Podcasts about Sangha

Bruno is a pioneering entrepreneur and co-founder of Global X and Sangha. In this episode, he shares his unique journey from launching a multibillion-dollar asset management firm during the financial crisis to empowering others through peer support and spiritual growth. Bruno offers insights on purposeful leadership, personal fulfillment, and the intersection of business, spirituality, and self-discovery.

Vidyamala offers ways to approach higher states of concentration in meditation and how they bloom out of paying attention to pleasant vedana that has a felt quality of openness within it. Dhyana is not random but a result of where we place our attention in each moment. Excerpted from the talk Introduction to Citta and Dhyana with Guided Meditation given at Taraloka Retreat Centre, 2019. ••• Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

Bhadra takes us through the myth of Persephone and an experiential exploration of awareness to celebrate the vital contribution the bardo; the in-between state, makes towards the spiritual life. Excerpted from the talk Celebrating the In-Between given at Bristol Buddhist Centre, 2016. ••• Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

In this talk Vajradevi reflects on our good conditions, and our own conditioning in the light of Pratitya Samutpada and relates this reflection to the Women in Early Buddhism.  This talk was given on the Women's UK and Ireland Area Order Weekend at Taraloka Retreat Centre, 2018. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

Recorded on September 6, 2025 at Boundless Mind Temple, Brooklyn, NY. References mentioned in the talk: Abuse, Sex and the Sangha: a Series of Healing Conversations: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpxqAk60QqWrlqnlVVWr4IvLyv1GtBw5I Resilient Sangha Project: https://bostonzen.org/resilientsangha/ Buddhist Healthy Boundaries: https://www.buddhisthealthyboundaries.org/ "Sexual Ethics and Healthy Boundaries in the Wake of Teacher Abuse" by Ann Gleig and Amy Langenberg: https://www.lionsroar.com/sexual-ethics-and-healthy-boundaries-in-the-wake-of-teacher-abuse/ Book by Julie Seido Nelson, "Practicing Safe Zen: Navigating the Pitfalls on the Road to Liberation": https://julieanelson.com/2024/11/21/practicing-safe-zen/ The BZC Podcast is offered free of charge and made possible by the donations we receive. If these teachings have benefited your life, please consider supporting the program with a donation (suggested $2-7/episode, or whatever feels right for you!). You can donate to Brooklyn Zen Center at brooklynzen.org under ‘Giving.' Thank you for your generosity!

SBT Sangha SpotlightThis interview series shines a light on the lives and journeys of our community members. Hosted by our dear Tenzin Tashi, each episode features heartfelt conversations with fellow SBT Sangha members as they share their unique paths. SBT – the Secular Buddhist Tradition, is an international spiritual community dedicated to Secular Buddhism and the timeless wisdom of the Buddha. SBT presents the Buddha's teachings as neither a religion nor exotic belief system, sharing a practical presentation focused on the positive life-affirming message of the Buddha, while emphasizing and prioritizing those aspects that we deem most credible, illuminating, and effective. The aim of SBT is to inform and guide without sharing presumptions of what to believe. To learn more at: ⁠http://SBTonline.org⁠⁠#Buddhism⁠ ⁠#SecularBuddhism⁠ ⁠#Meditation⁠ ⁠#mindfulness⁠ ⁠#onlinesangha⁠ ⁠#onlinecommunity⁠ ⁠#DalaiLama⁠ ⁠#happiness

Here, Jnanavaca explores the Bardo of Life. Excerpted from the talk entitled Root Verses of the Six Bardos: Life given at Vajrasana Retreat Centre, 2023. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

In dieser Folge möchte ich mit Dir ein Interview mit Katja Grunder, Myong Soeng, teilen. Myong Soeng ist Musiktherapeutin und sie spricht darüber, wie ihr der Soziale Buddhismus aus einer tiefen Krise herausgeholfen hat. Es ist ein berührendes Interview. Da Myong Soeng auch Bühnenerfahrung hat, hat sie auch eine kleine wunderschöne Überraschung für uns.Du hörst auch zwei Daily Reminder von Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim über Sok Ga Mo Ni Buddha und unsere Selbstnatur.Vielen Dank Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim,Hapchang,viel Freude beim Hören,Deine Gak Duk

In this episode, you can listen to two daily reminders from Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim about Sok Ga Mo Ni Buddha, our true selfnature, and our mind.It is said in the sutras.Thank You very much Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim,enjoy,love,Gak Duk

The three treasures (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) are in fact, one. As the three bodies of Buddha are also but three aspects of the committed invocation of our 9th consciousness and the experience of the Engine of Life. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

Padmavajra explores the great text that reveals the realms between death and new life, where anything is possible in the Bardo - the 'intermediate state'. This is also an excellent introduction to the recent history of the text itself as it has come into the West and influenced practitioners and cultural figures in many significant ways. Overall, this is a challenging and insightful series looking at how a true classic of spiritual literature has relevance to our modern ways of living and dying. Talk given at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, 2005, as part of the series Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol) *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967

