Podcasts about Buddhism

This talk was recorded at the Radical Kindness New Year's Retreat 12/28/25 - 1/2/26 in Bay St. Louis, MS.Mikey Noechel offers the 2nd morning instructions on metta or loving kindness meditation. Enjoy! Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

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.

Ajahn Brahm tells stories about how to turn suffering into wisdom, including a story about Patacara, a famous figure in Buddhism. Support us on https://ko-fi.com/thebuddhistsocietyofwa BSWA teachings are available: BSWA Teachings BSWA Podcast Channel BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel BSWA YouTube  

Drawing on the teaching “Appreciate Your Life” from Taizan Maezumi Roshi, Jomon weaves together the Zen story of Gensha with the lives and insights of Carl Rogers, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Marsha Linehan, showing how trust in direct experience, mindful presence, and compassion reveal the same truth across traditions. Through breath, awareness, and the courage to meet life as it is, she points to a lived understanding that this very life is the life of Buddha, that each moment is complete, and that learning to rest in “this is it” allows gratitude, healing, and confidence in our own true nature to naturally arise. This talk was given at the Plum Blossom Zendo in Vancouver, WA. ★ Support this podcast ★

Joseph Aguilar, of Leavenworth, Kansas, set out on a personal journey to find a life philosophy that met three specific conditions. Through that process, they uncovered their true self and found the courage to undo years of repression. Watch today's episode on our YouTube channel References: “Reply to Kyo'o,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 412.

Episode 0944 - Buddha-Dhamma & the Law of One, I (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Introductory comments with Matt Owens on the new series correlating Pali Canon Buddha-Dhamma (Early Buddhism) & the RA Material (Law of One series). Our personal process & motivation for study & practice, with initial comments on cosmic structure, evolution/work (soteriology), karmic

Episode 0945 - Buddha-Dhamma & the Law of One, II (10 Fetters/7 Rays) (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) In-depth correlation between Pali Canon Buddha-Dhamma (Early Buddhism) with the RA Material (Law of One series), in regards to 10 Fetters (Path) with 7 Rays (Cosmology).Additional references from Advaita Vedanta, core Taoism, transpersonal psychology, and Christian &

In this talk on the Faith in Mind chant, Jogen explores acceptance, frictionlessness, and the deeper wisdom that lives beneath ordinary discriminating thought. He reflects on how suffering arises from clinging to opinions, identities, and habitual stances, and how Zen practice reveals a naturally fluid, responsive mind that does not grind against experience. Pointing to prajna—intelligence before thought—he invites us to trust the heart-mind that meets each moment freshly, allowing action and understanding to arise from the bare ground of presence rather than from fear, preconception, or self-doubt. This talk was given at Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple on December 17 2025. ★ Support this podcast ★

https://www.djfrankdelour.com/BioWith his new single “AYA,” DJ Frank Delour delivers a compelling Afro House release built for dance floors worldwide. Layered conga rhythms, warm keyboard chords, textured sound design, and soulful African vocals come together in an uplifting, peak-hour–ready track that stays true to Delour's signature sound. “AYA” follows a series of 2025 releases and reflects Delour's intention to close out the year on a high note. “I wanted a powerful record that was uplifting and still adhered to my style,” he says. “Something that could easily be the choice to rock the crowd during peak hours.” Living a distinctly cosmopolitan lifestyle, Delour performs exclusive dates across the globe—from Rome to St. Tropez while splitting his time between Miami Beach and New York City for luxury-market residencies and studio work. He is currently in the midst of a three-week residency at Papaya Playa Project in Tulum, Mexico, performing alongside artists such as Lee Burridge and Marten Lou. Since 2021, Delour has maintained an impressively prolific output, releasing more than 40 singles. At the core of Delour's music is an unmistakably positive energy, which he attributes to his conversion to Buddhism several years ago. “I had to step away from derogatory and misogynistic themes in certain genres if I was going to be true to what I was practicing,” he explains. Afro House became the perfect outlet—allowing him to create spiritually uplifting music aligned with his values. His goal is simple yet profound: to inspire. Delour hopes his tracks carry hope, healing, and positive energy qualities shaped by his own journey through struggle, resilience, and reinvention. Delour's career began in the 1990s, including a production deal with Island Records, followed by years as a sought-after collaborator producing and programming drums for major acts such as NSYNC. While major-label success brought financial rewards, it also came with creative compromises. Reflecting on his journey, Delour recently wrote on Instagram:“I have risen, fallen, risen again… reset, restarted, reinvented. Gotten opportunities, lost opportunities. Offered $1 million, lost the contract. Rejoiced, suffered, failed and tried again. My journey feels like an eternity of hills and valleys, but one thing stayed consistent: I kept going.” Now, with clarity earned through experience, Frank Delour is fully focused on his own artistic path. “Even though the monetary success of being part of a major label was great,” he says, “the most important thing for me right now is being able to hone in on my own vision answer to no one and do it my way, at my own pace.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/creator-to-creators-with-meosha-bean--4460322/support.

What do Buddhists believe happens after death? In this episode, we explore one of the most common and meaningful questions beginners ask about Buddhism. Rather than offering a single doctrine, Buddhism presents a clear process shaped by karma, mental habits, and the continuity of causes and conditions.You'll learn how different Buddhist traditions understand death, rebirth, and the transition between lives:Theravada: the importance of the final mind state, wholesome actions, and merit transferPure Land: the role of Amitābha Buddha, nianfo chanting, and rebirth in the Pure LandCh'an/Zen: clarity, non‑attachment, and approaching death as another moment of practiceTibetan Buddhism: the bardo teachings, phowa, and rituals that guide consciousnessWe also look at merit and merit dedication, why families generate merit for the deceased, and how these practices support a peaceful transition and favorable rebirth.Whether you're new to Buddhism or deepening your understanding, this episode offers a clear, compassionate guide to how Buddhists view death — and what these teachings reveal about living with wisdom and intention.Read the article: https://alanpeto.com/buddhism/understanding-reincarnation-rebirth/Contact Alan: alanpeto.com/contactPodcast Homepage: alanpeto.com/podcastPodcast Disclaimer: alanpeto.com/legal/podcast-disclaimer

