have also been related to the year before, when Ohoama had fallen ill, and prayers had been offered at Daikandaiji for his recovery.  The courthad likewise provided gifts to the temple in the last month of the previous year, and then, at the banquet, gave to the attending monks silk and cloth, based on their rank. But that wasn't the end of the gifts.  The following day the Princes and High Officials all received upper garments and hakama—likely referring to official garments—each getting one suit, each. Then, on the 13th day of the new year, the court invited 20 exceptional individuals to a banquet.  These were talented people, professors, divination specialists, and physicians.  They were also wined and dined and presented various gifts. On the 16th day, the Princes and High Officials were then invited to a banquet in the Daigokuden.  They were given gifts of silk and cloth, based on their rank.  Then they held another riddle competition, with correct answers rewarded with gifts of coarse and flossed silk. This was only a short time after disaster had struck, though a bit removed—two days earlier, in the evening, the royal storehouse at Naniwa had caught fire, eventually burning the entire Toyosaki palace complex to the ground.  Some claimed that it was actually started at a private residence,  that of Ato no Muraji no Kusuri, and then spread to the Palace.  In the end, only the military storehouse was spared. This would have been quite the tragedy for the government, but it did not halt the festivities happening down in Asuka.  The Naniwa Palace appears to have been a major government center for the administration of the state, but it was not the royal court which had been in Asuka for over a decade.  Indeed, I imagine that the news probably reached Asuka around the time of the Banquet itself. And yet, rather than putting a damper on the festivities, they continued another couple of days – presumably everything was already prepared and there was no point in canceling.  On the 17th, the court sponsored a banquet in the rear palace, presumably for the Queen and members of the imperial family.  Then the following day there was a great revel at the palace.  Ohoama took his place in front of the royal muro and made presents to performers, as well as to the singers.  As before everything varied according to rank. Asuka wasn't the only place to get in on the festivities.  The same month, the court also sponsored a banquet for the Silla envoys in Tsukushi, sending Prince Kawachi and others. Regrettably, that would be the last new year that Ohoama would see.  In the fifth month, he grew ill, and what we see in the Chronicles after that is an interesting look into how people of the time dealt with sickness. First, the court had the Sutra of Yakushi expounded at Kawaradera and held a Buddhist retreat in the palace, inviting monks to come and expound Buddhist teachings.  Yakushi, or Yakushi Nyorai—Bhaisajyaguru in Sanskrit—was known as the Medicine Buddha, and his name in Sinitic characters was basically "Master of Medicine".  It is said that he was responsible for the Eastern Pure Land, and that, as a Bodhisattva, he had made 12 great vows to cure the illnesses of all living beings in the world.  For that reason, Yakushi Nyorai was often called upon to cure illness.  In fact, six years earlier, when the Queen, Uno no Sarara Hime, had taken ill, Ohoama erected an entire temple to Yakushi Nyorai, known as Yakushiji.  He then had 100 people take vows as priests, and they attributed her recovery to this effort. In this case, however, it seems that it didn't have quite such an effect, and Ohoama remained under the weather.  We are also told that the court sent Palace Attendants, the Oho-toneri, to clean the pagodas of various temples and that a general amnesty was announced for all under heaven, emptying the prisons.  All of this points to the idea of making merit in the hope of bringing good karma, and thus healing. But the following month, Ohoama was still ill.  Divination was performed by the Onmyoji, the court diviners, and they claimed that there was a curse from Kusanagi, the sword that is considered one of the three main royal symbols.  This is the sword that was said to have been found by Susanowo in the tale of Yamata no Worochi, and which gained its name, Kusanagi, when used by Yamato Takeru, cutting down the grass to save him when his enemies tried to catch him by setting fire to the field where he was hunting.  For more on that, check out Episodes 34 and 35. Given the importance of Kusanagi, I suspect that the idea of destroying it to remove the curse was out of the question, and so it was sent to Atsuta Shrine, where it was enshrined and would largely stay except when needed for enthronement ceremonies.  And yet, even after the sword was taken away, the illness remained.  Six days later, on the 16th day of the 6th month, the court sent Prince Ise and officials to Asukadera and asked the monks there to make and oath with the Buddha to make Ohoama whole through the power of the Three Treasures of Buddhism.   For their work, the three Buddhist Officers, the Master of the Law, and the Upadhyaya and temple directors, as well as those monks with the rank of "master" each received a donation of one robe and one cover, or "Ohi". Three days later, the court ordered the hundred officials to go to Kawaradera and perfom the ceremony of lighting lanterns and giving offerings to Buddha.  Then they held a great feast and offered repentance for their transgressions.  All of this sounds like a continued attempt to make merit for the state, and thus for Ohoama. We then see the court granting the monks Hounin and Gishou 30 stipend-households to provide for them in their old age, which may be more merit-making, or possibly was related to some of the many other activities so far.  There are a few issues with this entry, and Aston and Bentley don't seem to agree on the actual date.  Bentley has it on the 28th, but that seems odd as it comes before the entry for the 22nd of the same month.  Aston has it as the 20th, but then claimes that there is something odd about the date of the 22nd. On the 22nd, we are simply told that the district kitchen of Nabari caught fire.  