Podcasts about monastics

Hello to you listening in Istanbul, Turkey!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Time Out Tuesday and your host, Diane Wyzga.In the last moments of his life the Buddha was lying on his deathbed surrounded by his closest monastics awaiting  his final words. The Buddha opens his eyes and says, “Life is a river.” His words are passed from one monk to the next until they arrive at the most junior monk who asks, “Yes, but what does the Buddha mean, “life is a river”? The question makes its way back to the most senior monk who leans over the Buddha and asks, “But what do you mean, “life is a river”?  The Buddha draws a final deep breath, shrugs his shoulders and says, “Alright already. So life is not a river.”  What was the Buddha telling us about Life? What difference does it make? It doesn't. What matters is you, how you are figuring out your life as you are living it.Question: What if you will never get Life completely figured out? How might you live your precious life - today - knowing it is inherently unknowable?You're always invited: “Come for the stories - stay for the magic!” Speaking of magic, would you subscribe and spread the word with a generous 5-star review and comment - it helps us all - and join us next time!Meanwhile, stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website to:✓ Check out Services I Offer✓ Arrange your no-sales, Complimentary Coaching Consult ✓ Stay current with Diane on LinkedIn, as “Wyzga on Words” on Substack,  and now Pandora RadioStories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer's Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicAll content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.

This week's Bible study highlights key points: the righteous person is full of peace and joy, and constantly knows where he stands on the way of salvation. Wisdom can be used to be shared towards the love for others or it can be used to harm them. Monastics give good advice about relationships even though they are hermits because they learned how to truly love. They have been with Lord Love. Once I belittle the truth my heart will become hardened to receive it. The rest of Bible study this week continues to present to us what defines the heart.

Sister Chua Xua was a social worker and left a long-term relationship to become ordained as a nun at Bát Nhã, a Plum Village monastery that closed due to harassment from the Vietnamese government. "I also have a dream. I have a wish that I can support the young Western people to take the monastic life. The life that when you open your eyes, you see the moon and the star over your window. You feel very free. You light the candle with the hot cup of tea, the warm one, and you enjoy tea in the early morning. You look through the windows, you enjoy the moon and the star, and you enjoy your free life." 1:53 Visiting the Monastery, Social Work 6:27 Relationship Before Ordination 9:33 Wake Up Sangha 11:21 Working for a Company, Decision to Become a Nun 18:35 Bat Nha Monastery 28:02 Father's Illness and Death 31:42 Living at Different Practice Centers 33:21 Bringing Buddhism to the West 37:16 Difficulties in Monastic Life You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. In this episode of Meet the Monastics from Deer Park Monastery, Brother Minh An introduces Sister Chua Xua, a nun from Vietnam who shares her transformative journey into monastic life. Born in 1981 and ordained in 2010 at the age of 29, Sister Chua Xua brings energy and a deep heart of service to her spiritual practice. Her path began with a background in sociology and social work, where she faced burnout from emotional exhaustion while supporting marginalized communities. A retreat at Bat Nha Monastery in Vietnam introduced her to mindfulness practices and a vibrant community of young practitioners, inspiring her to reimagine her life. Despite initially not considering monastic life, the deep joy and transformation she witnessed at the monastery eventually led her to ordain. Sister Chua Xua reflects on her personal challenges, including leaving a long-term romantic relationship and navigating the emotional aftermath with the support of the mindfulness practice and the Wake Up Sangha. She describes the tumultuous closure of Bat Nha Monastery due to political pressures, a pivotal moment that solidified her commitment to the monastic path. Through her practice, Sister Chua Xua has embraced a life of simplicity, freedom, and service, drawing strength from the Plum Village community's teachings. She now aspires to share the beauty of monastic life with young people, emphasizing the peace, clarity, and joy it offers. Her story highlights the transformative power of mindfulness, community, and self-discovery. Sister Chua Xua's experiences underline how monastic practice fosters inner freedom and equips practitioners to live harmoniously with others. Her journey from social work to spiritual dedication offers profound insights into resilience and the pursuit of a meaningful, connected life.

Almighty God raises up in each age, certain persons who turn the Church and the world on its axis. Pope Benedict XVI in our age and the desert monastics in an early age are some examples.

Brother Phap Hoi is a Vietnamese refugee and the most senior Brother at Deer Park Monastery. "Because the Sangha embrace all of the people, even you are high level or low level of good background or not. You all have the chance in the Sangha if you go in the right direction of practice." 3:16 Meeting Thay 8:20 Arriving at Plum Village 11:30 Visa Trouble, First Stint at Deer Park 17:12 Bat Nha Monastery 26:25 Plum Village Thailand 32:00 Gratitude for Thay and the Path You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. In this episode of Meet the Monastics, Brother Minh An speaks with Brother Phap Hoi, the eldest brother at Deer Park Monastery, about his extraordinary journey into monastic life. Born in 1970 into a humble family in Hanoi, Brother Phap Hoi's path led him across multiple countries, including Czechoslovakia, Germany, and eventually France, where he was ordained at Plum Village in 1996. His life was marked by significant challenges, including fleeing as a refugee, navigating borders without proper paperwork, and enduring hardships during his search for a spiritual home. Inspired by Thay's teachings, particularly The Miracle of Mindfulness, Brother Phap Hoi found his deep calling to monastic life after attending a Day of Mindfulness in Germany. Brother Phap Hoi shares how his practice flourished despite difficulties, from supporting the establishment of Deer Park Monastery in the U.S. to helping build Plum Village centers in Thailand and Vietnam, including the historic Bát Nhã Monastery. His reflections emphasize the resilience and strength of the monastic Sangha, particularly during times of persecution and hardship. Brother Phap Hoi expresses profound gratitude for Thay's inclusive and compassionate vision, which provided him with the opportunity to grow and serve, no matter his background or limitations. For Brother Phap Hoi, the Sangha is a true family, offering a path of transformation and love, which he continues to follow wholeheartedly. Meet the Monastics

Sister Phu Nghiem is one of three nuns in her immediate blood family and is passionate about bringing mindfulness to children. "So I focus a lot more on my steps. On how I choose the food when I come to a meal. I learn to enjoy the meal and enjoy my siblings. And that has supported me a whole lot now that I'm here at Deer Park. I'm learning how to do that. And I notice my relationship with my sibling is more honest. But I think the most important thing is that my relationship with myself is a lot more honest. So that made me very happy." 2:07  - Introduction to Spiritual Life 7:49 - Professional Life and Decision to Become a Nun 14:15 - Starting Magnolia Grove 18:46 - Stress and Working Mindfully 26:13 - Mother's Ordination 31:01 - Practicing with the name "Gift from Heaven" 34:47 - Advice for Those Considering Monastic Life You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. Brother Minh An introduces an episode of Meet the Monastics featuring Sister Phu Nghiem, who shares her journey to monastic life and reflections on mindfulness practice. Born in central Vietnam in 1981, Sister Phu Nghiem emigrated to the U.S. at age 10, eventually pursuing interior design before feeling called to the monastic path. Influenced by her family's Buddhist roots and her sister's earlier ordination, she found deeper meaning through the Plum Village tradition. Her initial experiences at the Green Mountain Dharma Center awakened a sense of alignment with the practice, leading her to ordain in 2008. Sister Phu Nghiem reflects on her challenges and growth within the monastic community, including starting Magnolia Grove Monastery and balancing responsibilities with self-care. She emphasizes the importance of mindfulness in cultivating a rhythm of life that fosters well-being and honest relationships. As she now supports her aging mother, also a nun, she views this as a unique chapter of learning and joy, blending her spiritual and familial roles. She concludes by describing monastic life as a “luxury lifestyle,” offering a rich, disciplined, and beautiful way of living for those committed to the practice. Encouraging listeners to consider the monastic path, Sister Phu Nghiem shares how the teachings and precepts have deepened her relationships and transformed her life.

Brother Phap Luu, the eldest non-Vietnamese American monk in the Plum Village tradition, graduated from Dartmouth College and started meditating after going through a depression.  "What is more satisfying in life than helping people to transform their suffering? I mean, who cares about money and all this other stuff? The biggest happiness I get is if I can help myself, first of all, but others to transform suffering in a real way. My goodness, if we can do that with only a few people in our life, that's already worth a lifetime, right?" Discourse on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness 2:16 Experiments in Community and Meditation 10:37 Returning to the US, Depression 16:04 Discovering the Four Establishments of Mindfulness 21:00 Returning to Dartmouth, Visiting Maple Forest Monastery 26:09 Decision to Become a Monk 31:00 Life as a Monk, Love for Thay, Ethics 40:10 Projects 51:39 Ideals of Monastic Life, Collective Awakening 1:09:17 The Monastic's Role, Advice for Potential Monastics You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. This podcast episode, Meet the Monastics, hosted by Brother Minh An from Deer Park Monastery, introduces Brother Phap Luu (Brother Stream), the most senior non-Vietnamese American monastic in the Plum Village tradition. Brother Phap Luu shares his transformative journey, including his struggles with identity, community, and purpose before encountering the Dharma.  Early Life and Search for Meaning: Growing up in Connecticut, Brother Phap Luu studied English literature at Dartmouth College. He explored anarchist movements in Europe and lived in organic farming communities, experiencing both inspiration and disillusionment. These experiences deepened his inquiry into suffering, community, and personal transformation. Meeting Spiritual Teachers: His encounter with a Western teacher and later Thích Nhất Hạnh (Thầy) provided clarity and inspiration. The advice, “Don't be a Buddhist; be the Buddha,” profoundly influenced his approach to the path. Discovering Mindfulness Practice: Practicing the Four Establishments of Mindfulness during a difficult period helped him overcome depression and cultivate joy. This marked the beginning of his commitment to mindfulness and monastic life. Becoming a Monastic: Ordained in 2003 at Plum Village, France, Brother Phap Luu describes monastic life as a profound practice of non-self and community living. He values the precepts and ethics as foundational to transformation and expresses gratitude for Thầy's teachings and legacy. Community and Projects: Known for his boundless energy, Brother Phap Luu has contributed to initiatives like Wake Up for young practitioners, the Happy Farm, and hiking and science retreats. He reflects on balancing projects with mindfulness, cultivating non-attachment, and fostering harmony in the Sangha. Role of Monastics: Brother Phap Luu emphasizes the importance of monastics in balancing collective energy in society. He highlights the need for mindfulness, non-ideological approaches, and cultivating community harmony to address modern challenges like polarization and ecological crises. Download episode without music.

Sister Le Nghiem came to the practice after the death of her brother, and typically does solo retreat at the monastery for a few weeks a year. "So the practice gives me the greatest happiness. And this practice gives me being with others. Being with friends on retreat. Being with my siblings. Spending time each other. So when I practice it gives me happiness. And when my practice is deep, my happiness gets deeper. So it's all to do with the practice, nothing else." 2:17 Death of Brother and Discovering Thay's Teachings 9:25 Meeting the Monastic Sangha, Deciding to Become a Nun 17:00 Spending Time with Family Before Ordination 23:08 Nourishment from Solitude 32:34 Advice for Potential Nuns 35:49 Greatest Happiness in Monastic Life You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. This is an interview from Meet the Monastics, hosted by Brother Minh An at Deer Park Monastery. The episode features Sister Le Nghiem, also known as Sister Respect, a monastic in the Plum Village tradition ordained in 2005 at the age of 35. Key Highlights: Journey to Monastic Life: She discovered mindfulness and Thích Nhất Hạnh's teachings during a difficult time after her brother's passing. Reading The Miracle of Mindfulness and joining a local Sangha in Brisbane were transformative, helping her heal and connect deeply with the Plum Village practice. Her aspiration to become a nun solidified after meeting Plum Village monastics during retreats in Australia. Family Challenges and Support: Coming from a non-Buddhist family, Sister Le Nghiem faced initial resistance to her decision to ordain. She postponed ordination in Vietnam in 2005 to spend quality time with her family, preparing them for her new path. Over time, her family grew to accept and support her choice. Solo Retreats and Community Life: Sister Le Nghiem finds nourishment in both solitary practice and community living. Her solo retreats allow her to connect deeply with herself, cultivating mindfulness and understanding. At the same time, she thrives in the Sangha environment, sharing the practice and building strong relationships with her monastic siblings. Inspiration for Young Women: Sister Le Nghiem advises aspiring nuns to focus wholeheartedly on the basic practices of mindfulness, which she believes are the foundation of a fulfilling monastic life. She emphasizes putting one's heart into the practice to find clarity and joy. The Role of Practice: Throughout her journey, Sister Le Nghiem highlights the central role of practice in cultivating happiness. Whether alone or with others, her deep commitment to mindfulness brings her the greatest fulfillment. This heartfelt interview offers insight into Sister Le Nghiem's spiritual path, her balance of solitude and community, and her unwavering dedication to the practice, which continues to inspire her daily life.