Vijayasri describes the Eight Freedoms and the Ten Endowments described in Gampopas teachings in the The Jewel Ornament of Liberation on the importance of a human birth. Excerpted from the talk entitled This Precious Human Life given  at Croydon Buddhist Centre, 2015. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

This segment is excerpted from the introduction to a yet-to-be-published manuscript of selected podcasts from 2020 forward. The working title is "Speaking with One (Zen) Voice," the "Zen" in parentheses, subtitled "25 Centuries of Buddha-Dharma; 3Countries of Origin; 9 Dharma Masters; 2 Dozen Teachings; with Commentary by an American Zen Elder." Selections from the text are posted monthly as our new Substack column, along with my paraphrases of traditional teachings, beginning with Buddha's "First Sermon," otherwise known as "Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Law," or, more simply, "The Four Noble Truths." Check it out. This volume represents an attempt to present Buddhist teachings selected from the vast canon of sutras (indicating direct testimony) and shastras (connoting indirect commentary) spanning some 2500 years, a quarter of a millennium, from three of Buddhism's countries and cultures of origin — India, China, and Japan. According to scholars, the early talks delivered by Buddha himself to his followers were not written down until several centuries after his death, but were preserved through the oral tradition of chanting and memorizing his spoken teachings. But the accuracy of that transmission is not considered inferior to the later written records, for one reason that it is more difficult to change the content of an oral tradition than it is to modify written documents, either intentionally, by accident, or the ravages of time. Another reason is that the truths of Buddhism and Zen are to be discovered in one's own experience, primarily via the practice of the same meditation process that led to Buddha's insight. Buddhism is, perhaps, unique amongst the Major Religions of the world, in this, its tradition of “face-to-face transmission.” Each of Buddha's Dharma heirs — from those who were exposed to his live dialogs in India, to those who propagated Zen practice and teachings in foreign lands, and the ancestors of those countries — were themselves beneficiaries of direct insight. Of course, the further we go back in time, the provenance or historicity of the canon is less certain, the record from China is more documented than that of India, and that of Japan even more so, as we approach modern times. Most of the selected pieces from these later periods of the evolution of the canon are derived from the liturgy of Soto Zen, verses that are recited in monasteries and temples of today. Speaking with one voiceThe point in surveying this collection, which is merely the tip of a massive iceberg — the Pali canon, Tripitaka, or “three baskets” alone is said to comprise some 84,000 teachings — is that these great Zen forefathers were all speaking with one voice. The written texts selected by Zen's ancestors in China and Japan to be recited on a daily basis as liturgy were obviously not casual or arbitrary choices. They come at the central truth of Buddha's message from differing cultural and linguistic contexts, of course, but if we read between the lines, we might get a glimmer of the existential and experiential reality to which they refer, as so many fingers to the same moon. Let us first consider some of the underlying premises of the teachings of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni (“sage of the Shakya clan”), which differentiate his from other teachings of a philosophical or religious nature. Let it be understood from the beginning, however, that the worldview of Buddhism — and Zen in particular — places emphasis on overarching sameness, rather than petty differences, between people, and sentient beings in general. This inclusive attitude also applies to the other worldviews, belief systems, philosophies, and religions propounded by humankind. We who follow Buddha's Way are not interested in proselytizing or converting, debating, or winning anyone over to our point of view by argument, nor in discrediting another's viewpoint. As to any perceived difference between Zen and Buddhism, you are free to substitute one term for the other where mentioned in the following. Three key distinctions where the Buddha's teaching, usually referred to as “buddha-dharma,” or more simply, “Dharma,” differs substantively: One: It is human-centered. Unlike other spiritual founders, the Buddha claimed no mandate from a god, a deity, or power outside himself; no “Wizard of Oz” behind the curtain preaching his message, other than his teachers in past lives, the so-called “prehistoric” Buddhas. Zen is all about humanity, and our place in the universe. And, for that matter, the place of all sentient beings, on the path to awakening. According to mythical tradition, the newborn baby Buddha declared: “Above the heavens and below the heavens, I alone am the most honored one!” as he sprung forth, fully formed, from his mother's womb. This expression, while clearly legendary, capsulizes Buddha's view of humanity's unique position in the scheme of things, as represented by his human birth. In today's societal context, this might be interpreted as a form of “secular humanism,” a limited, egocentric, or anthropocentric, perspective. On the other hand, to claim exclusive divine guidance, when the audience consists of other human beings like yourself would seem the more egocentric, closer to the height of arrogance. Think of all the things this leads to. Those claiming a direct mandate from God feel compelled to proselytize, to save all other beings, which is, ironically, the