Podcasts about stream buddhist meditation society

Gary Sanders lives in Los Angeles, CA where he founded SCV Mindfulness. He was empowered to lead Buddhist meditation and dharma groups at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. He also helped found Refuge Recovery, a Buddhist-based recovery program for all addictions, which has now spread worldwide.  After moving to Portland, OR in 2015, Gary was asked to join the teaching staff at Portland Insight Meditation Community and was empowered to teach in the lineage of the great Ruth Denison. Gary travels frequently, teaching daylongs and workshops all around North America, and specializes in the heart-based practices of The Buddha. Gary originally got sober in 12-step groups using Kevin Griffin's book One Breath at a Time, a non-theistic Buddhist approach to the 12 Steps. Through the years he's been involved in various Buddhist-based and other alternative non-theistic recovery programs. Gary practices Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation and has woven that into a unique mashup of mindfulness and recovery that he offers to others.  Links  www.portlandinsight.org  https://boundlessheartdharma.com/media/  

Tackling one of the best known contemplative clichés: being in the present moment and “inhabiting the now.”Matthew Brensilver, MSW, PhD, teaches retreats at the Insight Retreat Center, Spirit Rock and other Buddhist centers.He was previously program director for Mindful Schools and for more than a decade, was a core teacher at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. Before committing to teach meditation full-time, he spent years doing research on addiction pharmacotherapy at the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine. Each summer, he lectures at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center on the intersections between mindfulness, science and psychotherapy. Matthew is the co-author of two books about meditation during adolescence and continues to be interested in the unfolding dialogue between Buddhism and science.In this episode we talk about:What being present actually means What to do when Buddhist teachings or meditation instructions feel out of reachWhat to do when a memory arises in meditation, especially a difficult one The brain's, at times, exhausting, evolutionarily wired tendency toward constant predictionThe benefits of going on meditation retreatsDistinguishing between true alarms and false alarmsRelated Episodes:Why Self-Hatred Makes No Sense | Matthew BrensilverSign up for Dan's weekly newsletter hereFollow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTokTen Percent Happier online bookstoreSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelOur favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular EpisodesFull Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/matthew-brensilver-rerun-2023See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 123: RMA Interview: Dave Smith-The Dharma of Addiction and Recovery   This week Mike and Nat welcome Dave Smith to the podcast to discuss Buddhism, recovery, and the dharma of your life.   Dave is an internationally recognized Buddhist meditation teacher, addiction treatment specialist, and published author. His background is rooted in the Insight Meditation tradition and he was empowered to teach through the Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. He has extensive experience bringing meditative interventions into jails, prisons, youth detention centers and addiction treatment facilities.   Dave teaches residential meditation retreats and classes, provides trainings and consulting in both secular and Buddhist contexts, and works with students through his meditation mentoring program. He recently founded the Secular Dharma Foundation to provide evidence-based theory and instruction in the practice of mindfulness for the development of emotional and psychological health and well-being.    Dave lives in Paonia, Colorado with his wife and children. *This podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.* Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite platform to get the latest episode delivered right to your devices as soon as it's released.   LINKS: Dave Smith Dharma www.soberliningsplaybook.com Recovery in the News Bigfoot Filmed From Colorado Train? We are a listener-supported podcast. If you like what we're doing here at RMA and want to support the show, JOIN THE RECOVERY IN THE MIDDLE AGES PATREON  Our sole mission is to help other people achieve sobriety and become their best, most authentic selves. As little as $3 a month makes a big difference and helps us keep the lights on.  https://www.patreon.com/RecoveryintheMiddleAges Visit www.soberlink.com/middle-ages to sign up and receive $50 off your device.  As always, we thank you for your support.  RMA ON YOUTUBE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER  Facebook Page We also have a Facebook Group! Request to join the group. It's a private space for continuing the discussion of what Nat and Mike talk about on the podcast. Hope to see you there. PLEASE leave us a 5 star review on I-Tunes if you're enjoying the show and SUBSCRIBE to get the latest episodes.  Email: MikeR@middleagesrecovery.com Natx@middleagesrecovery.com Check out the website: www.middleagesrecovery.com  We all have a story. Tell us yours and we'll share it on the show! E-Mail your story to miker@middleagesrecovery.com If you're in trouble with substance abuse and need help, reach out. There are thousands of people who have put problems with addiction in their rear-view mirrors and you can be one of them. While we neither endorse nor condemn any particular program, the sheer number of available AA and NA meetings suggest that reaching out to those organizations would be a good first step, (but maybe not the last step), on your road to recovery.   https://www.aa.org/ https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/ Marijuana Anonymous (just in case): This Naked Mind  