おはようございます。お寺の朝から始める、安養な生活。あなたのウェルビーイングがととのう、テンプルモーニングラジオの時間です。 隔週でお届けするアンコール配信。242週目はイギリス・ロンドン近郊 アマラワティ仏教僧院 アチャン・ニャーナラトーさんをゲストにお迎えした2021年のトークを再配信します。本日の話題は「破滅衝動を抱えた青年が向かった先」。 ♪ ゲストご紹介ページ https://note.com/pilgry/n/n24270c90ec3c お経のコーナーはPlum Village Monastics & global friendsによる「island within myself」。 ♪ お経ゲストご紹介ページ https://note.com/pilgry/n/n1c52ad81d31a noteマガジン「Temple Morning Radioの歩きかた」ではゲストに関する詳しい情報をご確認いただけます。コメント欄ではメッセージもお待ちしています。 ぜひ、マガジンをフォローしてお楽しみください。 ♪ Temple Morning Radioの歩きかた https://note.com/pilgry/m/m6cd9c95f8001 この番組を、より多くの方に聴いていただけるように安定的継続と今後さらなる活動を広げていくために、皆さまからの温かいご支援をお待ちしております。 https://radio.templemorning.com/donation --- 「テンプルモーニングラジオ」「音の巡礼」の音源が地図から探せるWebサイト「pilgry」をご活用ください！ https://pilgry.net

Sister Sr. Trung Chin left Vietnam as a refugee and has been a nun for over fifty years. "The aspiration of a monk or a nun is that we have to arrive to the most peaceful place, the happiest place in ourselves. And there's only the daily practice. The daily practice only helps us to arrive to that place, that aspiration. It's the daily practice of each person. If each one of us do our best and lessen our hate, our love, our attachment, our anger, we let go of them day by day, then we can see we can love everybody." 2:44 Discovering Spirituality and Ordination 7:35 Dreaming of the Buddha and Meeting Great Teachers 12:39 Appreciation for Plum Village 16:55 Overcoming Difficulties, Waking Early, Balancing Practice  22:57 Chanting, Pleasing the Land Ancestors 33:23 Aspiration You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. This is an episode of the podcast Meet the Monastics by Brother Minh An from Deer Park Monastery, highlighting the story of Sister Trung Chin, also known as Sister Abbess. Sister Abbess has been a monastic for over 50 years, ordained at 15 in Vietnam, and later joined Plum Village at the invitation of Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay). She eventually became one of the first monastics at Deer Park Monastery. Her journey reveals her deep connection to the Buddhist path, beginning in childhood amidst the backdrop of the Vietnam War. After escaping Vietnam and living in various countries, she remained devoted to monastic life, finding solace and depth in Plum Village teachings. She shares her aspiration to embody Thay's teachings, practicing daily to cultivate peace, happiness, and love. She emphasizes the importance of community, gratitude for land ancestors, and integrating personal diligence with communal life. Throughout the interview, Sister Abbess reflects on the simplicity and depth of practice, the wisdom of Thay, and her hope that younger generations will continue the path of mindfulness and liberation. The episode ends with a reminder of the interconnectedness of personal and collective practice, gratitude to teachers and ancestors, and the importance of preserving Thay's legacy.

Brother Minh Nhan, one of the only monastics in the Plum Village tradition of Mexican descent, is a monk of many interests: music, mushrooms, math, and more.  "To join a community that maybe looks different, maybe don't see others like myself in it, let's say. Yeah, I mean, that's one way to look at it, but look at it as also, you're the one entering that. And you needn't be the last one either." 1:54 Introduction to Spirituality 14:38 Dropping Out of College 20:33 Arriving at Deer Park 22:11 Depression 31:09 Practice, Study, Play, and Rest 36:32 Being a Mexican Buddhist Monk 40:14 Advice for Those Considering Monastic Life Source The Kalama Sutra You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. The “Meet the Monastics” podcast from Deer Park Monastery, hosted by Brother Minh An, features weekly conversations with monastics about their journeys and inspirations. In this episode, he interviews Brother Minh Nhan, also known as Brother Kindness, who shares his unique story as one of the few monastics of Mexican descent in the Plum Village tradition. Brother Minh Nhan's journey began with an interest in spirituality during high school, sparked by reading Siddhartha and the Kalama Sutta, which encouraged him to explore and trust his own experiences. He also found unexpected spiritual mentors through a yoga class he joined, thinking it was a pottery course. His college path led him to advanced studies in mathematics, but he eventually left academia, seeking a life of greater purpose and spiritual practice. This pivotal decision was influenced by his deepening mindfulness practice, which had provided stability during challenging times. Choosing monastic life allowed him to align his values with his desire to benefit others, realizing that spiritual practice could offer lasting peace and service to those around him. His reflections highlight the importance of play and simplicity in daily life, helping balance the rigorous study and introspection of monastic training. Brother Minh Nhan is committed to the practice and hopes one day to share Buddhism with the Mexican community, while continuing to grow in the Plum Village tradition. The episode encourages others to explore monastic life, emphasizing that a diverse community can be enriched by newcomers.

Sister Boi Nghiem studied nursing before being ordained, and works regularly as a nun with the BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and teen communities. "I think I have a very healthy relationship with myself. Very healthy mental dialogue with myself. There were times I comforted myself. There were times I'm very firm with myself, tell myself to stop thinking that way. And they help. This is why I kept on sharing the importance of self-love. Because by the end of the day, it is the self-love that helped me, that saved me, that keeps me going. Because if I continue to criticize myself or have excessive negative thoughts, I cannot do much. It's very tiring. So I think that is the reason why that helped me not to fall into burnout."" 3:07 Heartbreak, Visiting Green Mountain, Deer Park, and Plum Village 6:37 Novicehood at Plum Village  11:40 Magnolia Grove Monastery 25:00 Interest in Social Injustice 28:34 Teens 34:42 LGBTQIA+ 40:55 BIPOC 53:26 Burnout 1:07:07 Basic Practice 1:17:25 Advice for Potential Monastics You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. This episode of “Meet the Monastics,” hosted by Brother Minh An from Deer Park Monastery, shares insights into the lives and practices of monastics in the Plum Village tradition.  In this episode, he interviews Sister Boi Nghiem (Sister True Pearl), who joined monastic life in 2005 at age 21. Sister Boi Nghiem emphasizes the significance of self-love and healthy inner dialogue as key practices to maintain well-being and prevent burnout. She shares her journey from a childhood in central Vietnam to immigrating to the U.S. and eventually finding spiritual direction after a difficult breakup. Initially drawn to Plum Village for personal healing, she gradually committed to monastic life. Sister Boi Nghiem has devoted herself to supporting diverse groups, including the BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and teen communities. Her advocacy grew from personal experiences and a deep awareness of societal suffering, leading her to foster inclusivity in the Sangha. Her practice of mindfulness, compassion, and gratitude is nurtured by regular breathing exercises, walking meditation, and the support of her monastic community. The episode also highlights the foundational role of the Plum Village Sangha and the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh in fostering a mindful, compassionate, and engaged monastic community.  Listen without the music track.

It's Meet the Monastics! Brother Phap Dung is a Vietnamese refugee who worked as an architect in Los Angeles before finding the practice, healing his relationship with his father, and changing the course of his life. "Now you get to choose, and it's deliberate. That is a monk. I choose to be in this intimate way with the community, with this path. I choose not to be in a romantic relationship. I choose to have real relationships with people I come across with. It's always a constant choice." 2:35 Meeting Thay and the Sangha 9:51 Joining the Buddhist "Enterprise" 14:40 Signs 19:28 Transformation 31:36 Advice for Potential Monastics 36:11 Love for Monastic Life 44:00 Engaged Buddhism You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. In this episode of Meet the Monastics, Brother Minh An interviews Brother Phap Dung, also known as Brother Fabian or Brother Embrace. They explore Brother Phap Dung's journey from an architect in Los Angeles to becoming a monastic in the Plum Village tradition. Reflecting on his early experiences, Brother Phap Dung recalls his initial curiosity about Buddhism, sparked by a retreat led by Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay). His journey to monastic life was marked by a deepening commitment to mindfulness practice, inspired by the peaceful yet vibrant presence of young monks and nuns. Brother Phap Dung shares memorable moments with Thay, who once invited him to join the “Buddhist enterprise,” a phrase that would later resonate deeply with him. He speaks of the transformative insights he experienced through meditation, such as the ability to observe his thoughts without reacting. Over time, he shed attachments to his former identity, transitioning from societal expectations to a life of mindfulness and community service. The interview also delves into Brother Phap Dung's commitment to engaged Buddhism, particularly in addressing the climate crisis. He reflects on his presence at international conferences like COP26 as an opportunity to bring peace, deep listening, and loving speech into critical dialogues on environmental issues. Inspired by Thay's compassionate approach, Brother Phap Dung emphasizes the importance of connecting with others' humanity, even in challenging global discussions. Through his ongoing dedication to both personal and collective transformation, he aspires to live a life that inspires others to touch peace and mindfulness in their own lives.

Sister Kinh Nghiem, one of the funniest and most stylish nuns in the world, was ordained when she was only 14. "Get rid of all of your ideas of what monastic practice is. You know, you come here, I mean, the practice is wonderful. And it's for you to come and see for yourself. But if you start getting ideas of what you expect monastic life to be like, you'll have a hard time. Because there's two sides to the coin, if you want to say it, you know? Sometimes the sisters have some expectation, and then you and yourself have some expectation. "Oh, I thought this was a Buddhist community. I think we're supposed to practice loving kindness and compassion and help, and everybody's so mean." You know, I mean, honestly, if you let go of the ideas and just focus on your bodhichitta, focus on what you want. And those other things of how people say things to you, which is sort of like, be a minor, it's not important." You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation.  AI Summary This podcast episode from Deer Park Monastery's Meet the Monastics features Brother Minh An interviewing Sister Kinh Nghiem, a long-time monastic who was ordained at the age of 14. The episode highlights Sister Kinh Nghiem's journey to monastic life, sharing stories from her childhood, growing up with a deeply Buddhist mother and a non-practicing Catholic father. Sister Kinh Nghiem's mother was a devoted follower of Thich Nhat Hanh, influencing Sister Kinh Nghiem's early exposure to Buddhism, despite her initial disinterest. At 14, Sister Kinh Nghiem attended a retreat led by Thich Nhat Hanh, and though she had no deep understanding of Buddhism or meditation at the time, his teachings resonated with her, especially on impermanence, suffering, and happiness. She experienced a personal awakening, realizing that she wanted to share these teachings with her peers and help others navigate life's challenges. Sister Kinh Nghiem reflects on her decision to become a monastic, noting how it wasn't initially about finding peace within herself but about helping her friends. She also shares how her parents reacted to her decision, with her mother ultimately allowing her to make the choice herself. Within weeks of attending the retreat, Sister Kinh Nghiem traveled to Plum Village in France, where she was ordained. Throughout the episode, she emphasizes the importance of letting go of preconceived ideas about monastic life. She explains that the path of a monastic is not about conforming to rigid expectations, but about staying true to one's intentions and practice, regardless of external challenges or judgments. For her, it was essential to maintain her individuality while also harmonizing with the monastic community.  The episode closes with advice to those considering monastic life: approach it with an open mind, free from expectations, and be ready to face the personal responsibility it entails.

Brother Minh Luong was raised in Laguna Beach, California, and went to NYU, where he read a book that changed his life. "I realized recently that there really is no separation between the practice and everything we do in our daily life. Either we're creating conditions for a practice space, like an internal practice space, or we're taking conditions away. And so if I can live in a calm and peaceful and serene way and do things that contribute to mindfulness and peace in my daily life, then I'll have a lot of success in my spiritual practice."   2:03 Introduction to Buddhism 5:58 Moving Home 8:50 Ideas about Monastic Life 13:49 India Trip and Meeting the Sangha 19:29 Why Monastic Life? 25:12 Sacrifice and Aspiration 31:19 Bhikshu Ordination 34:22 Moving to Thailand 39:03 Being a Western Monastic and Advice for those Interested   You can support this podcast by leaving a comment or review in your podcast application and by sharing it with friends. Financial support can be offered through the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. 