Aston notes that this would have been the official government arm in the district gathering food to supply the royal household—rather than being a kitchen in terms of a place to prepare food. Merit-making continued into the 7th month.  We see the Soujou and Soudzu, the primary and secondary prelates of the Asukadera, performing ritual repentance.  The following day there is another general amnesty, and Aston specifically mentions performing a Oho-harai, or cleansing. The day after taxes were halved from the provinces and corvee labor with local conscripted labor was exempted for the year.  Then we see the court presenting paper offerings to the Kunikasu Kami in Ki provinces, as well as the four shrines in Asuka and the Great Suminoe—aka Sumiyoshi—shrine. On the 8th day of the 7th month, 100 monks were invited to the court to read the Golden Light Sutra—Konkoymyou kyou.  And on the 15th there was another court issued amnesty. Despite all of these attempts to make merit and intercede with the Buddha or with various kami, Ohoama's illness continued.  We see that the court issued a decree that all things that should occur, great or small, should be reported to the queen and the crown prince—presumably because Ohoama was no longer in a state to be able to do so. Continuing with their efforts, the court declared that destitute commoners who had been forced to borrow rice seed or money before the 12th month of the previous year would be exempted from repayment.  And then the court changed the name of the year to Akami-tori, or Shuuchou.  They also renamed the palace in Asuka to "Kiyomihara"—again, go check Episode 134 for more on the palace.  "Shuuchou" is the Red Bird, likely referring to Suzaku, though Aston also points out that "Asuka" here is given as "flying bird", as well, and there had been numerous bird-related omens reported throughout the reign. Although these names would not have been used prior to this point—the 7th month of the final year of the reign—the Chroniclers applied the nengo, Shuuchou, to all of the entries for this year, and the name of the palace is often given as "Kiyomihara" is given to distinguish it from the Later Okamoto Palace, even though it was simply the latter palace with the addition of the Ebinoko enclosure. The changing of the era name was likely another attempt to change the seemingly inauspicious year, along with all of the merit-making that the court had been undergoing. And yet they kept going. The court selected 70 people who were diligent in keeping Buddhist laws and had them take the tonsure, and they sponsored a feast—or festival—in the Royal Muro of the Palace. At the same time the various princes had a statue of the Boddhisatva of Compassion, Kannon, made for the sovereign and had the Lotus sutra—the sutra where Kannon is first mentioned—read out at Daikandaiji. Kannon, or Avalokitesvara, was originally seen as a male Boddhisatva, but is often depicted as a woman.  They are also known as Guanyin, from which we get Kannon in Japanese.  Guanyin is also seen as Goddess of Mercy, and is one of the most popular figures across multiple sects of Buddhism and even outside of the Buddhist faith, where she is still seen as a goddess.  In this case, however, it seems clear that the princes were seeking compassion to relieve the sovereign of his affliction. And yet it persisted. They had 80 more people take the tonsure, and then 100 more men and women, placed 100 statues of the Boddhisatva, Kannon, in the palace, and then read out 200 volumes of the Lotus Sutra. And then they made prayers to the kami of Heaven and Earth.  And they dispatched Hata no Imiki no Iwakatsu to present paper offerings to the Tosa great shrine.  Nothing seemed to be working. In the 9th month, we see the royal princes and others, down to the various ministers, all gathered at Kawaradera making oaths for the health of the sovereigns.  This last ditch effort would go unrewarded.  Five days later, and Ohoama would pass away.  Of course, they couldn't just say that he died:  The Chronicles actually say that he divinely departed.  After all, didn't they call him an incarnate kami? Two days later, the court began the ritual of mourning, raising voices in lamentation, and setting up a temporary palace of interment in the courtyard, south of the palace.  Ohoama's body was placed there some thirteen days later, and people mourned his passing. For the rituals, we see monks and nuns performing ritual lamentation in the courtyard between 3 and 5 am, around the time that court officials would normally be waiting at the gates.  Over the next several days, various ceremonies were held and eulogies given.  We are told that the court presented offerings of food for the dead for the first time, and over the next several days monks and nuns would offer their laments and then various individuals would provide their eulogies.  Finally, on the last day of the ninth month, the eulogies concluded with Nyang-u, a Baekje prince, who pronounced a eulogy on behalf of his father, and then the Miyatsuko of various provinces came and did likewise.  There were also performances of all manner of singing and dancing. With that, the reign of Ohoama would come to an end.  The government would continue under his wife, the Queen, and Crown Prince.  We'll get into the succession in a later episode.  For now I'll just say that he was eventually buried in a large tomb in the modern Noguchi area of Asuka, and you can still go see it. And while that does bring us to the end of the reign, we still have a few more things that I want to discuss.   This episode just seemed a good time to talk about all of the various new years ceremonies, and that seemed to lead naturally into the very last year, but there is still more to discuss.  For one thing, we still haven't quite covered the spread of Buddhism and the changes in the structure.  There are also various laws and punishments that are worth covering.  Finally, there are the Chronicles themselves: we've talked about it all along, but the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki are attributed to this era, as is the start of what would become the capital of Fujiwara-kyo—many works that Ohoama would not live to see to the end, but is largely held responsible for starting. But until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

