Podcast appearances and mentions of michael taft

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to economist Michael Taft about the impact of tariffs on the Irish economy and jobs, our over dependence on US multinational investment, how we can create a diversified strong indigenous economy, the importance of collective bargaining, workers rights and wages, cooperative and community led enterprise and civil society and progressive parties working together in Raise the Roof. Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/dignity-for-129326641

Please join us on patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory dissects Budget 2025 with Michael Taft, economist , and Susanne Rogers of Social Justice Ireland and they find more tokenism than transformation, We discuss how the Budget was actually regressive - those on higher incomes gained more - it failed to take transformative action on housing, health or child poverty. Michael points to a broad public retrofitting scheme as one measure that would have used the billions for transformation. Rory is also joined by Mike Allen of Focus Ireland who highlights how shockingly there was not one mention of homelessness in the Budget, and no increase in funding for preventing homelessness. We also discuss the socially divisive narrative spread by the Taoiseach and others that are trying to deflect attention away from Government policy failure and blame immigrants and others vulnerable for homelessness. We always enjoy your feedback, and please share the podcast around. Thank you for listening. (Editors note: Don't miss Michael Taft singing) Rory's Dublin Marathon for Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Michael Taft, SIPTU research officer and Neil McDonnell, CEO of ISME

In this episode, recorded in March 2023 for the Deconstructing Yourself podcast hosted by Michael Taft, we look at the similarities and differences between Tantrik Shaivism, Tantrik Buddhism, and Vedanta. Alongside Michael - spiritual teacher, bestselling author of "The Mindful Geek" and co-founder of The Alembic in Berkeley - we debunk a few myths and misconceptions about these spiritual paths. The discussion then leads us to some of the most unique and key teachings of non-dual tantra, such as the concepts of 'fullness of emptiness' and beneficial possession, comparing them to other prevalent spiritual philosophies from India. Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the show - Ged Nash was with us to discuss how Govt are handling immigration, Michael Taft of SIPTU discussed public attitudes towards the current pension system and we looked at the dangers associated with vaping with Prof Donal O'Shea of the RCSI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is an interview recorded in late 2023 for the Deconstructing Yourself podcast, founded and hosted by Michael Taft. Michael, a seasoned meditator, meditation teacher, and author of the bestseller "The Mindful Geek," as well as co-founder of The Alembic in Berkeley, engages in an in-depth conversation about my latest book, "Near Enemies of the Truth," which addresses the complexities and misconceptions around spiritual clichés and platitudes. Together, we explore the nuances of the term 'enlightenment,' its meanings in both English and Sanskrit, the differences between awakening and liberation, and what embodied liberation truly entails, alongside the implications of karma and samskara.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings and course at www.tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgia is widely known as the Peach State, but blueberries have risen to become their most valuable fruit crop.Despite being grown and harvested in a fairly short window, the crop needs year-round attention to get the best results.With some of his crop struggling, Michael Taft at Mixon Farms in Waresboro sought out a solution. Through trials of Redox Bio-Nutrients products, he saw significant gains in brix and yield. Sugar levels in the trial fields nearly doubled compared to other blocks of the same variety. Additionally, yields increased by about a ton per acre when compared to his conventionally-grown blueberries.As a result, Taft said he's shifting solely to Redox products for his 900-acres of blueberries in 2024.“As long as I'm the farm, we will always have Redox on it,” Taft said.Blueberries are grown in many parts of the U.S. Georgia is one of the leading states, as well as Washington, Michigan, and Oregon. 

There are many spiritual and yogic practices that utilize “elemental” objects of meditation. For example, the guided meditation by Michael Taft called “Five Elements Meditation” (link below) centers the mind around mental formations evocative of earth, water, fire, air, and space. Alas, it is natural to be skeptical of the value of these practices on the basis that science has shown that the universe is made up of particles, forces, and fields, and not the traditional elements of ancient ontologies.Nevertheless, within the paradigm of Qualia Mastery in meditation, we affirm the significance of specific states of consciousness, irrespective of the techniques used to induce them. Adhering rigidly to a modern scientific worldview might, in fact, impede one's engagement with such meditative practices. Engaging fully with a meditation that posits, for instance, fire as a fundamental entity, can often yield richer results when one genuinely subscribes to the idea. Continual internal rebuttals, such as "fire isn't foundational; electrons are!" can inhibit deep immersion into these states.So how can we rescue what is valuable from this style of meditation without having to buy into an implicit “elemental ontology”? Here is where the relevance of “self-organizing principles” comes into play. Namely, where we realize that the nervous system is capable of instantiating a cornucopia of diverse self-organizing principles that are used to render one's inner world-simulation. Thus, when you imagine and embody “the element of fire” you are, in a way, instantiating a collection of self-organizing principles that roughly emulate the behavior of fire. Therefore, we can use a more generalized conception of “elemental meditation” as a window into these self-organizing principles. This is what this meditation does.Relevant Links:Five Elements Meditation by Michael Taft (https://www.youtube.com/live/p_1BPl39orA?si=uyF-hcVoDKp3IWgW)Digital Sentience Requires Solving the Boundary Problem, where the computational properties of self-organizing principles are discussed (https://qri.org/blog/digital-sentience)

