Podcasts about chogyam trungpa

Culturally, boredom has a negative connotation as something that we should not experience. Being bored is an uncomfortable place to be in, which we usually try to remedy. But this misses the point since boredom can be useful and even necessary on the path. Chogyam Trungpa notes that Westerners tend to be fascinated by the aesthetic appreciation of the simplicity or rigidity of rituals such as the Japanese tea ceremony or zazen. He says the point of vipassana meditation is to get bored. Trungpa makes a distinction between hot boredom, which is agitating and the first kind of boredom we encounter, and cool boredom, which is refreshing in that we do not have to do or expect anything. It is difficult to get to cool boredom without going through hot boredom which we look to alleviate through excitement and entertainment. Boredom shows up when there are gaps in our consciousness without stimulation or a way to satisfy ourselves. This happens in daily life as well as in meditation. Interesting times distract us from spiritual practice and paying attention to ourselves. We can encourage the space for boredom to arise rather than being caught in the current distractions of the world including constant use of cell phones. Boredom arises if thoughts and activities are not motivated by attainment or credentials. We entertain ourselves all day with subconscious chatter and are uncomfortable with silent gaps in our conversations with ourselves. We can consider that life may have no inherent meaning and that we give meaning to things in order to entertain ourselves. Remedying moods and emotions doesn't ultimately work, which can leave us no choice but to be with things as they are. When we give up hopelessness, hope goes with it. Matthew Files facilitates groups that support people to look deeper into their process, formulate their own questions, and become responsible for their choices.

In this episode, Ethan links a crucial set of instructions from mindfulness meditation teachers of the past regarding how we carry our posture to what it means to show up in this world at a time of chaos. He discusses the instructions on mindfulness meditation from the “warrior” tradition of enlightened society, as well as decoding the qualities of the instruction to maintain a “strong back, and a soft front.” Please support the podcast via Substack and subscribe for free or with small monthly contributions. Paid subscribers will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! Check out all the cool offerings at our podcast sponsor Dharma Moon. Free video courses co-taught by Ethan and others, such as The Three Marks of Existence, are also available for download.

Andy Karr began his formal Buddhist practice in 1971 at the SF Zen Center with Shunryu Suzuki after having devoured Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind many times. In early 1972 he began studying with Chogyam Trungpa. He has written three books, the latest one being Into the Mirror: A Buddhist Journey Through Mind, Matter, and the Nature of Reality. He has been teaching Tibetan Buddhism for years focusing on clearly understanding Mahamudra, Yogachara, Madhyamaka, and so forth. Learn more about him and his teaching at andykarrauthor.com 

Citações e trechos do livro “Smile at Fear”, de Chögyam Trungpa.Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche (1939 - 1987) foi um estudioso, professor, artista, poeta e mestre de meditação da tradição budista Vajrayana.Nascido no Tibete, foi reconhecido como a 11ª encarnação do Trungpa Tulku e treinado nas tradições Kagyu e Nyingma. Após a invasão chinesa, fugiu para a Índia e, mais tarde, estudou no Reino Unido, onde também explorou a cultura ocidental. Pioneiro na disseminação do budismo tibetano no Ocidente, Trungpa foi autor de mais de duas dezenas de livros em inglês.Em 1970, mudou-se para os Estados Unidos, e nos quinze anos seguintes, fundou uma rede de várias centenas de centros de meditação budista nos Estados Unidos e Canadá.Trungpa ficou conhecido por sua abordagem inovadora e muitas vezes controversa do budismo, chamada “Budismo Shambhala”. Ele enfatizava a aplicação dos princípios budistas no cotidiano, abordando a espiritualidade com autenticidade, sem idealizações. Seus ensinamentos incluíam a importância da meditação, a compreensão da mente e a coragem de enfrentar a realidade como ela é. Ele também introduziu conceitos como “louca sabedoria”, desafiando convenções para despertar insights profundos.

Ethan discusses the classic origins of the worldview of "Materialism," as well a framework developed by the Tibetan teacher Chogyam Trungpa called "The Three Lords of Materialism" for looking at how we can notice our tendency to chase peak experiences in the arenas of the physical world, intellectual experience, and of course, our spiritual paths. Please support the podcast via Substack and subscribe for free or with small monthly contributions. Paid subscribers will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more. Check out all the cool offerings at our sponsor Dharma Moon, including the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training, starting March 21. Free courses, such as The Three Marks of Existence, are also available for download. Also check out free upcoming events with Professor Robert Thurman and David Nichtern on March 4th!

What drags us under when we experience setbacks, failures, criticism while working for a cause, person, or place? Wheatley advises us to work with as much diligence as we can. She says that in the end it is about feeling that it is our work to do and doing it with vigor and enjoyment even though we don't know what the outcome will be. Margaret Wheatley is an internationally acclaimed writer, speaker, and teacher. She is co-founder and President Emerita of The Berkana Institute, a charitable foundation that works with people around the world who strengthen their communities using the wisdom and wealth already present in their people, traditions, and environment. Her books include Leadership and the New Science (Berrett-Kohler 1998), Perseverance (Berrett-Koehler 2010), Turning To One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope in the Future (Berrett-Koehler 2009), So Far from Home: Lost and Found In Our Brave New World (Berrett-Koehler 2012) and Who Do We Choose To Be: Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity (Berrett-Koehler 2017).Interview Date: 8/19/2010 Tags: T. S. Eliot, "only don't know”, bravery, Carlos Castaneda, Chogyam Trungpa, creativity, curiosity, Don Juan, Hopi Nation, mp3, personal transformation, righteous anger, steadfastness, vision, Margaret Wheatley, Personal Transformation

In this episode I am once again joined by Naomi Levine, author, under her birth name Norma Levine, of several books including ‘The Miraculous 16th Karmapa', ‘A Quest For The Hidden Lands', and ‘Chronicles of Love and Death: My Years With The Last Spiritual King of Bhutan'. In this interview, Naomi discusses her latest writing about the apocalyptic prophecies of the Kālacakra tantra, a Tibetan Buddhist scripture promoted by the Dalai Lama. Naomi discusses the doctrine of the dark age known as the “Kali Yuga” including its origins, its signs and symptoms, and Buddhist ideas about its unfolding. Naomi tells the story of Shambala, a mystical kingdom ruled by enlightened, bodhisattva kings, and reveals the prophesied holy war which the Kālacakra tantra claims will see the Shambala army face off against barbarian hordes. Naomi also discusses the surprising implications of the Dalai Lama's mass Kālacakra initiation rituals, the role of stūpas and other religious monuments in geomantic magick, and how she personally deals with a sense of impending apocalypse. … https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep288-apocalypse-now-naomi-levine Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:18 - What is the Kali Yuga? 06:38 - Moral and environmental degeneration 10:14 - When did the Kali Yuga begin? 12:39 - Signs of the Kali Yuga and climate change 15:55 - Multi-dimensional reality and hidden lands 17:44 - Naomi's pilgrimage to the hidden land of Pemako 20:42 - The Pure Lands in Buddhist cosmology 21:57 - The kingdom of Shambala 26:25 - Seeking Shambala 27:28 - The Kālacakra Tantra 30:28 - Prophecy of the battle of Shambala 33:42 - Good vs evil 35:26 - Does the Kālacakra refer to Islam? 37:42 - Why does the 14th Dalai Lama give Kālacakra initiations? 39:33 - Inner or outer battle? 43:01 - Tai Situ's interest in the timespan between Buddhas 44:55 - Is Shambala just a myth? 46:09 - What is Shambala? 47:35 - Shangri-La and Hilton's “Lost Horizons” 48:28 - Chogyam Trungpa's version of Shambala 51:50 - How geomancy and building stupas affect world events 52:48 - Stupas as geomantic magic 56:56 - Cancelling Jane Austen 57:52 - Dissolution of the elements 59:45 - Tukdam 01:01:47 - How Naomi responds to the end times 01:05:33 - The constantly shifting drama of world events 01:06:43 - Suggestion for non-Buddhists 01:07:48 - Naomi asks Steve's opinion 01:09:14 - Prophecies of lamas and other mystics 01:10:09 - Apocalyptic thinking and displaced death anxiety 01:10:31 - Naomi's attitude towards death … Previous episodes with Naomi Levine: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=naomi To find out more about Naomi Levine, visit: - https://www.facebook.com/naomilevine111 - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Norma-Levine/author/B001K86LZ4?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Michael Stusser founded the Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone CA with it's hot cedar enzyme baths. In this podcast he talks about being an apprentice with master gardener Alan Chadwick and with the head gardener of Myoshinji in Kyoto, meeting Shunryu Suzuki, studying with Kobun Chino and Chogyam Trungpa, gardening for years at the Farallones Institute in Occidental CA and more.