Bodhisattva Vow of Buddhism. But if the unsaved do not seek out the message themselves, the apostles bringing the gospel appear to disrespect and demean the innate spirituality of those they would save. Claiming to be already blessed, or saved themselves, they feel uniquely qualified to save others. One stunning difference here is Buddha's decision to attempt to teach his great discovery to others, based only on his own experience. This must have required great confidence and resolve, in that his authority to teach was not based on an established lineage, outside intervention of some “greater being,” nor on a previously existing canon or belief system. There was no directive from on high to go forth and spread the good news. So why do it? The urge to share the “compassionate teachings” stems from “suffering with” — the very definition of compassion. No one, not even Buddha, can save another. Zen's message and method of meditation offers a way to release oneself from one's own ignorance. Two: It is self-reliant. Buddha's teaching emphasizes self-reliance, individual responsibility and initiative. It is the ultimate in do-it-yourself. He teaches no-reliance on anything outside the self. We cannot rely on scripture, on beliefs, on somebody else to do this for us. This is where what is called “Great Doubt” arises. If we can't rely on anything outside ourselves, everything we've always relied upon is now called into question. If we begin to doubt everything that we've always felt to be dependable and sure, we come to an experience akin to that which people in earthquake or mudslide zones are said to undergo. Suddenly one day, the earth trembles, falls apart, opens up fissures and nearly swallows them up. What they always depended upon as “terra firma,” solid earth, turns extremely fluid, not at all stable.. Similarly, what Buddha points to can be as unnerving, but on a spiritual level, sometimes described as something like the earth “trembling in six dimensions,” meaning the Six Senses. When doubt — including doubt in the dharma — becomes such that we feel as if we are “perched atop a 100-foot pole,” and we step off. It is like vertigo on steroids. “No toe-hold”— nothing to hold on to, nothing to cling to. With his emphasis on self-reliance, individual responsibility, and initiative, taking this on for ourselves, by his own example, Buddha established the tradition of awakening without a teacher. We can learn from living, true teachers, those who have personal insight, yes, we can rely on them not to mislead us but after their death, we have only the teachings, which we can rely on, because they hold true, anywhere and anywhen in spacetime. Three: It has nothing hidden.In Buddha's teaching there is nothing hidden, nothing held back — no inner secret, something the teacher has up his or her sleeve, that the student has to try to get. Dharma is ubiquitous, and self-apparent. As Master Dogen said, “Now when you trace the source of the Way, you find that it is universal and absolute.” There isn't anywhere or any time that Dharma is not present. In the most ordinary, common, everyday thing that you go through, this teaching is manifest in that activity and in that experience. All things are manifesting buddha-dharma "without ceasing for a moment," another trope from Dogen. Recapping these three aspects: First, Buddha-dharma is humancentric, based on our consciousness, on our human birth and being. We are able to have this awakening experience without reliance on a savior, without reliance on a god. Buddha never positioned himself as a savior, never claimed a mandate from an outside force or God. To that degree Zen is a secular religion, so to say. Second, Dharma is do-it-yourself. An attitude of absolute respect, honoring the innate buddha-nature of ourselves and others. We all have the capability of doing exactly what Buddha did, waking up completely. This is one meaning of the buddhist bow. When we bow to each other palm-to-palm, it expresses a recognition of our innate spirituality: “I recognize your Buddha-nature, same as mine.” Third, Dharma has nothing hidden in it. It is openly available and accessible to everybody. These teachings are not for the “inner circle.” There is no “us and them” in the Buddhist community, or Sangha. These three things are distinguishing hallmarks of the Buddha's Dharma. Buddha's original teachings must have been influenced to some extent by his cultural context. The caste system, and presumably a proto-Hindu religion, of India of that time, as well as the contemporaneous state of the art of science, surely shaped the syntax as well as his referential vocabulary. Shakyamuni had to teach within his milieu, and his teaching went against the grain of entrenched conventional belief systems. He knew that his message would be unpopular, swimming upstream, against the prevalent cultural currents and current beliefs. Similar for our times Recognizing that no teacher taught “Buddhism” to Siddhartha Gotama — he alone started all the trouble, as someone once said — we hold him in great reverence. He is not a figure of worship, and not regarded as a personal savior, in the sense that Christians regard Jesus Christ. Buddha was not a Buddhist, after all, any more than Christ was a Christian. But he is more than a “saint” of Buddhism, of which Zen has many, its lineage Ancestors. He is the Founder of Zen, its progenitor. We all have to reinvent Zen. Its teachings, or Dharma, cannot simply be layered over the everyday dilemmas of living in this day and age. They must instead be understood, so that in adapting them to our own lives, we may integrate them fully. This does not mean that we need to modify Zen, however. Zen is always contemporary, and its relevance is revealed in its meditation, or zazen.