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic, Rory and his guests discuss what would a budget that really tackles the cost of living crisis, inequality, the housing crisis and social justice look like and is the economy really at full capacity? He talks with Dr Tom McDonell, Director of Nevin Economics Research Institute, Dr. Tricia Keilthy, head of Social Justice and Policy at St Vincent De Paul and Michael Taft, economist with SIPTU. They set out what are the key measures that should be in Budget 2024 including reducing the cost of education, health, housing and investing in public services, increasing (not reducing) taxes, increasing welfare spending linked to cost of living, and increasing capacity to build through public construction company.

In celebration of How Minds Change, my new book, turning one-year-old, in this episode Michael Taft interviews David McRaney about how minds do and do not change, the process behind writing a book about it, and what he has learned since writing it and promoting it.Michael is a meditation teacher, bestselling author, and  a mindfulness coach – and he specializes in secular, science-based mindfulness training. If you are interested in a science-based, secular book about meditation and and mindfulness, I highly recommend his book,The Mindful Geek, snd I recommend guided meditation with him. He offers that at The Alembic in Berkely. You can join them virtually, over the internet. Links below.I also recommend his podcast, Deconstructing Yourself. It is all about entheogens and neurofeedback and brain hacking. If you are a Carl Sagan loving, science endorsing, evidence based sort of person – a nerd, geek, or skeptic or humanist who wants to know more about meditation and deep dive into what we do and do not know about it – that's what his podcast is about. Sam Harris will be a guest on there soon, and I think many of you will love that episode.Deconstructing YourselfThe AlembicMichael TaftHow Minds ChangeDavid McRaney's TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon

Join host Michael Taft as he speaks with meditation teacher and author Andrew Holecek about “reverse meditation,” the Mahamudra-based practice of using difficult experiences as the focus of our meditation, how this moves us through our perceived limits and allows us to recognize the perfection of the moment, and allows us to make any situation a profound and excellent meditation. Andrew Holecek has completed the traditional three-year Buddhist meditation retreat and offers seminars internationally on meditation, dream yoga, and the art of dying. He is the author of many books, including Dream Yoga: Illuminating Your Life Through Lucid Dreaming and the Tibetan Yogas of Sleep and a new book, Reverse Meditation. Andrew is masterful at joining the wisdom traditions of Asia with the knowledge of the West. He holds degrees in classical music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery. https://www.andrewholecek.com/Contribute to Michael's Patreon or directly to help fund the creation of more of these podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Read the full transcript here. How does nondual meditation differ from other forms of meditation? Is nonduality the sort of thing a person can just "get" immediately? What value is provided by the more effortful, less "sudden" forms of meditation? Is there such a thing as full or complete enlightenment? And what would such a state entail? To what extent do nondual meditation teachers agree about what nonduality is? Are glimpses of enlightenment available to everyone? How long does it usually take a person to stabilize their ability to return to a nondual way of seeing the world? What are some common ways people get "stuck" while learning nondual meditation? How important are meditation retreats? Though the paths themselves are obviously quite distinct from one another, do all forms of meditation ultimately share a common goal? How are all of these things related to spirituality or religion?Michael Taft is a teacher of nondual meditation and host of the Deconstructing Yourself podcast and website. He is the author of The Mindful Geek, and co-founder of The Alembic, a Berkeley-based center for meditation, movement, citizen neuroscience, and visionary culture. Having lived all over the world and practiced deeply in several traditions, Michael currently makes his home in California. Email him at michaeltaft@gmail.com, or learn more about him at his website, deconstructingyourself.com.Jeremy Stevenson hails from Adelaide, Australia, and has a PhD in clinical psychology with a dissertation focused on the effects of self-compassion on social anxiety. During his PhD he became intensely interested in meditation, sitting several shorter retreats which eventually culminated in sitting longer retreats, including a 3-month retreat in Nepal. He is now working as a clinical psychologist as well as doing research work for Spark Wave. His ongoing meditation interest is the perplexing skill of nondual mindfulness. Email him at jeremy.david.stevenson@gmail.com, or listen to his previous episode on this podcast here. [Read more]

