Podcast appearances and mentions of Jack Kornfield

Jack is interviewed by Ocean Robbins to explore the big spiritual questions—why there is suffering, how to navigate duality, making the ordinary holy, and cultivating a loving witness.Discover Your Buddha Nature with Jack Kornfield, an online journey for reclaiming our dignity, compassion, and generosity, beginning June 2.“It's important to not use spiritual practice to set up an ideal or judge yourself. Sometimes you need to shut down, and then you open again. So the spiritual path is really about being with both the calm ocean and the storm.” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode, Jack and Ocean mindfully explore:What first got Jack into mindfulness and meditationLife as beautiful, and an ocean of tearsSuffering, Buddhism, and the end of sufferingWhy is there suffering in the world?Navigating the reality of duality—form and emptiness, life and deathThe recycling nature of the universeHow to make the ordinary holyMeeting our lives with presenceA simple way to explain “The Witness”The magic of consciousnessA calming and deep guided meditation Holding fear and grief in compassionNot getting caught in reactions and angerActing the nobility of heart and your original dignity This episode was originally recorded for the Food Revolution Network in November of 2024. “Life is extraordinarily beautiful, and it's an ocean of tears. You can't have birth without death, you can't have light without dark, you can't have beginnings without endings. We live in a universe constructed of opposites. That's just the game of form, of duality. You can't have form without the emptiness from which it comes.” – Jack KornfieldAbout Ocean Robbins:Ocean Robbins is an American entrepreneur and author, best known for his role as the co-founder of Food Revolution Network, Inc. This California-based company is dedicated to advocating for a whole foods, plant-based diet. Check out Ocean's book, 31-Day Food Revolution, to learn more about healing the body and transforming the world. You can keep up with Ocean on his website, 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 members, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.Stay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings.“We live in a universe that's recycling itself—the ultimate recycling of birth and death, form and rebirth. For us as human beings, the question is not why or how. The Buddha didn't actually answer those questions. He said those are questions that don't tend to have understanding. He said, what I'm interested in is how to navigate the universe as it is, in a way that brings love, well-being, and freedom to all who want to awaken to this.” – Jack Kornfield See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 264, Soren Gordhamer returns to the Metta Hour for our ongoing Anxiety Series. In this series, Sharon is speaking with Mental Health experts, providers and different researchers for tools to work with anxiety in increasingly challenging times. This is the fifth episode in the series. Soren Gordhamer is the founder and host of Wisdom 2.0, the premier conference exploring living with greater mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion in the modern age. He is also a Co-Founder and General Partner of Wisdom Ventures, along with Jack Kornfield and Yung Pueblo, which invests in companies creating a more just and compassionate world. Soren is also the founder of the Lineage Project in NYC, and also spent a year on the Global Walk for a Livable World, a three-and-a-half world walk. He and Jon Kabat-Zinn also co-hosted the Mitigation Retreat, which was a free 3-month course held every weekday offering meditations and teachings during Covid. Soren is the author of numerous books. His latest, The Essential: Discovering What Really Matters in an Age of Distraction, was released in May of 2025. In this episode, Sharon and Soren speak about:The context for cultural anxiety The development of social mediaBecoming aware of our storiesDo we need a new narrative?Redefining our worthRevamping our North StarHarnessing all our energiesDismantling our armorHow shame drives mental healthThe point of vulnerability Dalai Lama meeting formerly incarceratedLiving from a place of lackRam Dass' somebody-nessSoren walking the worldThe role information plays in anxietySoren closes the conversation with a guided meditation. To get a copy of Soren's new book, The Essential, visit his website right here.Listen to Soren's first appearance on the Metta House from 2020 right here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss "bad trips". They talk about the difference between bad trips and challenging experiences; the factors during prep, facilitation, and integration that can prevent bad trips or turn them into useful challenging experiences; the prevalence of triggered psychosis and HPPD among psychedelic users; how to pick the right psychedelic therapist/guide/facilitator; and much more. *This episode originally aired 3/21/23(1:35) Are bad trips possible?(4:00) What is the difference between a bad trip vs a challenging experience?(7:00) How preparation affects the psychedelic experience(9:58) The importance of supportive community(14:05) What does informed consent in psychedelic-assisted therapy really mean?(16:00) How prevalent are challenging psychedelic experiences?(19:18) How the therapist/guide affects the psychedelic experience(24:28) Be discerning and take it slow(27:25) Emotional breakthrough, catharsis, and abreaction(36:32) The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt(40:22) Understanding the psychodrama that can happen in a psychedelic experience(46:50) Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) and psychedelic flashbacks(51:01) Dream interpretation(55:14) How to integrate and make meaning of a psychedelic experience(59:23) After the Ecstasy, the Laundry, by Jack Kornfield(01:01:31) How to navigate a bad trip(01:10:07) Using "trip stoppers" like benzodiazepinesLearn more about our podcast at https://numinusnetwork.com/learn/podcast/Learn more about psychedelic therapy training opportunities at https://numinusnetwork.com/training/Learn more about our clinical trials at https://www.numinusnetwork.com/researchLearn more about Numinus at https://numinusnetwork.com/Email us at ptfpodcast@numinus.com Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drstevethayer/https://www.instagram.com/innerspacedoctor/https://www.instagram.com/numinushealth/

Gil Fronsdal explores why we suffer and how we can meet our suffering with a supportive presence for the benefit of ourselves and all beings. In this episode, Gil thoughtfully discusses:Becoming like a wise & peaceful snake, shedding our skin from time to timeHow mindfulness practice can contain the goal of cessation of greed, hatred, and delusionHow clinging creates emotional stress, mental pain, and spiritual sufferingNotice the “aah” of skillful action versus the “ouch” of unskillful action as we develop awarenessBeing present for the depth of suffering in the human heartBringing the qualities of the awakened mind in to meet our suffering and help us release itHelping our suffering feel safe and remembering that all suffering can be put to restThe ability to stay with our experiences without clinging and with a sense of wellbeing Meeting our suffering for ourselves and to show the way for othersPracticing mindfulness with sincerity, consistency, and heartfelt dedicationThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp & Dharma Seed:Join Krishna Das, the most well-known voice of Bhakti chanting (Kirtan) in the West, and David Nichtern - a senior Buddhist teacher, founder of Dharma Moon, guitarist in Krishna Das' band, and producer of several of his albums - for a warm and engaging conversation about these two paths, their shared roots, and how they intersect in contemporary spiritual practice. Learn more about this FREE online gathering - THE HEART & MIND OF PRACTICE: BUDDHISM & BHAKTIToday's podcast is also brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.About Gil Fronsdal:Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders' Council. In 2011 he founded IMC's Insight Retreat Center. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil's talks on Audio Dharma.This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed.orgNo matter what it is, suffering is always an activity that can be put to rest, that can stop. Suffering is not the deepest thing in you. It doesn't have to define you, it's not all of who you are." – Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this guided breath meditation, Jack Kornfield invites listeners into a space of ease, trust, and ardent gratitude for our bodies, hearts, and minds. 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.Learn to cultivate dignity, compassion, and generosity in Discovering Your Buddha Nature with Jack Kornfield, an online journey beginning June 2. This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack leads listeners through:The true purpose of meditation and returning from the outer world to our inner selves Softening the body and releasing any physical and emotional tensionGrounding ourselves as we sense the weight of our body being fully supported by the earth Receiving whatever thoughts and emotions arise during meditation with compassion and opennessNoticing how the body breathes itself, relaxing into each breath, and inviting a sense of ease and trust Feeling the rise and fall of our bellies with each inhale and exhaleBowing inwardly to our life-sustaining breath and thanking it for keeping us aliveExpanding the field of mindful loving awareness to the entire body, heart, and mind Finding the parts of our body that are storing buried difficulties Considering the energy of the mind and how occupied it is most of the timeWelcoming a sense of peace and presence with a quieter mind and a tender heart Resting in ‘the awareness that notices' and de-identifying with the breath and body"This is your life breath. It breathes you together with all living things. It breathes you with everyone in the room, the ocean of air in the trees. As if to make an inward bow, you can say thank you to your breath for keeping you alive so steadily." – Jack Kornfield This meditation was originally recorded for the InsightLA Sunday livestream on April 20, 2025.“Notice that you are not your breath and body. You are not your feelings and thoughts. But, who you are is the awareness that has been kindly witnessing. You are the loving awareness itself.” – Jack Kornfield 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.Stay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings."The goal of meditation is not to get to somewhere else, to get from here to there, but to come from there to here. To be present, awake, kind, alive." – Jack Kornfield See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Barbara Horn came to the SFZC in the mid seventies, practiced Insight Meditation with Jack Kornfield at Barr, Mass., studied cooking with Julia Childs, got a graduate degree in mediation and interfaith chaplaincy. She volunteered for the 911 rescue and recovery effort and founded Calling of the Names - callingofthenames.org. Listen to this podcast and learn more about this energetic and benevolent woman.