A sensitive look at sex surrogates, the life and times of Chogyam Trungpa, and On and On. We love doc'ing here at Were Going Streaming, and we hope you enjoyed doc'ing with us. This month the guys grade on a curve, and open themselves up to the enormous treasure of Youtube documentaries. So lay back, strap in, and enjoy the ride. As always rate and review. IG: weregoingstreaming Tik TOk: TBD

During this talk, Peter responds to various questions from those participating regarding their understanding of Buddhist concepts and their meditation experiences.  Examples of questions include clarification regarding how aiming and sustaining attention on breath sensations matures into investigation of what arises in the mind, consideration regarding Chogyam Trungpa's comments on gradual rather than sudden Awakening, […]

Welcome to Season 4 of Spiritually Queer! I've been studying a new text called Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa. In celebration of the new season and new look on the pod, I have been feeling more inspired to share more of my favorite spiritual texts, starting with this one. In this week's episode, I share some of my favorite teachings from this text around Compassion, Generosity and Staying Open to What Is. Need Advice? Questions? I'd love to hear from you , email me at janelyon369@gmail.com Sign up for the Meditation Mastery waitlist. Get my free 10-Minute Energy Re-Set. Follow me on IG: @dakiniinabikini

“The essence of (Spiritual) warriorship, or the essence of human bravery, is refusing to give up on anyone or anything.” Chogyam Trungpa, Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior I am thrilled to announce that our new book, the Kindness Daily Reader: Season One, is now available on Amazon. (See Link Below)  Secondly, we are embarking on a new chapter with Season Three of the One Kind Moment podcast. In Season One, we primarily focused on broad topics of kindness and compassion, while in Season Two, we explored areas such as self-compassion, self-help, and self-care. Now, in Season Three, we're shifting our focus to a specific area of self-care that we call Practical Spirituality for Everyone. We'll be delving into topics like spirituality in nature, spiritual intelligence, everyday mindfulness, the science of consciousness, the mystery of life, the science of awe, and managing uncertainty. We're excited to take this new direction and are grateful for your continued support and interest in the One Kind Moment podcast. EXPLORE OUR NEW BOOK! Kindness Daily Reader: Season One https://a.co/d/04RvXldy #onekindmoment #spirituality Yesterday by John Hobart - Music Design by Jason Inc. https://brucewaynemclellan.com/  

Vision version of today's conversation: https://youtu.be/gXWcorUoTnc   00:01:40 Introduction to the retreat place and intentions 00:05:56 Visions in dark retreat 00:15:00 Fear, trust, confidence and endless potential 00:21:00 Not being the only doing the work in one's practice 00:29:00 Having the correct context of deconditioning the mind 00:32:00 Chogyam Trungpa, Dilgo Khyentse and tummo practice 00:36:00 Being a Buddha and distraction of science 00:40:00 Gaining confidence through felt experience and mastering a practice 00:50:00 Following death, experiencing the bardo 00:56:00 Bardo practice suggestion 01:00:00 Justin's dharma path from age 3 including Egyptian funerary practice, alchemy and wanting to be a monk 01:13:00 Not getting attached to the technique 01:15:00 Togyal and Sowa Rigpa typology  01:19:00 Letting the heart choose your practice 01:21:00 Emerging towards spaciousness as the throughline for Justin's path 01:25:00 Touring the retreat cabins 01:32:00 The body in dark retreat and practice 01:37:00 Closing intentions for this retreat place   Yangti Yoga retreat place https://www.yangtiyoga.com/   Previous conversations: Dark Retreat, Formlessness & Returning to Completion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qoo0DeU6D8o&list=PLbj5FAGzDx9WhJ7N5iJhGkZ_tY9ZnJL4m&index=13   Resting into the Mind Beyond Time & Being Consumed by Dharma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0RvHW6fOMQ&list=PLbj5FAGzDx9WhJ7N5iJhGkZ_tY9ZnJL4m&index=21   Ati Yoga, the Becoming of Indigenous Western Tantra & the Ministry of Death https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LAi9RnjcA0&list=PLbj5FAGzDx9WhJ7N5iJhGkZ_tY9ZnJL4m&index=26   Podcast https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts   Enjoy these conversations? Please leave a review here. Scroll down to Review & Ratings. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-liberation/id1393858607

Frank Kilmer first meditated with Chogyam Trungpa then Dainin Katagiri then Richard Baker. He studied with other Zen and Tibetan teachers. He lives in Santa Fe where he managed Upaya's plant for some years. He's a a great plumber too. He has a lot of juicy tidbits to share from all these years of Buddhist study and practice. Check him out in this podcast.

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 86 -What is "un-knowing" in Buddhism? Is it the same as Agnosticism? What is its relationship to faith? Resources: Robert Buswell; Donald Lopez (2013), Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, ISBN 9780691157863; Conze, Edward (2013), Buddhist Thought in India: Three Phases of Buddhist Philosophy, Routledge, ISBN 978-1-134-54231-4; Edelglass, William; et al. (2009), Buddhist Philosophy: Essential Readings, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-532817-2; Gethin, Rupert (1998), Foundations of Buddhism, Oxford University Press; Harvey, Peter (1990), An Introduction to Buddhism, Cambridge University Press; Peter Harvey (2013), The Selfless Mind: Personality, Consciousness and Nirvana in Early Buddhism, Routledge, ISBN 978-1-136-78329-6; Keown, Damien (2013). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-966383-5.; Trainor, Kevin (2004), Buddhism: The Illustrated Guide, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-517398-7; Williams, Paul; Tribe, Anthony (2000), Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition, Routledge, ISBN 0-415207010; Ajahn Sucitto (2010). Turning the Wheel of Truth: Commentary on the Buddha's First Teaching. Shambhala.; Bhikkhu Bodhi (2003), A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, Pariyatti Publishing; Chogyam Trungpa (1972). "Karma and Rebirth: The Twelve Nidanas, by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche." Karma and the Twelve Nidanas, A Sourcebook for the Shambhala School of Buddhist Studies. Vajradhatu Publications.; Dalai Lama (1992). The Meaning of Life, translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins, Boston: Wisdom.; Mingyur Rinpoche (2007). The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness. Harmony. Kindle Edition.; Sonam Rinchen (2006). How Karma Works: The Twelve Links of Dependent Arising, Snow Lion.; Waddell, Norman (ed. & trans.), Hakuin's Precious Mirror Cave: A Zen Miscellany, 2009, p. 83. Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by tweeting to us @BrightBuddhism, emailing us at Bright.On.Buddhism@gmail.com, or joining us on our discord server, Hidden Sangha ⁠https://discord.gg/tEwcVpu⁠! Credits: Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-Host Proven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brightonbuddhism/message

Andrew Safer is a mindfulness instructor and trainer, program developer, workshop facilitator, and author. A 53-year practitioner of mindfulness-awareness and Zen meditation, he began practicing in the Zen tradition in 1968 while in high school in California. When Andrew met the great Zen master Suzuki Roshi in 1968, in five minutes, he was inspired enough for a lifetime. Several years later, he began practicing and studying in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition with the meditation master Chogyam Trungpa. Andrew became an authorized meditation instructor after completing training with Shambhala International in Halifax in 1993.   Links From the Episode: https://safermindfulness.com   Meditation Coaching Schedule Time with Thom (Complimentary consultation)   Connect with Thom Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thom-walters-5636391b Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/zencommuter Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thom_walters Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=zen%20commuter   Become a Super-Fan of the Show Support ZEN commuter and get access to patron bonuses   THANKS FOR LISTENING! Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page. Also, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful, they help it reach a wider audience.  The more positive reviews the higher in the rankings it goes.  Of course that means more peace in the world.  So please let me know what you think.  I read ever one of them. Did you enjoy the podcast?

Inspired by the Flight of Windhorse, Niema Ash, the Dalai Lama, Wisdom Seat, Chogyam Trungpa, and Ram Dass. Audiobook.  Mature listeners only (18+).