This talk is part of a series reviewing the Four Noble Truths by April Koester, specifically focused on Right Mindfulness.  During the talk she reads sections of the Satipatthana Sutta, which translates as the Four Foundations of Mindfulness a key teaching within Buddhism.  Her comments are followed up by questions and comments from those attending the meeting. Here are the notes April prepared for the presentation, including access references regarding important articles and books that are organized around the Satipatthana Sutta:  Talk Notes_ Right Mindfulness as Strategic Agency (1)

What is Buddhism? How could it help your daily life? Is it a religion? And what does the statue we always see really represent? Jack Kornfield, one of the leading Buddhist teachers in America, introduces the basic principles behind Buddhism, discusses the steps involved in mindful living and offers practical tips on how to grow your own spiritual practice. His teachings begin with the idea that people are born whole and good, and that later, they can choose to turn back to their innate goodness. Jack also shares his best advice on how to stay in the now, quiet your thoughts and lead a truly awakened life. Jack trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma (now Myanmar). He has taught meditation internationally for decades and is one of the key people to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. His best-selling books, including "The Wise Heart," "Living Dharma" and "No Time Like the Present," have been translated into 20 languages. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A devout Filipino woman's daily prayers to her beloved green Buddha statue took an unexpected turn when a friend pointed out she'd been offering incense to the world's most famous animated ogre.READ or SHARE: https://weirddarkness.com/shrekbuddah/WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.#WeirdDarkness, #WeirdDarkNEWS, #Shrek, #Buddha, #ViralNews, #StrangeNews, #Philippines, #ReligiousMixUp, #FunnyStories, #InternetViral

In this episode, I talk to Andy Chaleff about his book Dying to Live, which explores our societal discomfort with death and how confronting mortality can lead to a more meaningful life. We discuss the "3 AM panic" of existential dread, the concept of "little deaths" as moments of letting go of identity and attachment, and the importance of "sitting with the question" rather than seeking definitive answers. Andy shares practical insights on how embracing uncertainty and practicing presence, even in difficult moments, can help us live more fully and authentically, transforming our relationship with life by accepting the inevitability of death.Explore more at eightfoldpath.com: full transcripts, guided meditations, courses, and Noah AI, an AI you can chat with about any episode or teaching. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comFind out how the future of AI could impact your retirement during Zach Abraham's free “New Year Reset” live webinar January 29th 3:30pm Pacific. Register at KnowYourRiskPodcast.com.Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/ToddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeYou Think MINNESOTA is Radicalized? // Pam Bondi is a Better Looking Patty Murray // The Democrat's Great, White Hope Is A Fake ChristianEpisode Links:WASHINGTON: GOOD NEWS- there are reports of ICE agents going door to door in Seattle and surrounding areas. Sarah Joy Brockschmidt AKA ‘Mossy Matriarch', appears to be inciting violence against ICE agents using Stand Your Ground laws. Sarah is aligned with ANTIFA…go figureTiktoker urges protesters in Seattle to ram ICE agents with their cars because no jury in liberal Washington will convict themSeattle jury acquits man of assault in connection to immigration arrestUndercover investigation into Antifa shows Seattle elementary school teachers are attending Antifa protests and are firebombing ICE with Molotov cocktails. Seattle elementary school teachers are handing out stickers and posters calling to kill ICE and the police. These elementary school teachers also hold “Anarchist book fairs” where they hand out “Stickers and posters with Molotov cocktails, call to kill ICE and calls to kill the police”. “You're saying there's teachers that go and teach elementary school and then at night they throw Molotov cocktails at a building?” “Oh yeah, 100%.”RFK Jr. to Sen. Murray: "You've presided here, I think for 32 years... What have you done about the epidemic of chronic disease?"Bill Clinton Chief Strategist Paul Begala: "Democrats haven't won a statewide race in 31 years in my beloved home state, I think Talarico can be the first."James Talarico: The miracle of Christianity is not the claim that Jesus is God. It's that God is Jesus. Jesus helps us understand the mystery. Someone who broke cultural norms, stood up for the vulnerable, and challenged religious authority. It leads you to challenge organized religion.@ezraklein: “Do you believe Christianity to be more true than other religions? .@jamestalarico: I believe Christianity points to the truth. I also think other religions of love point to the same truth. I've learned more about my tradition by learning more about Buddhism and Hinduism and Islam and Judaism. And so I see these beautiful faith traditions as circling the same trut about the universe, about the cosmos, and that truth is inherently a mystery.@jamestalarico : I think we should define what we mean by love. I'm not talking about a sentimental feeling. I believe love is a force as real as gravity. Scripture says that God is love. And I always think the question, ‘do you believe in God?‘ is such a strange one because to me, God is the ultimate reality — the ground of our being.  I think the question people are asking when they ask that is, ‘do you believe in love'?  And love to me is the most powerful thing in the universe

This talk was recorded at the Radical Kindness New Years Retreat 12/28/25 - 1/2/26 in Bay St. Louis, MS.Mikey Noechel offers the 1st afternoon instructions on training the attention to stay with a chosen object while maintaining an attitude of kindness. Enjoy!Upcoming Retreat: An Imperfect, Impersonal, Impermanent Meditation Retreat January 28th - February 1st in Sewanee, TN: https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/events/an-imperfect-impersonal-impermanent-meditation-retreat-with-mikey-livid-and-andrew-chapman Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