 I have been asked to record a few guided meditations from some of you who listen, so here is the first of them. This is a meditation from Noah Levine's Refuge Recovery World Services' (RRWS) program. I highly recommend the book; Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist Path to Recovery From Addiction to anyone struggling with addictive behaviors of any kind. Thanks to my good friend who lent his copy to me. I'm forever grateful. From the back the book:"Refuge Recovery is a Buddhist-oriented, nontheistic recovery program that does not ask anyone to believe anything, only to trust the process and do the hard work of recovery. In fact, no previous experience or knowledge of Buddhism is required.  Recovery is possible, and this book provides a systematic approach to treating and recovering from all forms of addictions. When sincerely practiced, the program will ensure a full recovery from addiction and a lifelong sense of well-being and happiness."NOAH LEVINE, M.A., has been using Buddhist practices to recover from addiction since 1988. He is the founding teacher of Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. Visit the author online at www.refugerecovery.org and www.againstthestream.org.

Noah has been practicing Buddhism since 1988. He turned to Buddhist meditation practice to recover from addiction and has successfully maintained abstinence. His teachers are mostly westerners who trained in the Theravadan tradition in Thailand, Burma and Sri Lanka. His first book, Dharma Punx was published in 2003 and helped to spread the dharma to his generation. In 2007 he founded the Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. In 2008 he developed and implemented a Buddhist based addiction treatment program called Refuge Recovery, which is now flourishing around the world. These days Noah is primarily engaged in teaching Dharma in classes, workshops and retreats, training new Dharma teachers and spending time with his two young children. Check out Noah's website here: https://noahlevine.com/about-noah/ Noah's Wikipedia here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah_Levine Noah's Instagram here: https://instagram.com/noahlevine108

Today we are speaking with ….Noah Levine. NOAH LEVINE is the author of Dharma Punx, Against The Stream, The Heart of the Revolution and Refuge Recovery, is a Buddhist teacher, author and counselor. He has created a Buddhist approach to addiction recovery called Refuge Recovery. He is also the founding teacher of Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, with a meditation center in Venice beach CA. He teaches meditation classes, workshops and retreats internationally. Noah holds a Masters degree in counseling psychology and lives in Los Angeles.https://www.againstthestream.com/ Help us Keep Tom going – please donate a few bucks/quid/sheckels here at Paypal: Gilwriter@hotmail.co.uk See us every Friday at zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88215498348  Zoom ID 882 1549 348 password Tom Our website is at www.HTWTW.comJoin our Facebook Page ‘Here's Tom with the weather' at https://www.facebook.com/groups/314088509589654 To see past episodes, join the ‘Here's Tom with the Weather' Youtube Channel here: https://youtube.com/channel/UCdW7K07ZZUPZZ-t0s7XmURQ 

Dave Smith is an internationally recognized Buddhist meditation teacher, addiction treatment specialist, and published author. His background is rooted in the Insight Meditation tradition and he was empowered to teach through the Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. He has extensive experience bringing meditative interventions into jails, prisons, youth detention centers and addiction treatment facilities. […] The post Talking with Dave Smith about the Dharma, Recovery & What Led Him Down this Path {Podcast} appeared first on The Tattooed Buddha.