How to Support the Show! - Head on over to patreon.com/21stcenturyvitalism and become a member. - Follow us on Instagram or Facebook - Subscribe on YouTube - Implement any of the topics covered on the show and write me about your experience! This weeks conversation is with Buddhist scholar, author, and photographer, Andy Karr. As a former student of the legendary meditation master, Chogyam Trungpa; Andy has gone on to share the teachings of the Buddha all across the world. From cofounding the first Shambhala center in Paris to teaching at the Gampo Abbey Monastery College, Andy is most known for his well articulated teachings on Contemplative practice and dharma art. His newest book, 'Into The Mirror' released in the Spring of 2023 and serves as a foundation to the themes covered in this show.  andykarrauthor.com SHOW TOPICS - What is a Contemplative Practice? - Different Methods of Contemplation - The Issue with Getting Caught In Concepts - Spiritual Materialism - Limitations of Materialism - What is Samsara? - The Three Vehicles to Liberation - The Outer and Inner Journeys - Different Approaches to Contemplating Emptiness - Letting Go of Self Cherishing - Stages of Compassion - The Paramitas

In this episode I am once again joined by Naomi Levine, author, under her birth name Norma Levine, of multiple books including ‘The Miraculous 16th Karmapa', ‘A Quest For The Hidden Lands', and ‘Chronicles of Love and Death: My Years With The Last Spiritual King of Bhutan'. In this interview, Naomi discusses the life of Freda Bedi, born in 1911 and also known as Sister Palmo; activist, radical, and the first Western woman to take full ordination in Tibetan Buddhism. Naomi recounts Freda's upbringing, education at Oxford University, controversial marriage to the communist activist BPL Bedi, flight from Nazi Germany, and arrival in India. Naomi describes Freda's conversion to Buddhism, ordination, and founding of the ‘Young Lama's Homeschool', where she taught English to young Tulkus such as Chogyam Trungpa, Ringu, Thupten Zopa, Chokyi Nyima, and more. Naomi also discusses Freda's religious practice, the remarkable circumstances of her death, and shares the accounts of Buddhist lamas who ascribe to Freda high spiritual attainments. … Video episode: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep223-the-spiritual-odyssey-of-freda-bedi-naomi-levine-3 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:13 - Writing about Freda Bedi 06:00 - The extraordinary death of Freda Bedi 10:56 - Living through remarkable times 12:30 - Born in a working class family 13:06 - Time at Oxford University 14:34 - Marrying Baba Pyare Lal ‘BPL' Bedi 16:02 - Participation in Gandhi's freedom movement 17:36 - Childhood meditation 20:41 - Flight from Nazi Germany 21:57 - Trouble in Kashmir 26:04 - Learning meditation under Sayadaw U Titthila and experiencing shunyata 27:14 - Friendship with Indira Gandhi and refugee work in Assam 29:02 - Founding the Young Lama's Homeschool 31:01 - Convincing 16th Karmapa to travel to the West 33:31 - First Western woman to attain enlightenment? 35:01 - Didi Contractor on Freda Bedi 40:36 - Why is Freda Bedi not better known? 45:33 - Turbulent times and war 44:57 - Complexity and charisma 46:42 - How did Freda Bedi penetrate elite political and religious circles? 51:36- Ayang Rinpoche on Freda Bedi's death 54:40 - Freda Bedi's Marxism 58:27 - Ambiguities and motherhood 01:01:20 - The home life of great humanitarians 01:04:30 - BPL Bedi's miraculous healing powers 01:09:32 - Freda Bedi's spiritual and meditation practices 01:17:09 - Audio recording of Freda Bedi 01:35:44 - Kabir's intention to make a film about Freda Bedi 01:36:16 - Naomi's great admiration for Freda Bedi … Previous episodes with Naomi Levine: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep190-love-death-in-the-himalayas-naomi-levine - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep208-karmapa-tales-naomi-levine-2 To find out more about Naomi Levine, visit: - https://www.facebook.com/naomilevine111 - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Norma-Levine/author/B001K86LZ4?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

In this episode of the Red Beard Embodiment Podcast, host Alex Greene sits down with guest Emma Sartwell. Emma is a somatic experiencing person with a background in interfaith and Buddhist chaplaincy. Alex and Emma discuss their shared interests in Buddhism and religious studies, as well as their work in the world through sabbatical work and other endeavors. Tune in to hear their insightful conversation about embodiment practices, trauma healing, and finding meaning in a changing world.Links:Cynicism and MagicJoni Mitchell song about meeting Chogyam Trungpa - Refuge of the RoadContact Emma:Website: https://somaticspiritualcounseling.com/Instagram: https://instagram.com/somaticspiritualFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/somaticspiritual/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somatic-spiritual-counseling/Twitter: https://twitter.com/esartwellYoutube: https://youtube.com/@SomaticSpiritualCounselingYelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/somatic-spiritual-counseling-boulderOther: https://www.pinterest.com/somaticspiritual/Chapters:[00:01:18] Buddhist studies and religious studies.[00:06:34] Energy work and shamanism.[00:09:03] Science and worldview exploration.[00:14:14] Spiritual emergency and meditation support.[00:18:30] Joni Mitchell and Chogyam Trungpa.[00:23:11] Somatic nervous system in hospitals.[00:29:21] Providing spiritual care in therapy.[00:32:23] Democratizing chaplaincy roles.[00:38:43] Role of interfaith chaplaincy.[00:41:29] Rise of the "nuns"[00:48:21] Cathartic experiences and healing.[00:52:32] Cathartic experiences and their risks.[00:55:10] Dissociation and spiritual bypass.[01:00:08] Skill building and self-awareness.[01:03:17] Agency and consent in life.[01:09:00] A fun editing project.[01:13:45] Cynicism and Magic.[01:19:13] The work of a chaplain.[01:21:57] The work of connecting.

Jayne X Praxis (she/they) is many things — she's Buddhist and a tantric witch; she's an ordained minister and a Satanist; she's a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence and a licensed therapist — but above all, Jayne is forever becoming more and more their authentic self, and they invite you to do the same through curiosity, humor, and embodied self-exploration. Content Warning: swearing and sex talk; religious trauma; mentions of childhood sexual trauma. Click here for the episode transcript. Talking Points: (0:00) Introducing Jayne (2:05) Growing up with a conservative minister father, anti-sex views; coming out as bisexual in college and engaging in gender-fuckery (6:30) Adding Jayne to their name, rolling it back after getting married, returning to gender fuckery and embracing nonbinary identity after divorce (12:49) Exploring spirituality: DnD; Wicca and paganism; ordination in the Universal Life Church; Shambhala Buddhism and embodiment (22:43) Tantric practices help Jayne recover her body, discover the connections between sexuality and gender (26:06) Resisting imposter syndrome to find political and spiritual meaning as a witch; discovering the magic in simply living as trans (34:22) The power in naming, sigils, storytelling; sex as spiritual; unlearning sexual shame (43:03) Satanism and Lucifer as queer rebel; shock can wake people up! (47:17) Sacred clowning: get people thinking by making them laugh; joining the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to spread joy and challenge guilt (1:06:00) Wrapping up: embrace authenticity and ask lots of questions ___ Visit Jayne's blog: https://paregoric.wordpress.com/ Jayne's Resource Recs: Becoming Dangerous: Witchy Femmes, Queer Conjurers, and Magical Rebels by Katie West and Jasmine Elliott (find⁠ here⁠) Witches, Sl-ts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive by Kristen J. Sollee (find ⁠here⁠) Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa (find ⁠here⁠) __ This show's theme song is "Aetherium" by Leah Horn. This episode also makes use of "Know No No-Nos" by Doctor Turtle