Mary answers the question, "How do we offer Loving Kindness to those that commit atrocities?"  This is a common question, and is especially relevant right now. The heart practices do not ask us to ignore feelings or emotions that arise when faced with the violence and oppression so rampant today. Instead we are invited to greet whatever shows up and reflect on where we are and how we are holding our own pain. The heart practices invite us into our own healing which allows us to open to others.Recorded Jan. 10, 2026 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Here, Akasaraja reflects on the question of why the Buddha apparently left this suffering world rather than returning to lead all beings to freedom, as a Bodhisattva promises to do. In doing so, he explores the nature of presence and absence in encounters between people and concludes that we can only be truly present when we are "absent", i.e. when we get out of the way. Excerpted from the talk Why Did the Buddha Leave Us? Or Did He? Or Was He Ever Really There? given at Shrewsbury Triratna Buddhist Centre, 2025. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB

There are a lot of misconceptions of basic Buddhist teachings and in this talk Mary reflects on a few. The Buddha did not say that "Life is Suffering", but instead that there is suffering, and there is a way out. Additionally, equanimity and being present for what is, does not condone injustice or greed, hatred and ignorance. Buddhist practice is a way of being in the world and fully engaged with it.Recorded Jan. 2, 2025 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

108 Days to Your Awakened Heart: The Bodhisattva Challenge. In this session the Dharma talk was given by Lama Matthew Palden Gocha, January 4, 2026.  Music was provided by Barefoot Bran Music.

Feb 17, 2025   Dr. Rory Dickson is a professor of Islamic Religion and Culture and author of several publications on Sufism, the mystical path within Islam. He joins Breht to have an incredibly deep conversation about the Sufi poet Rumi, his life and work, Rumi's relationship to his teacher Shams of Tabriz, the concepts of fana (annihilation of the self) and baqa(subsistence in God), the spiritual practices of Sufism, non-duality and perennialism, "dying before you die", Buddhist enlightenment, the Quran, Serving the People in politics and religion, the role of Divine Love in spiritual transformation, transcending the ego, Bodhicitta and the Heart of the Bodhisattva, the counter-cultural aspects of the historical dervishes, The Masnavi  (aka the "Persian Quran"), Christian Mysticism, the evolution of human consciousness, the linguistics of translation, and much, much more! Check out Rory's book "Dissolving into Being: The Wisdom of Sufi Philosophy" Recommendations for Further Exploration: Rumi's World: The Life and Work of the Great Sufi Poet The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi Check out our related episodes with Dr. Adnan Husain: Sufism: Islamic Mysticism and the Annihilation of Self in God St. Francis of Assisi: Patron Saint of Ecology & Brother to All Creation ------------------------------------------------------------ Outro Music: Something's Out There by Neva Dinova Support Rev Left and get bonus episodes on Patreon Make a one-time donation to Rev Left at BuyMeACoffee.com/revleftradio Follow RLR on IG HERE Learn more about Rev Left HERE