Weekly Episodes Starting October 15   From Deer Park Monastery, it's Meet the Monastics, a new podcast featuring interviews with fully ordained monks and nuns, hosted by Brother Minh An and produced by Kenley Neufeld. As monastics, the most common question asked of us is, you guessed it, why did you become a monastic? This podcast is for anyone who's ever wanted to ask that question. Each week, we'll bring you conversations with fully ordained monks and nuns about their journey to monastic life and what inspires them now. We hope they inspire you to live a happier, kinder, and more meaningful life. And who knows, maybe some of you will even consider monastic life yourself. Listen wherever you get your podcasts (search for Meet the Monastics) or on the Deer Park Monastery YouTube channel.   Get a preview here: https://meetthemonastics.org

In this episode, Netanel plays hooky, and Daniel is joined by Deepa Patel, a teacher of Inayati Sufism, partner of the Charis Foundation, and recurring guest, to share poems close to each of their hearts. In the course of reading and reflecting on the poems listed below, they explore coping with harrowing world events, honoring the preciousness of lost lives, unity consciousness as a reservoir of strength, being lifted out of impotence, the action of stillness, the 'hard work' and courage of becoming oneself, the mental prisons in which we trap ourselves, singing our unique 'song,' the power of poetry, embracing the all-possible, following the seed of our longing, the 'cookie-cutter nature' of Capitalism vs. the revolution of individuality, the silence between words, the purifying effect of our authenticity being challenged, humility and inspiration in the face of great practitioners, and how all 'rays bow before the Sun.'  List of Poems Read: ON ANOTHER PANEL ABOUT CLIMATE, THEY ASK ME TO SELL THE FUTURE AND ALL I'VE GOT IS A LOVE POEM — Ayisha SiddiqaThe Scripture of The Golden Eternity [Verses 64-66] — Jack KerouacNow I Become Myself — May Sarton Untitled — Patrizia Cavalli (Tr. Geoffrey Brock)Go to the Limits of Your Longing — Ranier Maria RilkeThe Imposter — Shaykh Ahmad Al-Alawi (Tr. Martin Lings)Charis FoundationGolden Turtle SoundSupport the show

おはようございます。お寺の朝から始める、安養な生活。あなたのウェルビーイングがととのう、テンプルモーニングラジオの時間です。 第224週目のゲストは、フランス プラムヴィレッジの僧侶 チャイ・ニェムさんをお迎えします。本日の話題は「最初は音楽家として仏教に出会った」。 ♪ ゲストご紹介ページ https://note.com/pilgry/n/n1c52ad81d31a お経のコーナーはチャイ・ニェムさんが送ってくださった音源から、Plum Village Monastics & global friends「island within myself」。 noteマガジン「Temple Morning Radioの歩きかた」ではゲストに関する詳しい情報をご確認いただけます。コメント欄ではメッセージもお待ちしています。 ぜひ、マガジンをフォローしてお楽しみください。 ♪ Temple Morning Radioの歩きかた https://note.com/pilgry/m/m6cd9c95f8001 この番組を、より多くの方に聴いていただけるように安定的継続と今後さらなる活動を広げていくために、皆さまからの温かいご支援をお待ちしております。 https://pilgry.net/donation/ --- 「テンプルモーニングラジオ」「音の巡礼」の音源が地図から探せるWebサイト「pilgry」をご活用ください！ https://pilgry.net

Mother talks about Monastics as the example for how the laity are to live. She focuses on the call to pray always.

The Sunday following Pentecost is dedicated to All Saints, both those who are known to us, and those who are known only to God. There have been saints at all times, and they have come from every corner of the earth. They were Apostles, Martyrs, Prophets, Hierarchs, Monastics, and Righteous, yet all were perfected by the same Holy Spirit. The Descent of the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to rise above our fallen state and to attain sainthood, thereby fulfilling God's directive to “be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44, 1 Peter 1:16, etc.). Therefore, it is fitting to commemorate All Saints on the first Sunday after Pentecost. This feast may have originated at an early date, perhaps as a celebration of all martyrs, then it was broadened to include all men and women who had borne witness to Christ by their virtuous lives, even if they did not shed their blood for Him. Saint Peter of Damascus, in his “Fourth Stage of Contemplation,” mentions five categories of saints: Apostles, Martyrs, Prophets, Hierarchs, and Monastic Saints (Philokalia [in English] Vol. 3, p.131). He is actually quoting from the Octoechos, Tone 2 for Saturday Matins, kathisma after the first stichology. Saint Νikόdēmos of the Holy Mountain (July 14) adds the Righteous to Saint Peter's five categories. The list of Saint Νikόdēmos is found in his book The Fourteen Epistles of Saint Paul (Venice, 1819, p. 384) in his discussion of I Corinthians 12:28. The hymnology for the feast of All Saints also lists six categories: “Rejoice, assembly of the Apostles, Prophets of the Lord, loyal choirs of the Martyrs, divine Hierarchs, Monastic Fathers, and the Righteous....” Some of the saints are described as Confessors, a category which does not appear in the above lists. Since they are similar in spirit to the martyrs, they are regarded as belonging to the category of Martyrs. They were not put to death as the Martyrs were, but they boldly confessed Christ and came close to being executed for their faith. Saint Maximus the Confessor (January 21) is such a saint. The order of these six types of saints seems to be based on their importance to the Church. The Apostles are listed first, because they were the first to spread the Gospel throughout the world. The Martyrs come next because of their example of courage in professing their faith before the enemies and persecutors of the Church, which encouraged other Christians to remain faithful to Christ even unto death. Although they come first chronologically, the Prophets are listed after the Apostles and Martyrs. This is because the Old Testament Prophets saw only the shadows of things to come, whereas the Apostles and Martyrs experienced them firsthand. The New Testament also takes precedence over the Old Testament. The holy Hierarchs comprise the fourth category. They are the leaders of their flocks, teaching them by their word and their example. The Monastic Saints are those who withdrew from this world to live in monasteries, or in seclusion. They did not do this out of hatred for the world, but in order to devote themselves to unceasing prayer, and to do battle against the power of the demons. Although some people erroneously believe that monks and nuns are useless and unproductive, Saint John Climacus had a high regard for them: “Angels are a light for monks, and the monastic life is a light for all men” (LADDER, Step 26:31). The last category, the Righteous, are those who attained holiness of life while living “in the world.” Examples include Abraham and his wife Sarah, Job, Saints Joachim and Anna, Saint Joseph the Betrothed, Saint Juliana of Lazarevo, and others.

In this episode, we have a roundtable discussion of spiritual issues with psychotherapist, Lisa Chatham. In Part I, we talk about the complex legacies of brilliant spiritual teachers, like Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who are associated with inappropriate behavior or scandals. In Part II, we explore the spirituality of our most distant past in European and Middle-Eastern cave art and artifacts, and the spiritual futurism and metaphor of Star Wars. In Part III, we discuss the role and importance of technology in our lives and how we can deal with it spiritually.Charis FoundationGolden Turtle SoundSupport the Show.

St Gregory Palamas: This divine Father, who was from Asia Minor, was from childhood reared in the royal court of Constantinople, where he was instructed in both religious and secular wisdom. Later, while still a youth, he left the imperial court and struggled in asceticism on Mount Athos, and in the Skete at Beroea. He spent some time in Thessalonica being treated for an illness that came from his harsh manner of life. He was present in Constantinople at the Council that was convened in 1341 against Barlaam of Calabria, and at the Council of 1347 against Acindynus, who was of like mind with Barlaam; Barlaam and Acindynus claimed that the grace of God is created. At both these Councils, the Saint contended courageously for the true dogmas of the Church of Christ, teaching in particular that divine grace is not created, but is the uncreated energies of God which are poured forth throughout creation: otherwise it would be impossible, if grace were created, for man to have genuine communion with the uncreated God. In 1347 he was appointed Metropolitan of Thessalonica. He tended his flock in an apostolic manner for some twelve years, and wrote many books and treatises on the most exalted doctrines of our Faith; and having lived for a total of sixty-three years, he reposed in the Lord in 1359. His holy relics are kept in the Cathedral of Thessalonica. A full service was composed for his feast day by the Patriarch Philotheus in 1368, when it was established that his feast be celebrated on this day. Since works without right faith avail nothing, we set Orthodoxy of faith as the foundation of all that we accomplish during the Fast, by celebrating the Triumph of Orthodoxy the Sunday before, and the great defender of the teachings of the holy Fathers today. Apolytikion Plagal Fourth Mode O Gregory the Miracle Worker, light of Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the Church, comeliness of Monastics, invincible defender of theologians, the pride of Thessalonica, and preacher of grace, intercede forever that our souls may be saved. Kontakion Fourth Mode Holy and Divine instrument of wisdom, bright and harmonious trumpet of theology, with one voice, we praise you, O Gregory, preacher of God. Since your mind now stands before the First Mind, guide our minds to Him, O Father, that we may cry to You, "Hail Herald of Grace."