AddictionAddiction is real —Born of body, mouth, and mind;Not invented here. In this segment of UnMind we return to a subject — if it can be reduced to a mere “subject” — that I explored publicly many years ago, when I gave a series of talks on addiction and Zen under the rubric of “sex, drugs, rock ‘n' roll.” Which, at that time, seemed to cover the waterfront of possible addictions. I took the position that, from the point of view of Zen Buddhism — perhaps as distinct from more traditional Buddhism, as well as other philosophical and religious systems — “It is all addiction.” Everything, including life itself, may be regarded as a kind of addiction. Zen teachings have this kind of all-inclusive flavor, captured in such expressions as Master Dogen's frequent use of “All things are like this,” following one of his many apt analogies. The premise was, and still is, based somewhat on the American Psychiatric Association's definition of an addictive substance — referenced from the then-current edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” — which, if memory serves, defined an addictive substance as anything that, when withdrawn from an addict, results in a “significant degree of discomfort.” Which would apply equally to air, water, food, warmth, and all the other hierarchy of fundamental needs as outlined by Maslow, perhaps extending to social or self-actualization needs — for acceptance, status, power, wealth and privilege, and so on, and finally, the need for transcendence — which is where Zen comes in, I suppose. In the context of a panoply of needs destructive to self and others, addiction to alcohol — while of historic and epidemic proportions, and thereby attracting a lot of the attention — may not be the worst, or most socially damaging, addiction to have to cope with. It depends. Allow me to insert a caveat here, to counter the notion that some of the more controversial ideas that may come up in this discussion may have come from my root Zen teacher, Matsuoka Roshi. He made a few comments from time to time regarding human sexuality, for example; but we did not discuss at in any length or in great detail. And while he once gave a public talk on “LSD and Zen” at the local Y in Chicago, drugs were not a big item in his lineup of topics, either. He certainly was not obsessed with either sex or drugs, and had little interest in “rock n' roll” — by which I meant the then American, now worldwide, addiction to “living large” — the “everything, all the time” wretched excess lifestyle captured in the lyrics of the popular song, “Hotel California.” The few fragmentary comments I recall regarding sexuality included a self-effacing claim to have been a virgin his whole life. And that he regretted never marrying because he had no one to take care of him in his old age. He also pointed out that since I was “used to this” (i.e. sexual relations), I needed it; but since he wasn't used to it, he didn't. One day when I visited the Chicago Temple, I found him red-faced and giggling, as my senior dharma brother, Kongo roshi, mercilessly teased and regaled him with ribald tales of the kinds of sex acts that — according to Kongo, at least — gay men engage in. Kongo had that kind of merciless and sardonic sense of humor. But he could also be very tender and sympatico, to those who knew him well. He especially relished getting Sensei's goat, especially on something that might be embarrassing to a traditional Japanese sensibility. On another occasion, I happened to notice a Playboy magazine in Sensei's bedroom, where we would store the donations from the altar, so I assume he had some curiosity about sex, in those days of nascent soft pornography, and wonder what he would have thought of the endless “cabinet of curiosities” of human sexuality on display on the internet today. I once overheard him comment, somewhat dismissively, when someone mentioned human orgasm: “Ha! Orgasm in every cell.” Which I took to be, possibly, a reference to satori. I did not inquire. I suppose that sex can become an addiction, if pursued for pleasure or reasons other than procreation — which, some religious and philosophical systems seem to insist, is its only legitimate function. There seems to be sufficient evidence that porn can be addictive — testimony to the power of our imagination, translating pixels into lust. Which Buddha is said to have called a “snake amongst the flowers.” He also claimed to have been satiated with overindulgence and dissipation prior to his spiritual quest. As Shopenhauer reminds us, sexual desire is delusional: it is on behalf of the species, not us, personally. Adherence to the monastic code of celibacy illustrates one extreme response to what is, after all, only biology. But the antipode, the sybaritic lifestyle emulated now — by elites from Hollywood to DC, indeed globally — saturates contemporary culture. Speaking of extreme lifestyles, the famous Tibetan teacher Chogyam Trungpa, in his 1970s classic, “Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism,” warns against this kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder subtly infiltrating and infecting your own, personal practice path. In terms of drugs, some time before Sensei delivered his talk at the Y — the text of which, incidentally, we have not been able to recover — he and I were discussing my psychedelic experiences, when he quipped, with his usual sense of humor, “Maybe you will be my LSD master, and I will be your Zen master!” He showed none of the paranoid, over-the-top, dismissive rejection that I had heard were characteristic of his contemporary Zen luminaries of the period. In his talk on LSD and Zen, he admitted that the descriptions of psychedelic experiences, as compared to those of kensho — a Japanese word for Zen insight — shared certain similarities that could not be lightly dismissed. But he insisted that we who follow Zen do not recommend indulging in drugs, in order to render hoped-for insight, especially under uncontrolled circumstances. For one thing, an ingested chemical might trigger a reaction that the individual may not be ready for, in terms of psychic maturity, and an understanding of what it might mean. He went on to say that in Zen's sitting meditation, with insight developing over time in a natural way, one will be fully prepared for whatever happens in the natural course of things. But again, the drug revolution was not a major area of interest for him. If Sensei could be said to be obsessed with anything, it was the transmission of genuine Zen practice to his adopted country. In many ways, he was the archetypal “man without a country” — no longer really Japanese, nor yet truly American, in the cultural sense. He was focused like a laser on zazen. Allow me a brief overview of theism and atheism, and how they fit into the picture of addiction as a general principle, at least as I see it from my admittedly limited perspective. I am not apologizing here, nor being overly modest. I assume my layman's perspective on religion to be as clear, if less informed, as anyone's. Theological concerns are so broad and deep, yet intimately personal, that even the most deeply informed theories carry little more weight than those of the average person on the street. To come to a conclusion about whether “God” exists or not, for example, reliance on erudition, scholarship, or any other credentialing process would have little if any relevance. By contrast, study of a tangible science, such as biology or botany, or astrophysics for that matter, would have a more rational, reliable relationship to evidence and logic, rendering some opinions more valid than others. Let us return to addiction, and how I think it relates to conventional religion — manifested as theism, and its inverse doppleganger — atheism. This latter belief, more serious commentators than I have insisted, constitutes the strongest form of theism. Which notion, from a Zen perspective, smacks of that compelling, oxymoronic logic that most pithy Zen aphorisms share: both can be true at the same time. As is the case with any addiction, the seductive quality of sensory pleasure or comfort associated with the drug of choice comes to bear upon one's judgment as to whether its indulgence constitutes a positive or a negative. The addict has to wake up to the fact of being addicted, as a negative, in order to have the determination to go through withdrawal. We all have to hit bottom, and put down the shovel, before we can begin climbing out of the hole we have dug for ourselves. Similar to the temporary effect of intoxication, belief in God can be comforting, which feeling naturally constitutes first-person validation. Karl Marx, the 19th-century German economist, remarked that religion — by which one presumes he meant all forms of theism — is the “opiate of the masses.” Quoting: “If people are to know and understand the real world, they must give up superstitious beliefs because they have a narcotic effect on the mind.” If the thought of God makes me feel warm and fuzzy, that may become prima facie evidence of the presence of God. A self-fulfilling prophecy, or tautology, proven by the all-encompassing feeling of wellbeing. This is not to deny the epiphany of the saints, however. And the testimony of Zen adepts suffers from this same lack of provability, or the inability to disprove its claims in any scientific, third-party manner. Atheism, on the other hand, may give one the same comfy feeling as an unflagging certainty of faith in a loving God. Instead, it may provide a smug sense of superiority, especially over those who adhere to a blind faith in what may be dismissed as mere superstition; or a need to explain the unexplainable with a myth of creation; or a belief in the divine intervention of a benign deity, however contrary the evidence — of natural disasters, for example. However, if this secular insistence upon “believing in” only those things for which there can be indisputable evidence comes to dominate our worldview, many ordinary and extraordinary insights of modern existence would have to be abandoned. Master Dogen's frequent appeals to the compassionate consideration of the buddhas and bodhisattvas smack of this kind of theistic resort to something larger, a greater power, than oneself. And the notion of a cosmic Buddha, “Vairocana” by name, seems to differ mainly in the semantics, from the theistic concept of a creator god. None of which seems all that germane to the problem at hand, as Buddha was known to dismiss such speculation. Matsuoka Roshi questioned the wisdom of going all in on a future existence in an unproven heaven, rather than focusing on the daily life we are living. I would submit that the teachings of Buddha were not intended as contrarian ideas to be debated against the prevailing views of the Hinduism of the time; nor would I offer them as arguments against the theistic dogmas of our time. Dogen's teachings were certainly offered as correctives to the prevalent practices of the other Zen sects, such as the Rinzai school, apparently predominant in 13th century Japan. But this does not mean that the teachings of Buddhism are accessible only by adherence to the tenets of one school. What Zen Buddhism points at is unvarnished reality, which is not captured by an ideology or belief system. It is what it is, and coming to apprehend buddha nature directly does not depend upon the horse you rode in on. Atheism, theism, Buddhism, any “ism,” has no direct connection to the truth, as clarified in the ancient Ch'an poem Hsinhsinming—Trust in Mind [insertions mine]: Now there are sudden and gradual [schools] in which teachings and approaches ariseWith teachings and approaches distinguished, each has its standards[but] Whether teachings and approaches are mastered or notReality constantly flows It is this constantly-flowing reality that reduces all teachings, belief systems, ideologies and philosophies to clumsy, humble fingers pointing at the brilliant moon. We have not really sated our innate desire for clarity, or resolved the dilemma of inherent confusion here, but may be encouraged to reconcile ourselves to the abandonment of any reliance on comforting opinions or beliefs in our dogged pursuit of resolution of this fundamental problem of existence itself. Please join again next time, when we will persist in our endeavor, however futile, to withdraw from our addiction to understanding that which is beyond understanding.

Andrew Safer is a mindfulness instructor and trainer, program developer, workshop facilitator, and author. A 53-year practitioner of mindfulness-awareness and Zen meditation, he began practicing in the Zen tradition in 1968 while in high school in California. When Andrew met the great Zen master Suzuki Roshi in 1968, in five minutes, he was inspired enough for a lifetime. Several years later, he began practicing and studying in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition with the meditation master Chogyam Trungpa. Andrew became an authorized meditation instructor after completing training with Shambhala International in Halifax in 1993.   Links From the Episode: https://safermindfulness.com