In this time of global uncertainty, Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman call us to rise with fierce compassion and become Bodhisattvas of the Great Turning.Join Jack's Free New Course, Stand Up For Compassion: A Free Course and Resource for Navigating Uncertain Times. “You become the imaginal cells in these times. Things fall apart, but in you is the understanding that compassion is big enough to hold all of this, that the heart is big enough to hold all this, that the Dharma is big enough to shine through empires, changes, crisis, and beauty. That's what we have—the Bodhisattva can carry on liberating beings from suffering, however long it takes.” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode, Jack and Trudy mindfully explore:How you can pick all the flowers, but you can't stop the springNavigating fear politics and the cultural media machineLetting go of fear, blame, shame, and ending systemic divisionUsing this time of “The Great Turning” as an opportunity to create a more loving worldAjahn Chah and living the truth of uncertaintyHow to face the big problems of the world with even bigger loveMeeting the world through the Bodhisattva VowsHow loving people and feeding people connects with enlightenmentThe path and practices of loving awareness and compassionInclining the heart towards kindness and generosityHow caterpillars change to butterflies through Imaginal CellsThe world-changing power of true communityLearning how to respond mindfully to any trigger or circumstanceBecoming a make-weight of hope to tip the scales of humanity to love and balanceThe spiritual wisdom of Passover and EasterLetting go of tension and flowing into relaxationThe Pagan Goddess of DawnCommunity as the antidote for lonelinessCrying, letting the tears come, and seeing what happensHow to interact with people who are highly anxious or avoidantSaying hello to the people around you“Tears feel endless, bottomless, when they don't have a chance to fall. When they get to fall, they fall and fall, but they stop because tears too are impermanent, they cannot fall forever. It's really like this with all the intense emotions we are afraid will flood and drown us in some way.” – Trudy Goodman"What we're experiencing, Joanna Macy calls, The Great Turning. It's the breakdown of the exploitive late-stage capitalist model where we get as much as we can, and the harbinger of the possibility of interdependence. When it breaks down, that turning says, ‘We will use this time to turn this world into something better, to care for one another. The possibility starts with us." – Jack Kornfield This episode was originally recorded for the InsightLA Sunday livestream on April 20, 2025.Photo via WirestockAbout 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.Stay 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.

Mikey Livid offers a talk on the Third Noble Truth: awakening is possible. He also discusses a Buddhist concept of the saying "Let Go, Let God." Enjoy!Loving Kindness Meditation Retreat July 16th-20th in Sewanee, TN: https://www.floweringlotusmeditation.org/2025-tennesee-summer-loving-kindness-retreat 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

Exploring how to let go of victim consciousness and awaken inner resilience, Jack shares how to rest in awareness and live from the trusting heart.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.Join Jack's New Free Course, Stand Up For Compassion: A Free Course and Resource for Navigating Uncertain Times. In this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:Liberation, resilience, and the Trusting HeartThe physical nature of time within the infinite nature of awarenessChange, aging, and the weirdness of looking in the mirrorMeditation and working with the drama that arisesRemembering who we truly are, no matter how lost we getMoving past victim consciousness, shame, and blameDropping our negative stories and starting to live with nobilityHow we are so much more than our sufferingHow to stop being loyal to our stories about ourselves and the worldNavigating these "latter day degenerate times with cherry blossoms everywhere”The goal of practice as keeping our beginners mindLetting go of fear and opening to adventureNot confusing no-self with low-self esteem"No self, no problem"The strength, aliveness, and fullness of true emptinessThe Dharma of a zoo in a hurricaneThe Trusting Heart as natural as the Tao, as resilient as water, and as forgiving as the earthThe resiliency, compassion, and intuition of the WitnessRecognizing how good you're actually doing"When we become still, when we're not trying to be something, when we're in the moments of the trusting heart—what's left is not imitation or artificial, it is as natural as the Tao, as resilient and flexible as water, and as forgiving as the earth." – Jack Kornfield This Dharma Talk was recorded at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and originally published on DharmaSeed.“Is this who you really are—the victim, the abandoned one, the lonely one? Is that really who you are? If you speak it out loud, 'I'm the victim,' it gets embarrassing because something in there can't say it very long. Over time we've become really loyal to this story, but actually, something in us knows that it's not the whole game. There comes tremendous freedom when we begin to experience this." – Jack KornfieldAbout 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.Stay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings."There is a resiliency in us as human beings which becomes trustworthy when we let go of the small sense of self and become the spacious, open, witness to all things." – Jack KornfieldSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

SUFFER LESS & THRIVE MORE!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠JOIN THE COMMUNITY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Unlock the tools, resources, and training you need to master emotional resilience, build confidence, and elevate your leadership in life, relationships, and business. Transform your mindset, break through your limits, and create a life filled with purpose, growth, and fulfillment. Join today and start thriving!Are you holding on to pain, past mistakes, or relationships that no longer serve you? You're not alone—and you're not broken for struggling to let go.In this episode, we explore what it really means to let go—not to forget or erase, but to create space for healing, growth, and self-reclamation. Inspired by the quote from Jack Kornfield, “To let go does not mean to get rid of. To let go means to let be,” we'll dive into the emotional truth behind why so many of us stay stuck in the past—and how to finally move forward.

Gil Fronsdal explores the heart of Buddhist tradition by blending mindfulness with the transformative power of compassion and loving kindness.This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp & Dharma Seed:Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.Join Buddhist Teacher David Nichtern and Duncan Trussell for a conversation about finding our own voice, our own expression, and our own way of connecting with people. Learn more about this FREE online gathering - AUTHENTIC PRESENCE: FINDING YOUR OWN VOICEOn this episode of the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil gives a dharma talk on:Discovering how love is foundational in Buddhist tradition and spiritual practiceExploring the two wings of Buddhism: balancing compassion and wisdomUnderstanding why compassion is essential in both practice and realizationLearning how mindfulness can become fixated on the goal of enlightenmentShifting focus from attaining enlightenment to embodying compassionGil's journey of softening the heart and embracing inner sufferingInsights from the Buddha on cultivating loving kindness in daily lifeHealing inner conflict by embracing the parts of ourselves we often rejectPracticing meeting every experience with radical compassion and presenceLetting compassion bloom as a natural expression of inner peaceRecognizing shared suffering and connecting with others as equalsDiscovering how the dharma reveals itself through all aspects of life.Today's recording was originally published on Dharmaseed.orgAbout Gil Fronsdal:Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders' Council. In 2011 he founded IMC's Insight Retreat Center. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil's talks on Audio Dharma.“People will say, 'Oh she realized a really deep enlightenment'. But how often do you hear someone say 'oh I got compassioned' or 'that person, he reached the fourth stage of compassion, he was fully compassioned'? I think we all need more compassion than enlightenment—if we want to separate the two. If we don't separate the two, then compassion has to be an integral part of it." – Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Who are we really? Jack Kornfield peels back the veil on our identity roles to uncover the deeper truth that we really are. Join Jack's New Free Course, Stand Up For Compassion: A Free Course and Resource for Navigating Uncertain Times. In this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:Opening to a new vast, gracious, and spacious perspective on lifeStepping out of your ordinary habits and roles to see something in a new wayHow to navigate the reality that death is stalking usMeditation as a practice of letting things goThe spirituality of the nature of change and the present momentRam Dass and the mystery of identity, change, and awarenessSeeing past our roles to the deeper reality of who we areLooking into the mystery of: Who I Am?Touching the secret beauty you were born withJack's experience communicating with Koko the GorillaSeeing past the illusion of separateness and the small selfMeditation as a sacred space of non-consumptionRemembering and healing through listening and letting goSeeing the entire arc of life with the eyes of the DivineOvercoming the forces of greed, hatred, and fearUntangling the places that cause suffering and confusionOpening to the birthright of your freedomLiving the pattern of mystery that is this lifeRecognizing the total interconnection of all of life"Part of what makes meditation so extraordinary is that to simply sit and not try to make anything happen, or get anywhere, or do something—is to step out of our identity and our roles in the small sense of self." – Jack Kornfield This Dharma Talk was recorded at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and originally published on DharmaSeed.“Meditation offers us a sacred space of non-consumption. There's nothing to do, no grade, no accomplishment, nothing you have to become. It is the sacred space to listen and remember, and touch the freedom of heart or spirit that is possible in any circumstance." – Jack KornfieldAbout 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 years worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.Stay 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.