Host Michael Taft talks with neuroscientist and Executive Director of the Alembic, Kati Devaney about meditation, the neuroscience of meditation, predictive processing, the wonder of travel, psychedelics, and more.Kathryn Devaney, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist and meditation practitioner, with over 20 years of meditation experience. Kati earned her PhD in 2018, using fMRI to examine attention and default mode network function in experienced Vipassana meditators. After completing her postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, Kati moved to Berkeley CA to start The Berkeley Alembic Foundation with Michael Taft and Erik Davis. Kati is currently the Executive Director of The Alembic, the Chief Science Officer of Jhourney.io, and a researcher at the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics. You can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael Taft, SIPTU research officer, Tony Foley, Associate Professor Emeritus of Economics at DCU Business School

Your host Michael Taft is interviewed by Jake Orthwein about the various kinds of nonduality, the difference between monoism and nondualism, fundamental confusions about nondual practice, the major contrast between the transcendence-orientation of dualistic religions and the world-engagement of nondual religions, as well as the crucial distinction between the two main types of nonduality.Jake Orthwein is a filmmaker based in Santa Monica, CA, and a dharma student of mine. You may have seen his Youtube video entitled, “How Politics Became Pro Wrestling,” and he is currently working on a series of films surrounding meditation, psychedelics, and predictive processing. Jake Orthwein on TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join host Michael Taft as he talks with Tantrik scholar and practitioner Christopher Wallis about the tradition of Nondual Shaiva Tantra, the full void pregnant with possibilities, savoring the transcendent in every sensual experience, the differences between Nondual Shaiva Tantra and Advaita Vedanta, the origins of Tantra and Vajrayana, sublime beauty, aesthetic rapture, and much more.Christopher Wallis, also known as Hareesh, is a Sanskritist and scholar-practitioner of Classical Tantra with thirty years experience. He was initiated by a traditional Indian guru at the age of sixteen, and received education at yoga āshrams, both in India and the West. He holds several degrees including an M.Phil. in Classical Indian Religions from Oxford, and a Ph.D. in Sanskrit from U.C. Berkeley. Hareesh is the author of Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition, and of The Recognition Sutras, a translation and commentary on a 1000-year-old masterpiece on experiential recognition of oneself as a direct expression of universal divine Consciousness.Hareesh. orgYou can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join host Michael Taft as he continues his talk with translator, author, and teacher Ken McLeod about Ken's new book: The Magic of Vajrayana, and issues around receiving initiations and empowerments, the experiential component, aspects of White Tara and Mahakala practices, the power of mystical poetry, and the future of Vajrayana in the West.Ken McLeod began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed as resident teacher for Kalu Rinpoche's center in Los Angeles, California, where he developed innovative approaches to teaching and translation. After his teacher's death in 1989, Ken established Unfettered Mind, a place for those whose path lies outside established institutions. His many published works include Wake Up to Your Life, A Trackless Path, and his new book, entitled The Magic of Vajrayana.You can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Saturday, February 18th the Ireland we can become showed up for the #IrelandForAll Solidarity Rally. I've pieced together sounds, songs and voices from the days events. You'll hear from Clare O'Connor, Dean Scurry, Darragh Adelaide, Sophia Mulvany, Rose Marie Maughan, Christy Moore, Adam Mohamed, Patrick Costello, James O'Toole, Michael Taft, Dave Gibney, Rory Hearne and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey. Hope you enjoy it. Please do consider supporting this platform by becoming a member at patreon.com/tortoiseshack