In this interview I am once again joined by Dr Nida Chenagtsang, Buddhist teacher, doctor of Tibetan Medicine, and author of ‘Foundations of Sowa Rigpa: A Guide to the Root Tantra of Tibetan Medicine'. Dr Nida discusses the traditional Tibetan medical system of Sowa Rigpa and reveals its core doctrines such as health as balance, pulse and urine analysis, and how to discover your body's typology. Dr Nida also delves into the esoteric side of Sowa Rigpa, including Tibetan demonology, the crossovers with tantra, and the use of magic rituals and spells to treat mental and physical illness. Dr Nida also discusses the similarities between Sowa Rigpa and Ancient Greek medicine, the importance of sleep, the toxicity of emotion, and offers a direct warning to spiritual people around the world. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep240-foundations-of-sowa-rigpa-dr-nida-chenagtsang Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics Include:
 00:00 - Intro 00:53 - What is Sowa Rigpa? 03:27 - Connecting to the European medical tradition 07:02 - Pros and cons of modern medical science 10:05 - How Dr Nida's teaching changed after integration into European culture 12:46 - Cultural conditioning in Asia vs Europe 17:58 - Similarities between Ancient Greek medicine and Sowa Rigpa 21:19 - 8th century international medical conference in Tibet 24:21 - A universal medicine 25:14 - What is medical tantra? 27:33 - The ‘4 Tantras' 30:34 - Why study an 8th century medical text today? 32:34 - A new translation by Dr Ben Joffe 35:47 - Compiling Dr Nida's commentary 36:56 - Sowa Rigpa Institute 37:47 - The core of Sowa Rigpa 41:11 - How to understand your typology 44:15 - Healthy sleep 45:03 - 3 methods of diagnosis in Sowa Rigpa 46:27 - Urine analysis 47:57 - 3 levels of pulse reading 52:03 - How to receive to the body's signals 54:15 - Bedside manner 56:58 - Connecting to the unconscious mind 01:00:03 - Art of conversation 01:02:54 - Buddhist influences on Sowa Rigpa 01:07:48 - Emotional toxins 01:11:02 - Toxic energy 01:14:49 - 3 nyepas and the 3 doṣas 01:18:18 - Monastics vs ngakpas 01:22:36 - The esoteric specialisms of the village ngakpa 01:27:44 - Tibetan demonology 01:29:21 - How spirits cause health problems 01:33:57 - The esoteric side of Sowa Rigpa 01:36:37 - Dr Nida's warning to spiritual people 01:38:37 - Dangers of materialism Previous episodes with Dr Nida Chenagtsang: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=nida To find out more about Dr Nida Chenagtsang, visit: - https://www.facebook.com/DoctorNida/ - http://www.skypressbooks.com/ … For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Welcome to episode 62 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino continue their discussion with Sister True Dedication (Sister Hien Nghiem) about the 16 exercises of mindful breathing which are at the heart of the teachings offered by Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village community.  This episode, the second of a two-part special, explains and breaks down the practice of breathing exercises nine to 16. It includes the exercises’ traditional texts, revised versions, and variations and adaptations, with extensive explanations given by the two monastics about how to apply each to our daily lives. The first eight exercises are also briefly recapped, along with a description of the Three Doors of Liberation. Also, where do the 16 exercises come from? How do we gladden the mind? What is true strength? What about authenticity? Why is it important to name the mental formations? What does liberation feel like? And how do we integrate the 16 exercises into a busy life? These and many other questions are answered in this installment of the podcast.Enjoy. Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources Sister True Dedication https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sister-hien-nghiem/  Songs: ‘The 16 Exercises of Mindful Breathing'https://plumvillage.org/library/songs/the-16-exercises-of-mindful-breathing Thay’s Poetry: ‘Please Call Me by My True Names (Song & Poem)'https://plumvillage.org/articles/please-call-me-by-my-true-names-song-poem Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing Sister Jinahttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-dieu-nghiem ‘51 Mental Formations'https://plumvillage.org/transcriptions/51-mental-formation Dharma Talks: ‘The Noble Eightfold Path' https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path The Way Out Is In: ‘The Three Doors of Liberation (Episode #18)' https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-doors-of-liberation-episode-18 The Art of Living https://plumvillage.org/books/the-art-of-living Chinese Buddhist canonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhist_canon Dharma Talks: ‘The Five Remembrances'https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-five-remembrances-sr-thuan-nghiem-spring-retreat-2018-05-17 ‘The Four Dharma Seals of Plum Village'https://plumvillage.org/articles/the-four-dharma-seals-of-plum-village Master Tang Hoihttps://plumvillage.org/books/master-tang-hoiNagarjunahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagarjuna Yogacharahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogachara Quotes “‘What is going on in my mind?' This phrase is a mental formation. And, especially in our tradition of Buddhism, we love this term ‘formation'; it means that everything is made of everything, is composite. Even our happiness, our sorrow, or our depression is made of lots and lots of different elements. There are many threads to them, and that insight, simply the word ‘formation', can help us to not be so scared or overwhelmed by our feelings. There’s an inquiry here, an investigation: ‘What is going on in my mind? What has come to be, what has formed in my mind at this moment?'” “In terms of Buddhist psychology, because our mind has different layers and different depths, we can be carrying a feeling in it without knowing that we’re carrying it. And I would say my loneliness is a feeling. It’s partly in the body, but largely in the mind, because of the way my mind processes my daily life. So, unconsciously, I’m processing my daily life, and perhaps even without words, non-verbally, I’m experiencing all sorts of moments as lonely moments. So I’m feeding the seed of loneliness in myself, without even knowing it.” “A lot of people feel power in their negative mental formations. If we’re angry or jealous, or whatever the feeling is, sometimes we feel that gives us power. And gladdening the mind at that point feels like disloyalty to our negative feelings. So it feels like a rebellious act to have a strong negative feeling and then to gladden one’s mind, or bring happiness at that moment when, actually, we often want to feel righteous; we want to believe that that negative feeling is who we are and is justified.” “How we cultivate our mind shapes how we interact with the world. So if we have an evil thought, that evil thought can become our speech, can become our action. But if we have a kind thought, that would then become our kind action, our kind speech, our kind attitude.” “Thanks to impermanence, everything is possible.” “You are much more than your emotions. Never die because of one emotion.” “We may feel completely stuck in the depths of the ocean of our despair and depression, but thanks to impermanence a day will come when that depression will no longer be there. That depression is surviving because it has sources of food. That depression is a mental formation. It is composed of different threads and by identifying the threads that are feeding it, one by one, we can dissolve it. We can find a way through.” “The future is not known to us, because of impermanence. And that’s good news.” “One of Thay's simple teachings is to contemplate the friend or loved one that we are angry with. And in that moment of anger, ask yourself, ‘Where will they and I be 200 years from now?' Apply this very simple lens of impermanence, this concentration of impermanence, even in the moment of great fury – because we’re often angry at the people that we love the most because we think, ‘How dare they be the ones that hurt us?' And then Thay would say, ‘You realize right away that they will be dust. I will be dust. But in this moment, we’re both alive.' And if we really touch the fruit of that insight, then all we want to do is hug that person and cherish the fact that, ‘Wow, in this moment we are both still alive in this human form. How wonderful that we can hug.'” “Going through these exercises, if we found that we were sitting with a specific anger towards a specific person, applying the practice of impermanence can really help us to hold that anger. Throw it away, choose to free yourself from it, and just get on with your life. That's a wonderful aspect of our teaching, and of Zen: to sometimes just cross to the other side of the road and keep going. We don't need to penetrate every aspect of why we were angry or, ‘Does the other person need to do this or that?' Choose a different channel and just proceed; let it go, leave it behind. Set yourself free. Don’t make too much fuss. Move on. Life is new in this moment. Celebrate it. Embrace it. Go forward.” “A little bit of growth can seem like a good idea. But now it’s become this terrible systemic mechanism that’s destroying our planet. And that’s the absolute hook. So you have to reel back. But in these [16 breathing] exercises we’re starting with ourselves, our own bodies, and our own wrong perceptions about what we think we need to be happy.” “Monastics of 15 or 20 years of meditation might spend 30 minutes only on those first four exercises. So, listen to yourself. And one reason it’s lovely to master these 16 exercises of mindful breathing is that we then have our own internal guided meditation to follow. Because when we listen to a recorded guided meditation, we’re following the pace of the person giving the guidance. The idea with these 16 is that they’re yours; they’re yours to keep and take to heart. They’re yours to play with, to experiment with, and to take as long as you need for each step, and to feel listened to and really respond to your own body and mind.” “Gladdening our mind is exactly that: a declaration of freedom around the mental formation, around our feelings. It’s like, ‘I have the freedom to choose, here. My anger is a seed that has manifested as a formation in my mind consciousness. But I am more than that.' So we trust in something, we have faith. We are claiming freedom by gladdening our mind, like, ‘I am angry and I have the right to take five breaths in peace and freedom because my anger isn’t all I am in this moment.' So I think that’s a great affirmation and freedom. And it’s not bypassing, it’s not escaping.” “The breath is the rope that brings our mind and our concentration back to the present.” “Especially when we look at suffering, it can be very tempting to go down a dark hole and get lost in it. So sometimes we have to remember that we are alive right now; we’re present, breathing. And then, when you have this wonderful habit of knowing how to come back to the body and come back to the present, you can apply this in meetings, gatherings, and big crowds, or when you’re very lonely. So it becomes your friend; it’s a companion for life.”

How to be Christian? It's more complicated than it used to be. But perhaps a revolution is underway. Let the Monastics lead the way to Jesus and up the mountain... The first sermon in an eight week journey. Join with us. New podcast each Sunday (or come and worship with us if you're in Hamilton and don't belong to a congregation).

We've been talking about how, when religious meta-narratives undergo seismic shifts, people start to gather at the edges of faith because parts of the core don’t work for them anymore. […]

We've been talking about how, when religious meta-narratives undergo seismic shifts, people start to gather at the edges of faith because parts of the core don’t work for them anymore. […]

A few unlikely set of circumstances brought us together for this Monastic visit, we snuck away from the venue to huddle, review and reflect. Chris received his blessed Kriya Yoga deeksha (initiation) after years of devoted practice of the teachings. The Monastic visit was attended by Brother Sevananda, Brother Nikhilananda, Brahmachari Klaus as well as devotees from across the UK and Europe. 0:00 We are gathered here today because…; 5:52 Kriya Initiation; 8:02 Fellowship with Monastics; 27:06 Fellowship with devotees; 38:35 Friends House and final reflections. #autobiographyofayogi #autobiographylinebyline #paramahansayogananda Autobiography of a Yogi awake.minute Self-Realization Fellowship #SRF

A very important prophecy, focused more on the signs of the apostasy than specific people and places, from a Russian New Martyr, St. Anatole the Younger of Optina (+1922). This prophecy was given shortly after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. St. Anatole was a clairvoyant, God-bearing elder and one of the great cloud of elders from the monastery of Optina. -READ the prophecy here: https://www.orthodox.net/articles/anatoly-letter.html -BUY the book giving the full account of his life and teachings from St. Herman of Alaska Press, "Elder Anatole the Younger of Optina": https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/Elder-Anatole-the-Younger-of-Optina-p/ana.htm -READ a shorter version of his life in The Orthodox Word, Issue 39, Jul-Aug 1971. Read here: https://archive.org/details/100101V17N05061981SepOctNovDec -READ "Russia's Catacomb Saints": https://russiascatacombsaints.blogspot.com/ -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ [Satan] will not begin by crudely rejecting the dogmas of the Holy Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the virtue of the Theotokos, but he will begin imperceptibly to distort the teachings and statutes of the Church and their very spirit, handed down to us by the Holy Fathers through the Holy Spirit. Few will notice these wiles of the enemy, only those more experienced in the spiritual life. Heretics will seize power over the Church and will place their servants everywhere; the pious will be regarded with contempt. He (the Lord) said, by their fruits ye shall know them, and so, by their fruits, as well as by the actions of the heretics, strive to distinguish them from the true pastors. ...they will distort the Divine Faith imperceptibly, in order to succeed better in seducing and enticing the inexperienced into the net. ...all those ruled by heresy will not endure piety. Monastics will be greatly oppressed by the heretics and monastic life will be scorned. These threats will cause great despair among the fainthearted, but you, my son rejoice that you have lived until that time, for then the faithful who have not shown any other virtues, will receive crowns merely for standing firm in the faith, according to the word of the Lord. ...the holy martyrs and confessors, they will look upon you and your struggle with joy. But woe to the monks in those days who will be bound with possessions and riches, who because of love of peace will be ready to submit to the heretics. They will lull to sleep their conscience, saying, “We are preserving and saving the monastery and the Lord will forgive us.” The unfortunate and blind ones do not at all consider that through heresy the demons will enter the monastery and then it will no longer be a holy monastery, but merely walls from which grace will depart. Do not fear sorrows, rather fear pernicious heresy, for it strips us of grace and separates us from Christ. And so my son strengthen yourself in the grace of Jesus Christ. Hasten to confess the faith, to endure suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, Who has said, Be faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/orthodox-wisdom/message

In this episode, we have a roundtable discussion of spiritual issues with our friend, Deepa Patel. In Part I, we explore the question of what it means to take a vow of silence in our world, and talk about the value and meaning of silence. In Part II, we talk about the difficulty of changing ourselves or anyone else when we are not necessarily vulnerable to change. And in Part III, we dig into the problems of living a spiritual life ‘in the world' amid the concerns of work and paying bills, not to mention the corrupting influences of capitalism.Charis FoundationGolden Turtle SoundSupport the show

A must listen interview with Swamini Svatmavidyanandaji about what the shastras say regarding women teachers and monastics and how Advaita Vedanta empowers all humanity.

Almighty God raises up in each age, certain persons who turn the Church and the world on its axis. Pope Benedict XVI in our age and the desert monastics in an early age are some examples.