In this episode I am joined by Professor John Myrdhin Reynolds, also known as Lama Vajranatha: writer, teacher, translator and scholar/practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism.  Professor Reynolds recounts his adventurous life of practice and scholarship, including extensive travels throughout Asia and discipleship under revered gurus such as Dudjom Rinpoche, Namkai Norbu, and Lopon Tenzin Namdak. Professor Reynolds details his journey through American academia, explains why he turned down an invitation from the CIA to create Tibetan propaganda, and shares anecdotes of Tibetologists such as Hugh Richardson and Edward Conze, including the latter's escape from the Nazis and defection from Communist activism. Professor Reynolds also recalls his first out of body experience brought on by a car crash, the mystical visions of water spirits, dakinis, and other beings that have featured in his life since, and tells the story of the tragic consequences of the Gelugpa destruction of the psychic barrier erected by Padmasambhava to protect Tibet from China. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep200-lama-vajranatha-professor-john-myrdhin-reynolds 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:16 - Unusual upbringing and resonance with Greek myth 05:01 - Early interest in Indian religion 07:27 - Encountering the ‘Tibetan Book of the Dead' 09:46 - Education at Columbia University 10:50 - Western Esotericism and transfer to University of Washington 13:10 - Influence of the British Diplomat and Tibetologist, Hugh Richardson 14:20 - Close relationship with the controversial Professor Edward Conze 16:31 - Escaping the Nazis and running a Communist cell in London 19:29 - Disillusionment with Communism 23:17 - Approached by the CIA to make Tibetan propaganda 28:42 - Leaving his PhD and meeting Tarthang Tulku 33:11 - Boarding a ship for India and meeting Swami Omkar 43:11 - Darjeeling and meeting Kangyur Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, and others 48:00 - Adventures in Kathmandu 57:49 - Warning about Dharma politics 59:03 - Stories about Namkhai Norbu and other Dzogchen teachers 01:06:19 - Dudjom Rinpoche vs Namkai Norbu's Dzogchen teaching style 01:07:54 - Surprising Iranian influence on Buddhism and Tibet 01:10:23 - Lopon Tenzin Namdak and Bon 01:14:59 - OBE and a lifetime of psychic experiences and entity visions 01:19:49 - Dakini visionary warning about climate change 01:23:31 - Lama stories of psychic siddhi and the invasion of Tibet 01:27:24 - How to open psychic capacities 01:28:57 - Edward Conze's Marxism and Buddhism 01:33:48 - Edward Conze's Visuddhimagga meditation attainments 01:35:41 - Stalin, Buddhism, and Lama Wangyal 01:37:20 - Stories of Tibetan Buddhist missionary incursions into France 01:46:39 - Buddhism's spread in England via figures such as Ananda Bodhi and Chogyam Trungpa 01:48:32 - The many scandals of Trungpa and his successors 01:49:41 - Dalai Lama tongue-sucking scandal … To find our more about Professor John Myrdhin Reynolds visit: - https://vajranatha.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Ray is the co-founder and Spiritual Director of the Dharma Ocean Foundation, dedicated to the evolution and flowering of the somatic teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and was a founding member and University Professor at Naropa University, prior to his retirement. Some of what Reggie shares includes: 00:00 Vajrayana tradition and working from the inside out and problems as expressions of own deepest nature.  05:33 The power of being genuine and attracting the right people 09:24 On suffering, mistakes and the universe as sacred totality. 12:12 Somatic meditation to inhabit more of your experience 13:56 Reggie's spiritual entry through suicidal depression.   20:48 The impact of inviting reality and the ungluing of the limited small ego.   24:00 The impact of releasing tension and relaxation on realization.  29:00 Differentiating habit body from wisdom body 36:00 Three yana answer on time and Chogyam Trungpa's advice on regular practice.  41:00 Suggestions on maintaining and improving one's meditation practice over time, daily and longer retreats.   48:00 Relationship, the sacred other and love being born through letting go.   55:00 Reggie's journey of marriage   57:00 Tools to support challenging relational moments.  59:00 Reggie's motivation for his new book in process.    Links: Reggie Ray: https://www.dharmaocean.org/dr-reginald-ray/ Podcast/Olivia: https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts Enjoy these episodes? Please leave a review here. Scroll down to Review & Ratings. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-liberation/id1393858607  

In this episode I host a dialogue between Dr Ian Wickramasekera, Bön Buddhist practitioner and professor at Naropa University, and Julia Shannon, trainee clinical psychotherapist and researcher. In the first part of this interview, Dr Ian discusses his current thinking on what the traditions of Dzogchen and Western hypnosis can learn from each other, challenges Herbert Benson's relaxation response theory of meditation, and questions dualistic frameworks in science and experimental psychology. Then, Dr Ian and Julia dialogue about the prevalence of mental illness and regressive coping in Buddhist meditators, the personality types of religious mystics, and Julia's own experience using hypnosis to cure her phone addiction Dr Ian and Julia also consider the implications of teaching advanced Buddhist meditation methods in a clinical setting, including ethical issues and concerns about violating sacred vows, and they discuss their experiences of personal identity and professional life as biracial adults in America. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep178-buddhist-meditation-hypnosis-dzogchen-dr-ian-wickramasekera-julia-shannon 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … 01:26 - Dzogchen and hypnosis 05:37 - Going beyond dualism in science 06:19 - Crisis in clinical psychology 09:37 - Suffering & serotonin 20:01 - Dzogchen philosophy in clinical hypnosis 22:14 - Invalidating Herbert Benson's relaxation response theory of meditation 29:08 - What really brings cessation of suffering 30:14 - Aestheticism is needed in science 32:05 - Specific Dzogchen practices and hypnotic hallucinations 36:31 - A daily practice of hypnosis 40:01 - What science can offer Dzogchen 46:45 - Julia's background 49:05 - Overcoming phone addiction via hypnosis 52:08 - Hypnotic trance vs meditative states 53:46 - Stigmata of hypnosis and meditation 57:56 - High hypnotisable people and the prevalence to mystical experience 01:01:10 - Ronald J. Pekal's Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) 01:03:15 - Myth of meditation brain states such as alpha 01:07:23 - Bringing Buddhist practice into clinical practice 01:08:53 - Mental illness in religious practitioners 01:10:44 - Repressive coping in tummo meditators 01:23:02 - Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and finding one's innate experience 01:25:06 - Presenting completion stage practices in a secular context 01:29:20 - Trekchod and togyal vs post-hypnotic suggestion 01:31:23 - Which Buddhist practices Dr Ian gives to his patients 01:33:32 - Experimental vs clinical psychology 01:34:41 - Does teaching Buddhist practice to non-Buddhists break Samaya? 01:38:03 - Hypnotising Dzogchen practitioners 01:39:49 - Counselling dissatisfied Buddhists 01:41:33 - Nervousness about teaching Dzogchen and Vajrayana 01:43:02 - The importance of devotion 01:45:08 - Training clinicians and counsellors 01:50:38 - Dr Ian asks Julia about her experience being hypnotised 01:54:14 - Catharsis, clinging, and the battle of addiction 01:56:19 - Executive ego and skepticism 01:57:19 - Pointing out instructions and polypsychic therapy 02:01:32 - Rapid behaviour change and eschatological pressure 02:03:15 - Race, empathy, and therapeutic efficacy 02:10:33 - Integrating dualistic racial identities 02:12:08 - Identity dimensions of the therapist 02:16:22 - Chogyam Trungpa and reconciling racial identity 02:24:23 - Role-taking theory and hallucinated intensity 02:29:26 - Myths of hypnosis and the role of expectancy … Previous episodes with Dr Ian Wickramasekera: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=wickramasekera To find our more about Dr Ian Wickramasekera, visit: - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ian_Wickramasekera2 - https://www.naropa.edu/faculty/ian-wickramasekera.php For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Tử Thư Tây Tạng là cuốn kinh thư cổ điển của Phật giáo Tây Tạng – theo truyền thống được đọc to cho người chết để giúp họ đạt được giải thoát – chết và tái sanh được xem như quá trình chuẩn bị cho một cơ hội để nhận diện bản tánh đích thực của tâm. Bản dịch này của Tử thư Tây tạng nhấn mạnh lời khuyên thiết thực rằng cuốn sách này là dành cho người sống. Lời bình giảng sâu sắc của Chogyam Trungpa, được viết rõ ràng, ngôn ngữ súc tích, giải thích những gì mà bản văn đã chỉ dạy cho chúng ta về tâm lí con người… --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/taosins/message

Andrew Sweeny looks at The Dawn of Tantra by Herbert V. Guenther and Chögyam Trungpa. A basic introduction to classical Buddhist tantra and its practices and philosophies; how it can be practised and understood in the west—and how it differs from Sutra , paganism and Neo tantra.What is Parallax Sangha? Parallax Sangha is a digital classroom and living community dedicated to studying, practising, and contemplating matters of the soul and psyche. We are a network of friends, writers, teachers, and podcasters offering online study circles, classes, as well as offline events all over Europe. Apply for parallax sangha here: https://parallax-media.eu/parallax-sangha --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/podcast-c709ee4/message