For episode 278, Sharon sits down with author and friend, Parvati Markus, the editor of the new Ram Dass book, “There is No Other: The Way to Harmony and Wholeness.” Parvati is a developmental editor who has been midwifing non-fiction books and memoirs since her first efforts with Ram Dass's classic Be Here Now. She serves on the Board of Advisors for the Love Serve Remember Foundation and has helped with many other spiritual organizations and events. Parvati is also the author of numerous books, including Whisper in the Heart and Love Everyone. This is Parvati's first appearance on the Metta Hour.In this conversation, Parvati and Sharon speak about:How Parvati found her pathMeeting Neem Karoli BabaRam Dass and Parvati's friendshipParvati's contribution to “Be Here Now”The inspiration for “There is No Other”Moving past “us” and “them”Balancing real life & spiritual lifeSubstituting noticing for judging Neem Karoli Baba's directive of serviceRam Dass learning to accept helpMoving from Role to SoulHow to be here now in times of difficultyCommunity as the future BuddhaJoseph Goldstein's fateful meeting with Ram DassWhat is Loving AwarenessRam Dass's final public appearanceThis episode closes with a guided meditation from Ram Dass that invites us to let go of the heaviness of confusion and our rigid models of who we are and how it is. Learn more about Parvati's many book projects right here and get yourself a copy of Ram Dass's new book “There is No Other” right here in hardcover, ebook and audiobook formats.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ajahn Brahm reflects on what drew him to Buddhism as a young man and discusses ways to inspire and engage younger generations today. Support us on https://ko-fi.com/thebuddhistsocietyofwa BSWA teachings are available: BSWA Teachings BSWA Podcast Channel BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel BSWA YouTube  

Send us a textIn this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I sit down with Steph Stampfer, a Catholic writer and podcaster living in Vienna, to share her powerful and honest journey to the Catholic faith. Steph's story moves through spiritual searching, travel, Eastern spirituality, New Age practices, and deep interior brokenness—before ultimately leading her home to Christ and the Catholic Church.This conversation is a testimony to the patience of God, the power of intercessory prayer, the role of Our Lady in conversion, and the beauty of simply sitting with Jesus and allowing Him to do the work.In This Episode, We Discuss:Growing up in Germany and early questions about love, belonging, and meaningSearching for truth through travel, Buddhism, and meditationLife in Berlin and immersion in New Age and esoteric spiritualityThe danger of blending spiritualities and creating a “custom” faithPsychedelic experiences and the reality of the spiritual worldHitting rock bottom and feeling deeply lostA providential move into the home of a faithful Catholic womanThe quiet power of the Rosary and intercessory prayerMarian consecration and the breaking of spiritual strongholdsEncountering Jesus as a Person—not an ideaHealing from loneliness, confusion, and interior unrestFalling in love with Scripture, the Eucharist, and adorationEmbracing the Catholic Church as homeLearning to let God work rather than striving on our ownWhy silence and time before the Lord changes everythingAbout the GuestSteph Stampfer lives in Vienna, Austria, where she works as a Catholic writer and hosts a podcast focused on sharing the faith boldly and without apology. Her work centers on authentic conversion, prayer, and helping others encounter Jesus Christ in a real and personal way.Episode Sponsor — TruthlyThis episode is sponsored by Truthly, the Catholic app that helps you reflect, learn, and share your faith with confidence.Start your free trial with code gottabesaints at Truthly's website: Truthly Support the show

A guided meditation on the preciousness of our next 24 hours alive and our unique place in the universe as science understands it: intelligent, self-aware beings at the end of 14 billion years' cosmic and biological evolution.Episode 5: Guided Meditation on The Preciousness of LifeThemes:Self-awarenessGratitudeStabilizing the breathHow to be happyLoving othersWatch this episode on our YouTube channelIf you'd like to practice with others and bring these ideas into your life, join our weekly meditation community with Scott.

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.

[This episode originally aired on March 28, 2023] Buddhism's emphasis on facing the reality of suffering could lead to the perception that the Buddhist path is only focused on what's wrong; but the Buddha also taught how to free ourselves from suffering  • facing the reality of suffering straightforwardly can actually be a tremendous relief  • when I first encountered Buddhist teachings, I never went to a talk where people didn't just burst into laughter from time to time  •  there was a sense that you could laugh and find humor and lightness, even when discussing the heaviest of topics  •  joy is an essential part of Buddhism; it is a hidden gift within the sometimes difficult discipline of meditation practice  •  but joy's twin is doubt—the doubt that we can do it  •  joy and doubt arise together and counterbalance each other  •  if we get carried away by the joy of discovery, we can lose our ground; but if we're just wallowing in doubt and distress all the time, we can begin to feel like giving up  •  so doubt arises as a kind of playful interruption; as we gradually begin to trust ourselves more, we become more grounded in a kind of quiet joy.

In this closing sesshin talk, Hogen reflects on faith not as belief, but as the lived courage to step into the unknown moment by moment. He speaks of karma as an unfolding stream, of practice as learning to trust the next step without grasping at outcomes, and of life's purpose as simply being fully alive in what is. Through images of walking, breathing, and letting go of fixed identity, he points to a deep confidence in the present moment and in the heart's aspiration, inviting us to meet the future with clarity, curiosity, and a faith grounded in direct experience. ★ Support this podcast ★

Before fully diving into 2026, the Krewe takes a minute (or 64) to reflect on Japan in 2025, recapping & remembering the good, the bad & the wacky. From the top news stories of 2025 to the year's biggest pop culture stand outs, this episode covers it all!------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, Threads: @kreweofjapanpodcast & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode!Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! Get your very own JAPAN BEAR SHELTER------ Past KOJ Episodes Referenced ------Crash Course in Japanese Politics ft. Tobias Harris of Japan Foresight (S6E13)Social Media & Perceptions of Japan (S6E8)Japanese Soccer on the World Stage ft. Dan Orlowitz (S6E5)Meet the J.League ft. Dan Orlowitz (S6E4)Expo 2025: Japan on the World Stage ft. Sachiko Yoshimura (S6E2)Checking Out Miyagi ft. Ryotaro Sakurai (Guest Host, William Woods) (S5E5)Thoughts on Godzilla Minus One ft. Dr. William (Bill) Tsutsui (S4Bonus)Visiting Themed Cafes in Japan ft. Chris Nilghe of TDR Explorer (S4E15)The Life of a Sumotori ft. 3-Time Grand Champion Konishiki Yasokichi (S4E10)Japan 2021: A Year in Review (S2E13)Japanese Theme Parks ft. TDR Explorer (S2E4)Greatest Anime of All-Time pt. 3: Modern Day Anime (2010-Present) (S1E18)Talking Sumo ft. Andrew Freud (S1E8)------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