Shannon gets to sit down with Gary Sanders. A long time friend and shared training experience with Against the Stream, long before its demise. Gary Sanders lives in Portland, OR. He is originally from the Los Angeles area, where he was the founder of SCV Mindfulness and led up to three weekly meditation groups for over 5 years. He was empowered to lead Buddhist meditation and dharma groups at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. He helped, from the ground level, to found Refuge Recovery, a Buddhist based recovery program for all addictions, which has now spread worldwide. After moving to Portland, Gary was asked to join the teaching staff at Portland Insight Meditation Community. Gary travels frequently and teaches day-longs and workshops all over North America.https://portlandinsight.org/

Happy New Year to one and all and welcome to this new season (proper) of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast. Focussed on practice, this season engages Buddhist teachers, long-term practitioners, and creative innovators engaged in the practising life. Interspersed with regular interviews, this practice focussed season finally gets the podcast off of the couch and responding to the long stream of listeners calling for a practice focus. Our first guest is meditation teacher, artist and author, George Haas. George moved to Los Angeles from New York in 1992. He started practising Vipassanā at Ordinary Dharma in Venice, and studying Buddhist texts extensively. In 1998 he began study with his current teacher, Shinzen Young, at Vipassanā Support International, where he is now a senior facilitator. He began teaching meditation in 2000, founded Mettagroup in 2003, and became an empowered teacher through Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, where he taught from 2007 to 2016. Along with his daily Morning Meditation and full schedule of one-on-one students, he continues to teach weekly classes and intensives in Los Angeles, and offer day-long, weekend and extended retreats around the country. He's also an artist with works in the permanent collections of the Hammer Museum, the Library of Congress, MoMA and the American Irish Historical Society. Mettagroup Founded by George Haas in 2003 and named the Best Online Buddhist Meditation by Los Angeles Magazine in 2011, Mettagroup uses insight meditation to help students live a meaningful life. Drawing from Buddhist teachings and John Bowlby's Attachment Theory, the Mettagroup techniques serve as a model of how to connect with other people, and how to be completely yourself in relationships with others and with work. https://www.mettagroup.org/ Links The Imperfect Buddha site: https://imperfectbuddha.com O'Connell Coaching: https://imperfectbuddha.com/authors-notes Facebook: www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha Twitter: https://twitter.com/Imperfectbuddha

Happy New Year to one and all and welcome to this new season (proper) of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast. Focussed on practice, this season engages Buddhist teachers, long-term practitioners, and creative innovators engaged in the practising life. Interspersed with regular interviews, this practice focussed season finally gets the podcast off of the couch and responding to the long stream of listeners calling for a practice focus. Our first guest is meditation teacher, artist and author, George Haas. George moved to Los Angeles from New York in 1992. He started practising Vipassanā at Ordinary Dharma in Venice, and studying Buddhist texts extensively. In 1998 he began study with his current teacher, Shinzen Young, at Vipassanā Support International, where he is now a senior facilitator. He began teaching meditation in 2000, founded Mettagroup in 2003, and became an empowered teacher through Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, where he taught from 2007 to 2016. Along with his daily Morning Meditation and full schedule of one-on-one students, he continues to teach weekly classes and intensives in Los Angeles, and offer day-long, weekend and extended retreats around the country. He's also an artist with works in the permanent collections of the Hammer Museum, the Library of Congress, MoMA and the American Irish Historical Society. Mettagroup Founded by George Haas in 2003 and named the Best Online Buddhist Meditation by Los Angeles Magazine in 2011, Mettagroup uses insight meditation to help students live a meaningful life. Drawing from Buddhist teachings and John Bowlby's Attachment Theory, the Mettagroup techniques serve as a model of how to connect with other people, and how to be completely yourself in relationships with others and with work. Matthew O'Connell is a life coach and the host of the The Imperfect Buddha podcast. You can find The Imperfect Buddha on Facebook and Twitter (@imperfectbuddha). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society on 8/19/18, Subodha discusses a recent news story about psychedelic drugs and Buddhist practice and his belief that the two are not compatible. Many have turned to drugs because they feel that Buddhism has not been enough for them on its own and they feel that their journey … Continue reading "The Problem with Mixing Drugs with the Dharma"