Arthaketu reflects on the Bardo Thodol, or Tibetan Book of the Dead, Here, he describes the hidden teachings, or termas, of Padmasambhava and how they are found. From the talk entitled Reflections on the Bardo Thodol given at Manchester Buddhist Centre, 2013. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

In this episode, you will hear a daily reminder from Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim about growing older and the importance of the spirit of Chok Jong (stillness-extinction) and the Dharma family.Thank You very much, Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim.Enjoy,Gak Duk

In dieser Folge hörst Du ein Daily Reminder von Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim über das älter werden und wie wichtig der Geist des Chok Jong (Stille-Auslöschung) ist und die Dharma-Familie.Vielen Dank Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim.enjoy,Gak Duk

The Place of Sangha in Post-Monastic Zen Practice by Andrew Tootell

A personal talk about gifts and teachings that Satyaraja has received from his Teachers, from the first retreat with S. N. Goenka in India early 1970's, to his first contact with Triratna and meeting Bhante Sangharakshita a few years later, to several very significant meetings with Bhante, and concluding with what his two kalyana mitras, Kamalashila and Padmavajra, have given and what they mean to him. Given at Stockholm Buddhist Center, 2025. *** This month's FBA Podcasts and Dharmabytes celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of Sangharakshita's birth, founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community and Order. Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

08/27/2025, So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson, dharma talk at City Center. So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson explores what it means to be a good ancestor now: carrying warmth, witnessing others into fullness, and tending the ceremonies of life with reverence.

Parami describes Avalokiteshvara; her relationship to the figure, his origins and mythology. In this talk, she helps listeners connect with his compassion and find meaning in his example of skilful action to end suffering of all beings. Excerpted from the talk Introducing Avalokiteshvara given at Glasgow Buddhist Centre, 2023. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

This episode was recorded at the Loving Kindness Meditation Retreat in Sewanee, TN July 2025. Andrew Chapman offers the second afternoon instructions on the effort of loving kindness.***Get Your Mind Right: A Young People's Retreat on the Four Great Efforts with Mikey Livid and Rachael Tanner-Smith Nov. 13th-16th: https://southerndharma.org/retreat-schedule/1522/get-your-mind-right-a-young-peoples-retreat-on-the-four-great-efforts/ Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

In this talk Mary takes a deep dive into what it means to take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. These reflections all point to a path to liberation - trusting in our awakening, how to get there, and how we support each other on the journey. This is an invitation to practice in the Triple Gem.Recorded August 24, 2025 at Insight Community of the Desert in Palm SpringsSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Vishvapani has been studying, reflecting upon, and living out the Dharma life as presented by Urgyen Sangharakshita, Triratna's founding teacher, for over 40 years. To mark the fourth anniversary of “Bhante” Sangharakshita's death in 2018, this new audio essay delves deep into the heart of what Vishvapani calls a “unique and strange” intuitive approach to Buddhism that, at its best, seems to capture and vibrate with the essential vital energy of the universe. Excerpted from the essay The Organic Core of Sangharakshita's Teaching given at Triratna Buddhist Community, 2022. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

Podcast Audio: The post Talk by Seicho “Sangha Solidarity” first appeared on The Village Zendo.

In this episode, you will hear a daily reminder from Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim about Chok Jong and the 84,000 sutras.It is about Sok Ga Mo Ni Buddha's realization and what exactly is meant by Chok Jong.Thank You very much, Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim.Hapchang,enjoy,your Gak Duk

In dieser Folge hörst Du ein Daily Reminder von Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim über Chok Jong und die 84000 Sutren.Es geht um Sok Ga Mo Ni Buddhas Erkenntnis und was man genau unter Chok Jong versteht.Vielen Dank Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim.Hapchang,enjoy,deine Gak Duk

08/24/2025, Marc Lesser, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Marc Lesser points out that “And yet” is a way of seeing differently, with greater confidence and greater humility. “And yet” could be how we describe history, our lives, and our futures.

08/23/2025, Myles Cowherd, dharma talk at City Center. Myles Cowherd explores the transformative power of sincerity and acceptance as a counterpoint to a life of seriousness and fear.