While a Mahayana text, The Way of the Bodhisattva encodes tantric teachings about harnessing the creative sexual energy. Literally the seminal force in Tibetan Buddhist tantric texts, bodhichitta is the power of awakening enlightened compassion through selfless love, especially within a perfect matrimony. In other words, bodhichitta is the power of ennobled or chaste sexuality, whereby dense desires are transformed into unlikely and impactful virtues: generosity, altruism, ethics, patience, diligence, concentration, meditative serenity, and wisdom, otherwise known as the paramitas or perfections of a genuine spiritual master. It is also the fuel by which real faith is generated—the direct spiritual experience of divine, ultimate reality—which inspires any initiate to serve and sacrifice for humanity. Resources and References: https://chicagognosis.org/lectures/bodhichitta-alchemical-medicine-for-the-soul

Delusion is one of the greatest impediments to freedom and in this talk, Mary discusses how being embodied and whole allows for clear seeing. When we're stuck in the habit energies of our minds, we're often disconnected from reality and our journey is back to wholeness, to clarity and to living with a wise heart.Recorded Dec. 27, 2025 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

In dieser Folge hörst Du ein Daily Reminder von Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim über Buddhas Erkenntnis und die Wahrheit des gesamten Universums.Vielen Dank Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim,Viel Freude und eigene gute Erkenntnisse,alles Liebe,Deine Gak Duk,

In this episode, you will hear a daily reminder from Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim about Buddha's realization and the truth of the entire universe.Thank you very much, Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim.Much joy and good insights of your own,all my love,Your Gak Duk,

In a recent episode of the Insight Myanmar podcast Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi spoke about four areas that Western Buddhists should should work on for a flourishing of the dharma. Mary describes the four domains and reflects in further detail about how it would look unfolding in our own lives.Recorded Dec. 20, 2025 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

In this episode, you will hear a daily reminder from Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim about religion.Why is it that Buddhism has endured to this day? Why is Buddhism a path to enlightenment?Thank you very much, Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim.Hapchang,Gak Duk

Using an article by Sayadaw U Tejaniya as a jumping off point, Mary discusses what being mindful all the time might look like in our lives, and how do we practice being present for whatever shows up. Being present is the key to liberation and is necessary even in the most mundane of situations. It takes effort, but the freedom is worth it.Recorded Dec. 11, 2025 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Flannel Man, Mantids, Greys, and a three year retreat disguised as an illness and bed-ridden surrender. Plus, the first course in the Mystery School for the BrokenHearted is here. Today on the podcast, I welcome Courtney Buterbough. Courtney is an empath, spiritual seeker, and lifelong experiencer of anomalous phenomena, but it wasn't until she became severely ill with long Covid in 2020 and began a profound spiritual awakening that she started to have conscious contact, and finally became aware of the broad story of her experiences. All of this has sparked a deep passion in Courtney for experiencer stories, and an interest in using her skills as a mystic, creative, former doula, and inheritor of a familial-based folk magic tradition to be a help to those who are also doing the work of bridging humans from this profound now into whatever comes next. Courtney is a wife, mother, Appalachian, “art school survivor,” and aspiring Bodhisattva who writes about these and other things on her Substack, The Unidentified Felt Object The first course of the Mystery School for the BrokenHearted is here. Wayfinding the Sacred Interior begins January 11, 2026.Become a patron at the EarthLovers $10 tier by visiting ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/robinlassiter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get access to two Community Gatherings per month. ⁠⁠⁠Earth: A Love Story is now an ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AUDIOBOOK!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Earth: A Love Story⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠exists as a physical object in the world. Deep forever gratitude to those of you who have purchased the book and left reviews on Amazon. Thank you, thank you, thank you.Our beautiful musical soundscapes are provided by Morgan Jenks. You can support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠his new album on ⁠⁠⁠bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠morganjenks.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find me on instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@robin_lassiter_honeyheart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@earth_a_love_story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To join my mailing list or book a 1:1 session with me, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠robinlassiter.com⁠⁠⁠

in dieser Podcastfolge hörst Du ein Daily Reminder von Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim über Bräuche und Traditionen, z.b. darüber dass zu einer bestimmten Zeit Menschen erschreckt werden und Geister gerufen werden.Was macht das mit einem?Vielen Dank Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim,hapchang,Gak Duk