Not unnatural,Suffering is only change.It's not personal.* * *Continuing where we left off last time, in this segment we will look at the intersection of the Natural sphere with Buddhism's Origin of suffering. The graphic illustrating correlations between the Four Spheres — Universal, Natural, Social, and Personal; and the Existence, Origin, Cessation, and Eightfold Path to cessation of suffering — is included again for your convenience and reference.In the Repentance verse of Soto Zen liturgy we chant:All my past and harmful karma Born of beginningless greed, hate and delusion Through body mouth and mind I now fully avow“Avow” does not commonly appear in our daily vernacular, but it simply means to admit openly, or to confess. Monastics apparently had a more rigorous routine for confessing and repenting specific transgressions they may have committed, violations of what were known in India as Vinaya, in Japan as Shingi, basically the rules and regulations of conduct in the monastic setting. We have Master Dogen's version, as well as Master Keizan's from a few generations later, the two being known respectively as the “father and mother” of Soto Zen in Japan. One factoid that people like to point out is that there were hundreds more rules for nuns than there were for monks. Interpret that however you like. Or do your research. Usually the Three Treasure Refuges verse follows on the heels of Repentance:I take refuge in BuddhaI take refuge in DharmaI take refute in SanghaI take refuge in Buddha the fully awakened oneI take refuge in Dharma the compassionate teachingsI take refuge in Sangha the harmonious communityI have completely taken refuge in BuddhaI have completely taken refuge in DharmaI have completely taken refuge in SanghaThe condensation of repentance into a catchall phrase represents not just our usual laziness, I think, but a recognition that we may be engaging in karmic actions without knowing it. So just in case, we fess up to whatever we may have done, and “accept all consequence with equanimity,” as another version has it. And then we take refuge in the Three Treasures, just for good measure.The line that indicates the connection between Origin and Natural is that bit about karmic consequences stemming from our very body, mouth and mind, the “Three Actions” of Buddhism. Another version has “born of body, mouth and mind,” which I think captures the meaning more precisely. That is, most of our desires, attachments and aversions, some of which get us into trouble, come with the territory of being born as a human being. As such, they are not exactly our fault. But what we do about it is our fault, or may be to our credit. There is the implication that we can “pay off” our accumulated karma, like a bad debt. The good news is that if we recognize that we did not create, or design, this situation in which we find ourselves, we can perhaps redesign our approach to it, embracing its seeming contradictions. Its “Designer” may not be so “Intelligent” as some would have us believe.When you take an unbiased look at the Natural conditions of our birth and growth as part of a species, certain obvious limitations and undesirable aspects emerge. Does it really have to be so messy? Buddha identified these causes and conditions of circumstance, the matrix of existence, variously, such as: the reification of self emerging through the process of individuation as a child; the conventional wisdom of the social milieu into which we are born; and the predations of aging, sickness and death to which we are all subject. The necessity for survival of the species is not a personal goal, but one of the species itself, as Schopenhauer points out in “The World as Will,” his treatise on how we usually get it all wrong. That we are fulfilling our heart's desire in pursuing the loves of our life is a kind of category error, based on a primordial ignorance of how this existence thing really works. Very Zen.That the Origin of our suffering may thus be regarded as Natural should precipitate a sigh of relief. But these biological facts do not relieve us of the necessity of now dealing with the actual experience of our desires, and the onset of angst, regret, hope, and disappointed expectations, that ensue. The rollercoaster of Social life inserts itself into the mix with little regard to our opinion. Once we have experienced all the highs and lows, however, they average out when we slow to a stop, and step off of the train.One of the unfortunate dimensions of life in modern society, vis-à-vis these known issues of Buddhism, is that they are not widely recognized as such, nor are they ordinarily part of the early curriculum in Western countries. We do not expose our youngsters to practicing meditation. Usually a young person begins hearing about Eastern wisdom when they are in their late teens or early twenties, when the onslaught of hormones has long since had its sometimes deleterious, and even disastrous, effects. Especially with the advent of widespread online accessibility to what we call “pornography.” As one of the Supremes famously intoned, I don't know how to define it, but I recognize it when I see it.It is ironic that the most natural of functions in the Natural sphere — that of reproduction of the species — becomes so distorted in its intersection with the Social realm of human behavior. But that discussion may be better left to the next segment, on the conflation of the Noble Eightfold Path with the Social sphere. For now let us just shake our heads at the willful blindness built into our concept of childhood, and our feckless efforts to control the process of maturation into an adult. It is a compelling example of the Social sphere interfering with the Natural sphere — the biological facts of existence — thereby exacerbating the Origin of suffering, our ignorance-fueled craving. What's the matter with kids today?One could argue that the Origin of our suffering is Universal, as is its existence. The role of Nature in the Universal scheme of things is intricately intertwined with the origin of life on this planet, and the possibility of life on others, in the “Goldilocks Zone” near — in astronomical units — to another star. Speculations as to the arrival of intergalactic spermatozoa in the form of ancient comets or meteors, delivering the foundational chemistry of organisms to our waiting, fertile planet, like sperm to egg, model the entire cosmos as analogous to a kind of organism, giving birth to stars, as in the famous “pillars of creation” image from NASA's Hubble telescope, to the spark of life itself. These analogies are examples of our proclivity to find familiar patterns in the strangest of new information, now flooding in as images from the far reaches of science, thanks to the Hubble, and now the Webb, telescopes. Another is the familiar trope about developing fins at one stage of the fetus in the womb:More than just a catchy phrase, “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” is the foundation of recapitulation theory. Recapitulation theory posits that the development of individual organisms (ontogeny) follows (recapitulates) the same phases of the evolution of larger ancestral groups of related organisms (phylogeny).These cultural memes also indicate the comprehensive nature of the Ignorance, capital I, into which we are born, rather than into sin, according to Buddhism. Not the kind of willful ignorance that we have to learn, which can be considered a kind of sin, I suppose, if not against God, then against our original buddha-nature. Willfully ignoring the “compassionate teachings,” for example, as the Buddha's legacy is characterized. They are compassionate in that they consist of descriptions of the suffering innate in existence, as well as our tendency to make it worse; as well as prescriptions for what to do about it, such as the Noble Eightfold Path. Which will be the subject of our next segment, in its relationship to the Social sphere.Meanwhile, wrapping up our meditation on the Natural Origin of suffering, it is, or should be, transparent that there is no Existence without change, and so “change” is interchangeable with “suffering.” Everything that we see, hear, smell, taste, feel — and yes, everything we think — is the effect of change. We are literally hearing the sound of suffering, like Avalokiteshvara. And we are seeing it as well as feeling it at all times, in every moment. If nothing were changing, we could not perceive it. We never breathe the same breath twice, and we can never have the same thought, twice, though it may seem that we do. This is natural, and this inexorable, instantaneous change, is the true source of our suffering. Get used to it.The fact that some forms of change provide welcome relief in our lives, while others seem to deliver more stress, should make it clear that dukkha is neutral. Suffering is not being inflicted upon us as a kind of punishment, though it may be considered a kind of test. Zen recommends embracing what life brings us as a natural consequence of our existence as a sentient being, even though we may not enjoy it at the time. Don't worry, it will change. This does not mean, however, that we should not do anything about it, to improve our circumstances. This and other dimensions of behavior in the Social realm will be one focus of the next segment, reviewing the Path in its eight dimensions. Stay tuned.* * *Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Kyōsaku Jon Mitchell

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. Please visit Treasure Mountain Podcast and Treasure Mountain website. In this episode of Spirit Stories our guest is Venerable Candavisuddhi, also known as Ayya Canda, who first encountered meditation and the spiritual path when travelling through Asia as a young woman. This led to several years of going on and supporting retreats in India and Nepal. Whilst the yearning to live the Buddhist monastic life intensified, she found that opportunities for women to lead a meditative monastic life were few, until finding out about a chance to ordain with Sayadaw U Pannyajota in rural Burma. The meditative life suited Venerable Canda very well, but four years of the Burmese climate, diet and parasites took a toll on her health, and she decided to return to the West. A chance encounter led Venerable Canda to the teachings of Ajahn Brahm, and the opportunity to practice and take higher ordination at Dhammasara Monastery in Western Australia in 2014. Now she is blazing a trail for women monastics by leading a project to start a monastery for bhikkhuni sangha in the country of her birth, the United Kingdom. Venerable Canda joins us now to share her Spirit Story. Links related to this episode: Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project Donate to the Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project to help Ayya Canda start a monastery. To find out more or volunteer with the Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project email team@anukampaproject.org Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon. To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.  

This time we see how St. Benedict might inspire us to invest enough time and energy in one place to see something beautiful happen there. We're excited to have Nathan Oates as a guest of the podcast for this episode, where he shares great stories and insights about his time living at a monastery-- more of which can be found in his book "Stability: How an ancient monastic practice can restore our relationships, churches, and communities." https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland   Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

We should learn from monks and nuns. Monastics were responsible for the revival of agriculture, in addition to schools, libraries, and hospitals. These works of service accompanied their focus on the interior life and recovering personal wholeness. Stephen reminds us of the origins of monasticism in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 7 and 1 Timothy 5:9-12), and highlights the possibility that those who served a celibate calling helped bring the rest of the church back closer to God's original design for sexuality.   This is the 158th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought. Visit our https://www.youtube.com/anabaptistperspectives/ (YouTube channel) Connect with us on https://www.facebook.com/anabaptistperspectives/ (Facebook) https://www.anabaptistperspectives.org/blog/ (Read essays from our blog) or listen to them on our podcast, https://essays-for-king-jesus.captivate.fm/listen (Essays for King Jesus) Subscribe on your https://anabaptist-perspectives.captivate.fm/listen (podcast provider of choice) https://anabaptistperspectives.org/donate/ (Support us) or https://anabaptistperspectives.org/about (learn more about us!) The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

In this episode of Spirit Stories our guest is Venerable Candavisuddhi, also known as Ayya Canda, who first encountered meditation and the spiritual path when travelling through Asia as a young woman. This led to several years of going on and supporting retreats in India and Nepal. Whilst the yearning to live the Buddhist monastic life intensified, she found that opportunities for women to lead a meditative monastic life were few, until finding out about a chance to ordain with Sayadaw U Pannyajota in rural Burma. The meditative life suited Venerable Canda very well, but four years of the Burmese climate, diet and parasites took a toll on her health, and she decided to return to the West. A chance encounter led Venerable Canda to the teachings of Ajahn Brahm, and the opportunity to practice and take higher ordination at Dhammasara Monastery in Western Australia in 2014. Now she is blazing a trail for women monastics by leading a project to start a monastery for bhikkhuni sangha in the country of her birth, the United Kingdom. Venerable Canda joins us now to share her Spirit Story. Links related to this episode: Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project Donate to the Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project to help Ayya Canda start a monastery. To find out more or volunteer with the Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project email team@anukampaproject.org

Reva joins us from London to discuss Yoga and Meditation in the context of this minute where Brahmachari Martin (of Self-Realization Fellowship), Varun Soni and Mas Vidal weigh in on their definitions. Why are people moving away from religion? What is meditation? Why is Hatha Yoga not taught in SRF (in as much depth as Kriya Yoga)? We offer some guidance, as given by Paramahansa Yogananda (and some Monastics), on these intriguing questions.

This teaching is by Venerable Chang Wu. Venerable Chang Wu is the Director of Dharma Drum Vancouver Center in Richmond, B.C., a branch monastery of Dharma Drum  Mountain (DDM), founded by Chan Master Sheng Yen. In 1993, Venerable Chang Wu began practicing with Master Sheng Yen in  New York while she was a business professional holding an MBA. She  started her teacher's training with Master Sheng Yen in 1999 and entered  monastic life the next year. In 2003 she started teaching as Dharma and  meditation instructor and a few years later leading 1-day to 3-day  retreats. In 2009, she moved to Taiwan and initiated a translation  project of Master Sheng Yen's Complete Work. A few books on meditation  practice have been published now. While working on translating books,  she was active in leading meditation activities and teaching classes in  Dharma Drum Sangha University. Currently, she teaches meditation and  Dharma classes, gives public lectures and leads retreats at Dharma Drum  centers, meditation groups and Dharma centers in west coast North  America, London, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Other than meditation practice, Chinese Buddhism, inter-religious  dialogue, she also enjoys being in nature, walking in the woods and artworks. You can find more from her at https://www.chanmeditation.ca/ This podcast is run by the London Chan Meditation. You can find out more about us at https://londonchanmeditation.org

Part 2 in this wonderful series When postwar American business was a vast sea of gray flannel suits and tasteful ties, a few unorthodox individuals were not so quietly shifting the paradigm toward the breezier, Google-ier workplace of today. These change agents include a raft of idealistic social scientists as well as nonacademics, like labor organizer Saul Alinsky, who pioneered the use of shareholder activism to open Kodak's doors to more African Americans. Alinsky, who was literally willing to smash dishes to get attention, was the embodiment of the activist principle that behaving badly is sometimes necessary because, in the words of the civil-rights anthem, “The nice ways always fail.” Today's guest uses religious terms to title each of the chapters of his book— “Monastics,” “Pelagians,”“Mystics,” and so forth. At first that seems an odd choice for a study of modern corporations and other secular institutions. But he is insightful to do so. Like the heretic whose rejection of religious orthodoxy might send him to the pyre, our guest's organizational heretic “is someone who sees a truth that contradicts the conventional wisdom of the institution to which he or she belongs—and who remains loyal to both entities, to the institution and the new truth.” The person who is willing to make a great sacrifice to change an institution he or she loves is a hero as well as a heretic because, our guest writes, “the future of industrial society depends on our ability to transcend the destructive management of the past, and build a better kind of business.” We welcome the author of “The Age of Heretics: A History of the Radical Thinkers Who Reinvented Corporate Management” and the earlier subtitle was Heroes, Outlaws, and the Forerunners of Corporate Change, Art Kleiner.