My guest today is Andrew Safer, Andrew is a mindfulness instructor and trainer, his 5-minute meeting with the great Zen master Suzuki Roshi in 1968, inspired him to become a practitioner for the last 53 years. Andrew has been inspired for a lifetime! Several years later, he began practicing and studying in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition with the meditation master Chogyam Trungpa. Andrew became an authorized meditation instructor after completing training with Shambhala International in Halifax in 1993, and, in 2010, began presenting mindfulness workshops through the Family Life Bureau, Archdiocese of St. John's. He has developed and implemented applied mindfulness programs for anxiety and stress, depression, suicidal thoughts, and addictions, as well as for inmates, youth, and the workplace. Andrew has been leading a weekly meditation group since the Spring of 2011, and leads weekend meditation retreats in the Fall and Winter, and a week-long silent retreat in the Summer. He is a member of the faculty of the Atlantic Contemplative Centre in Halifax. In 2017, Andrew received the “Hope” award from Consumer Health Awareness Network of Newfoundland and Labrador (CHANNAL). He partners on mindfulness projects with: Canadian Mental Health Association—Newfoundland and Labrador, Memorial University (Dr. Janna Rosales, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science), and Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador. Andrew's book, Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Wellness, was published in 2018. He is the founder of Safer Mindfulness, Inc. Andrew has conducted mindfulness training workshops for groups ranging from inmates of Her Majesty's Penitentiary to police officers and civilians with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, to managers of a regional health authority. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and leave a short review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen? It takes less than 60 seconds and it really helps. If you enjoyed this episode buy me a cup of coffee, make it a large: I'm trying to keep this episode free of advertisements and could use your help with the cost of bringing your this fun and entertaining podcast. Anything you can donate to the cause is greatly appreciated. To donate go to: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/sifuRafael Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coaching-call/id1546026323 Please leave a star rating and a review here Follow Coaching Call: Facebook: facebook.com/coachingcall Instagram: instagram.com/coachingcall Email: maxfitness@optonline.net LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maxfitness Youtube: https://bit.ly/coachingcallYoutube to watch the full interview. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coachingcall/message

Get early access to our latest psychology lectures: bit.ly/new-talks5 We all experience suffering and confusion that we intuitively know to be unnecessary. We also experience moments of openness and inherent well being. Western psychotherapy focuses on the relief which comes as we bring our young out-of-date strategies of self-care into our more current adult capacities and realities. We discover that feelings such as fear, grief, rage, and powerlessness that were in fact overwhelming to us as children can now be acknowledged and experienced as adults. Buddhism asserts that our most basic and intimate experience is that of openness – always present but usually out of our conscious experience. Rather than “what” we are experiencing, we investigate “how we are relating” to what we experience. Engaging from open awareness, we find no evidence of problems or division. We discover that we are always living in a never resolvable stream of thoughts, feelings, and sensations because we are always and only living in our immediate experience. We will probably engage most skillfully in our lives if we train ourselves to be conscious, embodied and kind to this endless display. Therapy invites us to come out of our identification with our conditioned history. Buddhism invites us to come out of any drama about a personal identity. Both approaches have benefits and limitations. Together, as an on-going dialogue, they offer a powerful potential for less unnecessary suffering and for greater freedom. -- Bruce Tift, MA, LMFT, has been in private practice since 1979, taught at Naropa University for twenty-five years, worked in a psychiatric ward and as a family therapist with social services, and has given presentations in the United States, Mexico, and Japan. In his twenties he traveled for two years by motorcycle in Europe, North Africa, and overland to India and Nepal. He has worked as a laborer, clerk, postal worker, longshoreman, painter, school bus driver, paper mill worker, miner, and truck driver. He and his wife, Reva, are now empty-nesters living in Boulder, Colorado. A practitioner of Vajrayana Buddhism for more than forty years, he had the good fortune to be a student of Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, and to meet a number of realized teachers. -- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Bruce Tift's website: http://www.brucetift.com - Bruce Tift's books: https://amzn.to/30ijdWV

Dr Evan Thompson is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia an Associate Member of the Department of Asian Studies and the Department of Psychology, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
 Evan recounts his upbringing in his father's intentional community, the Lindisfarne Association, and shares stories of childhood encounters with teachers of Zen, Sufism, Tibetan Buddhism, Yoga, and more. Evan traces his intellectual and academic trajectories, and reflects on the problems of community dynamics and religious perennialism that his father's community faced. Evan then outlines his critique of what he calls ‘Buddhist Exceptionalism', as laid out in his book ‘Why I Am Not A Buddhist'. As part of this critique, Evan addresses subjects such as why Buddhism is not a science of the mind (or of anything else), why presentations of the historical Buddha used by figures such as Goenka are a useful fiction, the problems of borrowing the authority of science for the purposes of Buddhist evangelism, and the surprising influence of Protestantism on Buddhism's development in Asia. Evan also reflects on the future of Buddhism and explores the question, ‘what is enlightenment?'. … Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/158-why-i-am-not-a-buddhist-evan-thompson 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:23 - Evan's upbringing in his father's intentional community 06:38 - Exposure to Zen via Richard Baker Roshi 09:34 - Zen takeover of the Lindisfarne Association 11:13 - Childhood encounters with Buddhist, Sufi, Yoga, and Christian teachers 14:29 - Evan's distaste for Chogyam Trungpa's scene 16:48 - Fractious community dynamics and the Zen takeover 21:19 - Problems of perennialism 25:03 - An ecology of mysticism 26:32 - Religious superiority 28:18 - Evan's intellectual development and academic trajectory 35:36 - Buddhist exceptionalism and the Mind & Life Institute 41:20 - What is Buddhist modernism 44:065 - Evan's misgivings about Buddhist exceptionalism 47:37 - Evan summarises his critique 49:21 - Reactions from colleagues 54:44 - Why do elite academics engage in Buddhist apologetics? 56:58 - Goenka's useful fiction of the historical Buddha 01:01:09 - B Alan Wallace and religious vs academic register 01:04:19 - Exceptionalism as evangelism and exhortation 01:05:20 - The core philosophical engine of Buddhism 01:07:41 - Buddhism is not scientific 01:10:56 - Personal experience and ‘test and see' 01:15:59 - Is Buddhist philosophy uniquely rich? 01:21:12 - What is enlightenment? 01:25:00 - Awakening as a regulative ideal 01:27:20 - What counts as the experience of awakening? 01:32:28 - Protestant Christianity's surprising influence on Buddhism in Asia 01:40:23 - What would convert Evan to Buddhism 01:42:22 - Exceptionalism harms Buddhism and science … To find out more about Evan Thompson, visit: - https://evanthompson.me/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Samuel Bercholz is the Founder and Editor In Chief of the legendary Shambhala Publications, original publisher of an entire library of spiritual classics by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Pema Chödron, Shunryu Suzuki, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche (to name a few), and was an early student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's. Samuel is the genuine article mover and shaker of the early Buddhist scene in the US, and what George Martin was for The Beatles, Samuel has been for the Dharma flourishing in the West (though you'll hear he considers himself more of a Forest Gump). You'll hear the unbelievable stories of Samuel as an 18 year old co-hosting a weekly San Francisco based radio show with legendary Zen philosopher Alan Watts called "Adventures In Consciousness", and the last epic hang Chögyam Trungpa had with Alan Watts on the day Alan died. Samuel then blows Jaymee's mind by describing Chogyam Trungpa needing to perform an exorcism for Alan Watts a month later, claiming Alan "doesn't know he is dead" and "is stuck" in the bardo. You'll hear about Samuel's friendship with legendary clandestine chemist Owsley Stanley in San Francisco, who synthesized a drug that left Samuel high for two weeks straight. As if this isn't enough, Samuel has flatlined twice in his life, and in his most recent book "A Guided Tour Of Hell" (as well as on this podcast), Samuel shares the gory details of his experience, what he describes as feeling like an eternity in a hell realm, followed by the surprising pain of returning to his body ("leaving is easy; coming back is incredibly painful"). Stacks of Shambhala books have changed Jaymee's life over the past decade, so this episode was truly a high point of Jaymee's life, living vicariously through one of the most captivating figures in the history of American publishing. Shambhala Publications: www.shambhala.com "A Guided Tour Of Hell" book: https://bit.ly/3awDjlm Steve Buscemi and Sam Bercholz discuss "A Guided Tour In Hell": https://vimeo.com/217433321 LOVE IS THE AUTHOR: produced, edited, and hosted by Jaymee Carpenter. MANAGEMENT: Lacee Dilmore  - lacee@loveistheauthor.com Follow us on Instagram: @loveistheauthor

Join Xandra as she dives into dissecting the concept of "Spiritual Materialism" (coined by Chogyam Trungpa) and the popular term "Spiritual Bypassing" (coined by John Welwood). As she untangles these topics, she helps you explore a way of honoring your spiritual path through true embodiment and emotional connection, while also bringing in deep wisdom and research made popular by author and researcher, Brené Brown. 