In this podcast episode, you will hear a daily reminder from Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim about customs and traditions, such as how people are frightened and spirits are summoned at certain times.How does that affect you?Thank you very much, Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim,hapchang,Gak Duk

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi - ZMM - 12/14/25 - In this season of giving, we naturally think of celebration, connection, and gratitude for the family, friends, and community that sustains us. Dana Paramita invites us to open our awareness and our hearts to those around us who may be struggling, alone, or lacking what we ourselves enjoy. So... these days we might ask ourselves: What does a Bodhisattva do at this time of year? Shugen Roshi recalls a fundamental teaching of the Buddha, reiterated by Master Dogen in the Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance: Giving, Kind Speech, Beneficial Action, and Identity Action.

12/13/2025, Keiryu Liên Shutt, dharma talk at City Center. Keiryu Liên Shutt presents an informal comparison of Soto Zen and Insight practices within the context of The Three Marks of Existence.

The saying that life teaches you how to live it is so aligned with Buddhism's invitation to be present in each moment for whatever is at hand. Mary reflects on this topic and the wisdom of being present for our lives.Recorded Dec. 6, 2025 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

In this episode of Crossing Faiths, John Pinna speaks with Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, the Abbot of the Zen Mountain Monastery, about the intersection of traditional Buddhist practice and modern American life. Shugen elucidates the role of an Abbot as both a spiritual teacher and administrator before diving into core Buddhist concepts, explaining how the suffering caused by clinging to a permanent sense of self can be alleviated through the "Middle Way" and non-attachment. The conversation explores Shugen's personal journey, from his upbringing in Atlanta during the Civil Rights movement—where the societal silence regarding segregation prompted his deep questioning of culture and history—to his transition from a budding career in mathematics and music to a disciplined monastic life in the Hudson Valley. They conclude by discussing the delicate balance between maintaining a cloistered environment for deep meditation and fulfilling the Bodhisattva vow of service, highlighting the monastery's efforts to engage with the wider community through social justice initiatives and anti-bias training. Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi is the Head of the Mountains and Rivers Order and Abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery. Shugen entered full-time residential training in 1986 after studying mathematics and receiving a degree in classical music. He received dharma transmission from John Daido Loori, Roshi in 1997. His teachings on Zen, social justice and environmental stewardship have appeared in various Buddhist journals, and The Best Buddhist Writing 2009 (Shambhala Publications). His book of poetry, O, Beautiful End (https://monasterystore.org/o-beautiful-end/), a collection of Zen memorial poems, was published in 2012. https://zmm.org/

In this episode, you will hear a Daily Reminder from Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim about the order of the universe, or the law of nature. Why is it important to follow a certain sequence?Thank You very much, Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim.Hapchang,Yours in the dharma, Gak Duk

In dieser Folge hörst Du ein Daily Reminder von Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim über die Ordnung des Universums, oder dem Gesetz der Natur. Warum ist es wichtig, eine bestimmte Abfolge einzuhalten?Vielen Dank Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa NimHapchang,Deine Gak Duk

Celebrating the release of his new book of his favorite stories, All In This Together, Jack shares wise tales on living with integrity, presence, stillness, and generosity.Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.Jack's new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World“Whether you make art, write, tend a garden, or parent children—if you can share your dignity, generosity, understanding, integrity, vision, and make that come alive within you and others, your life becomes a blessed source of happiness.” –Jack Kornfield.In this episode Jack mindfully explores:Meaning and connectionThich Nhat Hanh's favorite Tolstoy storyAnswering the Empress's three life-changing questions: What is the best time to do things? Who are the best people to work with? What is the most important thing to be doing at all times?Living in the present moment and serving those around youCultivating happiness through giving our life meaningBeing a Bodhisattva and holding all life in compassionThe story of Abbott AnastasiusIntegrity and generosityWhat we teach others through our stillnessBeing a clear mirror for othersQuieting the mind, tending the heart, and remembering what mattersOpening to the vastness of life beyond the small selfYour birthright as loving awareness itself“We can make our minds so like still water that beings gather around us that they may see their own images and so live for a moment with a clearer, perhaps fiercer life because of our quiet.” –William Butler YeatsThis Dharma Talk originally took place in April 2019 for Spirit Rock Meditation Center's Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation. Stay up to date with Jack's upcoming livestreams and events here. About Jack Kornfield:Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack's entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.“Happiness comes when we have meaning in our life.” –Jack KornfieldStay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reflecting on the invitation to "live as though the truth were true," Mary examines this through the Buddhist lens of being fully present with reality. So often we're in opposition to the 'truth' or reality because it differs from our wants or desires. The Buddha's teachings offer a way to align ourselves with reality and indeed, live as though the truth were true. A path of liberation.Recorded Nov. 29, 2025 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