What if feeling more alive, calm, and connected wasn't about doing more—but syncing back into your natural rhythm? In this episode, we explore how tuning into your body's circadian and ultradian rhythms can help you work smarter, rest deeper, and show up more fully—in life and in love. We also dive into a powerful practice called the sacred pause—a simple, soul-centered way to respond with grace (instead of react with heat) in your most important relationships. Expect honest stories, science-backed wisdom, and easy-to-try tools that bring more peace, presence, and connection into your every day.

Exploring how to stay buoyant and balanced on life's great ocean of change, Jack sets our spiritual compass for letting go into what is.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. Join Jack's New Free Course, Stand Up For Compassion: A Free Course and Resource for Navigating Uncertain Times. "What we're asked to do here is a very deep thing, which isn't to change ourselves, but to give ourselves to our life, to practice with continuity and care, bowing, opening. It's really like being in labor, if you've ever had a child or been there for childbirth, it's a birth of your life, a birth of yourself, over and over, letting go to what is." – Jack KornfieldIn this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:The Tibetan story of Avalokitesvara, Green Tara, and White TaraThe spiritual wisdom of a duck resting on the oceanFloating softly on life's constant ocean of changeExperiencing ourselves as an always flowing river of lifeBowing to the truth of impermanenceSelflessness, emptiness, and opennessSeeing through the dreamlike mirage of 'who you think you are'Letting go into the ever-changing process of lifeHonoring the truth of what's here and nowSuffering, opening your heart, and connecting to all beingsAwakening the great heart of compassionRam Dass and the gift of serviceMeeting death with curiosity, play, and wisdomRebirthing ourselves over and over againGiving ourselves over sincerely to our life, letting go into what isAwakening the great wisdom and heart of the Buddha in every circumstanceHow surrender leads directly to freedomThis Dharma Talk recorded on 1/3/93 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.“The more we pay attention, the more we sense ourselves as a river of life." – Jack KornfieldInterested in learning more on this topic? Check out our most recent Here and Now episode for Ram Dass' perspective on the ocean of change. 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 years worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.Stay 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.

This episode kicks off with some musings about Gen X kinda stuff and weirdly segues into Liz Gilbert's book on creativity, Big Magic, as well as Buddhist teachings. Elizabeth covers a lot of territory this week. The Crow SoundtrackBig Magic by Liz GilbertAfter the Ecstasy, the Laundry by Jack Kornfield Radiant BadassChris Martin, Creativity Coach

Jack invites us to stop fighting what is and begin bowing to it—awakening the timeless wisdom and compassionate heart of a Buddha, right here and now, in the midst of our joys, sorrows, and the suffering of the world.This Dharma Talk recorded on 1/3/93 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack gives perspectives on:Evaluating our spiritual practiceJoanna Macy and healing the environmentThe rollercoaster ride of meditationAwakening right here and right nowThe transformative power of bowing to it allThe Buddhas of all the universesSuffering and the truth of Nirvana, timeless delightFacing the reality of the human realm—joy and sorrow, birth and deathLooking at the difficulties facing the planet today—war, famine, racism, greed, environmental concernsStop fighting what is true; the end of denialBowing to suffering, attachment, and changeInsight—seeing things just as they are"We awaken the wisdom and the great, compassionate heart of a Buddha right where we are. Where else could it be?" – Jack KornfieldSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When you hear the phrase “you are whole and complete” what comes up for you? Well, if you're like author Billy Wynne, you ponder how to help people understand the essence of what this really means AND live like this.    Billy is the author of “The Empty Path: Finding Fulfillment through the Radical Art of Lessening,” and we talk about the profound and at the same time, essential and timeless concepts of what is means to live like this. Billy is a student of Buddhism and mindfulness for 30 years and he's received his meditation certification under well-known teachers Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. He received his lay Zen Buddhist ordination from the Zen Center of Denver, where he teaches classes and serves on the board.    Once you listen to the episode, here's how you can find out more about Billy:   Visit him online at  https://billywynne.com. Here's a link to the book's product page on Amazon: https://a.co/d/auPWvgx  And here are his social media links: Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/billywynneauthor   Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/billywynneauthor   Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/billywynne_    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billywynne       For me, a great place to connect is on my instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/barebonesyoga/   Also, get my free e book for all things yoga teaching related:   https://barebonesyoga.lpages.co/the-bare-bones-yoga-guide-to-incredible-yoga-teaching/

Maddie Finn offers a talk on equanimity (upekkha) as a part of a talk on the seven factors of awakening. The seven factors are: mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy, tranquility, concentration, and equanimity. Enjoy!Loving Kindness Meditation Retreat July 16th-20th: https://www.floweringlotusmeditation.org/2025-tennesee-summer-loving-kindness-retreat 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

Leading a guided meditation helping us witness the play of our human existence from the loving awareness that we truly are, Jack invites us to uncover true freedom as our birthright.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.In this episode, Jack delves into:The true purpose of meditation and spiritual practiceComing fully into the reality of the present momentBecoming mindful loving awareness itselfWitness the play of our human experienceUncovering true freedom as your innate birthrightExperiencing the present moment as loving awarenessResponding to the world with mindful loving courage“Come into this present moment with mindful loving awareness, notice the play of our human experience, and discover we can take our seat with a compassionate and gracious heart with a freedom that is your birthright.” – Jack KornfieldThis recording is from Spirit Rock Meditation Center's Monday Night Talk and Meditation on 3/3/25. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode was recorded on 3/03/25 as a part of Spirit Rock's Monday Night Dharma Talk Series“You are the imaginal cells. You are the ones who are called to hold the vision of a wise society where people respect each other, where we care for the vulnerable, where we understand the universal teaching, ‘Hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone is healed.' This is you.'” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:Staying centered amidst life's struggles Stopping blame and “right and wrongNavigating Late-Stage Capitalism in the 21st CenturyThe Great Turning as an opportunity to reset our lives as human beingsThe Great Turning as a birth process—messy, painful, dangerous, and beautifulRemembering your fearlessness amidst politics and news media Becoming “imaginal cells” of the butterflyTrusting the constant renewal of life and nature Black Elk, Gary Snyder, and the power of loving the earthMeditation and sitting with heartbreakDissolving guilt, fear, and doomscrollingCarrying your light with nobility, respect, and dignityTrusting the big picture, the vast cosmic viewRemembering who you are and living from itThe possibility of a new underground railroadRecognizing that we are the imaginal cells of the worldLearn the Dynamic Art of Interactive Guided Meditation with Jack Kornfield in this online masterclass beginning April 7!“Here we are, 21st century, late-stage capitalism, which has gotten to the place where there's further extremes of rich and poor for exploitation. We're at the time what Joanna Macy calls the Great Turning—the great opportunity really for us to reset our lives as human beings.” – Jack KornfieldSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cultivating Presence (with a Dash of Mischief): A Conversation with Mitch Davidowitz In this episode, Traci Ruble, founder of Sidewalk Talk, sits down with longtime therapist and Vipassana practitioner Mitch Davidowitz to explore something that feels harder than ever: being present. Together, they wander into the heart of what it means to show up—truly and fully—for ourselves and others. Mitch brings decades of wisdom wrapped in humility, humor, and a touch of rascal spirit. The two dig into the medicine of deep listening, the rebellious act of slowing down, and why love and compassion aren't just soft concepts—they're radical practices in a fractured world. This conversation is part invitation, part provocation: What if staying present is the real revolution? What if mischief is a doorway to wisdom? And what if, in this wild world, just being someone who cares deeply is a contribution worth being proud of?   About Mitch Davidowitz Mitch Davidowitz, MSW, M.Ed, Ed.S. is a psychotherapist, writer, photographer and inspirational teacher known globally. His work is a confluence of his decades of intensive mindfulness training and being a clinician for the past 45 years. Mitch has trained healthcare and mental health professionals around the United States in the compassionate care of those facing loss since 1984. Mitch has appeared on radio and television to provide education about the challenges that mourners and those supporting them experience. He is currently in private practice outside of Boston, Massachusetts seeing clients nationally and globally with a wide range of issues. His approach is diverse and deeply informed by his mindfulness training. In addition to his clinical background, Mitch began intensive retreat practice in Vipassana meditation in 1974 with Anagarika Sujata. He continued these trainings extensively with Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg. Baba Ram Dass was also one of his primary teachers.   Episode Timeline 00:00 Introduction to Sidewalk Talk 01:04 Meet Mitch Davidowitz: Therapist and Vipasana Practitioner 04:08 The Journey to Heart-Centeredness 08:05 Love, Compassion, and Advocacy 16:58 The Power of Discipline and Meditation 21:53 The Changing Landscape of Human Suffering 25:19 Rising Anxiety and Insecurity 26:24 Guilt and Happiness Amidst Suffering 27:49 The Power of Small Acts 29:30 Introducing Playfulness and Mischief 31:03 Therapeutic Approaches and Personal Growth 36:25 The Importance of Listening 38:53 Reflections and Future Plans 45:00 Closing Thoughts and Encouragement   Standout Quotes  One can be very fierce and very strong from a place of empathy. (Mitch)   It's not that I spend my days lighting candles and sticks of incense. It's not that we don't get annoyed.  But we look and see what leads to well-being. What leads to contraction? What leads to openness and connectednes,s and what leads to estrangement?   That doesn't mean not confronting people with things that are not right, you know? It's not indifference. But it's not reactivity.  It takes a lot more strength and power to stand down and sit up and invite someone to share with you how they came to their thoughts and beliefs.   Joseph Goldstein, one of my mindfulness teachers, said just assuming the position every day at the same time awakens those mind states that we're trying to cultivate.   People are more afraid, people feel more vulnerable, and so what happens is that that is setting off and triggering other things that have happened that made them feel unsafe.  We can't save the world, but we can save the moment. We can show up in a way that restores this sense of belief in each other, of the fundamental goodness of humanity. Even though there's so much darkness, we do need to remind each other about hope and restoring the belief that good people are here available.   help bring down the suffering on the planet.   I'm helping people not to take themselves so seriously.  Carl Jung said, Know all the theories, master all the techniques, but when sitting with someone who's a human soul, just be another human soul.  Connect: Find | Mitch Davidowitz On LinkedIn: @MitchDavidowitz Facebook @MitchDavidowitz   Find | Sidewalk Talk  At sidewalk-talk.org On Instagram: @sidewalktalkorg On Twitter: @sidewalktalkorg On Facebook: @Sidewalktalksf On LinkedIn: @SidewalkTalkOrg   Find | Traci Ruble At Traciruble.com On Instagram: @TraciRubleMFT On Twitter: @TraciRubleMFT On Facebook: @TraciRubleMFT   SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PODCAST On Apple Podcasts On Google Podcasts On Spotify On YouTube