Welcome to Part 2 of “The Practice and Practicality of Mindfulness”, Episode #72 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast series about conscious communication and conflict transformation. Last week, in Part 1, I spoke with Andrew Safer, founder of Safer Mindfulness Inc. He walked us through a brief mindfulness exercise, and shared some insights into the practice of mindfulness, and additional ways that mindfulness can benefit our lives.Today, Andrew and I will pick up our conversation where we left off last week. At that point, we were talking how to approach our anxiety from a mindful perspective. Andrew will tell us more about the practice of mindfulness, including how we can apply mindfulness when we are experiencing difficult emotions, in times of crisis, and even as a tool for suicide prevention.  He will also talk about mindful listening and describe a mindful listening exercise for which he designed a mindful listening worksheet which you can find at: safermindfulness.com/mindful-listening. Before I continue my conversation with Andrew, I will take you through a brief mindfulness exercise that I wrote for my Conscious Leadership class, which I call “Opening the Present”. The title of this exercise was inspired by a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, which says: “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present.” This exercise is designed to bring our awareness to the moment we are in, and to what we want to create in the coming moments. You will find it useful to bring mindfulness to your approach to a situation about which you are feeling tension, fear or anxiety, such as a difficult conversation or a conflict. During this exercise, there will be periods of silence. There's nothing wrong with the recording, it's simply for the purpose of the exercise. If you would like an audio clip or a copy of the text of this exercise, contact me via my website: bridgesofpeace.com Andrew Safer is a mindfulness instructor and trainer, program developer, workshop facilitator, and author. Andrew began practicing mindfulness in the Zen tradition 53 years ago, and pivoted to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition after meeting the meditation master cho·gee·uhm truhng·puh (Chogyam Trungpa). From his home in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, he specializes in developing and implementing applied mindfulness programs for mental health and addictions, and for the workplace. Andrew is offering a complimentary 30-minute mindfulness instruction session to listeners of this podcast. You can harvest this opportunity by going to: safermindfulness.com/podcast-listeners. Recently, he piloted Suicide Prevention Through Mindfulness Training with Canadian Mental Health Association—Newfoundland and Labrador. His book, Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Wellness, was published in 2018, and can be found on Amazon. You can learn more about Andrew and his work at www.safermindfulness.com. 

Welcome to Part 1 of “The Practice and Practicality of Mindfulness”, Episode #71 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast series about conscious communication and conflict transformation. I've spoken about mindfulness and some of its many applications several times in this podcast – as a tool for conscious communication, conflict prevention, and conflict transformation. Andrew Safer, founder of Safer Mindfulness Inc., is with me today to walk us through a brief mindfulness exercise, and share some insights into the practice of mindfulness, and additional ways that mindfulness can benefit our lives. In the conversation you are about to hear, Andrew will take us through a brief mindfulness exercise. During the exercise, there will be periods of silence. There's nothing wrong with the recording, it's simply for the purpose of the exercise.Andrew Safer is a mindfulness instructor and trainer, program developer, workshop facilitator, and author. Andrew began practicing mindfulness in the Zen tradition 53 years ago, and pivoted to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition after meeting the meditation master Chogyam Trungpa. From his home in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, he specializes in developing and implementing applied mindfulness programs for mental health and addictions, and for the workplace. Recently, he piloted Suicide Prevention Through Mindfulness Training with Canadian Mental Health Association—Newfoundland and Labrador. His book, Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Wellness, was published in 2018, and can be found on Amazon.Join me next week for Part 2 of “The Practice and Practicality of Mindfulness”, when I will lead you through a short mindfulness exercise that I wrote for my Conscious Leadership class, and Andrew will tell us more about the practice of mindfulness, including mindful listening and how we can use mindfulness practice to support us in times of crisis, and even as a tool for suicide prevention.In the meantime, you can learn more about Andrew and his work at www.safermindfulness.com. Andrew is offering a complimentary 30-minute mindfulness instruction session to listeners of this podcast. You can harvest this opportunity by going to: safermindfulness.com/podcast-listeners. Andrew has also provided a worksheet on mindful listening, which you can find at: safermindfulness.com/mindful-listening.

Neil McKinlay's sources of support and inspiration in this work have been many. The writings of Shunryu Suzuki and Chogyam Trungpa. The City Retreat teachings of Pema Chodron. A long apprenticeship with Reggie Ray. The manipulative dynamics of this last relationship have also been impactful, impressing on me the need for humility, integrity, and respect in sharing these practices, and motivating this video update.As a teacher, Neil has had the privilege of leading both short- and long-term events online and in-person. He has been able to explore the teachings and practices of embodied meditation with small groups near his home in the Pacific Northwest and larger groups around the globe. In doing so, he is certain he's learned much more than he's taught.He has also been a parent and partner, author and competitive swim coach. Each of these roles has, in their own way, shown him that meditation specifically and spirituality more generally, is not something to be left on the cushion or stored in the shrine room. This work lives and breathes and thrives when it is brought into the world, allowed to touch and be touched by the stuff of everyday life.Website: https://neilmckinlay.com/

After moving to Karme Choling, the dharma center in Barnet, Vermont, Una's nightmare of being known as a Buddhist to strangers becomes a living reality at school. Unable and unwilling to make friends her own age, she experiences a series of adult relationships, some are good, others prove to be confusing. At the center of it all is Trungpa Rinpoche.

Una attends a garden party for the teenagers with Trungpa Rinpoche at Kalapa Court, Trungpa Rinpoche's home.  *This episode contains sexual abuse and may be upsetting or offensive. Please take care of yourself. 

As I continue my series of interviews with the "Psychedelic Elders" with Wisconsin-based psychologist, Dr. Allan Ajaya.Allan received his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley. He followed this with a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, in the Psychiatry Department.Early experiences with psychedelics led him to discover how transcendent experiences can free one from identifying with his contracted personality. He reports having taken over 150μg of LSD on more than 900 occasions, and once accidentally ingested a mega-mega-dose of 5,000μg (Warning: do NOT try this at home).However, he discovered that the ability to see beneath the veneer of consensual reality, to the archetypal realm, and to experience the underlying unity of all that exists, using psychedelics (even very large doses) is short lived.He turned toward spiritual practices as a way of remaining in transpersonal awareness. He studied with with Eastern spiritual teachers, notably, Chogyam Trungpa, Swami Satchidananda, and Swami Rama. He was initiated as a swami on the banks of the Ganges, in Rishikesh, India. For the next twenty years he periodically travelled to India, for further study, to teach, and to deepen his meditation.Allan is also a mentor for professionals who are learning to be psychedelic therapists. He is interested in how entheogens (another word for psychedelics), psychotherapy, and self-inquiry compliment one another in opening us to the intelligence that manifest as all that is. He is author of Healing the Whole Person and Yoga Psychology: A Practical Guide to Meditation. Go to BeingAwareness.org for a full list of Allan's books and to contact him.

As I continue my series of interviews with the "Psychedelic Elders" with Wisconsin-based psychologist, Dr. Allan Ajaya.Allan received his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley. He followed this with a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, in the Psychiatry Department.Early experiences with psychedelics led him to discover how transcendent experiences can free one from identifying with his contracted personality. He reports having taken over 150μg of LSD on more than 900 occasions, and once accidentally ingested a mega-mega-dose of 5,000μg (Warning: do NOT try this at home).However, he discovered that the ability to see beneath the veneer of consensual reality, to the archetypal realm, and to experience the underlying unity of all that exists, using psychedelics (even very large doses) is short lived.He turned toward spiritual practices as a way of remaining in transpersonal awareness. He studied with with Eastern spiritual teachers, notably, Chogyam Trungpa, Swami Satchidananda, and Swami Rama. He was initiated as a swami on the banks of the Ganges, in Rishikesh, India. For the next twenty years he periodically travelled to India, for further study, to teach, and to deepen his meditation.Allan is also a mentor for professionals who are learning to be psychedelic therapists. He is interested in how entheogens (another word for psychedelics), psychotherapy, and self-inquiry compliment one another in opening us to the intelligence that manifest as all that is. He is author of Healing the Whole Person and Yoga Psychology: A Practical Guide to Meditation. Go to BeingAwareness.org for a full list of Allan's books and to contact him.

In this interview with Jillian Sarkady, we discuss the book titled Mindfulness in Action, Making Friends with Yourself through Meditation and Everyday Awareness (2013) by Chogyam Trungpa, edited by Carolyn Rose Gimian.  This is a book about meditation and how the meditative qualities of mindfulness and awareness influence our everyday lives. In our hyperconnected world, many individuals report feeling disconnected.  Many have discovered that meditation offers them a down-to-earth yet immediate way to connect with themselves.  This book is a book about mindfulness and its application in the context of our whole life.  Meditation is a tool for developing mindfulness.  It is a book for people who want to explore mindfulness through the practice of meditation and also apply meditative insight in their lives. Chogyam Trungpa was a meditation teacher, originally from Tibet, who in the 60s, 70s, and 80s taught in Great Britain, Canada and the U.S.  He taught in a profoundly heartfelt way that still resonates today.  He shows us that mindfulness and meditation are worthwhile disciplines and that they work.  The practice of meditation works with us and on us, making us more available to ourselves and others.  The practice is demanding, it can be challenging, it shows us the truth of who we are, but that is all part of the beauty of human life. Jillian was introduced to the wisdom and teachings of Chogyam Trungpa in the late 70s.  His teachings have taught her how to be a kinder person and they have shown her how to live within the profundity of her experience with sanity and compassion.  Source:  Editor's Preface, Mindfulness in Action (2013).To contact Jillian:  email me and I will put you in touch - plantsroc@gmail.com.  Book references:  Taming the Mind and Walking the Bodhisattva Path by Sakyong MiphamThe Wisdom of No Escape: And the Path of Loving Kindness by Pema ChodrenMeditation in Action by Chogyam Trungpa 