In this episode, you will hear a Daily Reminder from Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim about the Sam Jae period. This is a three-year period when natural energy can be somewhat unbalanced, and the mind is constantly fluctuating. Thank You very much, Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim.All my love,Your Gak Duk

Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei - ZCNYC - 11/30/25 - Into this season of gatherings with family, friends, communities, Hojin Sensei illuminates ways we might practice relationships on this noble path in taking up this koan and Dogen's guiding practices on embracing the ways as a Bodhisattva. This practice of choosing the larger heart. - From The Hidden Lamp: Stories of Awakened Women - Case 99 - Let's Become Enlightened Together.

In this talk, Jomon explores the first of the Bodhisattva's four embracing actions—generosity—and how giving becomes boundless when we drop the sense of separation between giver, receiver, and gift. Drawing from Dōgen's Bodhisattva's Four Embracing Actions, stories of King Ashoka, and Shantideva's Way of the Bodhisattva, she illuminates how generosity arises naturally from a heart touched by gratitude and compassion. Through reflections on trust, appreciation, and offering even “one speck of dust,” Jomon shows how giving can take the form of acceptance, imagination, presence, and allowing the world to unfold. She offers practical practices from Shantideva—like imagining vast offerings—to help cultivate a giving heart in daily life. The talk closes with a guided contemplation on what is being given in each moment and how we might meet it with generosity. ★ Support this podcast ★

November is often thought of as a month to give thanks, but the cultivation of gratitude is a practice that benefits us throughout the year. Gratitude is a heart practice that expands our awareness and connection to ourselves and others. Through it we learn to release negative conditioning and cultivate a wise heart. Making gratitude integral to our lives lets us be present for all things, and see the beneficial where we have missed it before.Recorded Nov. 22, 2025 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

This is one of my unscripted Q&A episodes, where I answer questions submitted by listeners. If you have a question, go ahead and send it to me at zenstudiespodcast.com. I discuss: What does Kosho Uchiyama mean in his book Opening the Hand of Thought, when he talks about "settling as universal life?" Isn't the Zen emphasis on monastic practice and self-liberation at odds with the Bodhisattva Vow to free all beings? What can we learn from practicing with other Buddhist traditions than our own, and is this recommended if we don't live near a Zen center?

In this episode, we explore the Six Paramitas, the “perfections” that form the gradual training path of a Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. From generosity and ethical discipline to patience, joyful effort, concentration, and wisdom, each Paramita is both a practice and an antidote to the obstacles that keep us bound to suffering.We look at how the Paramitas align with the Eightfold Path, why Mahayana emphasizes them as the Bodhisattva's toolkit, and how they embody the vow to liberate all beings before oneself. Along the way, we uncover what these perfections mean in daily life and how anyone can begin applying them, not as distant ideals but as practical steps toward compassion, clarity, and transformation.By the end, you will see how the Six Paramitas offer a gradual, cumulative path, a way to cultivate enlightened qualities step by step while carrying others with you across the shore of liberation.Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contactPodcast Homepage: alanpeto.com/podcastPodcast Disclaimer: alanpeto.com/legal/podcast-disclaimer

In this talk Mary emphasized the importance of being connected to our body and the wisdom it contains. When we live in our heads, we can get stuck in views and perceptions and we miss out on the experience of the moment. The Buddha said that the world is in this fathom-long body, not just in our heads. Being connected allows us to live with a wise heart.Recorded Nov. 15, 2025 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

"There is no loftier mission than to approach the Godhead nearer than other mortals, and to disseminate the divine rays among mankind." —Beethoven to Archduke Randolf when composing the Missa Solemnis Learn about the rare and impactful nature of bodhichitta: the joyful attitude that selflessly loves, serves, and redeems humanity. See how through the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven, whose masterpiece embodies the compassionate spirit of enlightenment, the nature of ultimate reality, and the happiness experienced by those freed from confusion and suffering. Resources and References https://chicagognosis.org/lectures/bodhichitta-liberation-through-enlightened-compassion 4th Movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (YouTube) with English Lyrics Lyrics to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