  Steve Dansiger, PsyD, MFT  Dr. Steve played CBGB and Max’s Kansas City in the late 70s; drank, played drums in a toy rock band and then got sober in the late 80s; became an international educator and rocker again in the 90s; and a sought after clinician, writer and meditation teacher in the 2000s. Dr. Steve has attempted to cure Marc Maron on WTF, become a master EMDR therapist and provider of EMDR Basic Training and Advanced Topics Courses with the Institute for Creative Mindfulness, and with Noah Levine helped set up the premiere Buddhist addictions rehab center, Refuge Recovery Centers. At the center he has developed and instituted the MET(T)A Method and Protocol, a design for addictions agency treatment using Buddhist Mindfulness and EMDR Therapy as the theoretical orientation and primary clinical practice. He is the author of Clinical Dharma: A Path for Healers and Helpers (2016) and avidly blogs and podcasts on topics related to mental health, recovery, and mindfulness. Besides maintaining a private practice in Los Angeles, he travels nationally and internationally speaking and teaching on Buddhist mindfulness, EMDR therapy, the MET(T)A Method, trauma, the Refuge Recovery treatment model, and clinician self-care. He has been practicing Buddhist mindfulness for almost 30 years (including a one year residency at a Zen monastery), and teaches dharma classes regularly at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society and other centers nationally and internationally. His second book (co-authored with Dr. Jamie Marich), EMDR Therapy and Mindfulness for Trauma-Focused Care, is available now on Springer Publications.More information can be found at: www.drdansiger.com www.mettaprotocol.com facebook.com/drstephendansiger instagram.com/drdansiger/

A talk given by Subodha at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society on the alchemy of Buddhism. Buddhism gives us tools for transmuting greed into generosity, hatred into kindness, and delusion into wisdom. Through following the Eightfold Path, we are able to see the magic in the ordinary.

Rakhel Shapiro has over a decade of dedicated mindfulness practice in the insight meditation and Unified Mindfulness traditions. Her approach draws from Shinzen Young’s "four quadrants" of practice: to appreciate self and world, transcend self and world, transform self and world, and express the benefits of practice in our thoughts, words, and actions. She balances an insight/liberation driven focus with cultivation of deep caring, empowering students to transcend unnecessary suffering, and nourish connected and meaningful lives.Rakhel specializes in one-on-one Meditation Mentorship for emotional and relational intelligence, living by authentic values, and deep insight practice. Her work is informed by specialized training in attachment-oriented mindfulness practices and Motivational Interviewing.Rakhel is a certified Meditation Mentor through Mettagroup and Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, and a teacher in Shinzen's Unified Mindfulness system. She holds a BA with Highest Honors from Vassar College, and is currently a PhD student in clinical psychology at Long Island University - Brooklyn.https://deepmindfulness.io

What does it mean to find happiness? Noah Levine tried to find it — with motorcycles and leather jackets and drugs and more — only to discover that the true path to happiness is on the inside. Since then, he’s become one of the foremost instructors of mindfulness and meditation from the Buddhist perspective thanks to his own journey of peace, and he’s with us today to share more. This week’s episode kicks off a series of conversations on relationships with a focus on our inner relationship, the one we have with ourselves. It’s the most important relationship when we think about our work in the Adult Chair and Noah’s perspective is so powerful and informative for our own journey. About Noah Levine Noah Levine is a Buddhist teacher, author, counselor and recognized keynote speaker. He has studied with a variety of prominent Therevadan and Mahayanan Buddhist teachers and holds a masters degree in Integrative Counseling Psychology from CIIS. With over 25 years of experience in the addiction and recovery field, Noah has created a process of addiction recovery based on the teachings of the Buddha called Refuge Recovery. He is also the founder of Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society–with active centers in Los Angeles and San Francisco and more than 20 affiliated groups across North America. He is the author of “Dharma Punx”, “Against the Stream”, “Heart of the Revolution” and “Refuge Recovery.” Links & Notes Noah Levine — Talks at Google Against the Stream Refuge Recovery Refuge Recovery Treatment Centers

The dharma is a practice of subtraction not addition. What can we let go of...? Dave Smith is a Buddhist meditation teacher, addiction treatment specialist, and published author from the "Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society". In January/February 2016 New Life Foundation welcomed him back for his second annual silent retreat. For all those who couldn't make it, we recorded his nightly Dharma talks. Enjoy! We also sat down with Dave for an interview: www.newlifethaifoundation.com/general/go…ave-smith/