Nagabodhi's book : The Boy, the Monk, the Man examines the life of Sangharakshita - audacious reformer, and for some a deeply controversial figure. In an absorbing narrative, Nagabodhi takes us on a journey through the twists and turns of Sangharakshita's life; the experiences, insights, and reflections that nurtured his approach as a teacher; and the legacy he left behind. Here, Padmasuri interviews Nagabodhi - two long time friends in conversation and exploration. Recorded at Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 2024. *** This month's FBA Podcasts and Dharmabytes celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of Sangharakshita's birth, founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community and Order. Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967

Saddhanandi offers reflections on creating sangha through meaningful, authentic friendships and communication. The talk includes references to her interviews about poetry with Sangharakshita. Excerpted from the talk A Vision of Communication given at Cardiff Buddhist Centre, 2023. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

This episode was recorded at the Loving Kindness Meditation Retreat in Sewanee, TN July 2025. Mikey Livid offers the second morning instructions on expanding loving kindness towards self. The phrases offered are: May I be at ease. May I be at peace. May I be kind and gentle with myself. May I be filled with loving kindness. Enjoy!*** Get Your Mind Right: A Young People's Retreat on the Four Great Efforts with Mikey Livid and Rachael Tanner-Smith Nov. 13th-16th: https://southerndharma.org/retreat-schedule/1522/get-your-mind-right-a-young-peoples-retreat-on-the-four-great-efforts/ Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders met with President Trump Monday at the White House to discuss ending Russia's war in Ukraine. There is an effort to arrange a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy. However, a Russian spokesperson would only say high-level talks would take place, but did not say Putin would be involved. Russia continues to hit Ukraine with missiles and drone strikes even as talks have continued to potentially end the war. Some Ukrainians expressed skepticism to CBS News about a peaceful end to the conflict. CBS News' Holly Williams reports. Jasveen Sangha, a Los Angeles woman known as the "Ketamine Queen," has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry. Sangha could face up to 45 years in prison. The rollout of Taylor Swift's newest album is making headlines with more surprises for her fans, but it's also a lesson in marketing for other performers. CBS News senior business and technology correspondent Jo Ling Kent has more on the Swift phenomenon. Artificial intelligence advocates say it can be a helpful tool for both students and teachers, but others say it discourages critical thinking. CBS News' Nancy Chen shows how AI is impacting classrooms and what's next. As part of "CBS Mornings'" Back to School series, registered dietitian Megan McNamee shares ideas from her New York Times No. 1 bestseller "Feeding Littles Lunches," with simple and nutritious recipes parents can pack with ease. With more than 20 years of TV experience, Eva Pilgrim joins "Inside Edition" as its first new anchor in three decades, succeeding longtime host Deborah Norville. She joins "CBS Mornings" to talk about the role. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An exploration of Sangharakshita's poem 'Padmaloka' in which he looks forward to his own death. It's a poem about death, rebirth and nature, and Vishvapani connects it to other poetry which it echoes. The talk was given a week after Sangharakshita's death. Excerpted from the talk Sangharakshita Foresees His Death In 'Padmaloka' given at Cardiff Buddhist Centre, 2018. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

Since the Buddha's time, certain practitioners have chosen to leave the household life to dedicate themselves completely to formal Buddhist training. Undergoing a ceremony of ordination in which they took monastic vows, these monks and nuns lived the remainder of their lives within a Sangha – community – of other ordained people. In modern Western Zen, you will find a thoroughly confusing situation where ordained people who live fully monastic lives are rare, most ordained people are called “priests” and live householder lives, and practitioners who are not ordained often teach the Dharma and lead lay Sanghas (functions historically reserved for ordained people). What is the use – if any – of continuing with a tradition of “ordination?” I discuss the value of monks, priests, and lay practitioners in the context of Zen as it is currently manifesting in the United States.

Subhuti gives us an early sight of the developing vision behind the Sangharakshita Library and Study Centre at Adhisthana, via a stirring evocation of the need for a deep knowledge of the Dharma strong enough to meet the considerable challenges of the modern world. In recalling Sangharakshita's conviction that something was working through him, Subhuti suggests that we cannot hope to understand the depth of vision available to us without fully immersing ourselves in the study of our teacher's emerging, unfolding understanding of just what it is he–and we–are trying to channel. In hearing of the different potential ways to take our own knowledge deeper via the Sangharakshita Library and Study Centre, we are challenged to engage with our faith and with our doubt, and encounter the work of our founding teacher anew. A talk given at Adhisthana on the men's UK & Ireland area Order weekend, 2022. *** This month's FBA Podcasts and Dharmabytes celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of Sangharakshita's birth, founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community and Order. Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967

In this lovely talk following Sangharakshita's death, Ratnaguna urges us to get to know Bhante through his poetry. He then gives us a commentary on some of his favourite poems. Excerpted from the talk Getting to know Urgyen Sangharakshita through his Poetry given at Manchester Buddhist Centre, 2018. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

Meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author, Sharon Salzberg offers a talk on The Power of Loving Kindness. This episode was recorded Saturday, August 9th at an online fundraiser for Wild Heart Meditation Center. Enjoy!***Get Your Mind Right: A Young People's Retreat on the Four Great Efforts with Mikey Livid and Rachael Tanner-Smith Nov. 13th-16th: https://southerndharma.org/retreat-schedule/1522/get-your-mind-right-a-young-peoples-retreat-on-the-four-great-efforts/ Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