Join host Michael Taft as he talks with translator, author, and teacher Ken McLeod about Ken's new book: The Magic of Vajrayana, particularly the tripartite practice structure of guru, deity, and protector in Tibetan Buddhism.Ken McLeod began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed as resident teacher for Kalu Rinpoche's center in Los Angeles, California, where he developed innovative approaches to teaching and translation. After his teacher's death in 1989, Ken established Unfettered Mind, a place for those whose path lies outside established institutions. His many published works include Wake Up to Your Life, A Trackless Path, and his new book, entitled The Magic of Vajrayana. You can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever thought about teaching mindfulness to corporations, small businesses or even your own company?  In this episode, Michael Taft shares advice that has helped him land work teaching mindfulness at Silicon Valley's most well-known tech industry giants, where his practical, secular approach has been warmly welcomed. Michael Taft is the best-selling author of ‘The Mindful Geek: Mindfulness Meditation for Secular Skeptics.' The book addresses atheists, agnostics and doubters with step-by-step instructions on how to practice mindfulness meditation and includes the psychological and neuroscientific research underpinning its benefits. Taft shares the keys to his success with Sean Fargo and in the process, addresses how to best train for teaching in corporations, how to market your services, and how to offer authentic, beneficial teachings in this uniquely limited setting.   Michael Taft joined Sean Fargo as a guest teacher in the Mindfulness Exercises Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Program. This unique, self-paced certification program is internationally accredited and accessible entirely online. Students receive weekly live, in-person mentorship from Sean Fargo and his team. They are joined by the world's most respected voices in mindfulness and meditation who present on a wide range of topics.  Train to share mindfulness with confidence, compassion and skill within a supportive online community. Learn more at teach.mindfulnessexercises.com or, schedule a 15-minute call with Sean to see if this program is right for you at https://calendly.com/sean-108/application 

Workers with five or more years of PRSI contributions will be entitled to 60pc of their gross weekly salary capped at €450 per week. Michael Taft, Economic Researcher for SIPTU joined Ciara to discuss further.

Workers with five or more years of PRSI contributions will be entitled to 60pc of their gross weekly salary capped at €450 per week. Michael Taft, Economic Researcher for SIPTU joined Ciara to discuss further.

In this Reboot Republic, Rory gets the analysis and responses to Budget 2023 from Michael Taft, economist with SIPTU, Head of Social Justice at SVP, Dr Tricia Kielty and Louise Bayliss, of Focus Ireland. We discuss inadequacies in the Budget that will result in poverty and deprivation rates rising, particularly for lone parents, children and other disadvantaged groups, as welfare increases are falling behind inflation and low income individuals and families simply do not have the financial capacity to withstand an escalating cost of living crisis. We also analyse the Budget for its overall impact on inequality, housing, homelessness and what could (and should) the Government have done (and still must do) on energy costs, rents, evictions and investment in public services. Please visit patreon.com/tortoiseshack

Louise Burne, Political Reporter with the Irish Daily Mail, Michael Taft, SIPTU research officer, Nat O'Connor, Age action

Louise Burne, Political Reporter with the Irish Daily Mail, Michael Taft, SIPTU research officer, Nat O'Connor, Age action

Michael Taft is a meditation teacher, author, and host of the ‘Deconstructing Yourself' podcast.
 In this episode, Michael reveals why he dislikes maps of meditation, and why he believes the Progress of Insight, a widely taught meditation map in Theravada Buddhism, causes more problems than it solves. Michael also discusses his points of agreement and disagreement with the Buddhist four path model, how he defines and teaches stream entry, the common traps on the way to enlightenment, how to cut through spiritual ego, and why Michael questions if becoming an arhat is actually good for anybody. Michael goes on to explain his own meditation map, based on the teachings of Shinzen Young, and shares his takes on emptiness, jhana, fire kasina, and how life changes after awakening. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep167-maps-to-enlightenment-michael-taft-2 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'.
 … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:57 - Cons of meditation maps 06:06 - Why the Progress of Insight map causes more problems than it solves 09:50 - Disagreement with Daniel Ingram 10:37 - Controversy of claiming Arhatship 14:15 - Teaching towards stream entry 15:06 - Defining stream entry 18:16 - Do meditators really want stream entry? 20:17 - Where Michael diverges from the 4-path model 22:42 - different approaches to spiritual practice 23:24 - What changes after enlightenment? 29:01 - Stress tolerance of enlightenment 30:09 - Michael's perceptive 31:16 - Dangers on the way to stream entry 36:29 - Post-stream entry pitfalls 37:54 - Spiritual ego trips 38:35 - How Michael slices through spiritual ego 39:39 - Michael's own map of vipassana 45:35 - The failure mode of high concentration 48:05 - Differences between low concentration and insight into emptiness 51:05 - The problem with cessation 52:47 - Emptiness of self and other 54:37 - Pointing to the self 56:02 - When Michael's students achieve stream entry 57:02 - Welcome to the club 57:41 - Sutra vs Mahamudra 58:53 - Running the map backwards 01:01:21 - Emptiness and form 01:05:07 - The big temptation of emptiness and bliss 01:08:35 - Why leave emptiness? 01:13:10 - Vipassana vs vipasyana 01:15:41 - Quick fire round 01:16:13 - Wet of dry vipassana? 01:16:39 - Hard or soft jhana? 01:17:22 - Breath or fire kasina? 01:18:21 - BIT or SHF? 01:19:09 - Shinzen Young's evolution … Previous episode with Michael Taft: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep149-deconstructing-yourself-michael-taft To find out more about Michael Taft, visit: - https://deconstructingyourself.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Government has finances in Budget 2023 to really tackle cost of living crisis -but will it? This Reboot Republic podcast is part of our Budget 2023 special series (3 available now on members feed) on putting forward proposals to tackle the cost of living, energy and housing crisis. In this first episode Rory talks to Susanne Rogers, Research and Policy Officer with Social Justice Ireland, Michael Taft, economist with SIPTU and Tom McDonnell economist and co-director with NERI. We discuss the real fiscal space available to invest in Budget 2023 - it is closer to 12bn (not 6bn), increasing welfare in line with inflation, energy price caps, a wealth tax, 100% retrofit grants and state construction company to build homes why we need to invest in public services rather than tax cuts, and why we should focus on wellbeing indicators rather than GDP. Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack

In this episode, host Michael Taft talks with Rosa Lewis about spirituality, creativity, working with trauma, embracing the darkness, the inner critic, the power of meditation, and more.Rosa Lewis is a mystic and a meditation teacher. Her teaching combines Buddhist emptiness, shadow work, tantric embodiment, the archetypal realm, mysticism and a radically new way of relating to heartfulness.Her approach to spirituality involves healing the trauma or embracing the darkness that exists in all of us. She helps people uncover and nourish whatever it is that most wants to come alive in them, in order to create a more joyful presence in the world. You can learn more about Rosa on her website at https://rosalewis.co.uk/You can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the battle continues to try and reduce emissions, one proposals is to ban Sports Utility Vehicles, or SUVs. Michael Taft, researcher with SIPTU, joined Brian Cooke, Director General at the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, to discuss what makes these car's so damaging to the environment and what the impact would be if they were to be banned completely.

This episode examines the impact of Ireland's decision to join the EU 50 years ago on the workplace. The programme also looks at our right to work and travel in other EU states, and the impact COVID-19 has had on how we work. Jerry speaks to Michael Taft, economist and researcher with SIPTU, to Barbara Gerstenberger, head of unit for working life with Eurofound, and to Caroline Reidy of The HR Suite. We're asking you to take part in a survey to get your views on EU membership. The results will be presented in next month's edition of The EU and Me - https://www.radiokerry.ie/euandme

Sebastian Barnes, Chair of the IFAC; Michael Taft, Research Officer for SIPTU

In this Reboot Republic, Rory talks to Michael Taft, economist with SIPTU, about how to tackle the cost of living crisis. Ireland has seen some of the highest electricity and gas price rises in the EU. In France and Malta the governments controlled gas and electricity prices, Michael sets out how we can do it here too, how to tackle profit price inflation - profit gouging, the economics of a minimum wage and wider wage increases, the contribution of our free market economic model to Ireland's cost of living crisis, and why a state construction company as a commercial public enterprise is a good idea. Join us and help keep the mics on at patreon.com/tortoiseshack

In this interview I am joined by Michael Taft: maverick meditation teacher, bestselling author, host of the ‘Deconstructing Yourself' podcast, and founder of the Alembic community. Michael recounts his lifelong meditation journey, describes his initial reluctance to teach meditation, the writing of ‘Mindful Geek', and his divergence from Shinzen Young. Michael reveals his troubled upbringing, crippling teenage anxiety, and intense experimentation with LSD and the occult. Michael also shares a transformative mystical experience in Japan, his practice of classical Hindu tantra, and details experiences of seeing other dimensional entities in daily life. … Link in bio.