This talk discusses the idea of be awake or buddha Dave Smith is a Buddhist meditation teacher, addiction treatment specialist, and published author from the "Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society". In January/February 2016 New Life Foundation welcomed him back for his second annual silent retreat. For all those who couldn't make it, we recorded his nightly Dharma talks. Enjoy! We also sat down with Dave for an interview: www.newlifethaifoundation.com/general/go…ave-smith/

This talk discusses discuss the challenge of embracing the truth, or what is true for you. Mindfulness as a practice of turning towards all of the things that we have been running from and attempting to avoid. Dave Smith is a Buddhist meditation teacher, addiction treatment specialist, and published author from the "Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society". In January/February 2016 New Life Foundation welcomed him back for his second annual silent retreat. For all those who couldn't make it, we recorded his nightly Dharma talks. Enjoy! We also sat down with Dave for an interview: www.newlifethaifoundation.com/general/go…ave-smith/

The final talk, written at the last minute for the lovely folks at New Life. Enjoy! Dave Smith is a Buddhist meditation teacher, addiction treatment specialist, and published author from the "Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society". In January/February 2016 New Life Foundation welcomed him back for his second annual silent retreat. For all those who couldn't make it, we recorded his nightly Dharma talks. Enjoy! We also sat down with Dave for an interview: www.newlifethaifoundation.com/general/go…ave-smith/

My guest is Noah Levine, a Buddhist teacher, author, and counselor who created a unique approach to healing addiction using the teachings of the Buddha, called Refuge Recovery. He is also the founder of Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society–with active centers in Los Angeles and San Francisco and more than 20 affiliated groups across the US. Against the Stream’s mission is to create and sustain communities of healthy, accountable, wise and compassionate people from every walk of life.  About Kids in Crisis Radio: Award-winning journalist, Beth Greer, (aka Super Natural Mom®) and author of bestselling Super Natural Home, interviews  internationally-recognized health care providers, leaders and innovators about effective, alternative, holistic treatments for children with Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Addiction and other behavioral problems. This show was created for YOU, the parent, loved one or professional who wants expert information and practical advice and tools about emerging, non-toxic approaches to helping kids with behavioral, emotional and mental challenges. Kids in Crisis is available as on-demand talk radio on iTunes and at Supernaturalmom.com.

    Please Support The Show With a Donation This week on The One You Feed we have Noah Levine. We were lucky enough to sit down with Noah in the Against the Stream headquarters in Los Angeles. Noah's teachings are core to everything that I have come to believe over the years. I'm really excited to present this interview. Noah Levine (born 1971) is an American Buddhist teacher and the author of the books Dharma Punx: A Memoir , Against the Stream,  and The Heart of The Revolution. As a counselor known for his philosophical alignment with Buddhism and punk ideology, he founded Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society.  As a youth, Levine was incarcerated several times. His first book, Dharma Punx, details teenage years filled with drugs, violence, and multiple suicide attempts—choices fuelled by disillusionment with American mainstream culture. His substance abuse started early in life—at age six he began smoking marijuana—and finally ended in a padded detoxification cell in juvenile prison 11 years later. It was in this cell where he hit "an emotional rock bottom" and began his Buddhist practice "out of a place of extreme drug addiction and violence". He recently started Refuge Recovery which is a community of people who are using the practices of mindfulness, compassion, forgiveness and generosity to heal the pain and suffering that addiction has caused. His new book is titled Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist Path to Recovery from Addiction. In This Interview Noah and I Discuss... The One You Feed parable. How he found Buddhism through his life failures. What "going against the stream" means. That the bad wolf has a stronger tendency in us and wins by default. How our capacity for kindness, generosity, and love have to be cultivated. Why the path of the Buddha is revolutionary. Going against the status quo. How to be in the world but not of it. The distinction between suffering and pain. The difference between craving and desire. Why suffering is not your fault. How the 1st Noble Truth normalizes the experience of suffering. The impermanent nature of all things. How we can never satisfy happiness through sense pleasure. How we layer suffering on top of our pain.        