Send us a textSeason 2 kicks off with Justine and Scarlett decoding the ancient concept of Sangha—your chosen spiritual fam—and asking the big questions: How is it different from a cult? Can a podcast community count as one? And why does chanting together hit harder than scrolling Instagram? We break down the hormonal science of group practice, wander from Buddhist forests to underground raves, and drop a myth from the Bhagavata Purana about sages gathering in the forest to listen. Along the way, we roast fake wellness fads, unpack the science of sound, and take a few side trips into The Matrix, Sister Sledge, and Catholic church acoustics. Whether you're in it for the cosmic science, the cult-free community vibes, or the fashion tips for planetary dressing, welcome to the Third Eye Roll Sangha.Ask ChatGPTSupport the show

Urgyen Sangharakshita - Bhante - who died last year, is not only the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community, but also teacher and spiritual friend to Padmavajra. Padmavajra first met him when he was 17 and in this talk he shares some of his own most cherished memories of Bhante, including his experiences of being with him in India when he returned there in the 1970's to found the Order there. Excerpted from the talk entitled Urgyen Sangharakshita: The Bodhisattva's Reply given at Sheffield Buddhist Centre. 2019. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

Aryajaya explores Sangharakshita's relationship to his teachers, who form the lineage for the Triratna Buddhist Order. A lovely exploration of the experience of relationship to the Bodhisattvas of Buddhist tradition via meditations passed from teacher to disciple, evoking a wide open sense of connection to the great beauty they represent. Excerpted from the talk Sangharakshita's First Connection with His Teachers and Receiving Practices given as part of the series Themes from the Dharma Life of Urgyen Sangharakshita (Triratna International Council 2019). *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

08/10/2025, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel Osho, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Zenju Earthlyn Manuel Osho discusses the reality that a human body will turn to dust and yet it is the body in which we carry the dharma and come to know it. As Dogen Zenji, founder of Soto Zen, taught, "To expound the dharma with this body is foremost."

Dayanandi shares how she was encouraged and inspired by Bhante's teachings on the Bodhicitta spirit. "Bhante encouraging shared collective community the creative conditions challenged us to go beyond us. As we were young and had a lot of energy, we took on Bhante's task of creating the conditions for the Bodhicitta to arise. It was spiritually nurturing to attend Bhante's lectures. They were very strong. It was through Bhante's dedicated, clear mind and friendliness, by him sharing his heartfelt inspiration, that contributed to the energy and spark in our dedication to his vision." This talk was given at Dharmadhara in California, USA, on a women's ordination training retreat as part of the series The Bodhisattva Path for the Triratna Buddhist Community, 2019. *** This month's FBA Podcasts and Dharmabytes celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of Sangharakshita's birth, founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community and Order. Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

Saddhaloka explores the key aspects of any practitioner's commitment, Going Forth and Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels, evoking how Sangharakshita engaged with these formative acts as foundations of his own practice in India at the end of the Second World War. With an introduction by Dhammarati.Excerpted from the talk Going Forth And Going For Refuge as part of the series Themes from the Dharma Life of Urgyen Sangharakshita (Triratna International Council 2019). *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

This episode was recorded at the Loving Kindness Meditation Retreat in Sewanee, TN July 2025. Mikey Livid offers the first afternoon instructions on loving kindness meditation. The phrases offered are: May I be at ease. May I be at peace. may I be kind and gentle with myself. May I be filled with loving kindness. Enjoy!SHARON SALZBERG online fundraiser of WHMC Aug. 9th at 6pm central! Register here: https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