Jack reveals how awakening your Soul Force—your inner strength, wisdom, and compassion—allows you to heal the world by offering your unique gift with courage and love.Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:Uncovering your unique gift and bringing it to the world Simple reflections of love amidst the reality of death How the sword is always beaten by the spirit Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "Soul Force" The power of facing our fear of death Becoming a Spiritual Warrior of compassion Cultivating the confidence to face any challenge Speaking up for what matters to your heart The cause of evil and how to stop it at it's root The cause of abuse and how to stop it at it's root Learning how to respond to the suffering of the world Discovering freedom in yourself and the world around Cultivating the ability to face ourselves, our pains and sorrows Facing the truth of birth and death The revolutionary act of connecting with nature Connecting with the truth of the world Bearing witness and finding your heart's unique response Entering the world with freedom and love How each and every action counts A charming and funny Q&A section Chanting the mantra, "Ah""Each of us has our own unique gift to bring when it's the right time. It can't be an imitation. You can't do it like Gandhi, Mother Teresa, or whoever you might admire—it has to be your way." – Jack KornfieldThis Dharma Talk from 12/7/1992 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on Dharmaseed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Emily Horn is joined by renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg to share reflections on her beloved teacher, Dipa Ma, a Bangladeshi meditation master, who was known for her extraordinary concentration, profound insight, and unwavering kindness. Sharon recounts her personal experiences with Dipa Ma, highlighting her maternal yet fierce presence, her ability to see deep potential in her students, and her unique approach to integrating mindfulness into daily life.Episode Links:

Today, Loretta welcomes Billy Wynne who is a seasoned practitioner and teacher of Buddhism and mindfulness with over 30 years of experience. He is the author of "The Empty Path: Finding Fulfillment through the Radical Art of Lessening", a practical guide to embracing the Buddhist concept of emptiness for a more fulfilling life. Certified as a meditation teacher under Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, Billy also holds lay Zen Buddhist ordination from the Zen Center of Denver, where he teaches and serves on the board. Beyond his spiritual work, he is a health and well-being entrepreneur, having founded Impact Health and Awake, one of the first alcohol-free bars in the U.S. Billy lives just outside Denver with his wife Christy, their son, daughter (now in college), and two shih-poos, Oscar and Archie.Visit him online at[billywynne.com](https://billywynne.comInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/billywynneauthor  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/billywynneauthor  Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/billywynne_   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billywynne   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, Loretta welcomes Billy Wynne who is a seasoned practitioner and teacher of Buddhism and mindfulness with over 30 years of experience. He is the author of "The Empty Path: Finding Fulfillment through the Radical Art of Lessening", a practical guide to embracing the Buddhist concept of emptiness for a more fulfilling life. Certified as a meditation teacher under Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, Billy also holds lay Zen Buddhist ordination from the Zen Center of Denver, where he teaches and serves on the board. Beyond his spiritual work, he is a health and well-being entrepreneur, having founded Impact Health and Awake, one of the first alcohol-free bars in the U.S. Billy lives just outside Denver with his wife Christy, their son, daughter (now in college), and two shih-poos, Oscar and Archie. Visit him online at [billywynne.com](https://billywynne.com Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/billywynneauthor   Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/billywynneauthor   Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/billywynne_    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billywynne   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Exploring the spiritual paradox of individual and universal responsibility, Jack helps us find balance between meditation and service in our daily lives.This Dharma Talk from 12/7/1992 at Insight Meditation Society was originally published on Dharmaseed.In this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:The paradox of individual and universal responsibility What's the better spiritual practice—meditation or service? What exactly is individual, and what is the universe? Joanna Macy's painful yet healing trip to Chernobyl Becoming stewards of each other, the earth, and the future Distinguishing between freedom and it's near enemies Near enemies as fostering separation; freedom as interdependence How to respond to suffering authentically and helpfully Creating change blossoming from the human heart The radical act of "doing nothing and facing yourself" Dealing with the homelessness problem, warfare, environmental destruction Balancing "Don't just do something, sit there," and "Don't just sit there, there isn't time." Choosing between inner practice and outward service Following a true path with heart in this lifetime Vimala Thakar, Ajahn Chah, and Maha Ghosananda as beacons of peace The power of helping feed the hungry Navigating the up and down, inner and outer, cycles of spiritual life"Every act counts. Each one of us has the power to affect the world." – Jack KornfieldSee 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 Chapman offers a dharma talk on the wisdom of setting boundaries! Enjoy!Loving Kindness Meditation Retreat July 16th-20th: https://www.floweringlotusmeditation.org/2025-tennesee-summer-loving-kindness-retreat 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

Fostering the mind-body-heart connection, Jack shares how the healing breath reawakens the body and reconnects us with life.This episode 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.In this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:Using breath to live wisely and simply in this complex human existenceGood spiritual community as an island of peace and sanitySeeing past negative fear politics and news mediaA Charm to Use Against the Language of PoliticsThe Buddha on mindfulness of your life breathNoting the subtle nuances of the breath in meditation"Buddha in the palm of your hand" techniqueTraining the restless puppy of the mindUsing breath to reconnect body, heart, and mindShort and simple guided breath practicesWhat the Cross and the Circle representDirecting your breath to feel and open emotional wounds and dis-easeReawakening your body, and reconnecting with life, through breathing"Most of the destruction that modern society has caused in the world is the result of the mind being disconnected from the heart and the body." – Jack KornfieldThis Dharma Talk originally taking place on 11/2/1992 at Insight Meditation Society was originally published on DharmaSeed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dale Borglum speaks at the 2025 Public Forum on Healing with Integrative Cancer Care in February. The gathering was designed to bridges wisdom traditions with emerging frontiers in healing. This year's forum explores transformation through the intersections of integrative cancer care with consciousness and healing arts, featuring distinguished speakers and practitioners from diverse backgrounds. The day included engaging presentations on patient advocacy, expressive arts, and innovative approaches to cancer care. Dale Borglum RamDev Dale Borglum is a pioneering figure in the conscious dying movement, known for his contributions to end-of-life care and spiritual support. As the Founder and Director of the Hanuman Foundation Dying Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, he established the first residential facility in the United States dedicated to supporting conscious dying experiences with clients. Collaborating closely with luminaries such as Ram Dass, Stephen Levine, and Elizabeth Kubler Ross, RamDev played a pivotal role in laying the foundation for the conscious dying movement. Since 1986, RamDev has served as the Executive Director of the Living/Dying Project, initially in Santa Fe and later in the San Francisco Bay Area. With an unwavering commitment to integrating Eastern spirituality and Western psychology, the organization has guided countless individuals through the sacred journey of death with compassion and wisdom. His expertise in meditation, honed since 1968, has been instrumental in his teachings and inspirational workshops, where he shares insights on meditation, individual healing, and spiritual support for those in transition. Within his teachings, RamDev also places emphasis on living consciously and compassionately to overcome our individual collective fear of death. Throughout his career as both a meditation and spiritual teacher, RamDev has collaborated with esteemed figures such as Joan Halifax, Robert Thurman, Joanna Macy, Jack Kornfield, Anne Lamott, Jai Uttal, Duncan Trussell, and many others. RamDev co-authored Journey of Awakening: A Meditator's Guidebook with Ram Dass, Daniel Goleman, and Dwarka Bonner, published by Bantam Books. In his popular podcast, Healing at The Edge, hosted on the Be Here Now Network channel, he spreads his unique dharmic teachings and routinely interviews esteemed teachers and professionals within the field of conscious living and dying. His book How To Live So You Can Die Without Fear will be released in 2025. The New School at Commonweal is a collaborative learning community offering conversations about nature, culture, and inner life---so that we can all find meaning, meet inspiring people, and explore the beauty and grief of our changing world. Please like/follow our YouTube channel for more great podcasts. Find out more about The New School at Commonweal on our website: tns.commonweal.org. And like/follow our Soundcloud channel for more great podcasts.