Bio Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx, Against The Stream, The Heart of the Revolution and Refuge Recovery, is a Buddhist teacher, author and counselor. He has created a Buddhist approach to addiction recovery called Refuge Recovery, that includes peer lead meetings as well as a professional treatment center. He is also the founding teacher of Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, with centers in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Nashville and over 20 affiliated groups around North America. He teaches meditation classes, workshops and retreats internationally. Noah holds a Masters degree in counseling psychology and lives in Los Angeles.   Episode Outline:   • Dharma Punk – Noah talks about his experience with addiction and how it led him to the Buddhist Path.   • A Community Effort – Noah revisits the origins of Refuge Recovery and shares about all of the preparation that went into the endeavor.   • Refuge Recovery –In the Refuge Recovery book, Noah writes, “Refuge Recovery is a practice, a process, a set of tools, a treatment, and a path to healing addiction and the suffering caused by addiction.” Which we discuss.   • Addiction Creates Suffering – Noah and I explore The Four Truths of recovery, beginning with the First Truth, which is, addiction creates suffering. In Refuge Recovery, Noah writes, “This is not a philosophy. It is a practice; it demands action. We must understand, acknowledge, admit, and take this action by writing and sharing an in-depth and detailed inventory of the suffering we have experienced in association with our addictions.” Can you expand on that?   • The Cause of Addiction Is Repetitive Craving – The Second Truth of recovery is that the cause of addiction is repetitive craving. In Refuge Recovery Noah writes, “We have come to understand that all forms of addiction have their roots in the natural human tendency to crave for life to be more pleasurable and less painful than it actually is. The addict is not at fault for the root causes and conditions that lead to addiction, only for the habitual reactive patterns that perpetuate it.” Which again, we discuss.   • Recovery Is Possible – The Third Truth of recovery is that recovery is possible. In Refuge Recovery Noah writes write, “Freedom from the suffering caused by addiction is attainable, if we are ready and willing to take responsibility for our actions and to follow the Eightfold Path. As you enter this process and attend group meetings, you will connect with many others who have also suffered the consequences of addiction and are now recovering. Allow the group to inspire you and to show the possibilities of recovery, while also making room for the imperfections of some of the individuals within the group.”   • The Path To Recovery – So The Four Noble Truths sets out the way, the Eightfold Path, that leads to the end of suffering and is composed of eight factors, which Noah talks about.   • Buddhist Atheist – Noah and I discuss an interesting conversation we recently had about God in relation to recovery and relapse.   • Moving Forward – Noah talks about the current and future state of Refuge Recovery.   Recommendations:   Refuge Recovery Website   Against The Stream Website   Noah’s Book: Refuge Recovery, Dharma Punx, Against The Stream, The Heart of the Revolution   Other Books: Indie Spiritualist by Chris Grosso (Foreword by Noah Levine), Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner

Throughout his youth, Noah Levine was incarcerated several times. His first book, Dharma Punx, details his teenage years filled with drugs, violence, and multiple suicide attempts—choices fulled by disillusionment with American mainstream culture. His substance abuse started early in life—at age six he began smoking marijuana—and finally ended in a padded cell in juvenile prison 11 years later. It was in this cell where he hit “an emotional rock bottom” and began his meditation practice “out of a place of extreme drug addiction and suffering.” While incarcerated, he saw for the first time how the mediation practice his father taught him gave him the tools to relieve the fear and uncertainty that pervaded his life. Noah lectures and teaches meditation classes, workshops and retreats internationally as well as leading groups in juvenile halls and prisons. He has helped to found several groups and projects including the Mind Body Awareness Project, a non-profit organization that serves incarcerated youths, and Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. Noah holds a masters degree in counseling psychology from CIIS and has studied with many prominent teachers in both the Theravadan and Mahayanan Buddhist traditions. Learning to meet pain with compassion and not avoid it, is key to recovery. Pain is unavoidable, you can only drink it away for so long, at some point you have to deal with it. And the same goes with pleasure. That also is not permanent. If you are attached to impermanent feelings, how will you deal with that? This is where mindfulness and mediation comes in. It gives you the ability to deal with pleasure and pain in a healthy way. How to learn more about Noahs' work and if you know of someone who needs help: www.Refugerecovery.com or www.againstthestream.org Noah's memoir: Dharma Punx Best advice: Start from the inside and develop compassion to your own pain. If you want to see change in the world, be the change. -Ghandi What do you absolutely believe to be true: All things are impermanent and nothing is worth clinging to. Thanks for Listening and Subscribing! Also, for my blogs (my take on every episode) go to: www.innernorthstar.com and receive my free eBook with my appreciation for joining the tribe! Thank you so much for joining me on this episode. If you have some feedback you'd like to share, leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see to the left of this post. Also, please leave an honest review for The Game Changer Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And while you're there, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates!