When postwar American business was a vast sea of grey flannel suits and tasteful ties, a few unorthodox individuals were not so quietly shifting the paradigm toward the breezier, Google-ier workplace of today. These change agents include a raft of idealistic social scientists as well as nonacademics, like labour organizer Saul Alinsky, who pioneered the use of shareholder activism to open Kodak's doors to more African Americans. Alinsky, who was literally willing to smash dishes to get attention, was the embodiment of the activist principle that behaving badly is sometimes necessary because, in the words of the civil-rights anthem, “The nice ways always fail.” Today's guest uses religious terms to title each of the chapters of his book— “Monastics,” “Pelagians,” Mystics,” and so forth. At first, that seems an odd choice for a study of modern corporations and other secular institutions. But he is insightful to do so. Like the heretic whose rejection of religious orthodoxy might send him to the pyre, our guest's organizational heretic “is someone who sees a truth that contradicts the conventional wisdom of the institution to which he or she belongs—and who remains loyal to both entities, to the institution and the new truth.” The person who is willing to make a great sacrifice to change an institution he or she loves is a hero as well as a heretic because, our guest writes, “the future of industrial society depends on our ability to transcend the destructive management of the past, and build a better kind of business.” We welcome the author of “The Age of Heretics: A History of the Radical Thinkers Who Reinvented Corporate Management” and the earlier subtitle was Heroes, Outlaws, and the Forerunners of Corporate Change, Art Kleiner. More about Art here: https://wiseadvoc8.com

Skillful means or not,it is still all up to you —not your teacher's fault!* * *In the last segment, we ended with Matsuoka Roshi's simple but stunning summation of the essence of Zen training, or skillful means:Ultimately, what form the upaya take are the conjunction of a particular teacher, and all that he or she is, with a particular student or group of students and all that they are. In the free flow of Zen the teaching will teach itself as long as the teacher doesn't interfere, and as long as the student is receptive.As promised, we reveal his conclusion from the above:Really, this should lead to a conclusion. Next to conviction and perseverance in Zen training, picking the right teacher is most important. In ancient China and Japan, monks, nuns and laymen used to wander from temple to teacher and teacher to temple seeking the right teacher consonant with their own zeal, temperament and moment of development, a free soul who could show them very effectively the way from blindness to happiness.It should be remembered that this does not mean that we look for a teacher who agrees with our understanding of Zen, however primitive. It is recommended to find one we do not agree with, in order that we can learn something new and different. After remarking that all the teachers of the past had their quirks and personality traits, as well as different methods of teaching, Sensei explains the mystery of transmission in greater detail:This is the meaning of the heart-to-heart transmission of Zen understanding in masters and disciples of complimentary or contrasting affinity. Simply stated, how the schools of Zen developed were that the right disciples found the right teachers, and so learned about Zen in the very marrow of their bones. They achieved by that an understanding so deep, so pervasive, as never to be forgotten or disregarded again. This is the source and the life of Zen heart-to-heart transmission, tamashii to tamashii.This illustrates that nothing is actually “transmitted” from master to disciple, but that the latter comes to apprehend the reality the former naturally occupies.Then Sensei generalizes the place and process of Zen training in the larger context of history in general:Whenever one looks at history, it is a play of great men and women in a boiling ocean of popular sentiment, stirred by distinctive currents of patriotism and war, of trade and poverty, and of culture and peace. Personal greatness and tragedy, collective order and chaos, are in continual ebb and flow.Here is a global embrace of duality from the perspective of nonduality. It sounds as if he is describing the world of the 21st century, though this talk was given in 1985.He goes on to issue some cautionary tales in looking for and evaluating a Zen teacher for yourself:I warn you not to rely only on a particular human tradition, or a name alone, as an emblem of true transmission of wisdom. There are lazy, self-important and -indulgent priests who do possess the “right” credentials, not because they have penetrated to the core of life-and-death, but because they are clever in a worldly sense. Absolutely, you cannot trust them. It would be disastrous emotionally and mentally to do so. And yet, you can find this sort in Zen centers throughout the United States and Asia, urging those who are confused and lack conviction to seek the ultimate freedom and pay the proper tribute, or pay the proper tribute first, then seek the meaning of enlightenment later.So a bit cynical take on the Americanization of Zen, but well-founded, even at that time in history. Unfortunately, his skepticism has been proven out in the decades since.Then on a positive note:Seek rather a teacher of genuine understanding, someone who may have a known name and high rank, or someone who may have neither. Nor should you simply judge a teacher by the number of disciples and students gathered around in what appears to be prosperous circumstances; judge rather by the nature and perseverance of the Zen practice of that teacher.The formal path is something we offer, for those misfits who lean toward Zen as a serious preoccupation in retirement, when family and business obligations have been met. Lay practice may have some of the traditional trappings of the monastic model, but in America it is finding its own, creative path.Yet more:Most important in choosing a Zen path and a Zen teacher is your “root connection,” if it is there at all. You may not fully discover your root connection in a meeting, or in a week, or a month, or a short season of practice; but from the first, you will know, something of that connection. It will seem right for you. From the very beginning, the same things that motivate and fool you about the study of Zen have motivated and fooled others before you. They too have sought out a special teacher, school, sect, or way of Zen practice.So it is on you to be proactive in this pursuit of a true Zen or Dharma father or mother, as the expression goes. We consider our relationships in Zen as an extended family, siblings and cousins, even the occasional in-law. In which we can be deceived, just as within any other family or group. Additionally:I would like to discuss something about what your predecessors in the sangha, or group of Zen practitioners, have found to be deceptive and effective through the history of Zen. Actually, history is the first great deceiver, or, at least the little bit we do know about history. Just as the finger pointing to the moon is not the moon of enlightenment, neither is the record of history anything like the real experience. The common story, as it goes, is that Zen was handed down from Shakyamuni Buddha to Mahakasyapa, then from Mahakasyapa to Ananda, and so on to Bodhidharma, and so on to Dogen, and so on to the present.It is true that there is this heart-to-heart transmission, but it is a romantic fallacy that there has been only one person in each generation since the death of Gautama Buddha who has carried the Zen flame of wisdom, who in turn taught and transmitted it to the next generation. The historical Buddha had many disciples, many who were very able.So take your dose of Zen history with a large dose of salt. Historicity in Zen is trumped by direct experience, which reduces reliance on the brute facts of what in fact happened; the only important fact is what happens in your experience in the presence. The testimony of history is only valuable as a form of encouragement and a prod to your practice.From such a practical perspective, Sensei continues:You will find if you read enough, or reason it out long enough, that there have been many capable students throughout the past 2,500 years. Some were famous. Some made it their business to teach in large monastic communities, and some did not. Some were householders, as many of us are, who went about their regular lives. Those lives never got recorded by the historians, but they are there. Perhaps it is nothing more than a personal opinion, but my view of transmission is that in each generation, there has been one, or maybe several teachers, that have stood out, and who have embodied the spirit of that age in their personalities. These greater teachers have been more skillful at “skillful means” than their contemporaries.Here is the parallel track of householders and monastics. Householder practice has always been held in high regard, from India through China, Korea and Japan, and the far East, and should be in the West of current times. Monastics change clothes and environment, but the basic elements of existence do not change, no matter how romantic or severe the surroundings. Further, the writers write the history:There have been others in each age who have led enlightened lives who may have been teachers, but who simply were not remembered in collective history. Those who were in fact remembered were so popular in their time that historians could not have deleted their accomplishments from the record. Or perhaps, those Zen masters were very literary, or very talented at the arts. Because of this, either they, their literary disciples, or contemporary journalists and historians, wrote some account of what they did. The farther in time a generation or a century receded, the dimmer our collective recollection in oral stories is.In retrospect, then, the notion surfaced that only those one-in-a-generation teachers carried the flame of Zen. In all that time, the heart-to-heart transmission has been occurring many times each generation as it did between Shakyamuni Buddha and Mahakasyapa. Very, very few have had the talent or words to even hint at this most subtle culmination of the Zen teaching. So, they did not.The different perspectives of the scholar-historian and the practitioner of Zen also come into play, and this is a point of contention yet today, in consideration of continuing Buddha's and Dogen's mission:Most historians of Buddhism, then, drew misleading conclusions about the lineage of Zen from the great silence and the few generational great voices. However, it is not one or two in a generation that are the sangha and who stand in the lineage of Zen. It is all of us who do study Zen seriously in any one generation who stand in the lineage of Zen in the Rinzai, Obaku and Soto sects.The misleading conclusions of scholars include the notion that Master Dogen experienced a “decline” when he had established Eiheiji, and stopped actively writing. From our perspective as practitioners, that was the opposite of a decline, when he started live teachings to his monastics, who wrote them down. Then, with a typically creative turn of a phrase, he proposes:Perhaps we will have to employ an army of psychics to reconstruct what actually happened in the history of the transmission of Zen.This is a great example of Sensei's ironic sense of humor.Then with the practical twist of the observer, he suggests a dispassionate view of the present, to inform our rear-view-mirror impressions of the past:Or, maybe we can just look at what is going on today that is similar. There are many teachers and many, many more students in any single generation. Just look at Zen in our own time in all of the United States, Western Europe, China, Japan, Korea, Viet Nam and all the other places that Zen is practiced.Of course, we cannot follow all the living Zen teachers in the world today, nor can we rely on the visibility and celebrity of a given individual to sort out the who's who of contemporary proponents of Buddhism. Social media and online access have opened the door to a far more ecumenical and interfaith approach to apprehending and appreciating the spreading of the gospel of Zen, but we must remain skeptical:In all the world now there are many genuine teachers and many more pretenders. The popular Zen teachers of today may fade in a year or two. It may be someone else who is remembered better five hundred years from now, and will have a profound impact of the development of Zen.The view from 30,000 feet, as we say today, is different from that of the boots on the ground. We may be in the traditional period of semblance, or even decline, of Buddhism, but that should not dissuade us from plodding on with our own practice, be it ever so humble. Whether we are remembered or not, five hundred years from now or next week, makes not a spitting bit of difference to our Zen lives today.* * *Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Kyōsaku Jon Mitchell

Each year, on Pavarana, the day that marks the end of the Vassa (the three month rains residence), the Anagarikas, Samaneras, and Navaka and Majjhima Monks (monks of less than 10 years in the robes), are asked to give Dhamma reflections. Below are the times stamps marked by the name of the monastic offering each reflection: 0:00 Ajahn Nyaniko’s Introduction 0:50 Anagarika Scott 6:53 Upassika Dave 23:04 Venerable Khemma 35:45 Venerable Yasa 46:31 Venerable Suddhiko 53:29 Anagarika Cole 56:47 Venerable Suhajjo 1:29:35 Venerable Jino 1:44:22 Venerable Dhammavaro 1:51:43 Samanera Tejasaro 1:57:06 Venerable Jotimanto 2:16:11 Venerabale Sampanno 2:20:43 Ajahn Nyaniko’s Ending

We have yet to see how the traditional monastic Sangha will fit into and influence Buddhism in the US. In this interview, Bhikkhu Bodhi shares his thoughts on the role of monastics in America and how they, and lay practitioners, can skillfully navigate this new territory.

Here's another podcast in the “mission in post-Christian Europe” category. It's an interview with Paul and Jordan Prins and Sheila Wittenberg about their Urban Monastics project. They have some really good things to say about cross-cultural mission in Western Europe, their reasons for starting an “ecumenical monastic community,” and the values and vision that they are seeking to put into practice. The audio quality is a bit uneven in places, but hopefully that won't be too distracting.