A reading from Sharon's edited and author of Emergent Dharma (& go get the book!)Sharon A. Suh is Professor of Buddhism and Associate Dean for Faculty Scholarship and Strategic Initiatives at Seattle University. She is author of Being Buddhist in a Christian World: Gender and Community in a Korean American Temple (University of Washington Press, 2004), Silver Screen Buddha: Buddhism in Asian and Western Film (Bloomsbury Press, 2015), Occupy This Body: A Buddhist Memoir (Sumeru Press, 2019), and editor/author of Emergent Dharma: Asian American Feminist Buddhist on Practice, Identity, and Resistance. She serves as president of Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Womenwww.mindfuleatingmethod.com; @mindfuleatingmethod

This week is a little different. Late last year Craig Meriwether took me through a past life regression and in this episode Craig and I listen to the recording and discuss what happened.Are you curious about the mysteries of reincarnation and the healing potential of past life regression? This groundbreaking guide reveals profound insights into the soul's journey through time —drawing inspiration from the work of pioneering authors like Brian Weiss, Michael Newton, Dolores Cannon, and others.In The Past Lives Guidebook, you'll explore a transformative blend of science, neurobiology, spirituality, and real-life stories of healing through past life therapy. Inside, you'll discover:A deep dive into the core principles of past life regression and its power to support emotional, spiritual, and even physical healingHow various religious and spiritual traditions—including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and indigenous cultures—understand reincarnation, karma, and the soul's evolutionScientific insights from biology and neuroscience that reveal how past life experiences may influence current behaviors, emotions, and health issuesStep-by-step overview of how a past life regression session works, and how it can be used for self-discovery, healing, and personal transformationA fascinating look at future life exploration—and how glimpses of your possible futures can inform and empower your choices todayPast life regression is more than a tool for healing—it's a pathway to living with deeper purpose, clarity, and connection to your soul's wisdom.Whether you're seeking to uncover hidden memories, release emotional wounds, or explore the infinite possibilities of your soul's journey, this accessible and compelling guide invites you to step beyond the limits of time and discover the healing potential that lies within.Craig Meriwether is a mindset coach and clinical hypnotherapist who helps people release negative emotions, trauma, and limiting beliefs so they can reach their full potential.A Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Medical Hypnosis Specialist, and NLP Practitioner, Craig is the founder of Arizona Integrative Hypnotherapy and Sacred Mystery Hypnotherapy. For over 12 years, he has worked with clients worldwide—helping people heal from childhood trauma, supporting cancer patients with pain control, assisting veterans with PTSD, guiding students through test anxiety, empowering entrepreneurs with confidence, coaching athletes toward peak performance, and helping anyone struggling with fear, anxiety, or overwhelm.Through Sacred Mystery Hypnotherapy, Craig specializes in spiritual healing, including past life regression, spirit world regression, and connecting clients with spirit guides and ancestors. He offers private online sessions, workshops, and multi-day retreats across the U.S. and internationally.Craig is a graduate of the Hypnotherapy Academy of America, completing 500 hours of Clinical Hypnotherapy Training and earning his Certification as a Medical Hypnosis Specialist, along with 200+ hours of advanced study in hypnotherapy and NLP.BioCraig Meriwether, CHT-CMS, is a leader in the field of past-life regression and hypnotherapy. He has conducted thousands of sessions, helping people connect with their past lives, receive guidance from the spirit world, and heal from trauma, emotional blocks, and fear in their current life. Through his company, Sacred Mystery Hypnotherapy, Craig offers oneon-one past-life regression sessions, as well as workshops and multi-day retreats both nationally and internationally. Craig is a graduate of the renowned Hypnotherapy Academy of America, where he completed 500 hours of classroom-style training to become a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist (CHT), earning additional Certification as a Medical Hypnosis Specialist (CMS).His training was taught by leading experts in hypnotherapy and medical professionals. He has also completed over 200 hours of continuing education in hypnotherapeutic techniques, past-life regression, and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). He is the author of Depression 180, praised by Wendy Love, creator of DepressionGateway.com, as “one of the best, most thorough books on depression I have read.” Psychologist Dr. Steven Gurgevich described it as “the most comprehensive and user-friendly resource to help ourselves and loved ones struggling with depression.” Craig is also the creator of The Mind Mastery Blueprint and the Life Transformation Kit, and he is a featured author in the New York Times bestselling book Pearls of Wisdom: 30 Inspirational Ideas to Live Your Best Life Now!, alongside Jack Canfield, Marci Shimoff, and Janet Attwood.https://sacredmysteryhypnotherapy.com/https://craiginreallife.com/ https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/ourparanormalafterlifeMy book 'Verified Near Death Experiences' https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXKRGDFP Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of the Crazy Wisdom podcast, host Stewart Alsop sits down with Kelvin Lwin for their second conversation exploring the fascinating intersection of AI and Buddhist cosmology. Lwin brings his unique perspective as both a technologist with deep Silicon Valley experience and a serious meditation practitioner who's spent decades studying Buddhist philosophy. Together, they examine how AI development fits into ancient spiritual prophecies, discuss the dangerous allure of LLMs as potentially "asura weapons" that can mislead users, and explore verification methods for enlightenment claims in our modern digital age. The conversation ranges from technical discussions about the need for better AI compilers and world models to profound questions about humanity's role in what Lwin sees as an inevitable technological crucible that will determine our collective spiritual evolution. For more information about Kelvin's work on attention training and AI, visit his website at alin.ai. You can also join Kelvin for live meditation sessions twice daily on Clubhouse at clubhouse.com/house/neowise.Timestamps00:00 Exploring AI and Spirituality05:56 The Quest for Enlightenment Verification11:58 AI's Impact on Spirituality and Reality17:51 The 500-Year Prophecy of Buddhism23:36 The Future of AI and Business Innovation32:15 Exploring Language and Communication34:54 Programming Languages and Human Interaction36:23 AI and the Crucible of Change39:20 World Models and Physical AI41:27 The Role of Ontologies in AI44:25 The Asura and Deva: A Battle for Supremacy48:15 The Future of Humanity and AI51:08 Persuasion and the Power of LLMs55:29 Navigating the New Age of TechnologyKey Insights1. The Rarity of Polymath AI-Spirituality Perspectives: Kelvin argues that very few people are approaching AI through spiritual frameworks because it requires being a polymath with deep knowledge across multiple domains. Most people specialize in one field, and combining AI expertise with Buddhist cosmology requires significant time, resources, and academic background that few possess.2. Traditional Enlightenment Verification vs. Modern Claims: There are established methods for verifying enlightenment claims in Buddhist traditions, including adherence to the five precepts and overcoming hell rebirth through karmic resolution. Many modern Western practitioners claiming enlightenment fail these traditional tests, often changing the criteria when they can't meet the original requirements.3. The 500-Year Buddhist Prophecy and Current Timing: We are approximately 60 years into a prophesied 500-year period where enlightenment becomes possible again. This "startup phase of Buddhism revival" coincides with technological developments like the internet and AI, which are seen as integral to this spiritual renaissance rather than obstacles to it.4. LLMs as UI Solution, Not Reasoning Engine: While LLMs have solved the user interface problem of capturing human intent, they fundamentally cannot reason or make decisions due to their token-based architecture. The technology works well enough to create illusion of capability, leading people down an asymptotic path away from true solutions.5. The Need for New Programming Paradigms: Current AI development caters too much to human cognitive limitations through familiar programming structures. True advancement requires moving beyond human-readable code toward agent-generated languages that prioritize efficiency over human comprehension, similar to how compilers already translate high-level code.6. AI as Asura Weapon in Spiritual Warfare: From Buddhist cosmological perspective, AI represents an asura (demon-realm) tool that appears helpful but is fundamentally wasteful and disruptive to human consciousness. Humanity exists as the battleground between divine and demonic forces, with AI serving as a weapon that both sides employ in this cosmic conflict.7. 2029 as Critical Convergence Point: Multiple technological and spiritual trends point toward 2029 as when various systems will reach breaking points, forcing humanity to either transcend current limitations or be consumed by them. This timing aligns with both technological development curves and spiritual prophecies about transformation periods.