Throughout his youth, Noah Levine was incarcerated several times. His first book, Dharma Punx, details his teenage years filled with drugs, violence, and multiple suicide attempts—choices fulled by disillusionment with American mainstream culture. His substance abuse started early in life—at age six he began smoking marijuana—and finally ended in a padded cell in juvenile prison 11 years later. It was in this cell where he hit “an emotional rock bottom” and began his meditation practice “out of a place of extreme drug addiction and suffering.”  While incarcerated, he saw for the first time how the mediation practice his father taught him gave him the tools to relieve the fear and uncertainty that pervaded his life.  Noah lectures and teaches meditation classes, workshops and retreats internationally as well as leading groups in juvenile halls and prisons. He has helped to found several groups and projects including the Mind Body Awareness Project, a non-profit organization that serves incarcerated youths, and Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. Noah holds a masters degree in counseling psychology from CIIS and has studied with many prominent teachers in both the Theravadan and Mahayanan Buddhist traditions. Learning to meet pain with compassion and not avoid it, is key to recovery.  Pain is unavoidable, you can only drink it away for so long, at some point you have to deal with it.  And the same goes with pleasure.  That also is not permanent.  If you are attached to impermanent feelings, how will you deal with that?  This is where mindfulness and mediation comes in.  It gives you the ability to deal with pleasure and pain in a healthy way. How to learn more about Noahs’ work and if you know of someone who needs help:  http://refugerecovery.com/ (www.Refugerecovery.com)  or http://www.againstthestream.org/ ( www.againstthestream.org  ) Noah’s memoir: http://www.amazon.com/Dharma-Punx-Noah-Levine/dp/0060008954/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1463948874&sr=1-1&keywords=Dharma+Punx (Dharma Punx)   Best advice: Start from the inside and develop compassion to your own pain.  If you want to see change in the world, be the change. -Ghandi   What do you absolutely believe to be true: All things are impermanent and nothing is worth clinging to.   Thanks for Listening and Subscribing! Also, for my blogs (my take on every episode) go to: http://www.innernorthstar.com (www.innernorthstar.com) and receive my free eBook with my appreciation for joining the tribe! Thank you so much for joining me on this episode. If you have some feedback you'd like to share, leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see to the left of this post. Also, https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-game-changer-podcast/id1045184666?mt=2&ls=1 (please leave an honest review for The Game Changer Podcast on iTunes)! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And while you’re there, don't forget to https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-game-changer-podcast/id1045184666?mt=2&ls=1 (subscribe to the show on iTunes) to get automatic updates! Support this podcast

Welcome to the podcast version of Deepening Your Practice, a long-running meditation class held at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society in Los Angeles with teacher George Haas. It is intended as an ongoing course for intermediate to advanced meditators that explores topics in depth over a number a months.

Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx and Against The Stream, is a Buddhist teacher, author and counselor. He is trained to teach by Jack Kornfield of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA, holds a masters degree in counseling psychology from CIIS, and has studied with many prominent teachers in both the Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions. In this talk from the 2014 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Noah describes the benefits of a Buddhist oriented addiction recovery path. Telling the story of his personal experience with addiction recovery, he relates how The Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path filled in the gaps he experienced in the twelve step system. Noah then shares how he has helped others with a Buddhist oriented recovery path, and encourages the audience to make themselves and their sanghas places of refuge for those in addiction recovery. Episode Links: www.RefugeRecovery.org Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist Path to Recovering from Addiction ( http://amzn.to/1t6lcAo ) Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society ( http://www.againstthestream.org )