Join me as I read from Part One of the book Mindfulness in Action, Making Friends with Yourself through Meditation and Everyday Awareness (2013) by Chogyam Trungpa, edited by Carolyn Rose Gimian.  This is a book about meditation and how the meditative qualities of mindfulness and awareness influence our everyday lives.  Part One is titled "Making Friends with Yourself" and the following chapters are included in my reading:  Meditation:  An Intimate Relationship with OurselvesDiscovering Our Capacity to LoveHow to MeditateIn our hyperconnected world, many individuals report feeling disconnected.  Many have discovered that meditation offers them a down-to-earth yet immediate way to connect with themselves.  This book is a book about mindfulness and its application in the context of our whole life.  Meditation is a tool for developing mindfulness.  It is a book for people who want to explore mindfulness through the practice of meditation and also apply meditative insight in their lives.  Part One of the book introduces the practice, connecting it with a sense of heart and with experiences of gentleness, clarity, a positive experience of aloneness, and the discovery of compassion.  Chogyam Trungpa was a meditation teacher, originally from Tibet, who in the 60s, 70s, and 80s taught in Great Britain, Canada and the U.S.  He taught in a profoundly heartfelt way that still resonates today.  He shows us that mindfulness and meditation are worthwhile disciplines and that they work.  The practice of meditation works with us and on us, making us more available to ourselves and to others.  The practice is demanding, it can be challenging, it shows us the truth of who we are, but that is all part of the beauty of human life.  Source:  Editor's Preface, Mindfulness in Action (2013).

Host, Christopher Miller shares Harold Rosenberg's concept of Action Painting with Painter, Sumi-e Painter, and Collagist Randy Padorr-Black. Padorr-Black details his understanding of the timeless state of flow, a portal between two zones, time-space and no time-space where intuition creeps into his creative work. He explains that when an artist creates in that space, they create a “portal piece.”The conversation includes the importance of the meditative state in the creative process. Padorr-Black shares being inspired by Chogyam Trungpa's book, “Meditation in Action,” and Zen Buddhism, when he was young. He explains how abstract expressionism and Sumi-e painting help him move through fear and unblock his mind.For more information on Randy Padorr-Black, see his work at www.saatchiart.com/account/artworks/1171775.

Rebecca Sabine's credits include playing concertmaster for many famous entertainers, including Frank Sinatra, Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, and most recently, Hugh Jackman and Weird Al Yankovic.  She is a Violin 1 member of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, the Oregon Coast Music Festival under Maestro James Paul and just completed an 8-year engagement with Celine Dion. For over past three years, Rebecca has presented her Violin Heart Awakening meditation programs as a wellness team member at the Red Rock Spa and the Stillpoint Center for Spiritual Development in Las Vegas.  She is a featured artist on Pandora Internet Radio with airplay of her CD, Sea of Light, composed by Aaron Ramsey, Her music and meditations are published on the Insight Timer app, where she was recently recognized as Staff Pick on their home page with over 7000 meditators listening worldwide in 2019.  For more Information, visit: Rebecca's Website: http://rebeccasabine.com/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/violinsoundhealings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/violinsoundhealings/ Musical Offerings: http://rebeccasabine.com/hear-the-music/ Harmonic Retreats held every Saturday and Sunday at Red Rock Spa in Las Vegas: https://www.rr-spa.com/events/group-experiences/ Insight Timer Profile: @violinwhisperer Referenced David Eby Interview Books: Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahansa Yogananda Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, by Chogyam Trungpa

Smile at Fear by Chogyam Trungpa teaches the ways of the warrior. How to be fearless. In this episode I share key points from the book, how fearlessness works in our lives, and why non of it matters anyways.To read the shorter blog post version of this episode READ NOWApply for Krash Course In Transformation APPLY NOW

Tonglen Part II: Three Stages of Tonglen practice Tonglen is a Buddhist practice that is all about softening, opening, and expanding our hearts, specifically around pain. Usually, when painful circumstances arise, our heart tends to close and we "run away" from the pain/suffering that we are feeling. This can be personal pain, empathetic pain for others, or broader earthly pain. Although closing our heart is done as "protection," it ultimately only brings more suffering to our front door, sometimes even the back door too! Conversely, we habitually want to hold onto what is pleasurable, joyful, and comfortable. We don't want to let go! This creates more suffering too. Pema Chodron, notorious student of my fave OG teacher Chogyam Trungpa, details the regarding the three stages of tonglen practice: a moment of "not being caught up," breathing in, and breathing out, in a clip that she recorded at a meditation retreat from 1999. She simply states that the three word explanation of tonglen is "Dissolving the barriers," and we all could use a little, if not a lot, of dissolution of our separateness of others and the world -- and this dissolving begins with expanding our hearts! The bonus episode that was also posted this week is a guided tonglen meditation from Pema Chodron. Thanks 4 listening and being YOU! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/at-peace-warriors/support

Tonglen is a Buddhist practice that is all about softening, opening, and expanding our hearts, specifically around pain. Usually, when painful circumstances arise, our heart tends to close and we "run away" from the pain/suffering that we are feeling. This can be personal pain, empathetic pain for others, or broader earthly pain. Although closing our heart is done as "protection," it ultimately only brings more suffering to our front door, sometimes even the back door too! Conversely, we habitually want to hold onto what is pleasurable, joyful, and comfortable. We don't want to let go! This creates more suffering too. Pema Chodron, notorious student of my fave OG teacher Chogyam Trungpa, details the intention and instructions behind practicing tonglen in a clip that she recorded at a meditation retreat from 1999. She simply states that the three word explanation of tonglen is "Dissolving the barriers," and we all could use a little, if not a lot, of dissolution of our separateness of others and the world -- and this dissolving begins with expanding our hearts! Look out for next week's episode that will also explore the practice of tonglen and also a bonus episode with a guided tonglen meditation faciliated by Pema Chodron. Thanks 4 listening & being you! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/at-peace-warriors/support

This week, I found myself doing something I hadn't done in a while: meditating.   I felt called in my meditation to revisit a book I had once loved; Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa. I bought this book from the Shambhala Center in Boston where I first learned meditation almost 7 years ago.   In this episode, I discuss: -A brief intro to the context and content of Shambhala, which is a secular spiritual practice with its roots in Tibet -A big question that has been on my mind: “How do I have compassion for myself knowing I benefit from systems of oppression? How do I find compassion for all living beings knowing that some of those beings are violent bigots?” -My memories of learning to meditate and what meditation means to me -Some of my favorite excerpts from The Sacred Path of the Warrior   If you would like to go deeper into The Sacred Path of the Warriro, there is a free pdf available of the book here: https://7chan.org/lit/src/Shambhala;The_Sacred_Path_of_the_Warrior_by_Chogya.pdf   If you are curious about my Mentorship Program and want to discuss the opportunity before prices go up in 2019, go to www.annajoyhealing.com/mentorship or contact me at annajoy@annajoyhealing.com   To support the podcast financially, go to www.patreon.com/thequeerwitch to become a Patron or visit www.thequeerwitch.com to make a one-time donation   Find me on instagram @thequeerwitch Join the Facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thequeerwitch/

My guest today is holistic nutritionist and extremely advanced soul, Sah D'Simone. You'll be hard pressed to find a more genuine and authentic spiritual seeker than Sah. Also, if you're interested in nutrition and health for the mind/body/soul Sah is available for consults and sessions. Sah is incredibly awesome and I encourage you to learn more about him on his website http://sahdsimone.com. This is a short episode post today because I just had a baby (well, technically my wife Alexis did) so my life is insane right now. That said, enjoy the episode! Be sure to subscribe to Synchronicity if you haven't already. Oh yeah and this week's book giveaway is "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism" by Chogyam Trungpa. Join the Synchronicity Community and you're automatically entered in each weeks book giveaway contest. 

Back from the mini-hiatus with a bang. My guest today is musician, author and Dharma teacher, David Nichtern. David was a student of one of my favorite Buddhist teachers, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and continues to teach in the Shambhala tradition. David's also an accomplished composer, producer and guitarist – a four-time Emmy winner and a two-time Grammy nominee. He's the founder of Dharma Moon and 5 Points Records. David has recorded and played with Stevie Wonder, Jerry Garcia, Lana Del Rey, Maria Muldaur, Paul Simon and many others. Bonus fact: he's also been a lifelong (literally) friend of Christopher Guest. David and I discuss a whole lot of stuff in this episode including the concepts of idiot compassion, right livelihood, spiritual materialism, relationships and the connection between music and Buddhism. I also reference a podcast David did with comedian Pete Holmes on Pete's podcast, "You Made it Weird." You can check that out here. David also happens to be an extremely pleasant and fun guy to talk with. Some cool things were mentioned in this episode which I'm sharing below. Enjoy! Subscribe to Synchronicity here.       "Memories of Summer as a Child" on iTunes "The Profound Treasury of Ocean of Dharma" by Chogyam Trungpa and Judith Lief Books by Alberto Villoldo I also signed up for David's course, "Creativity, Spirituality and Making a Buck" which you'll hear us discuss in this episode. Check it out if it sounds interesting.