We are all experiencing an onslaught of information and it can be challenging to keep up. The fact is, we cannot keep up and the invitation to pause in practice is important. Mary discusses what gets in our way and how to find a path to equanimity among all the chatter.Recorded Nov. 8, 2025 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Transpersonal psychologist and dharma teacher Dr. John Churchill joins us to explore how ancient wisdom and modern psychology unite in the path of conscious evolution. Drawing on decades of training in Tibetan Buddhism and developmental psychology, John reveals how the Bodhisattva path—awakening not just for oneself, but for the benefit of all beings—offers a map for our individual and collective transformation.https://livemomentous.com and use code KNOWTHYSELF for up to 35% off the best creatine in the game20% off Pique Life Tea:https://www.piquelife.com/knowthyselfGuided Meditation: https://youtu.be/i_5WApfC1pMAndrés Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00 Intro 01:38 Humanity's Evolutionary Moment 03:14 Planetary Perspective & Spiritual Transition 04:15 AI as Symbol of Transformation 05:06 End of Time & Psychological Judgment Day 07:18 Destiny vs. Fate in a New Age 09:06 Shift into Love as a Developmental Stage 10:57 Individuation & Inner Sovereignty 12:00 Seven Stages of the Heart-Mind 13:32 What Is the Heart-Mind? 14:02 Reincarnation & Consciousness Evolution 16:02 Awakening in Animals & Soul Development 17:00 Beauty, Goodness & Truth vs. Ego Development 18:43 Ad – Momentous Creatine 19:04 Cartesian Split & Blossoming Intelligence 20:21 Stage 1 – Awakening the Heart Seed 23:06 Stage 2 – Emotional Healing & Astral Awareness 26:08 Stage 3 – Training the Mind & Sacred Sciences 33:15 Stage 4 – Stabilizing Heart-Mind & Path of the Bodhisattva 36:46 Pitfalls on the Spiritual Path 42:00 Stage 5 – Integration & Service46:22 Ad - Pique Life 48:30 Stage 6 – Transcendence & Non-Dual Awareness 56:00 Stage 7 – Embodied Wisdom & Planetary Participation 01:04:00 The Bodhisattva Path in Modern Times 01:11:00 Navigating Glamour & Spiritual Ego 01:18:00 The Role of Practice & Discipline 01:25:00 Collective Awakening & Cultural Healing 01:32:00 Mystical Science & Sacred Technology 01:39:00 The Return of the Sacred Academy 01:46:00 Inner Sovereignty & Social Transformation 01:53:00 Living from the Heart-Mind 02:00:00 Final Reflections & Call to Action 02:06:00 Conclusion ___________Episode Resources: https://www.planetarydharma.comhttps://www.instagram.com/planetarydharma/https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com

Our reactivity to situations often takes over and determines how we feel and act. However, if we can pause before reacting, we may have a very different experience. In this talk Mary discusses how we need to recognize how nothing in our reaction will change the situation, but how our reactions will impact our level of dukkha.Recorded Nov. 1, 2025 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Norman gives a dharma talk on "Bodhisattva Respect" to the November 2025 All Day Sitting at Green Gulch Farms.   https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Bodhisattva-Respect-All-Day-Sitting-November-2025.mp3