From time to time over the nearly 50 years since the establishment of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center, a significant number of its members and its affiliates in the Silent Thunder Order have complained of burning out in terms of their participation in the Zen community. Some have faded into obscurity and were never heard from again. Others have come back after years. The record for the longest hiatus is about three decades. This cohort would amount to a small percentage of the total attendance, or course, but it has been noted that more people come and go than stay. Matsuoka-roshi used to say, of some disciple that was no longer showing up, "Come-and-go type" or, "Wishy-washy type." I assume that these lost souls continue to practice in some form or other, hopefully maintaining their practice of meditation at least. And they probably retain an interest in reading about Zen and Buddhism. And I think it fair to say that if they had stayed, instead of moving on, we would have no place for most of them to sit. This is why I refer to the Zen sangha — and it is probably true of all communities — that it is like a cloud, constantly evaporating and recondensing, with new molecules of water, over time. People have real lives, other demands on their time and energy, and they always have. Master Dogen pointed out that the famous places in China were not typically comprised of large groups, but a small core of a half-dozen monks or so, with others coming and going from time to time. A cursory reading of the history of the formal transmission in Soto Zen makes this clear. Many of these encounters were short-term. So I don't worry too much about the many former members who are no longer in attendance. I do reach out from time to time if someone has suddenly disappeared who was diligently engaging on a frequent basis for some time, out of curiosity if nothing else. But I have enough to worry about, dealing with those who are presently practicing, as well as the constant flow of newcomers knocking at our doors. Most newcomers report that their first exposure to Zen is through reading — or, nowadays, listening — to a well-known teacher online, such as Thich Nhat Hahn, or Ram Dass. I had the pleasure of meeting Ram Dass in person in the 1960s, when I was teaching at the School of the Art Institute and the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle campus. Some friends of mine who knew him told me he was travelling through the area, so I asked them to connect us, and invited him to speak to one of my classes at the U of I. I still have the 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape somewhere of his talk, which was his classic trip to India, giving LSD to the guru tale. I plan to have it digitized so that those who are interested can listen to it. Not to be too much of a name-dropper — near to greatness, and all that — but he came to our apartment for dinner that evening and cooked chipatis and beans for us. My friends told me later that he had told them he thought I was one of the most spiritual people he had ever met. That may have been because my apartment was full of student work, models of geometric structure studies they had done in one of my design classes.Another factoid of interest, and one of those coincidences that we say are not in Zen — he was driving a Chrysler Airstream at that time, and several years earlier, before I had graduated from the Institute of Design, my best friend at that time and I attended a talk by Claes Oldenburg, the famous Swedish-American sculptor, at the University of Chicago, at which presentation, amongst other things, we saw his life-size soft sculpture of — you guessed it — a Chrysler Airstream. But I digress. I have never heard of anyone burning out from too much study of the dharma, or too much sitting in meditation, although some naturally grow tired of too much group discussion, especially when it slides down the slippery slope of intellectualism and erudition, as has been seen many times in the history of Zen. Ch'an Master Huineng famously made a public show of burning scrolls of sutras to make this point. Dogen held that both things can be true at the same time — that the written record also contains the dharma, even though subject to the limitations of language. No, usually, problems with burnout arise in the context of serving the Zen community. Community, or sangha, is the third leg of the stool of Buddhism, joining that of dharma, the study of the teachings of Buddhism and Zen; and most centrally, buddha, the practice of zazen, or the meditation of Buddha. This is what Zen claims to transmit. Where the rubber hits the road in terms of burnout is usually in an individual's efforts to serve the sangha in ways that demand what seems to them to be a lot of time, effort, and energy, with all the opportunity costs associated with any form of contributions of one's precious time to any cause. The third rail for most or all not-for-profit enterprises such as ASZC seems to consist in serving on the board of directors. What I refer to as the "substitution effect" begins to set in — one finds oneself sitting less and less over time, the limited bandwidth available for Zen being consumed more and more by the ever-evolving demands of raising money and paying the bills; upkeep, repair and maintenance of the facility; producing and publishing online communications, newsletters, bulletins and podcasts; and, finally, the sheer pressure of administrating a robust schedule of programs of dharma study and meditation, serving a shape-shifting and ever-growing community of practitioners. As one who has been immersed in this process for going on 50 years -— ASZC was incorporated in 1977 — I am very familiar with this syndrome of overcommitting, on a personal level. But I think it may be that we are getting it backward if and when we do burn out in service to the sangha. It is easy to lose track of the central focus of Zen. The three legs of the stool are not equal in importance or effectiveness in supporting our personal practice. Buddha practice, Zen meditation, or zazen, is definitely first and foremost. Dharma, or study of the teachings, comes second and is subordinate to zazen. Without zazen there is little hope of ever comprehending buddha-dharma. Sangha, community participation and service, is a distant third, and is not really necessary, or conducive to personal practice, absent meditation and study. When we get this backward is when we tend to burn out. If I had not been continuing my meditation practice over the 60 years I have been engaged in all three dimensions, from the mid-1960s at the Zen Buddhist Temple of Chicago, through the years of establishing ASZC in Atlanta, I would have burnt out long ago. Attending most of the public sessions of meditation and witnessing the evolution of the Zen lives of hundreds of individuals have reinvigorated my zeal for Zen again and again, especially during the difficult times we have endured. The evidence of my senses has convinced me ever more undoubtedly of the value and effectiveness of Zen as the Upaya, or skillful means, for our times, as Matsuoka-roshi believed. If you have found yourself experiencing burnout, please consider whether or not you see yourself in this picture. If you do your best to attend a reasonable number of our scheduled meditation programs including daily, weekly, monthly and annual opportunities, such as day sits (zazenkai), longer retreats (sesshin), classes and workshops, you will rediscover the renewable resource that is genuine Zen practice. If you have gotten entangled in the ASZC or STO administration or other demanding roles of service to the sangha, please understand that your efforts are very much appreciated, but that you may be inadvertently developing the substitution effect syndrome, which ultimately does not bode well either for your practice, or the wellbeing of the community. If you relinquish your position and function, no worries, someone else will step up. I have witnessed this again and again. There is no way to plan for, or to design around, human nature, so please do not blame the corporate entity that is the Zen community for your unhappiness. If instead you renew and reinvigorate your practice of meditation, both at home and at the Zen center, you may begin to see that the burden you are or were carrying on behalf of your fellow travelers on the Zen raft was not so onerous, after all. And that somehow, willy-nilly, what you may have seen as your vital function within the Zen community will be taken up by others. If you do not claim your place on the cushion, you may miss the point of practice altogether. Which would be a "cry and shame" as Albert the Alligator would say. And I know that dates me. Look up "Pogo the Possum" by Walt Kelly. Let me propose in closing that you apply a tried-and-true time management approach to your Zen practice. There are only 24 hours in a day, as we say, so unless we chuck it all and go join a monastery, or become a hermit, only a small fraction of those hours can be devoted specifically to our practice, as we conceive it. So let's say you create the visual of a classic clock face representing your 24-hour day. After filling in all the many other things you do to get you through the night, such as sleeping, and through the demands of your day, such as paying the rent, take a look at how much time is left over. For the sake of argument, let's say you can free up an hour a day, or maybe two. In that time, maybe an hour in the morning, and an hour in the evening, maybe more of a weekend, you commit 50% to Buddha Practice: time on the cushion; 30% to Dharma Study: reading up on the literature and joining online dialogs; that leaves 20% for Sangha Service: helping out at the center, or attending admin meetings. The very exercise of visualizing — and tracking — your time may reveal that you are not actually spending as much as you think you are, or at least allow you to cut it down to a bearable amount. The main thing it may help you do is to put the emphasis where is should be: on meditation. If you are attending zazen regularly you are already doing the most you can do to support your community. Your presence encourages them in their practice more directly and to a greater degree than financial and in-kind contributions. Although those are very important. If you join the dharma dialogs online or in person on Sunday mornings and occasionally make a contribution to the conversation, that is also a service to the sangha. It indicates your sincere interest in clarifying the Great Matter, which is the main and central purpose of the pursuit of Zen. If you do both the above and still have time to devote to supporting the programs and physical plant of the Zen center, more power to you. But please be careful not to let the tail wag the Zen dog. There is a story from the history in China, if memory serves, that illustrates this principle clearly. A monk complained that during meditation, the rain was leaking in on him through the thatched roof. The Master's response? "Move down." Why spend a great deal of time and effort patching a roof, maintaining a building, if it prevents you from sitting in zazen? The building, the corporate entity, and all other dimensions of the Zen community and its physical manifestation in the world are subject to the three marks of dukkha. They are impermanent in the long run, imperfect in their current variation, and inherently insubstantial in comparison to the effects of zazen on your consciousness. To quote the venerable Ch'an Master Sekito Kisen, from the closing line of his short but dense poem, Sandokai—Harmony of Difference and Equality: I respectfully urge you who study the mysterydo not pass your days and nights in vain