Ven. Thukten was born in a small village in Bhutan called Gelephu. She is 32 years old and 15 out of those she dedicated to the monastic life. Currently, she resides at Jangchub Choeling Nunnery in Southern India. Thukten is studying at Emory University as a Tenzin Gyatso Science Scholar. She thoroughly enjoys observing nature. Thukten was AMAZING to talk to.  She walks us through so many topics:    How her past lives influenced her becoming a nun What is karma?  Mind training and why it's necessary What is consciousness composed of?  How she views reaching enlightenment The 12 links of dependent origination   Explanation of Twelve links of dependent origination

The religion of the masks is affecting us in more personal ways than ever. Also, Matt Siegel is back but he is right back to talking about the forbidden things. Check out Gerry here: www.podcastone.com/pd/The-Gerry-Ca…n-Podcast-51579 Check out Kirk here: www.thecasepodcast.com/ More Kirk: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-…ow/id1467438756 Find us at www.burnbarrelpodcast.com Email us: burnbarrelpodcast@gmail.com Follow on Parler: @burnbarrelpodcast On Gab: @burnbarrelpodcast Facebook: facebook.com/burnbarrelpodcast And Twitter: @burnbarrelpod Follow Tom on Twitter: @tomshattuck You can follow Alice too: @aliceshattuck More Tom stuff at www.tomshattuck.com Tom's "Insta" as the zoomers say: www.instagram.com/tomwshattuck/ The opening theme music is called Divine Intervention by Matthew Sweet. The closing theme music to this podcast C'est La Vie by Derek Clegg. Excelsior

The Fontevristes, a monastic order led by women for 700 years, began in the medieval landscape of the Loire Valley. The great stone abbey was completed in twelfth century, and still stands in western France, a repository of centuries of meditation, prayer, and art. Today, Fontevraud Abbey is a secular center for art and culture, but historic voices still resonate within its walls. We talk with Director Martin Morillon, cultural mediator Zoé Wozniak, and contemporary artist François Réau about the spiritual and aesthetic atmosphere of this sacred space. Walk with us through garden, cloister, church, and crypt as we retrace the footsteps of the holy women of Fontevraud.

The Inquisitor is hot on the trail of Johnny Appleseed but the trail gets too hot for tender feet.

Lödrö Gyendon  is a Buddhist monk living in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Raised in South Florida, Gyendon first encountered Buddhism in college when he was studying sculpture.  He moved to Sravasti Abbey to deepen his study in 2011 and trained under the guidance of Bhikkshuni Thubten Chodron, before moving to Gampo Abbey in 2014 where he has lived and trained under the guidance of Pema Chödrön.  We chat with Gyendon about: How he was interested at looking for alternative lifestyles and ways of living and led him to being a monk Difference in monastery, abbey, nunnery Wanted to explore buddhism and the monastic life but needed refuge before he could be considered Importance of lineage Examining “Trust born from understanding, understanding born from trust” His understanding with impermanence through his fathers experience of dying Exploring the phrase from Thich Naht Hahn: “Would you freeze the whole ocean for the sake of one wave?” Exploring the nature of mind Transmitting vs. translating the dharma Being American and taking on Buddhist vows Disease of disembodiment and the utility of our bodies Trisha hershe Nap ministry Striving and how it can cloud our dharma practice. Recognizing how painful attachment is Much more!  

"O Gregory the Miracle Worker, light of Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the Church, comeliness of Monastics, invincible defender of theologians, the pride of Thessalonica, and preacher of grace, intercede forever that our souls may be saved." (Apolytikion for the Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas) Is it possible to know God? How could a perfect God have anything to do with His imperfection creation? These are some of the questions Saint Gregory Palamas faced in the 14th century. And they're questions the Church faces today. We dedicate the Second Sunday of Great Lent to this important saint because he taught an important theological truth that's at the core of the Christian life: That God is both knowable in His Energies and unknowable in His Essence. And this mystery is shown to us when Jesus heals the paralytic in Mark 2. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee170

"O Gregory the Miracle Worker, light of Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the Church, comeliness of Monastics, invincible defender of theologians, the pride of Thessalonica, and preacher of grace, intercede forever that our souls may be saved." (Apolytikion for the Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas) Is it possible to know God? How could a perfect God have anything to do with His imperfection creation? These are some of the questions Saint Gregory Palamas faced in the 14th century. And they're questions the Church faces today. We dedicate the Second Sunday of Great Lent to this important saint because he taught an important theological truth that's at the core of the Christian life: That God is both knowable in His Energies and unknowable in His Essence. And this mystery is shown to us when Jesus heals the paralytic in Mark 2. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee170

"O Gregory the Miracle Worker, light of Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the Church, comeliness of Monastics, invincible defender of theologians, the pride of Thessalonica, and preacher of grace, intercede forever that our souls may be saved." (Apolytikion for the Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas) Is it possible to know God? How could a perfect God have anything to do with His imperfection creation? These are some of the questions Saint Gregory Palamas faced in the 14th century. And they're questions the Church faces today. We dedicate the Second Sunday of Great Lent to this important saint because he taught an important theological truth that's at the core of the Christian life: That God is both knowable in His Energies and unknowable in His Essence. And this mystery is shown to us when Jesus heals the paralytic in Mark 2. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee170

Caroline, Mark, and Malena tackle the first two chapters of God (Ignatius Press & Augustine Institute, 2019) from the What Every Catholic Should Know series. Author Elizabeth Klein is Assistant Professor of Theology at the Augustine Institute in Denver, CO, though originally from Ontario.The hosts discuss their impressions from the book which endeavours to address the age-old question of ‘Who is God' in a succinct and refreshing way. Klein introduces man's desire to know God (Chapter 1) and God's Name (Chapter 2) as kick-off to her text. She invites readers to know, love and serve God by addressing 3 major concepts in her book: 1) the nature of God; 2) the Trinity; 3) the Incarnation.Klein is also the author of Augustine's Theology of Angels (Cambridge University Press, 2018). Parishes can purchase the book in bulk from Catholic Market (https://catholic.market) as part of the $1.50 book distribution program. Free shipping is available to Canadian parishes! Also in the What Every Catholic Should Know series: Literature; Being Catholic; Mercy; Salvation. Check out more from Klein on FORMED.org: Catholicism & Flannery O'Connor's The Violent Bear it Away; FORMED Now! Evangelizing Millennials (Part 2); FORMED Now! Martyrs & Monastics. 

Daily bible readings from the Orthodox Christian lectionary. Today is the Saturday of the Righteous Monastics: Galatians 5.22-6.2 Matthew 6.1-13 The scripture readings are taken from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. OrthodoxLectionary.com, by The Ambigua. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/orthodox-lectionary/message

This was another EPIC conversation, this time with Nun Tenzin Choyang.  Choyang was born in Tibet and came to India to study Buddhist philosophy. She has been studying Buddhist philosophy at a nunnery for over 17 years.  In between that time, she went to Emory University in the United State to learn science and scientific techniques.  Currently she is continuing her Buddhist study in Mundgod near Drepung Loselling Monastery in India. We talked with her about SO MUCH! Including:  Feminism in Tibetan Buddhism Running away from tibet on a month long journey to India to become a nun The importance of studying logic How to introduce logic and investigation techniques to children What she thought the monastery was going to be and what it actually was The concepts of Emptiness and Compassion How to come to experiential knowledge Studying science at Emory and bringing that back to her nunnery to teach The value of hope How we can decipher our emotions correctly How we can lessen the power of the ego Using lovingkindness to show up authentically for others Reincarnation and Karma Social emotional ethics

Every now and then I get comments about charging for what I teach. Like how dare I teach certain tools and charge for them. How can I charge to help people to stop overdrinking? Or have less anxiety? Or how to manage their mind? Or how to feel free?They say it is very “unspiritual” of me, very “un-Buddhist” of me, to earn a living helping people this way.So I wanted to discuss the concept of “right-livelihood” more in-depth, because I think there are some big misunderstandings of what right livelihood is - and a misunderstanding of the teachings and how they were created for monastics and the way it is different in teachings for lay people.These misunderstandings lead to a lot of people with good hearts and amazing skills not making a living doing what they love because they have some old stories about what is a noble way to earn a living.“Right Livelihood” is a traditional Buddhist teaching and is considered one of the factors of the eight-fold path to enlightenment. The idea is you follow these 8 guidelines and they help create the conditions that make attaining enlightenment easier.I find it helpful to not interpret these as commandments per se, which a lot of people are used to. Many of us grew up being told hey if you do this spiritual thing you're good and will go to the happy place, and if not then you go to the really bad place.So when most of us hear about things we “should” or should not do, we run for the hills, right? Or we run straight towards what we’re not supposed to doI know I do! And I know many of you rebels do too.The way I was taught was to see them like they are like a recipe, a proven recipe from a really good chef.Sure, we could come up with our own recipe, but if we want to make life easier on the path that we choose, we might want to follow some advice from those that have gone before us and see if it works for us. So we check for ourself if practicing right speech, right actions, right livelihood etc helps us grow spiritually.If it does, great! If not, then we can choose to leave it.Right livelihood is part of a series of recommendations that makes attaining enlightenment easier.Jack Kornfield said, “Right Livelihood is considered a part of the way to enlightenment most simply because it’s very hard to meditate after a day of killing and stealing! We can use our work as a practice and a form of meditation.”I totally relate to that. Essentially, right livelihood is refraining from types of work that cause harm to other living beingsIt’s about avoiding trades that directly or indirectly harm others, and the examples traditionally given are like selling slaves, weapons, animals for slaughter, intoxicants, or poison.But ultimately, the teaching of right livelihood is about ethical livelihood. And that, I think, helps the term right livelihood be more clear.But there is a lot of muddled energy around money and its role in right livelihoodLike sexuality and desire, money is a form of energy - and it's quite neutral.It can be used in beneficial ways, and it can be used in destructive ways.And in most people, it comes with a serving of shame - either feeling ashamed to have been born with it, or ashamed to not have enough of it.We add to that the spiritual teachings we hear about renunciation that reinforce a negative judgment of it, and shame. Monastics are taught not to touch it, and that they can only beg for food and can’t buy it.And then our money stories get mixed with greed, and desire, and all of those things together with it and whew...it becomes a lot.What's our role in a culture with wide disparities between the rich and poor? And are we participating in the injustice of it? Are we contributing to the solution?Should we have money or give it all away? And in a society where money is power, how does that influence things?It’s not black and white – it is complex, and it is something that we have to contemplate and really pay attention.You might ask if you should take a certain job and make a bunch of money and wonder if it is ethical or not.Or what to do when the family is fighting over an inheritance.Or how to spend some money you came across.Or what you're willing to do to get out of poverty.But ultimately, we want to understand that money is energy and that money is an expression of the energy of the world.And if we take that energy and combine it with a vision of a world that is more caring and more just, and with integrity, then it can do amazing thingsThere are a lot of teachings for us that who are not monks and nuns that are really important, and I share some of them in this episode. They're not emphasized much because most of what was written down in the Buddhist tradition was written for monastics, but they are there.Ultimately, you want to get comfortable with money and look at your own relationship to it.  And then you're going to have to get clear on your relationship to it in how you choose to earn a living.When I asked Jack Kornfield about how to handle it when someone gets upset that people charge for classes, he told me that we aren’t going to be able to please everyone. Someone will also be upset with what we choose. And we need to really introspect and reflect so that we like are reasons for doing what we’re doing and feel OK about it.So I want to invite that to you as well.And I know some of you out there think that the easy way out is to not charge - then no one will be upset with you.But I want to share a story with you: People will ask me to charge less for my courses, so every now and then I have a donation-only sale for my most popular course. LOTS of people sign up for it and donate $1, or $100...but who finishes it? NONE of them.Who finishes the courses? The people in Freedom School - and especially the people who sign up for a full year in advance! There’s a sense of commitment there.So this isn't to say that's the right way to do it.But what it is saying is that we live in a culture where money is a part of how people show value of their intention and their investment in something.And you need to really reflect and find what is a healthy way for you.You might be in a community where charging is the wrong thing.And there might be communities where the best thing you can do is to offer your time without charging.But those are things that you want to get comfortable exploring, and then find your own way.And then use it to create benefit.You’ve heard me say in many episodes that I hope you use what you learn to benefit the world.So first is to not cause harm with the money that you make.Then, do things that have value to yourself and others. Create a benefit,That’s right livelihood, in its essence.Remember: you also don't actually own the money. It’s energy. When we leave this body, we don't get to keep it.But what you can do is be the steward of it. In Hawai’i they have a word malama, meaning “to take care of, tend, attend, care for, preserve, protect.” That’s how we want to relate to our money.And we take care to not let attachment and fear and greed drive us.So this is another important area where mindfulness can help us, because the only way to do that is to try to become conscious of it, to make it a conscious process.Topics in this episode:// What it means to earn money in an ethical way// Is it ethical to an earn money helping and healing people? // What “right livelihood” means – for those of us who aren’t monks and nuns // Why money isn’t evil – and why it’s amazing // Why the best answer isn’t to give everything away for freeRESOURCES// If you’re new to the squad, grab the starter kit I created at RebelBuddhist.com. It has all you need to start creating a life of more freedom, adventure, and purpose. You’ll get access to the private Facebook group where you can ask me questions! Once you join, there’s also a weekly FB live called Wake the F*ck Up Wednesday, where you can ask questions that come up as you do this work – in all parts of your life.// If you’re interested in a really awesome way to make the next year your best one yet, join Freedom School. Enrollment is open for a limited time. It will set you up to live the best version of you in the year to come. This is an amazing group of rebel women committed to creating lives of freedom, adventure and purpose. You can even gift a Freedom School membership to someone that you know could use the boost and come together! You’ll dive into getting clear about: what you want, how to clear your life of the things you don’t, skills for living an authentic life so you are out there being YOU and not what other people want you to be, and more.  