For as long as space endures And for as long as living beings remain Until then may I too abide To dispel the misery of the world. ―Shantideva Compassion and generosity are the hallmarks of the most elevated souls, fully manifested within beings like Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, Moses, and all the prophets. The amazing fact is that such beings were once like us: filled with greed, envy, resentment, and all of the psychological contaminations and defects that make us suffer. What is also empowering is that we have the potential to become like these enlightened masters, whom in the east are known as bodhisattvas: "the essence or incarnation of wisdom," the latter word indicating Prajna in Sanskrit, or "vis-dom: the power of vision / perception." The equivalent Hebrew term is Chokmah חָכמָה, signifying Christ in the mystical Kabbalah. The essence of genuine spirituality is kindness, selfless service, and comprehension of the root nature of all existence: the unsurpassed wisdom of emptiness, Prajna, Śūnyatā, or uncreated light of the Kabbalists, denominated in Gnostic terms as Khristos, Christ. Christ is not a human person, but the intense, primordial root energy of boundless compassion for suffering beings trapped within cyclic or manifested existence. This divine force, the emptiness of enlightened cognizance, sustains all of the universe and sacrifices itself by entering within those practitioners who are properly cultivated and prepared through the great perfections or paramitas, the trainings, principles, or qualities of awakened consciousness within Tibetan Buddhism. Learn about the path of enlightenment through a gnostic exegesis of Shantideva's seminal Mahayana text, The Way of the Bodhisattva, and how the enlightened mind / heart of wisdom, bodhichitta, can be developed within the practitioner of any denomination, religion, or tradition. This lecture introduces Shantideva's text, the purpose and contexts of its composition, and its practical application within the art and science of meditation. The lecturer also explains how the mystical kabbalah and the gnostic tradition of Samael Aun Weor can elucidate the esoteric nature of this scripture. Resources and References: https://chicagognosis.org/lectures/introduction-to-the-way-of-the-bodhisattva

11/01/2025, Zenshin Florence Caplow, dharma talk at City Center. Zenshin Florence Caplow offers stories and teachings from her life as both a Zen practitioner and person with chronic illness, and readings from her new book, “Tend to Your Spirit: Mindful Living With Chronic Illness.”

10/25/2025, Dainin Marsha Angus, dharma talk at City Center. Dainin Marsha Angus teaches about cultivating and mental and physical capacity to settle into stillness.

Reflecting on the Parami of Truthfulness, Mary investigates what gets in the way and keeps us removed from reality and not seeing the world clearly. We are invited to reflect on being honest with the world and, what is sometimes even more difficult, being honest with ourselves. There is freedom in truth.Recorded Oct. 19, 2025 at Insight Community of the DesertSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

In this talk Mary reflects on the idea of emptiness which can be thought of as an absence of attachment to self or I, Me and Mine. This freedom can seem elusive, but we can recognize it in our daily lives as we work on letting go.Recorded Oct. 9, 2025 in the virtual worldAfter Buddhism by Stephen BatchelorPay Attention, for Goodness' Sake by Sylvia BoorsteinSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

It's been a long time since I've done a solo episode of this podcast and I've been getting requests for a bit more of those to include along with the guest episodes. And this episode is one of those. In this episode I reflect on the Fifth Realization from the sutra, The Eight Realizations of Great Beings. The Fifth Realization, as translated by Thich Nhat Hanh says: Ignorance is the cause of the endless rounds of birth and death. Bodhisattvas always listen to and learn from others so their understanding and skillful means can develop and so they can teach living beings and bring them great joy. My reflection includes a call for us not to try to "know" things but to listen. Plus, to try to help and serve others—and, ultimately, bring joy—by listening. If we don't feel or witness a lot of joy under the weight of the times, it's because there are so many of us talking and "knowing" what's right ... and not many of us listening. I end with a call to for us to help or offer positivity to at least one person every day ... to bring joy! Link (Amazon affiliate) to the book, The Eight Realizations of Great Beings by Brother Phap Hai: The Eight Realizations of Great Beings Links to the two-part episode about the Sutra on the Plum Village podcast, The Way Out is In: Part 1: https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-eight-realizations-of-great-beings-part-one-episode-82 Part 2: https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-eight-realizations-of-great-beings-part-two-episode-83     Become a patron to support this podcast and get special member benefits, including a membership community, a virtual sangha, and a subscription to my Everyday Buddhism Substack:https://www.patreon.com/EverydayBuddhism     Check out my Substack for ongoing chapter releases of my new serial book, Living Life As It Is and the podcast, Words From My Teachers: https://wendyshinyohaylett.substack.com/   If this podcast has helped you understand Buddhism or help in your everyday life, consider making a one-time donation here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-donations   Support the podcast through the affiliate link to buy the book, Everyday Buddhism: Real-Life Buddhist Teachings & Practices for Real Change: Buy the book, Everyday Buddhism   Support the podcast and show your support through the purchase of Everyday Buddhism merch: https://www.zazzle.com/store/everyday_buddhism   NOTE: Free shipping on ALL (unlimited) items (Everyday Buddhism merch or gifts from other stores) if you join Zazzle Plus for $19.95/year: https://www.zazzle.com/zazzleplus