Considering how we relate to the world, Gil Fronsdal offers insight into freedom from our mental constructs through stillness of mind.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.In this episode, Gil Fronsdal offers wisdom on:The relationship between fundamental insight and fundamental happinessDividing the present moment into three parts (what's happening, our relationship to it, and the self)The Anicca Vata Sankhara chant, an important chant among Theravada BuddhistsSeeing happiness through stilling our mental constructionsObjective reality versus human-made conventionsUnderstanding the world of relatedness and settling it downBeing aware of the breath within the breathThe season of being in relationship and the season of letting things beThe ever-presence of awareness and the freedom it can bringBuddhist practice helps us see when something is a constructionSeeing the arising and passing of all mental activity We have all these conventions and they're useful, we play with them, they're antidotes, they settle things. It's also possible to relate to the breathing, to be present for the breath, without a convention, but present. The mind doesn't go towards the breath, the breath doesn't go to you, the breath arises in awareness. The awareness doesn't go anywhere.” – Gil FronsdalThis 2008 recording was originally published on DharmaseedAbout Gil Fronsdal:Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders' Council. In 2011 he founded IMC's Insight Retreat Center. Gil has an undergraduate degree in agriculture from U.C. Davis where he was active in promoting the field of sustainable farming. In 1998 he received a PhD in Religious Studies from Stanford University studying the earliest developments of the bodhisattva ideal. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil's talks on Audio Dharma.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Standing up for compassion in this powerful new Dharma Talk, Jack offers a steady spiritual rudder for navigating turbulent politics with the heart of a Bodhisattva.This episode 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“It's a time to get quiet and remember that you're here for a beautiful purpose, oh Bodhisattvas. What better thing to do with your life?” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:Navigating this world's maelstrom of change from a deep spiritual rudderReturning from his trip to Asia; landing in Los Angeles on fireSamsara and the nature of uncertaintyCreating a wise society based on mutual careTrading our personal and cultural anxiety for imagination and hopeAlison Luterman's heart-opening poem, Praise the Broken Promise of AmericaUsing the Dharma to move past Liberal versus ConservativeHow to help the vulnerable in the worldRemembering your best values as things changeGrounding yourself, steadying your heart, and remaining hopefulBringing peace to this world, developing metta, and supporting what's goodTaking the long view, living with integrity, virtue, and imaginationJoining together with your community to stand up for compassionBeing hopeful and helpful through difficult timesLiving like a Bodhisattva—offering support, compassion, loving kindness“Take the long view—your intention, heart, and mind in all the cycles of birth and death. That deep intention of wisdom creates what's possible for a wise society. It becomes a rudder through difficult times.” – Jack Kornfield“When a society treats its members with respect, cares for the weak and vulnerable among them and tends the natural world around… it can be expected to prosper and not decline.” – Mahāparinibbāna SuttaThis Dharma Talk was originally recorded for the Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday Night Talk and Meditation on 2/10/25.Learn the Dynamic Art of Interactive Guided Meditation with Jack Kornfield in this online masterclass beginning April 7!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In his talk on dukkha (suffering), Sean Feit Oakes delves into the heart of Buddhist teachings, exploring how our habitual reactions to both pleasant and unpleasant experiences can entangle us in cycles of suffering. He emphasizes that dukkha isn't just about overt pain but also includes the subtle dissatisfaction that arises from our resistance to life's impermanence and unpredictability. By bringing mindful awareness to these patterns, Sean suggests we can begin to untangle them, fostering a deeper sense of ease and presence in our lives.​Sean outlines practical approaches to work with dukkha:​Mindful Observation: Recognize and observe our reactions to experiences without judgment, allowing us to see the underlying patterns of clinging and aversion.​Embodied Awareness: Engage in practices that connect us to bodily sensations, grounding us in the present moment and helping to dissolve the grip of suffering.​Compassionate Inquiry: Approach our experiences with kindness and curiosity, creating space for healing and transformation.​Through these methods, Sean encourages a compassionate and embodied path to understanding and alleviating dukkha, leading to greater freedom and well-being.______________Sean Feit Oakes, PhD (he/him, queer, Puerto Rican & English ancestry, living on unceded Pomo land in NorCal), teaches Buddhism and somatic practice focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma resolution, and social justice. He received teaching authorization from Jack Kornfield, and wrote his dissertation on extraordinary states in Buddhist meditation and experimental dance. He teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, East Bay Meditation Center, Insight Timer, and locally. Learn more at https://SeanFeitOakes.com ______________ To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/There you can: Donate Learn how to participate live Find our schedule of upcoming speakers Join our mailing list or discussion forum Enjoy many hundreds of these recorded talks dating back to 1996 CREDITSAudio Engineer: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