Solo Episode - Bhutan Series w/ Breathe Bhutan - Days 1–3: Everest Views, Sand Mandala Art, Epic Walks & A Breakfast with a LamaIn this solo episode of the Winging It Travel Podcast, I take you through Days 1 to 3 of my journey in Bhutan, sharing the sounds, stories, and real travel context behind one of the world's most fascinating destinations.From the unforgettable flight into Paro Airport with Himalayan views stretching all the way to Mount Everest, to my first encounters with Bhutanese food, culture, and daily life — this episode is designed to give you a true sense of what it feels like to arrive and begin travelling in Bhutan.I break down how travel in Bhutan actually works, including flights, visas, costs, accommodation standards, weather in December, and why guided travel is essential to experiencing the country properly. You'll hear about traditional sand mandala art, gentle acclimatisation walks through the Paro Valley, and the rhythm of life in Bhutan's cities and temples.The episode finishes with one of the most memorable moments of the trip: breakfast at a hilltop temple overlooking Thimphu called Wangditse Lhakhang, followed by a translated conversation with a Bhutanese lama, where we talk about happiness, belief, spirituality, and life in Bhutan today. A cool way to finish the episode!This is an audio-only episode built to let your imagination do the work — placing you right there through natural sound, reflection, and honest storytelling.In this episode, I also mention the two accommodations I stayed at, called Tiger's Nest Camp and Access Suites Hotel, both of which were fantastic!All in all, this is a classic episode to break down my first three days in Bhutan. For more information on Tiger's Nest, check out my immersive episode on the hike below.https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/winging-it-podcast/id1559489384?i=1000744754502https://open.spotify.com/episode/5R95iDSlJm84s1GjfMgHQK?si=bYR8RKubRWa4tX0_OWMmuAMy first episode of the series takes a deep dive into Bhutanese culture, Buddhism, and history through a great guy I met in Thimphu called Ugyen Rinzin. Check out this episode below. https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/winging-it-podcast/id1559489384?i=1000743770563https://open.spotify.com/episode/1a4hmlsGoLvYmNRP52f2ps?si=x7UVHkJlRiKeczeYCKRxUAWhat You'll Hear in This EpisodeFlying into Paro and why it's one of the most spectacular landings in the worldWhat it really costs to travel in Bhutan and how the visa and tour system worksFirst impressions of Bhutanese culture, architecture, and daily lifeTraditional Bhutanese food explained — from chilli and cheese to butter teaThe meaning behind sand mandala art and impermanence in BuddhismGentle walks and hikes used to acclimatise to Bhutan's altitudeMorning sounds and views overlooking Thimphu from a remote temple (Wangditse Lhakhang)A translated interview with a lama on happiness, belief, and spiritualityWhy do authentic experiences in Bhutan rely so heavily on local...