In this episode Wild Heart guiding teacher Mikey Livid interviews meditation pioneer and New York Times best selling author Sharon Salzberg.Sharon will be teaching an online fundraiser for Wild Heart Meditation Center Saturday, August 9th and 6pm central.Register link can be found here: https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org  Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

This episode was recorded at the Loving Kindness Meditation Retreat in Sewanee, TN July 2025. Mikey Livid offers the first afternoon instructions on loving kindness meditation. The phrases offered are: May I be at ease. May I be at peace. may I be kind and gentle with myself. May I be filled with loving kindness. Enjoy!SHARON SALZBERG online fundraiser of WHMC Aug. 9th at 6pm central! Register here: https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

In this special interview episode, I sit down with my friend and fellow traveler on the path, Heather Schenck. Many of you may recognize Heather from our online community—she's been part of our Sangha since 2020. What began as a personal journey through suffering and self-inquiry has now culminated in the release of her first book, Unbecoming Ourselves.Heather shares the deeply personal story behind her book—how her identity as a nurse, mother, and “good person” created a cycle of striving and self-judgment, and how Buddhist teachings like groundlessness, impermanence, and the nature of suffering helped her begin to loosen her grip on those labels. Together, we explore the difference between who we are and who we think we should be, and how compassion, curiosity, and mindfulness can guide us back to a more authentic way of being.We also talk about the sneaky nature of all-pervasive suffering, how perfectionism often disguises itself as growth, and how to skillfully work with the inner narrator many of us carry. Whether you've struggled with self-worth, identity, or perfectionism, this conversation offers powerful insights and gentle encouragement to soften around the stories we tell ourselves.Heather's book Unbecoming Ourselves is available now on Amazon. Learn more about her work and upcoming courses at aheartawakened.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.