This week on The One You Feed we have Noah Levine. We were lucky enough to sit down with Noah in the Against the Stream headquarters in Los Angeles. Noah's teachings are core to everything that I have come to believe over the years. I'm really excited to present this interview. Noah Levine (born 1971) is an American Buddhist teacher and the author of the books Dharma Punx: A Memoir , Against the Stream,  and The Heart of The Revolution. As a counselor known for his philosophical alignment with Buddhism and punk ideology, he founded Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society.  As a youth, Levine was incarcerated several times. His first book, Dharma Punx, details teenage years filled with drugs, violence, and multiple suicide attempts—choices fuelled by disillusionment with American mainstream culture. His substance abuse started early in life—at age six he began smoking marijuana—and finally ended in a padded detoxification cell in juvenile prison 11 years later. It was in this cell where he hit "an emotional rock bottom" and began his Buddhist practice "out of a place of extreme drug addiction and violence". He recently started Refuge Recovery which is a community of people who are using the practices of mindfulness, compassion, forgiveness and generosity to heal the pain and suffering that addiction has caused. His new book is titled Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist Path to Recovery from Addiction. In This Interview Noah and I Discuss... The One You Feed parable. How he found Buddhism through his life failures. What "going against the stream" means. That the bad wolf has a stronger tendency in us and wins by default. How our capacity for kindness, generosity, and love have to be cultivated. Why the path of the Buddha is revolutionary. Going against the status quo. How to be in the world but not of it. The distinction between suffering and pain. The difference between craving and desire. Why suffering is not your fault. How the 1st Noble Truth normalizes the experience of suffering. The impermanent nature of all things. How we can never satisfy happiness through sense pleasure. How we layer suffering on top of our pain. Not asking "why" but instead asking "how do I respond" Meeting pain with compassion and kindness. Learning to include ourselves in our circle of compassion. The crippling power of doubt in our growth. The gradual nature of spiritual growth. How sometimes the first things we find in our spiritual practice is the bad stuff. His new program, Refuge Recovery. Noah Levine Links Against the Stream homepage Against the Stream audio archives Noah Levine Homepage Noah Levine Amazon Author Page Some of our most popular interviews you might also enjoy: Mike Scott of the Waterboys Rich Roll Todd Henry- author of Die Empty Randy Scott Hyde See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dharma talk given by Josh Korda at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society  in LA on 8/14/13Also check out Josh's blog at -http://dharmapunxnyc.blogspot.com/

This week we had the privilege of having Matthew Brensilver; teacher at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, San Francisco Urban Dharma and Spirit Rock. Matthew Brensilver, PhD, began practice in the Tibetan tradition and since 2003, has studied with Shinzen Young. He served as a Buddhist chaplain at USC for four years and teaches about the intersection of mindfulness and psychotherapy at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center. He conducts research on treatments for addiction at UCLA's School of Medicine. Matthew was trained by Noah Levine, with whom he teaches at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. Talks are available at againstthestream.org/audio. He is in the Spirit Rock/IMS teacher training program.

Dr. Steve played CBGB and Max’s Kansas City in the late 70s; drank, played in a toy rock band and then got sober in the 80s; became an international educator and rocker again in the 90s; and a sought after clinician and meditation teacher in the 2000s. Dr. Steve has attempted to cure Marc Maron on WTF, and has become an EMDR Certified therapist, Approved Consultant and provider of EMDR Basic Training with Jamie Marich's Institute for Creative Mindfulness. With Buddhist teacher Noah Levine he helped set up the premiere Buddhist addictions rehab center, Refuge Recovery Centers and is currently putting finishing touches on his book and workshop series Clinical Dharma, giving regular talks at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society and with his own DharmaSpring, beginning production of two podcasts, seeing patients, and supervising and guiding young clinicians. At all other times, he is wrangling and entertaining his 6 year old daughter.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-trauma-therapist-podcast-with-guy-macpherson-phd-inspiring-interviews-with-thought-leaders-in-the-field-of-trauma/donationsWant to advertise on this podcast? Go to https://redcircle.com/brands and sign up.