Please consider donating to our production team ⇨  https://www.missiondelafe.org/giveAnh grew up rejecting God after his father left his family, embracing atheism, science, and self-reliance while battling deep anxiety, broken identity, and a hidden addiction to pornography. After years of searching for meaning through success, relationships, and pleasure, Anh encountered the reality of Jesus—an encounter that shattered his worldview and began a journey of true healing, freedom, and purpose found only in Christ.Listen on Podcast Spotify Podcast ⇨ https://spoti.fi/3RBKdq3Apple Podcast ⇨ https://apple.co/3evzCuuConnect with ushttps://www.facebook.com/delafetestimonieshttps://www.instagram.com/delafetestimonies/Connect With AnhInstagram ⇨  https://www.instagram.com/therealliferadioshow/Facebook ⇨ https://www.facebook.com/therealliferadioshow/YouTube ⇨ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNQMumB-7CaPUR_JmqzDiDgWebsite ⇨ https://www.therealliferadioshow.com/homeEmail ⇨ real@therealliferadioshow.comCredits:Testimony by Ahn LeDirected by Eric VillatoroInterviewed by Eric VillatoroEdited By Darvin RamirezAudio Mixed by Paul Nicholas Testimony Recorded In Orlando, FloridaDelafé Testimonies is a global evangelistic project with the mission of creating the world's largest archive of Jesus testimonies until His return. Chapters01:09 Growing Up With Little To No Belief in God  02:39 Born In The United States Into a Vietnamese Family  04:02 My Fathers Ties to Buddhism  05:11 Being Raised Without Religion  07:17 My Father is Affected By Mental Illness  08:46 Perversion Enters My Life at a Young Age  10:35 My Father Leaves The Home  13:59 The Moment I Refused to Believe In God  17:45 My First Encounter With Pornography  22:40 My Thoughts On Religion  27:28 Doing Everything I Could to Fuel My Addiction  29:11 Creating My Own Meaning of Life  32:44 Developing an Analytical Personality  37:32 Manipulating to Get What I Wanted  42:47 My Beliefs Begin Affected Those Around Me  47:11 Attending Church in The Midst of My Depression  53:10 Attending a Retreat w/ No Intention of Seeking God  01:00:16 Questioning My Salvation  01:03:24 Giving My Life to Jesus In Order to Disprove Christianity  01:07:44 God Gives Me a Vision  01:10:13 Jesus Becomes Real To Me  01:12:20 Hearing The Voice of God Through The Scriptures  01:16:24 Jesus Begins to Heal Me  01:20:03 Surrendering Everything to Jesus  01:24:48 The Lord Begins to Teach Me About Purity  01:28:52 The Grace of God  01:31:59 Trusting God & My Life Today  01:33:42 Lies Being Taught Within Schools  01:38:17 The Complexity of Life  01:43:47 Prayer  01:47:23 My Relationship With My Parents Today  01:54:40 Who is Jesus to You?  01:55:23 Final WordsAhn Le's TestimonyATHEIST SCIENTIST Gives His Life to JESUS After THIS Happened...

******Support the channel******Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedissenterPayPal: paypal.me/thedissenterPayPal Subscription 1 Dollar: https://tinyurl.com/yb3acuuyPayPal Subscription 3 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9lPayPal Subscription 5 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpzPayPal Subscription 10 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9mPayPal Subscription 20 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y95uvkao ******Follow me on******Website: https://www.thedissenter.net/The Dissenter Goodreads list: https://shorturl.at/7BMoBFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedissenteryt/Twitter: https://x.com/TheDissenterYT This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning & Development done differently. Check the website here: http://enlites.com/ Sarah Dierna is a PhD candidate in Interpretation Studies at the Department of Humanities at the University of Catania, where she collaborates with the chair of Theoretical Philosophy. She has published essays, articles, and reviews in various scholarly journals and collective volumes. In 2023, she edited the Italian translation of David Benatar's The Misanthropic Argument for Antinatalism for Oxford University Press. In 2025, she published the monograph È il nascere che non ci voleva. Storia e teoria dell'Antinatalismo (Mimesis). In this episode, we focus on “È il nascere che non ci voleva”. We start by talking about how Sarah got interested in antinatalism. We then talk about the metaphysics of antinatalism, what it is to be born, whether people really want children, abortion, the harms of life, and the reality of death. We discuss why people reject antinatalism. We go through the history of antinatalism in the West and the East, including the Greeks, Christianity, and Buddhism. We discuss the strongest arguments in favor of antinatalism, whether death is always a harm, the ethics of parenthood, the strongest arguments against antinatalism, and extinctionism. Finally, we talk about how to approach people about antinatalism.--A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, BERNARDO SEIXAS, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, PHIL KAVANAGH, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, YANICK PUNTER, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, HEDIN BRØNNER, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ALEX CHAU, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, VALENTIN STEINMANN, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, BR, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, DAVID PINSOF, SEAN NELSON, MIKE LAVIGNE, JOS KNECHT, LUCY, MANVIR SINGH, PETRA WEIMANN, CAROLA FEEST, MAURO JÚNIOR, 航 豊川, TONY BARRETT, NIKOLAI VISHNEVSKY, STEVEN GANGESTAD, TED FARRIS, HUGO B., JAMES, JORDAN MANSFIELD, CHARLOTTE ALLEN, PETER STOYKO, DAVID TONNER, LEE BECK, PATRICK DALTON-HOLMES, NICK KRASNEY, RACHEL ZAK, DENNIS XAVIER, CHINMAYA BHAT, AND RHYS!A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, NICK GOLDEN, CHRISTINE GLASS, IGOR NIKIFOROVSKI, AND PER KRAULIS!AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER,SERGIU CODREANU, AND GREGORY HASTINGS!

Even though we feel that the truth is very far from us, it can be found in the ordinary, everyday moments of our normal lives. This is where the real growth happens.Thoughts or questions you would like to share? Email me at dailydharmapodcast@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you.