“A powerful way of practicing metta is to invite in the feeling of love without specific words or images. You become a beacon of kindness. Then whatever arises as you sit—thoughts, people, images, concerns—will be held in that kindness.” – Jack KornfieldThis episode 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.This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack offers listeners instruction on:Metta and invoking the spirit of love within ourselves Holding all that arises during meditation with kindness Letting our body have a sense of care and well being Allowing ourselves to soften, relax, and rest easily Feeling completely supported by the earth below us Opening our hearts and minds via the metta sutta of loving-kindness Suffusing the whole world with unobstructed, sublime love“The ideal as you practice is to find your own way, to find what most naturally resonates with yourself as a gateway to open the heart.” – Jack KornfieldThis episode was originally recorded for the Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation Livestream for Feb 2025. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Renowned Buddhist teacher Gil Fronsdal outlines how a connection to the body is the gateway into the present moment.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, Gil Fronsdal dives into:Reminding ourselves to be in the present momentFinding the dharma in the here and nowOur lived spaces of awakeningNot being in conflict with realityStaying aware and being able to trust ourselvesRelishing in our own uniqueness and allowing it to flowerThe importance of the body in Buddhist practiceWatching the rhythms in our bodyThe body as a royal road to the unconsciousThis episode is also brought to you by Dharma Moon. Join Buddhist teachers David Nichtern and Professor Robert Thurman for a free online event on Tuesday, March 4th at 6pm ET. Together, they'll explore the power of lineage, tradition, and the evolution of mindfulness practices. They'll also discuss Dharma Moon's renowned mindfulness meditation teacher training program. Visit dharmamoon.com/lineage for more info and to reserve your spot for the free online event with David Nichtern and Professor Robert Thurman!About Gil Fronsdal:Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders' Council. In 2011 he founded IMC's Insight Retreat Center. Gil has an undergraduate degree in agriculture from U.C. Davis where he was active in promoting the field of sustainable farming. In 1998 he received a PhD in Religious Studies from Stanford University studying the earliest developments of the bodhisattva ideal. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil's talks on Audio Dharma.This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed“The body is really like a meditation hall. So much unfolds. So much emphasis in Buddhism is made for practicing within the body, becoming embodied, where we feel like we are inhabiting our body rather than just pulling it around.” – Gil FronsdalSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this engaging Q&A session, Jack and Trudy explore romance, impermanence, attachment, diffusing anger, manifesting your dreams using mindfulness, and more!Learn How to Thrive in Love: Buddhist Secrets to Transform Your Relationships with Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman – join now!“If you actually become mindful, then it's possible to choose a direction, to envision, to imagine your life in a healthy way.” – Jack KornfieldIn Part 2 of this episode, Jack and Trudy dive into Q&A on:Finding appreciation and wisdom in things “falling apart”Accepting change, aging, impermanenceEntering the naked unknown of the wilderness, natureThe wisdom of swimming with dolphins in the oceanSending metta (loving kindness) to the world and those in positions of powerHow to tend our romantic relationships and partnerships with mindfulness and careDiffusing anger and learning how to communicate lovinglyConnecting from a place of vulnerability and presenceMoving past warfare, racism, violence, and blameLearning how to communicate across differencesNoting the difference between your intention and it's impact on othersManifesting your dreams using mindfulness“Attachment” in Buddhism vs Western PsychologyWorking through trauma in a safe and mindful way“It's important to love what we love; it's only a problem when we need to let go.” – Trudy Goodman“When you step back and quiet, deeper intuitions come, along with the ability to follow your dreams more clearly, and in a way that's mindful of your own well-being.” – Jack KornfieldThis talk originally aired on the Voices of Esalen Podcast:The Voices of Esalen Podcast showcases in-depth interviews with the dynamic teachers and thinkers who are part of Esalen Institute. Hosted by Sam Stern, a former Esalen student and current staff member, the podcasts have featured engaging conversations with authors Cheryl Strayed and Michael Pollan, innovators Stan Grof and Dr. Mark Hyman, teachers Byron Katie, Mark Coleman and Jean Houston, Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy, and many more. Learn more at Esalen.org/story/podcastsAbout 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 about Trudy's flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.comAbout 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 years worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack KornfieldStay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When we abandon preconceived ideas, we all get freer. Learn to embrace others' full humanity through this liberating practice of acceptance.About Pascal Auclair:Pascal Auclair has been immersed in Buddhist practice and study since 1997, sitting retreats in Asia and America with revered monastics and lay teachers. He has been mentored by Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California, where he is now enjoying teaching retreats. Pascal teaches in North America and in Europe. He is a co-founder of True North Insight and one of TNI's Guiding Teachers.To find this meditation in the Happier Meditation app, you can search for “Unstoppable Friendliness.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman join forces in an exploration of Buddha's eternal wisdom: ‘hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone is healed.'This episode 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.“We start to sense that who we are is not just limited by the events of the world, but that we're connected to something vast, mysterious, and greater.” – Jack KornfieldIn Part 1 of this episode, Jack and Trudy mindfully explore:Loving Awareness and mindful responseSeeing the world with the eyes of a BuddhaOpening to that world with the heart of a BuddhaHow the art of meditation is actually the art of loveThe story of Maha Ghosananda, the Gandhi of CambodiaBuddha's eternal wisdom: Hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone is healedFacing climate change, racism, warfare, refugees, injustice, and traumaDealing with our cultural anxiety, and saving ourselves from despairBecoming the calm person on the boat who can show the way for allBecoming a Bodhisattva, setting the compass of your heart for compassionStanding up for what matters, and tending the world with beautyShifting our practice from unconsciousness to loving awarenessSuffusing mindfulness practice with tenderness and compassionHow we are all the same size when facing the vulnerability of our mortalityThe Heart Sutra mantra: Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi SvahaFinding wisdom and comfort in “falling apart”“Spiritually, we are all the same size, because we all are facing the vulnerability of our mortality.” – Trudy Goodman“In community, in family, in our lives, in joy and sorrow, in birth and death—we're, given the responsibility to hold ourselves in a web of love.” – Jack KornfieldLearn How to Thrive in Love: Buddhist Secrets to Transform Your Relationships with Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman beginning Feb 17 – join anytime!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 about Trudy's flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.comThis talk originally aired on the Voices of Esalen Podcast:The Voices of Esalen Podcast showcases in-depth interviews with the dynamic teachers and thinkers who are part of Esalen Institute. Hosted by Sam Stern, a former Esalen student and current staff member, the podcasts have featured engaging conversations with authors Cheryl Strayed and Michael Pollan, innovators Stan Grof and Dr. Mark Hyman, teachers Byron Katie, Mark Coleman and Jean Houston, Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy, and many more. Learn more at Esalen.org/story/podcastsAbout 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 and programs diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation, Relationships, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Learn about these and Jack's flowing stream of Dharma offerings at JackKornfield.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode I once again host a dialogue between Daniel Ingram and Delson Armstrong. Daniel Ingram is an independent Buddhist writer, author of ‘Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha', and co-founder of the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium (EPRC). Delson Armstrong is a spiritual teacher, author of 'A Mind Without Craving', and founder of the Freedom of Mind foundation. Daniel offers his response to Delson's recent renunciations, warns about the power of self hypnosis, and explains why it is so common for people to revise their enlightenment claims. Delson considers how it was that he mistook the nature of his spiritual achievements, considers the impact of his renunciation on his practice community and students, and looks ahead to his own future as a teacher and guide. Daniel and Delson address criticisms they have both received for their revisions of important Buddhist doctrines such as the 4 path model of awakening, comment on gatekeeping and fundamentalism in Buddhism, and consider whether advances in contemplative neuroscience may pose a serious threat to traditional religions and their institutions. … Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify. … 01:51 - The situation 04:36 - Daniel's response to Delson's renunciation 07:14 - Early schism in Buddhism 08:20 - Does Daniel feel vindicated? 09:42 - Delson reflects on what he has learned from Daniel 12:34 - The snake has shed its skin 13:29 - Profound not simple 14:26 - Neurodiversity and the spiritual path 16:54 - Hypnotising yourself into believing you're enlightened 19:17 - How did Delson get his enlightenment wrong? 22:22 - Social factors 24:13 - A gradual process 25:06 - Gatekeepin in Buddhism 27:35 - Jack Kornfield and Christopher Titmuss 30:51 - Social influence on perceptions of spiritual progress 33:35 - Relationships 35:21 - The World Without Sin 38:43 - Can you ever go back? Spoiling the party 40:38 - Delson on negative reactions from his community 43:57 - Attached to models, experiences, and perfection? 46:17 - Stages of development 47:17 - Leading with vulnerability 48:45 - A different type of practitioner 49:55 - The appeal of Vajrayāna 52:21 - Specific criticisms of Daniel and Delson 54:19 - Why do Daniel & Delson revise Buddhism? 56:43 - Delson's critics 59:51 - Transference and counter-transference 01:01:18 - Tantric guru yoga 01:01:47 - When your guru disappoints 01:02:05 - Bhikkhu Anālayo and Daniel's other critics 01:02:27 - Neuroscience and religious orthodoxy 01:06:34 - Will neuroscience destroy Buddhism? 01:10:24 - Praise for the Theravāda 01:11:45 - Theravādan exceptionalism 01:12:37 - Validating or defeating religion? 01:15:43 - Finders' Course and retrenchment to orthodoxy 01:17:57 - Delson on contemplative neuroscience 01:20:39 - What does Daniel think will next happen to Delson? 01:23:23 - Maturing as a spiritual explorer 01:26:33 - Attachment styles & kalyāṇa-mittatā 01:28:40 - Loss of enthusiasm for practice in advanced practitioners 01:31:18 - Micro-renunciations and disgust for the quest 01:33:42 - When spiritual teachers lose their faith 0135:28 - How Delson keeps his interest in teaching 01:38:20 - Why Daniel decided not to become a teacher 01:40:32 - Delson's closing remarks 01:40:45 - Daniel's closing remarks 01:41:04 - Praise for the religious orthodoxy 01:42:21 - Acknowledging critics 01:43:17 - Disagreeing with grace and respect … Previous dialogue between Daniel and Delson: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znX6w6shQ7c Previous episodes with Daniel: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=daniel Previous episodes with Delson: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=delson To find out more about Daniel, visit: - https://theeprc.org/ - integrateddaniel.info To find out more about Delson, visit: - https://www.delsonarmstrong.com/ - https://www.youtube.com/@delson999 - https://www.freedom-of-mind.org/ www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Love is in the air, as Jack explores the nature of desire, relationships, and spiritual passion—offering wisdom on stabilizing the heart, navigating distractions, and awakening to the timeless and sacred.Learn How to Thrive in Love: Buddhist Secrets to Transform Your Relationships with Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman beginning Feb 17 – join anytime!“If you know what it's like to really fall in love with someone, then you can begin to sense what it means to bring the full presence of attention to your life.” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode, Jack mindfully explores:The Buddha on mindfulness and awarenessStabilizing the heart, mind, and body in the presentOvercoming distractions and difficult moodsBeing aware of desires arising and passingChanda – spiritual passion, the desire for awakeningThe connection between power, insecurity, and fearHow to stop feeding the hungry heart in unskillful waysThe difference between desire and loveRelationship, marriage, and staying in loveA moving love story from Thich Nhat HanhReclaiming our humanity and animal natureReawakening mystery, gratitude, aweTouching that which is timeless and sacredAvalokitesvara, the Buddha of infinite compassionSri Nisargadatta Maharaj and living your fullnessNoticing what tempts you away during meditation“What direction do our personal desires take us? It's good to study them. As my teacher Ajahn Chah said, ‘It may be a very fast car, but you ought to look at what road you're going down and which way it's headed.'” – Jack Kornfield“Perhaps what we most deeply desire is immensely simple—to reclaim our humanity, our animal nature that Jung talked about, the wondrous senses, the sense of the spirit of awe, the remembering, the reawakening of that sense of gratitude and mystery for life.” – Jack KornfieldThis Dharma Talk recorded on 9/28/1992 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.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 Mikey offers a talk gently criticizing the traditional folklore about the two wolves. 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