 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'.
 … Topics include:
 00:00 - Intro 01:57 - Looking back at ‘Mindful Geek' 03:09 - Reluctance to teach 04:49 - Secular mindfulness 10:09 - Diverging from Shinzen Young 12:52 - Michael's troubled upbringing 17:32 - Crippling anxiety attacks and discovering meditation 21:35 - Experiments with the occult 22:36 - Michael's magical explorations 25:40 - Chaos magic and massive doses of LSD 28:12 - The essence of Robert Anton Wilson 31:31 - David Chapman ruins everything 34:10 - Shapeshifting as a meditation teacher 41:36 - More on LSD 43:06 - Moving to Japan 46:46 - A transformative psychedelic experience 49:38 - Analysing Michael's psychedelic experience 54:32 - Living in the Jewel Ornament Sutra 56:48 - Seeing entities 01:00:17 - Learning to see other realms 01:04:20 - Extensive kundalini work 01:08:23 - Michael's practice of classical tantra 01:10:38 - Intensive underground retreat practice 01:11:16 - The essence of Michael's tantric journey 01:14:33 - Trauma healing and the energy body 01:17:20 - Integration and personal relationships ... To find out more about Michael Taft, visit: - https://deconstructingyourself.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Here's the second part of Neil's chat, with the endlessly patient Michael Taft. Get ready for Neil to introduce the concept of Trigger's broom into the spiritual arena and see if Michael encounters any questions he simply can't answer. If you'd like to find out more information about Michael, follow this link: https://deconstructingyourself.com/michael-w-taft Make sure you subscribe and leave a review! You can email Lee and Neil here: hello@icantbelieveitsnotbuddha.com

What can ancient Sanskrit poetry of love and longing teach us about our own deepest spirituality? Join host Michael Taft as he explores this question with professor, author, and teacher Rick Jarow. Further topics include the tantric aspect of poetry, how landscape and nature informs and embodies our spirituality, the role of the word in transcendence, sacred passion for the divine as expressed in the poetics of longing, and much more.Rick Jarow Ph.D. is a author, teacher, and scholar of Indian languages and literature. Recently retired from his position as a Religious Studies professor at Vassar college in New York, Rick leads workshops and retreats worldwide. His books include: In Search of the Sacred, Tales for the Dying, and a new work: The Cloud of Longing: A New Translation and Eco-Aesthetic Study of Kalidasa's Meghaduta. Rick Jarow's websiteHelp to support the Deconstructing Yourself podcast at Patreon.Or give a one-time donation: DonateSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Deconstructing Yourself strives to encourage, inform, and inspire your meditation practice towards ongoing awakening. https://deconstructingyourself.com No Limits Society ► https://bentinhomassaro.com/nls What is I? ► https://bit.ly/WhatisI High Level Perception ► https://highlevelperception.com

One of our favourite guests, Michael Taft, returned this week for an exquisite conversation. Neil discusses the affect that daily meditation has had on him and whether it's possible to experience a meditative state whilst asleep. Make sure you subscribe and leave a review! You can email Lee and Neil here: hello@icantbelieveitsnotbuddha.com

This Reboot Republic podcast is the first part of our Budget 2022 Panel Analysis. This first panel of four guests gets a social justice and equality analysis of Budget 2022, its measures, positives, and failings with Colette Bennett, policy analyst with Social Justice Ireland who talks about welfare, housing and health, SIPTU economist Michael Taft who highlights the need for investment rather than the 'balanced budget', Focus Ireland Coordinator and SPARK Spokesperson Louise Bayliss who focuses on inadequacies and insecurities of HAP, and the lack of focus on child poverty, and giving the experience of a renter and a 'values' perspective, Maynooth University Graduate and Youth Worker, Sandra Collins. Tickets for the Sugar Club are on sale HERE Join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack

Michael Taft is a meditation teacher and best-selling author of many books such as The Mindful Geek and Nondualism. He is also the host of the podcast, Deconstructing Yourself.In this episode, Eric and Michael discuss spiritual practices and learning to deconstruct and reconstruct ourselves.But wait – there's more! The episode is not quite over!! We continue the conversation and you can access this exclusive content right in your podcast player feed. Head over to our Patreon page and pledge to donate just $10 a month. It's that simple and we'll give you good stuff as a thank you!In This Interview, Eric and Michael Taft Discuss Deconstructing Yourself and …His podcast and blog titled “Deconstructing Yourself”Learning to “untangle” the concepts and emotions that can overwhelm usThe importance of “reconstructing” ourselves after the “deconstructing”Taking our meditation practice from the cushion into everyday lifeFinding what is sacred to you and bringing more of it into your lifeDefining and distinguishing between psychology and spirituality Thoughts and feelings and seeing their constructivenessVipassana practices and his work with Shinzen YoungDifferences between early and later Buddhist practices and traditionsHow real spirituality contends with the intense human conditionMichael Taft Links:Michael's WebsiteDeconstructing Yourself PodcastTwitterTalkspace is the online therapy company that lets you connect with a licensed therapist from anywhere at any time at a fraction of the cost of traditional therapy. It's therapy on demand. Visit www.talkspace.com or download the app and enter Promo Code: WOLF to get $100 off your first month.Calm App: The app designed to help you ease stress and get the best sleep of your life through meditations and sleep stories. Join the 85 million people around the world who use Calm to get better sleep. Get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription (a limited time offer!) by going to www.calm.com/wolfIf you enjoyed this conversation with Michael Taft, you might also enjoy these other episodes:Michael Taft Interview (2015)Paths of Spiritual Awakening with Henry ShukmanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the show - Deputy Peadar Toibin spoke with us about the growing Covid case numbers and ongoing Save Navan Hospital Campaign. REA O'Brien Collins discussed the increasing house prices in border counties. Marian Harkin joined us on the Budget, farming and the Carbon tax. Michael Taft of SIPTU discussed the impact of the Budget recommendations on low paid workers See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This Reboot Republic podcast brings back one of listeners' favourite guests - economist with SIPTU, Michael Taft. We talk about what measures should be introduced in the coming Budget to make Ireland a more equal society and economy. Michael explains about some serious issues that are not being factored in such as secular stagnation, climate change, and the need for investment in creating public markets in care, childcare and housing to stop the private investor take over of our caring economy. Michael also analyses the housing plan and the politics of the left and opposition and creating a Government in Waiting! Help us by becoming a member at patreon.com/tortoiseshack

Today on the show - Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue spoke with us in advance of his visit to Louth today to engage with farmers on CAP. Local TD's Fergus O Dowd and Imelda Munster debated the energy consumption of data centres. Michael Taft of SIPTU discussed the proposed changes to the Living Wage and Ruairí Ó Murchú spoke with us on affordable housing See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What goes into making "a self," and how can we bring together the many aspects of who we are? Today Dr. Rick and Forrest Hanson talk with meditation teacher, bestselling author, and podcaster (and their good friend) Michael Taft about moving from the spiritual to the secular and back again, ego dissolution, and how we can deconstruct ourselves.About Our Guest: Michael is a meditation teacher, bestselling author and neuroscience junkie. He's been practicing meditation for over 35 years, and is the author of several books, including The Mindful Geek.Watch the Episode: Prefer watching video? You  can watch this episode on YouTube.Key Topics:0:00: Introduction1:30: Michael's journey from the spiritual to the secular to back again.5:00: LSD, yoga, and Shinzen Young8:30: Reconciling the spiritual and the secular.15:45: What is “deconstructing yourself?”20:45: Ego dissolution and panic. 25:00: “Spiritual emergencies” and cautions around mindfulness. 29:20: Psychedelics and seeing the ego as an object. 31:00: Practices that help people see the empty nature of the self.34:00: Key teachings for life's long road. 45:00: A message to your younger self.47:00: RecapSupport the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.Sponsors:Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world's largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month! Want to sleep better? Try the legendary Calm app! Visit calm.com/beingwell for 40% off a premium subscription.Connect with the show:Subscribe on iTunesFollow Forrest on YouTubeFollow us on InstagramFollow Forrest on InstagramFollow Rick on FacebookFollow Forrest on FacebookVisit Forrest's website

Zen teacher, author, and poet Henry Shukman talks with host Michael Taft about Mountain Cloud Zen Center, Henry's series on the Waking Up app, meditation for awakening vs. meditation as a “band aid,” the role of psychotherapy in spiritual practice, the power of working in the “old way,” the path of working with Zen koans as the journey of a lifetime. Henry Shukman is a teacher in the Sanbo Zen lineage, and is the Guiding Teacher of Mountain Cloud Zen Center, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Henry is an award-winning poet and author of several books, including One Blade of Grass, which details his spiritual journey. And is excellent. His struggles and traumatic experiences as a youth, combined with a spontaneous awakening experience at age 19, paved the way for Henry to develop a well-rounded approach to spirituality and meditation – one that includes love for self and the world as its foundation.Henry Shukman at Mountain Cloud Zen CenterContribute to Michael's Patreon or directly to help fund the creation of more of these podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael W. Taft is a meditation teacher, bestselling author, and the host of Deconstructing Yourself podcast. From Zen temples in Japan to yogi caves in India, Michael has been meditating for over thirty five years and has extensive experience in both Buddhist Vipassana and Hindu Tantric practice. Michael authored several books, including “The Mindful Geek, Nondualism: A Brief History of a Timeless Concept”, and Ego (which he co-authored).Show notesSwitching between incompatible models of realityTaking it too farBuddhist modernismMahayana’s critique of Theravada traditionEmptiness and the Buddha natureOn Tantric practiceFeeling your way through uncharted territoryUprooting the seeds of the kleshasParallels between Tantric and Vajrayana practicesOn VipassanaMantra and deitiesTo find out more about Michael Taft visit Deconstructing Yourself website.Head over to www.escaping-samsara.com to discover more episodes.Feel grateful and would like to support us? Thank you!Here is our PAYPAL or  PATREON account for contributions.