June Crow began her study and practice of Buddhism in l968 when she met Shunryu Suzuki. She was known as June Omura back then. I, DC, remember her from Tassajara in the early seventies. She met Chogyam Trungpa of the Tibetan Kagyu and Nyingma lineage at Tassajara and became his student and a meditation instructor and teacher with his group. She's still actively teaching with it today, living in Halifax, Nova Scotia,  where Trungpa moved his Shambhala center long ago. Hear about this and more in this podcast conversation with June and me. 

In this Rohatsu sesshin talk, Chozen reflects on awakening, silent mind, and the constructed personality that both protects and confines us. Drawing on the Buddha's own awakening, the teaching of “don't-know mind” from Seung Sahn Sunim, Eckhart Tolle's modern account of disidentification from thought, and the koan of Isan tipping over the water bottle, she points to the moment when thinking falls away and original mind reveals itself—vast, intimate, and free from entanglement. The invitation is to trust this silence, let personality become optional, and allow awakening to flow through the body and into everyday life. ★ Support this podcast ★

Can we really feel happy when we're facing health problems? Kimberly Rios-Niño, of San Diego, shares how she came to treasure life regardless of her circumstances. We talk about her journey into parenthood and taking care of children battling illness. Watch today's episode on our YouTube Channel

Still largely viewed as a peaceful philosophy, across much of south-east Asia, the religion has been weaponised to serve nationalist goals By Sonia Faleiro. Read by Dinita Gohil. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

In this episode, filmed on location in Kathmandu, Nepal, I am joined by Buddhist nun Guruma Dhamma Vijaya. Guruma recalls her childhood in Kathmandu Valley, the religious life of her Newar Vajrayāna family, and why she turned to Theravāda Buddhism and took ordination as a nun. Guruma recounts her extensive training in Mahasi and Goenka meditation styles, compares tantric techniques to ānāpānassati, and offers her understanding of the essence of Buddhist teaching. Guruma details her educational journey, describes her life-changing encounter with feminism while studying in the USA, and tells the story of obtaining a PhD on the subject of Buddhist Feminism. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep344-nepali-buddhist-nun-guruma-dhamma-vijaya Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'.
 … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:50 - Homage to Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha 01:54 - Blessing and welcome 02:33 - Question etiquette in different cultures 03:17 - Guruma's Newar childhood in Kathmandu Valley 06:11 - Guruma's education pathway to PhD 06:36 - Family dynamics 07:30 - First meeting with Buddhist nuns 09:46 - From Vajrayāna to Theravāda 11:12 - Desire to be a nun 12:48 - Attending a teaching by the Dalai Lama in Bodhgaya 13:54 - The loss of the bhikkhunī ordination lineage 14:28 - Becoming a nun 17:54 - 4 years of study in Taiwan 19:20 - Meditation and further studies in Burma and India 20:02 - Studying meditation under Mahasi Sayadaw and S.N. Goenka 26:37 - Mahasi vs Goenka 27:37 - 4 points of Goenka meditation 29:10 - Ānāpānassati meditation is the Buddha's teaching 29:55 - Guruma's practie 30:51 - Vajrayāna vs Theravāda 36:27 - Body mantras and Vajrayāna threats 39:15 - Choosing Ānāpānassati over Vajrayāna 43:23 - Freedom from suffering 45:38 - The essence of Buddhist teaching 47:25 - Encountering feminism 54:58 - Messy status of nuns in Nepal 01:03:02 - Theravāda revival 01:05:39 - Tragic reason why Guruma's teacher became a nun 01:08:14 - Buddhist pilgrimage sites 01:08:54 - Life is precious and exhortation to practice 01:1341 - Dedication prayer and blessing … Kathmandu Interviews playlist: - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlkzlKFgdknwvU82dU487LhF_mF4AkGek&si=4U8rRVEHKA4Z28oF Find out more about Guruma here: - http://tartaruspress.com/russell-rampa.html - https://www.arthurmachen.org.uk/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

How is it that so many kind, loving people can turn into rage monsters on the road? How can people who would never be unkind suddenly start screaming expletives at sweet old ladies?Road rage is no laughing matter. Kids and family members are affected by the rage. It spikes our blood pressure. And people die all the time in road related fights.To quit road rage, we have to first understand it. In today's podcast, I share the 3 root causes for road rage, my own personal struggles with it, and the 3 steps for overcoming it once and for all.How we drive is a reflection of how we go through life. This is how we can all be road warriors of peace.Please enjoy other episodes where I share meditation techniques, tips and spiritual lessons from around the world for peaceful and stress-free living. Remember to subscribe to stay up-to-date.*****If my words have ever touched your heart or helped you through a hard moment, I'd be deeply grateful for your support in keeping this podcast alive. Support the Podcast And if you'd like to explore these ideas in greater depth, you can find all of my books here.

Send Catherine a text Message"Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy. The warrior's approach is to say 'yes' to life: 'yea' to it all."-- Joseph CampbellHow do you stay engaged with the creative potential of this time? How can you participate to bring something positive, necessary, unprecedented, into our constantly evolving world?These questions are in the forefront of my mind. I'm intrigued by Campbell's emphasis on joy, and the suggestion that joy is part of the "warrior's approach." But I wonder what being a "warrior" might look like and if it's a useful image/role for me. I brought these questions to a Buddhist teaching story called "The Tigress Jataka" and share the story and my reflections in this episode.Thanks for listening and keep the mystery in your life alive...Support the showEmail Catherine at drcsvehla@mythicmojo.comPost a positive review on apple podcasts! Learn how you can work with Catherine at https://mythicmojo.comBuy me a coffee. Thank you!

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.  