Ram Dass and Stephen Levine take questions from the audience and talk about dealing with fear, appreciating your own unique incarnation, transforming negative energy, and more.Sponsors of this Episode:Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass and get on your way to being your best self.Reunion is offering $250 off any stay to the Love, Serve, Remember community. Simply use the code “BeHere250” when booking. Disconnect from the world so you can reconnect with yourself at Reunion. Hotel | www.reunionhotelandwellness.com Retreats | www.reunionexperience.orgThis show is also sponsored by Magic Mind, a matcha-based energy shot infused with nootropics and adaptogens designed to crush procrastination, brain fog, & fatigue. Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with our link: magicmind.com/ramdassjanThis episode of Here and Now is the final part of a talk given by Ram Dass and Stephen Levine in San Francisco in the 1980s during the AIDS crisis. Don't miss Part 1 and Part 2 of this talk. In this recording: Ram Dass and Stephen answer questions about dealing with fear in someone who is ill and how to be with a person who is caught in their fear. They discuss the function of fear and how there's no way we can really take away another person's fear, but we can be an environment in which they can let go of it if they choose. Responding to a question about viewing AIDS as a death sentence, Stephen says, “No one has to die your death for you, and you don't have to die your death for anyone else.” Ram Dass brings up the issue of time and talks about not getting attached to a model of what you think life experience should look like. Ultimately, it's best to appreciate the uniqueness of your own incarnation.Finally, Ram Dass and Stephen are asked to reflect on society's reaction to the AIDS crisis. Stephen explores how difficult it is to keep your heart open around people whose hearts have closed, while Ram Dass talks about the art form of transforming negative energy. The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox.About Stephen Levine:Stephen Levine was an American poet, author and Buddhist teacher best known for his work on death and dying. He was a friend and colleague to many Be Here Now Network Teachers. Along with Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg, Stephen is responsible for making the teachings of Theravada Buddhism more widely available to students in the West. Find more talks and writings from Stephen at levinetalks.com.“I mean, there's an art form to learning how to flip negative energy, and there's plenty of it in the game you and I are all involved in at this moment. And it's inside ourselves and it's in each other. And the question is how quickly we can identify it. The minute you can notice it you start to get space. The minute you get space, you can start to transform it. And you can transform that negative energy into something through which you can grow.” – Ram DassSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rekindling the ancient art of listening, Jack shares how we can transform our lives through nourishing inner stillness and simplifying the mind.This episode 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.“The Divine waits for us to taste the food and not just read the menu.” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode, Jack mindfully explores:Reclaiming the ancient Art of ListeningMeditating like the Buddha in natureHow your breath reflects your lifeMeditation, attention, and overcoming restlessnessThe ways we keep ourselves busyHow to trust your human instinctsReclaiming an intimacy with your sensesNoticing when we're listening and when we're notHonoring others through your attentionCultivating the humility of ‘Don't Know Mind'The mystery of life, death, love, consciousnessNourishing inner stillness and simplifying your mindLetting go into the unfolding present momentThe rather bizarre situation of having a human bodyOur connection to nature, earth, the elements, and all of beingFinding the meditative space of no going forward, backward, or standing still“To meditate is to remember, reclaim, reawaken the ancient art of listening.” – Jack Kornfield“When the Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree on his night of enlightenment, it wasn't to do, get, or make something, but to listen inwardly with all of his senses to the nature of this world that we are born into for a time.” – Jack KornfieldThis Dharma Talk recorded on 9/21/1992 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this defining talk, Jack shed's light on his adventurous journey to Thai meditation master Ajahn Chah, and how upon returning home, he had to learn to embody a heart of authenticity.Transform your 2025 with Jack! Join “The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield” a year-long online program on mindfulness, love, community, and connection. Join in anytime.“Being with Ajahn Chah was being with a person who rested in their Buddha Nature, their own true nature. He was just himself. He was really at peace with himself. You could feel it from the energy of his presence, rooted like a great tree in the earth.” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode, Jack mindfully explores:His mystical journey to learn with Thai meditation master Ajahn Chah,Needing to work his way down the chakras to fully live this human lifeSudden awakening versus gradual change on the spiritual pathRamana Maharshi and liberation through facing one's own deathHow to live in your soul and dance your unique danceWhat it's like hanging out with monks covered in wild beesAjahn Chah's tree-like quality of roundedness, freedom, and opennessMatching our thoughts and actions with our valuesHis first time experience rapture in meditationThe transformative aspects of therapy, bodywork, marriage, familyRam Dass and the healing quality of presenceNavigating differences in our romantic relationshipsLearning to acknowledge the pain and loss beneath our angerOpening to life's lessons of compassion, wisdom, and wakefulnessThe gift of spiritual community and sharing our authenticityEmbodying the timeless eternal truth of mindfulness, intimacy, and wakefulness“To love another person just as they are is the only kind of love that makes any sense.” – Jack Kornfield“There's an intimacy and a presence that is true about mindfulness: it's either now or never.” – Jack KornfieldThis Dharma Talk recorded on 9/14/1992 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ram Dass and Stephen Levine explore how all the experiences in our lives, including the process of dying, can be an opportunity to grow and awaken out of the illusion of separateness.Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass and get on your way to being your best self.This show is also sponsored by Magic Mind, a matcha-based energy shot infused with nootropics and adaptogens designed to crush procrastination, brain fog, & fatigue. Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with our link: magicmind.com/ramdassjanThis episode of Here and Now is part two of a talk by Ram Dass and Stephen Levine in San Francisco in the 1980s during the AIDS crisis. You can listen to part one on Ep. 268 of the Here & Now podcast: The Heart of Healing.Ram Dass talks about how we are being healed out of our separateness through our shared caring and our shared heart. Everything in our lives, including the process of dying, is an opportunity to grow. He explores how we need to shift our perspectives to touch the possibility that we are more than our bodies.Stephen addresses the AIDS crisis and the sense of anger and self-hatred that gathers around the pain people experience as they come closer to death. He shares the powerful story of one AIDS patient he was working with who started to meet his pain with loving kindness instead of with hatred. Ram Dass talks about opening not just to physical pain but to psychological pain as well. He shares some of the heavy learning he's had to do in order to allow himself to need help from others. To do the work he really wanted to do, Ram Dass needed to acknowledge the fullness of his own humanity first. About Stephen Levine:Stephen Levine was an American poet, author and Buddhist teacher best known for his work on death and dying. He was a friend and colleague to many Be Here Now Network Teachers. Along with Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg, Stephen is responsible for making the teachings of Theravada Buddhism more widely available to students in the West. Find more talks and writings from Stephen at levinetalks.com.“And at the simplest level, I'd say the statement is the antidote to burnout is the perspective that you are a growing being and that everything, including your own life and your own death, and approaching death, is an opportunity to grow.” – Ram DassSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack helps us heal conflicts, release defensiveness, and cultivate the harmony of wise relationships through the art of reconciliation, deep listening, and truth.This episode 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.“When we read about western civilization, it is in our history books as predominantly a history of conflict—who fought whom, who took over what kingdom, country, or land from someone else and conquered and triumphed. That conflict is still with us in very obvious ways, whether it is in Los Angeles, or Yugoslavia, or Somalia, Ethiopia, or Cambodia. And so, when we look at human civilization with such a long history of conflict, the question comes, can we learn another way to live as humans?” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode, Jack mindfully explores:Buddhist teachings on community, conflict, and living harmoniouslyIf modern civilization is actually all that civilizedAristotle on humanity's weapons of wisdom and virtueThe historical evolution of human consciousness and compassionTypes of slavery, overt and hidden: physical, economic, political, clandestineThe spirituality of truly celebrating life in this present momentWise Relationship, living harmoniously, listening in a way that honors everyoneCreating a ‘wise culture' built on honesty and integrityHow to truly apologize, forgive, reconcile, and renewWise mechanisms for diffusing conflictHow to stop being defensive and start listeningReconciling conflicts in monasteries and spiritual communitiesHow the ‘art of listening' begins with the ‘art of letting go'Learning to cooperate in courage, fearlessness, and honoringNavigating life from our ‘unarmed truth' and ‘Soul Force'“To be able to enter into a process of reconciliation in one's family, community or body-politic, is to be able to learn to let go of our views, our ideas, how it should be, what we want, what we fear—which is underneath all of those things. It's a shift of our identity from this small sense of self that we carry often with us, to something that's greater—the common good, the good of the earth, that which is beautiful and noble no matter what happens in the world around us—to some greater identity of our being.” – Jack Kornfield“We all want that kind of respect—if you give nothing else to your lover, spouse, children, parents or colleagues, but just that quality of listening with respect—there's this tremendous sweetness that comes, people love you for it. – Jack KornfieldThis Dharma Talk recorded on 7/27/1992 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