Shinzen Young talks with host Michael Taft about his new ideas around applying the systematic mindset of mindfulness meditation and the scientific method to the many challenges of human communication and miscommunication. Topics include the coming of Unified Mindfulness to China, the new phenomena of online retreats, training the spirit of science into mindfulness and communication, and much more.Shinzen Young is an American mindfulness teacher and neuroscience research consultant. His systematic approach to categorizing, adapting and teaching meditation, known as Unified Mindfulness, has resulted in collaborations with Harvard Medical School, Carnegie-Mellon University, and the University of Vermont in the burgeoning field of contemplative neuroscience. Learn more about Shinzen at his website: Shinzen.orgContribute to Michael’s Patreon

We explore the possible negative effects of meditation; awakening versus personal psychological issues; panic attacks; traces of trauma; vipassana meditation; approaches from the western magickal tradition; Jungian analysis; impacts on personal relationships; attachment theory; the Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM) and its approach to healing trauma; intergenerational trauma; relationships to the dead; collective and cultural trauma; the work of Thomas Hübl; processing trauma as a form of awakening; trauma and karma; recognising and responding to cultural and collective trauma. Marie-Louise von Franz (1979). Alchemical Active Imagination. Irving, TX: Spring Publications. Frater Geur (2020). Liber Pisces. Brighton: Heptarchia. https://tinyurl.com/rwvdshw6 Thomas Hübl (2020). Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds. Boulder, CO: Sounds True. Lisa Schwarz, Frank Corrigan, Alastair Hull, and Rajiv Raju (2018). The Comprehensive Resource Model: Effective Therapeutic Techniques for the Healing of Complex Trauma. Abingdon: Routledge. Michael Taft (2021). Deconstructing Yourself: Meditation and Healing Trauma with Thomas Hübl, https://tinyurl.com/27uppkdk.

Dr. Andrew Rothschild, PT and Dr. Andrew Mann, PT discuss mindfulness- what it is, why it's important for not only emotional health but physical health as well, what the research shows about mindfulness, and some strategies to incorporate mindfulness into your life. Apps referenced in episode: headspace, calm, 10% happier, waking up Books on mindfulness: "Mindfulness On the Go"; by Jan Chozen Bays, MD, "The Mindful Geek" by Michael Taft; "Full Catastrophe Living" by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD Dr. Andrew Mann instagram @runningmanndpt Dr. Andrew Rothschild instagram @spear_physio Virginia Center for Spine & Sports Therapy instagram @vcsst_pt

In this podcast, Andrew changes roles and is interviewed by Michael Taft, host of the popular “Deconstructing Yourself” podcast. Michael is a sensitive thinker, and the discussion leads to some interesting places. Join Andrew and Michael for this provocative conversation.—Michael W. Taft is a maverick meditation teacher, bestselling author, and podcaster. As a mindfulness coach, he specializes in secular, science-based mindfulness training in retreats, groups, corporate settings, and one-on-one sessions. Michael is the author of several books, including the bestselling The Mindful Geek, Nondualism: A Brief History of a Timeless Concept, and Ego (which he co-authored), as well as the editor of such books as Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson and The Science of Enlightenment by Shinzen Young.He has often taught meditation at Google, worked on curriculum development for SIYLI, and is currently core faculty at Wisdom Labs, in San Francisco. Michael is also a featured teacher on the Simple Habit app, and an official advisor to the Therapeutic Neuroscience Lab. He was previously editor-in-chief of Being Human, and was the long-time editorial director of Sounds True. From Zen temples in Japan to yogi caves in India, Michael has been meditating for over thirty five years and has extensive experience in both Buddhist Vipassana and Hindu Tantric practice.

Michael Taft is the Research Officer for Unite the Union in Ireland. He is also a writer who appears frequently on Broadsheet and the Irish Left Review, and writes his own blog at Unite's Notes On The Front. This is the World Bank economic openness index that I mentioned that shows that Ireland has a […]