Vipassana teacher Trudy Goodman provides practical tools for staying present.Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Trudy Goodman explores:Staying connected to the flow of the breathThe breath as our life-long companion and source of presence The loneliness of thought and being caught in the trap of our own thinking How the breath is our anchor and our teacherCultivating the power of the mind to focusThe pause at the end of a breath Balancing our energies and moving through each breath with care Stepping out of our familiar reactivity Accepting this as they are so that we can let them go About Trudy Goodman:Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA. For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel. You can learn more about Trudy's flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.comThis episode was originally published on Dharmaseed “All the ways of being mindful are ways that the Buddha asks us to be true to our own hearts and minds. Mindfulness is a form of honesty, of telling ourselves the truth of what is happening. It's showing us that when we're present with the breath, the breath is not just our companion, it's our dharma friend, it's our teacher.” –Trudy GoodmanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fewer Americans are attending church today and many facilities are even slated to be closed down. Fewer women are attending church overall, while men have remained consistent or increased in attendance. However, there is a declining rate of Christianity in the U.S. overall, now just 62% of the country. Some link this decline to the perceived increased in crime, a debatable issue that requires lots of context - some crimes have declined while others have increased. Comparing the U.S. and its largely Christian population to other nations also sets up an interesting discussion. The safest countries in the world are largely Islamic or have a mixture of Buddhism and folk religion, even atheism. Some of the least safe are Christian. The overall safest country in the world based on the Crime Index Numbeo is, however, mostly Christian, but so is the least safest. The most consistently safe and clean countries, without authoritarian-style governments, are overwhelming not comprised of the Abrahamic faiths and share one thing in common - high IQ. In other words, high IQ, at least as much as religion, plays a significant role in morality low crime. This idea is historically validated, too, since long before Moses, Monotheism and the Decalogue, civilized and intelligence cultures had instituted divinely inspired laws to maintain morality and social order. Something similar can be said of dispelling evil in the name of Jesus. In every culture there is a similar practice based on different languages, mythologies, gods and goddesses. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/crime-rate-by-country https://www.numbeo.com/crime/rankings_by_country.jsp https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31961775/ https://archive.is/gsWMa https://religionnews.com/2025/10/07/new-study-shows-men-now-surpass-women-in-church-attendance-in-major-reversal/ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians%205:22-33&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%203&version=WE*The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, you can subscribe below underneath the show description.WEBSITEFREE ARCHIVE (w. ads)SUBSCRIPTION ARCHIVE-X / TWITTERFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMYOUTUBERUMBLE-BUY ME A COFFEECashApp: $rdgable PAYPAL: rdgable1991@gmail.comRyan's Books: https://thesecretteachings.info- EMAIL: rdgable@yahoo.com / rdgable1991@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-secret-teachings--5328407/support.

Tongue twisters. Frosty holidays. Scandals. Big ol' rodent butts. Let's talk groundhogs with UCLA conservationist, field biologist, professor and Marmotologist, Dr. Daniel Blumstein. We cover what broadly is a marmot, the Buddhism and paganism of the midwinter slump, marmot parenthood, what they are singing into the wind, how to co-exist with one in your garden, why they don't get stressed about holiday bingeing, the real estate layout of a groundhog lair, how and why we celebrate Groundhog Day, romantic advice you should not take from a marmot, what to do if you want a marmot as a pet, why their blood boggled science, and the wandering etymology behind their aliases. It's an episode you'll want to hear over and over. And over. And over. And over. Visit the Blumstein Lab and follow Dr. Blumstein on Google ScholarA donation went to the Rocky Mountain Biological LaboratoryMore episode sources and linksOther episodes you may enjoy: Sciuridology (SQUIRRELS), Hydrochoerology (CAPYBARAS), Castorology (BEAVERS), Erethizonology (PORCUPINES), Urban Rodentology (SEWER RATS), Mammalogy (MAMMALS), Procyonology (RACCOONS), Lutrinology (OTTERS), Urocyonology (LITTLE GRAY FOXES), Witchology (WITCHES & WITCHCRAFT), Thermophysiology (BODY HEAT), Acarology (TICKS), Vampirology (VAMPIRES), Environmental Toxicology (POISONS + TRAIN DERAILMENT), Road Ecology (ROAD KILL)400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topicSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesSponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As winter deepens, Jack reflects on the quiet light that does not go out—the warmth of compassion, generosity, and courage that sustains us through dark seasons. Through stories of everyday kindness and ancient wisdom, he invites us to tend the inner fire that heals and connects us.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.“That's what you carry. That's who you really are. That's what was born in you, is the great heart of compassion and tenderness.” –Jack KornfieldIn this episode, Jack explores:Compassion as a response to fearEveryday acts of generosityTending the inner fire during dark seasonsBeginner's mind and seeing with wonderAdding your light to a troubled and beautiful world“The heart can't do anything but tenderness and mercy when we really listen.” –Jack KornfieldJack's new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our WorldThis Dharma Talk originally took place in Dec 2025 for the Spirit Rock 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.“Perhaps there is only one person's voice missing for peace to come into the world.” –Jack Kornfield, retelling a traditional teachingStay 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.

In this episode, Andrew talks about the link between the first two factors of the eightfold path, View & Intention. How does your perspective of things inform your motivations in life? Find out how the Buddha's understanding of our psychology 2600 years ago is still very much relevant today. Enjoy! Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

How psychology and spirituality can work together. Amita Schmidt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Hawaii. She has taught Vipassana meditation for over thirty years, and was the Resident Teacher at Insight Meditation Society for six years. She is the author of the book Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master. Amita currently teaches and practices non-dual meditation and is a certified IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapist. In this episode we talk about: How psychology and spirituality can work together The basics of Internal Family Systems (or IFS) Amita's personal path through trauma, depression, and a pivotal insight that changed everything Why states like depression aren't as solid as they feel How to work with the inner critic Simple ways to access the sanest, wisest version of yourself The shift from psychological healing to spiritual insight The value of acceptance and surrender Simple pointers for sensing "aware presence" beneath all the mental noise Related Episodes: How (and Why) to Hug Your Inner Dragons | Richard Schwartz How To Handle Your Demons | Richard Schwartz Additional resources: Amita on InsightTimer Amita on DharmaSeed Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris Thanks to our sponsor: LinkedIn:  Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads and get a $250 credit for the next one. Just go to linkedin.com/happier.