Ven. Geshe Tenzin Damchoe was born in Dharamsala India and attended Tibetan Childrens Village (TCV) school until the 10th grade.  After that he attended TCV Bylakuppe where he received a Bachelors of Commerce from St. Philomena’s college of Mysore University. After graduating with his commerce degree, Geshe-la joined the Institute of Buddhist Dialectic school, where he spent over a decade studying Buddhist philosophy and earning the prestigious Geshe degree (which is equivalent to a PhD) from Drepung Loseling Monastery in south India. He later became a professor: teaching Buddhist Philosophy and Practices at Earlham College and then at Oxford University in England as a visiting scholar. Geshe-la now works at Sarah College for higher Tibetan studies as a program coordinator and renowned lecturer for Buddhist Philosophy studies.    Given his expertise, Marshall and I discussed with Ven Geshe-la: How he became a monk Prevalence of monks in tibet What does being a geshe mean How to keep your cup of knowledge from getting full Respecting others by thinking about their good qualities Self centered attitude vs. self-cherising Unconditional vs. Conditional love  Interdependence of everything Two different types of meditation: Analytical and one pointed meditation Two different types of compassion: Emotional and Wisdom Positive influence western traditions have had on him How karma and murphy’s law share similarities 4 Noble Truths Contextualizing the four noble truths and 8-fold path as they pertain to coping and surviving the COVID-19 crisis.   The utility of the identities we hold How Finding nemo shows us a great example of the 4 noble truths

In this episode, we chat with Lama Glenn about different types of “Spiritual Lifestyles:" Whether one is a "Spiritual Beggar," as Monastics are called in the East, or a “Spiritual Seeker,” living life as a Layperson, as they also do in the East and most of us will do in the West. We also talk about Fun in Spiritual Practice, and how many times a day a Good Buddhist can have Sex—The Answer May Surprise You . . . Enjoy The Episode. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/gintantra/message

Paul and Mike zero in on practical questions regarding monastic mindfulness. They ask the questions "Is a constant state of awareness of God's presence even possible?", "Should it be the primary focus of our faith?" and "To accomplish spiritual mindfulness does it require withdrawal like the monks did?".

Christianity has an ancient tradition of the practice of mindfulness that came through the monastic system. Paul and Mike investigate the roots of christian mindfulness in that goes way back to monasteries and monks in the early days of the church. Today they seek to grasp an understanding as to what monks and Nuns are trying to do.

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Message Outline

In this Silent Fire: Live episode Josh and Colin discuss monasticism and its place in our churches today.Is there a place for monastics in the church? What is the benefit of monasticism? How are we all called to live monastically in our lives? Join us as we discuss these questions and more!This episode is the audio portion of a live show broadcast to Facebook and YouTube on Friday, October 23rd, 2020.Joshua Hoffert is the founder of Wind Ministries, and Colin Nicolle is the Rector of the Anglican parish in Summerside, PEI. For more Silent Fire visit us on YouTube, follow us on Instagram, and check out our website.

This talk was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu's YouTube Channel. To watch this talk on YouTube kindly visit https://youtu.be/Q_o2DMikICc .

This talk was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu's YouTube Channel. To watch this talk on YouTube kindly visit https://youtu.be/Jyp503_sD_A .

This talk was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu's YouTube Channel. To watch this talk on YouTube kindly visit https://youtu.be/BzscWo2bo3g .

Monastics are defined in part by their withdrawal from ordinary society as well as by such outer things as distinctive clothing, specific daily schedules, special diet, and other symbolic accoutrements. Yet if we set aside these forms of difference, monasticism has more in common with the Course than you might suspect. The driving force behind monasticism is that it shoots for the highest spiritual attainment possible. Further, it recognizes that this spiritual summit is so valuable, so precious, that the climb deserves all of us—-heart, mind, body and soul. In this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles, Robert Perry and Emily Bennington discuss how we can use the discipline and structure of monastics as a model and an inspiration for our own practice everyday.

This is part two of my interview with sex advice columnist Bonita Applebum. Please go back and listen to part one if you have not yet! This time we discuss: -The truth about HPV: real talk from a sex educator, and why “Girls” actually kinda got it right-Elizabeth Holmes' titties-That time that watching Star Trek: First Contact was better than sex-Monastics: do we want to fuck them, or be them?-Why sugar Daddies are overrated-The best drone metal music for getting it on-“Voting with your pussy”Relevant links:Om “Conference of the Birds”: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9095-conference-of-the-birds/Bernini’s Ecstasy of Saint Theresa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecstasy_of_Saint_TeresaMore about Bonita: Bonita Applebum is an advice columnist in Athens, GA.  She writes for Flagpole Magazine, where she answers questions and shares her thoughts on sex, love, dating, and relationships.  Bonita is a pseudonym, but she is less of a character and more of a way to allow for honesty and transparency when talking about things so intimate and personal.  She is in her late thirties and is a Black woman of color originally born in the deep south.  She enjoys playing the clarinet, watching gameplay videos on Youtube even though she is not a gamer, and casually studying the history of Britain and its monarchy - but not in a good way.  Her favorite monarchs are the ones who get executed.  If you’d like to send Bonita a question or comment or anything, really, you can do so anonymously at http://www.flagpole.com/getadvice , or you can email her directly at advice@flagpole.com. Venus’s Instagram: @bbwvenusvalentineVenus’s other projects: https://linktr.ee/VenusValentineDownload free show transcripts and support us on Patreon: http://www.dirtypantiespodcast.comEmail: venusstarfruit@gmail.com Big thanks to our Sound Engineer Kirstin Johnson, our graphic designer Pedro Recio, and Decek, who composed our sexy theme song "Euphoria".

Today we celebrate the memory of All Saints, both those who are known to us, and those who are known only to God. There have been saints at all times, and they have come from every corner of the earth. They were Apostles, Martyrs, Prophets, Hierarchs, Monastics, and Righteous, yet all were perfected by the same Holy Spirit.

Simon Reed explains why and how New Monastics have a purpose in society.

Empty shelves at the grocery stores, social distancing, bars and restaurants and all places of communal gathering closed, sporting events cancelled. The Corona Pandemic has essentially turned us into good monastics.

A homily on the following Scriptures from the daily office lectionary In the Book of Common Prayer:Matthew 17:14-20 (NRSV)When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.Psalm 95 (NIV)Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.Today, if only you would hear his voice,“Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did.For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”Join the Chickmonks community as a monthly patron and become a part of expanding this healing and hope, maintaining regular, new episodes and access to older ones: https://www.patreon.com/join/chickmonks/checkout

Welcome to FORMA, a new podcast featuring conversations with authors, teachers, creators, and community leaders who are carefully contemplating the nature and practice of classical education.  In episode 8, David chats with Christopher Perrin, founder of Classical Academic Press, about the role the early and medieval monastics played in preserving Western culture, Christian and secular alike. Topics include the evolution of Dr. Perrin's interest in the subject, ways the monastics made the Western canon possible, and how the monastics can instruct us as teachers in 2017.  Subscribe to FORMA on iTunes here.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to FORMA, a new podcast featuring conversations with authors, teachers, creators, and community leaders who are carefully contemplating the nature and practice of classical education.  In episode 8, David chats with Christopher Perrin, founder of Classical Academic Press, about the role the early and medieval monastics played in preserving Western culture, Christian and secular alike. Topics include the evolution of Dr. Perrin's interest in the subject, ways the monastics made the Western canon possible, and how the monastics can instruct us as teachers in 2017.  Subscribe to FORMA on iTunes here.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I had a conversation recently in which I couldn't explain very clearly a comment I made several times, and as a result there was a certain amount of misunderstanding. I realize that perhaps many people have this same misunderstanding, and since it has to do with the Kingdom of Heaven, and how it “comes” or how we actually enter and live the life of the Kingdom of Heaven while we are still on earth, I thought that discussing this misunderstanding and how to overcome might be a good way to begin our discussion of “Let Your Kingdom come (as in heaven, so also on earth).”

Part 1 in the 4 part series ‘Urban Contemplative’ by Rev. Dr. Dennis Okholm. This series looks at how to apply the rhythms of Benedictine spirituality to life in the city. Monk Habits for Everyday People: Benedictine Spirituality for Protestants by Dennis Okholm https://amzn.com/1587431858 Dangerous Passions, Deadly Sins: Learning from the Psychology of Ancient Monks by Dennis Okholm https://amzn.com/1587433532 Kingdom Family: Re-Envisioning God’s Plan for Marriage and Family by Trevacca Okholm https://amzn.com/1610975367 Eucharist Church www.eucharistSF.org Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) www.anglicanchurch.net Churches for the Sake of Others (C4SO) http://www.c4so.org/ Music by Rob Patterson [Music used with permission] https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/through-the-water-ep/id1094836047

Nathan Schneider is a scholar-in-residence of media studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is the author of “God in Proof: The Story of a Search from the Ancients to the Internet” and “Thank You, Anarchy: Notes from the Occupy Apocalypse.” He is a regular columnist for Vice magazine and America, the national Catholic weekly. He is currently co-editing a book on democratic business models for online platforms. This interview is edited and produced with music and other features in the On Being episode “Nathan Schneider — The Wisdom of Millennials.” Find more at onbeing.org.

There’s a kind of brilliance that flashes up in early adulthood: an ability to see the world whole. Nathan Schneider has been able to articulate and sustain that far-seeing eye of young adulthood. He’s also a gifted writer, chronicling the world he and his compatriots are helping to make — spiritual, technological, and communal. At the Chautauqua Institution, we explore the wisdom of a millennial generation public intellectual on the emerging fabric of human identity.

Dear friends, Welcome to the Deer Park Dharmacast -- Dharma flowing from the Ocean of Peace. Before the talks of the Miracle of Mindfulness Tour, the monastics offered chanting in both English and Vietnamese. Today, we offer those to you. May they fill your heart with joy and peace. Now, enjoy this moment to stop and look deeply.

I had a conversation recently in which I couldn’t explain very clearly a comment I made several times, and as a result there was a certain amount of misunderstanding. I realize that perhaps many people have this same misunderstanding, and since it has to do with the Kingdom of Heaven, and how it “comes” or how we actually enter and live the life of the Kingdom of Heaven while we are still on earth, I thought that discussing this misunderstanding and how to overcome might be a good way to begin our discussion of “Let Your Kingdom come (as in heaven, so also on earth).”

Fr. Seraphim shares some of the ways in which laypeople can imitate the life and prayer of monastics.

Fr. Seraphim shares some of the ways in which laypeople can imitate the life and prayer of monastics.

Dear Friends,   This week, we share the question and answer session from the Deer Park New Years retreat.  The questions asked by retreatants center around conflict in oneself and in the family.  In response, the monastics reflect on their own experiences and slowly, the flower petals of wisdom unfurl. The monastics' gentle words reveal that sometimes, the answer is time, patience, space, and acceptance.  And always, the answer comes from your question and from your heart.     Remember, you can always find the Deer Park Dharmacast at dpcast.net, Facebook, iTunes, and Twitter.  Now, enjoy this moment to stop and look deeply

Joe talks about Monastics like St. Simon Stylites, St. Anthony, and St. Benedict.

Joe talks about Monastics like St. Simon Stylites, St. Anthony, and St. Benedict.

Dharma Talk: Kusala Bhikshu 8/26/2012

AS056 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 14, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Benedictine monastics outside the monastery, godly anger, church-going dilemma for a Catholic-Protestant couple, not feeling called, and more! Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3. Subscribe to A Nun's Life Podcasts: Ask Sister podcast is a [...]

This week we invite you to listen to an evening of sharing which took place during the second night of the Order of Interbeing Retreat this past week at Deer Park Monastery. Monastics and lay friends share about the current situation of energy consumption in relation to our practice and global warming. Also included is a new chant for the Gatha for Inviting the Bell offered by Sisters Mai Nghiem and Thai Nghiem, which you may download separately here.