During major life transitions your emotional and mental world can kick into overdrive. Learn how to stay in the eye of the hurricane.About Joseph Goldstein:Joseph is one of the most respected meditation teachers in the world -- a key architect of the rise of mindfulness in our modern society -- with a sense of humor to boot. In the 1970's, he co-founded the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) alongside Sharon Salzberg and Jack Kornfield. Since its founding, thousands of people from around the world have come to IMS to learn mindfulness from leaders in the field. Joseph has been a teacher there since its founding and continues as the resident guiding teacher.To find this meditation in the Happier app, you can search for “Calm In Big Transitions.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Opening the doorway to transformation, Jack and Dr. Hübl explore spiritual discernment, identity, “central casting,” overcoming nervous system triggers, reframing trauma, and more.Transform your 2025 with Jack! Join “The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield” a year-long online program beginning Jan 2025, but join anytime.The ‘wisdom of insecurity' is to learn that it's okay to feel insecure—that it's part of our human law—and to love anyway.” – Jack KornfieldIn Part 2 of this episode originally airing for Dr. Hübl's ‘Spiritual Healing Journey Summit,' Jack and Thomas mindfully explore:Spiritual community, idealism, disillusionment, and healing spiritual injuryJack's experience “pressure testing” his teacher Ajahn ChahTrading our “blind faith” for “spiritual discernment”Living in joy with a free heart amidst it allRam Dass, identity, and “central casting”Seeing past our identities/roles to our Divine Nature while still fully honoring themReframing “trauma” with Buddha's lens of sufferingHealing the nervous system and it's triggersExpanding our loving kindness to encompass all beingsWalking through the doorway of transformation and dissolving the cosmos into loveHow to deal with our trauma and learn to live with sufferingReaching out and healing the part of the world we can touchThe Bodhisattva vow as fostering the awakening of the heartOpening to the “wisdom of insecurity”“Spiritual practice is to remember your true divine nature, and also your social security number, your particular role which ‘central casting' has placed you in at this time.” – Jack Kornfield"Disillusionment is part of the spiritual path, baby. It is! You have to see with the eyes of the Buddha to see the truth of suffering and greed and hatred, and also see that it's not the end of the story, that that's not who you are." – Jack KornfieldAbout Thomas Hübl, PhD:Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator who works within the complexity of systems and cultural change, integrating the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since the early 2000s, he has led large-scale events and courses on the healing of collective trauma.He is the author of Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma—and Our World and Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds. He has served as an advisor and guest faculty for universities and organizations, as a coach for CEOs and organizational leaders, and is currently a visiting scholar at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University. For more info, books, podcast, and upcoming offerings, please visit thomashuebl.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this talk from the 1980s, Ram Dass and Stephen Levine come together to explore the heart of healing and encourage us to look with clarity and compassion at the issues of pain and death.Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass and get on your way to being your best self.This show is also sponsored by Magic Mind, a matcha-based energy shot infused with nootropics and adaptogens designed to crush procrastination, brain fog, & fatigue. Use the code RAMDASS at checkout to get up to 50% off your subscription: Magic MindThis episode of Here and Now is part one of a talk Ram Dass and his good friend Stephen Levine gave in San Francisco in the 1980s. Check back soon for more of this recording.Stephen begins by talking about how this event came to be. He explores the heart of healing and how it can occur on more than just the physical level. The body might not always reflect the healing, but the healing is happening nonetheless.Ram Dass wants this to be a gathering that can reach for truth. Feeling touched by his stepmother's recent passing, he shares the beauty of the process they just went through together. He tells the story about being on LSD during his mother's funeral and explores some of the issues of burnout that are commonplace for people who are caregivers. Stephen talks about teaching with Elisabeth Küblar-Ross and how he learned to let go of his roles when sharing space with people who are facing pain and death. He tells the story of a woman who used her pain to push past her separateness and into a place of collective being. Healing doesn't have to do with life and death, it has to do with the heart of the moment.About Stephen Levine:Stephen Levine was an American poet, author and Buddhist teacher best known for his work on death and dying. He was a friend and colleague to many Be Here Now Network Teachers. Along with Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg, Stephen is responsible for making the teachings of Theravada Buddhism more widely available to students in the West. Find more talks and writings from Stephen at levinetalks.com.“Those people we know who are working with healing the body often seem to come to the place where they recognize that there is no such thing as just healing ‘my' body, it is healing the body we all share. Entering the shared heart to experience the shared pain in the body we all share.” – Stephen LevineSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack and Thomas explore how ritual serves as a powerful language for opening the heart and living joyfully through life's challenges.This episode 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."Ritual and symbol become a gateway back to the heart to our deep connection. When we have that in spiritual life, things open up in a different way." – Jack KornfieldIn Part 1 of this episode originally airing for Dr. Hübl's ‘Spiritual Healing Journey Summit,' Jack and Thomas mindfully explore:How to live joyfully through difficult timesFinding the wonder of “everyday grace”Reducing suffering through spiritual practiceWestern Psychology and Eastern SpiritualityInterconnection and opening to the great web of beingRelational mindfulness and communal mindfulnessRitual as a language and gateway to the heartHow to talk with nature and speak for the treesThe transformation of having true mentors and guidesService, activism, and navigating burnoutPaying attention and listening to each other and nature"The nuclear waste of what you've been through can burn in some way that it becomes the fuel for energy and light. It gets transformed in the reactor of the heart and you have a power now." – Jack Kornfield“No amount of nanotechnology, A.I., space technology, or biotechnology is going to save us. Because the source of hatred, war, racism, conflict, exploitation, and climate disruption is in the human heart. That's where it starts and where it grows from. Therefore, the outer developments which are becoming really remarkable have to be matched by the inner developments of humanity.” – Jack KornfieldAbout Thomas Hübl, PhD:Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator who works within the complexity of systems and cultural change, integrating the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since the early 2000s, he has led large-scale events and courses on the healing of collective trauma. He is the author of Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma—and Our World and Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds. He has served as an advisor and guest faculty for universities and organizations, as a coach for CEOs and organizational leaders, and is currently a visiting scholar at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University. For more info, books, podcast, and upcoming offerings, please visit thomashuebl.comTransform your 2025 with Jack! Join “The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield” a year-long online program beginning Jan 2025! Join at bit.ly/Awakening2025See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shining a lamp in the darkness, Jack offers a heartwarming holiday story, guided meditation, angelic chant, and powerful intention setting ceremony for the New Year and beyond.Transform your 2025 with Jack! Join “The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield” a year-long online program beginning Jan 2025!“May your holidays and the turning of the seasons bring new light, great love, wisdom, and understanding into your life, to all your touch, and across this beautiful blue-green globe.” – Jack KornfieldIn part 2 of this special holiday series, Jack merrily shares:A heartwarming Christmas Dharma story to relax the mindLearning the true and boundless joy of making others happyA powerful “Just Like Me” two-person guided meditation practiceTransforming the world through seeing the beauty of those around usSetting the compass of your heart for our highest good and intentionCreating your own New Year's vow, and becoming a lamp in the darkness for those in needA special blessing-cord ceremony—an intention setting ritual for the turning of the seasons, the New Year, and the returning of the lightThe angelic, holy, chanting of the of the mantra, “Namoh”“How do we respond to this world? You sit and you sweep the garden. You have the capacity as a human being incarnating in this life—with your measure of suffering and the beauty you have—to respond in extraordinary ways.” – Jack Kornfield“I did a blessing cord ceremony 40 years ago together with Lama Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and somebody raised their hand and said to him, ‘What exactly do these protect you from?' And he said, ‘Why yourself, of course,' which is a main protection that human beings need.” – Jack KornfieldThis episode was originally recorded for the Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation Livestream on 12/14/15. Learn more about Spirit Rock's offerings. Join Jack's next event.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.