Podcasts about tibetan buddhists

Join Tami Simon and Andrew Holecek for the second half of their exploration of reincarnation. Here, they delve deeper into Tibetan Buddhist perspectives on death, rebirth, and the power of "dark retreat" practice, revealing practical guidance for navigating everyday life. What happens after we die? And what do habits have to do with the process? In this episode of Insights at the Edge, host Tami Simon welcomes Andrew Holecek, scholar, author, and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism and non-dual wisdom traditions. Together, they dive into the mysteries of reincarnation and the "gap between lives." Drawing from Tibetan teachings on the bardos, dream yoga, and the art of dying, Andrew shares practical insights on how these ancient teachings are not just about what happens after death, but also about navigating the transitions and challenges we face here and now.  Join them to explore:  How our beliefs about death deeply inform how we live The nature of awareness and the influence of habits How cultivating lucidity transforms both our dreams and our waking lives, and more Note: These interviews originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

It's a pleasure to share a conversation with Ani Lodro Palmo, an ordained Tibetan Buddhist nun and Director of the Vajra Vidya Monastery in Crestone, Colorado; and a spiritual teacher and author with more than three decades of monastic experience. Ani has devoted her life to spiritual practice and shares her understanding of the Dharma as an author of the books, All That Appears & Exists: The Buddha's Teachings to Awaken the Heart and Turn Suffering Into Joy and her most recent, The End of Suffering: Finding Love, Self-Compassion, and Awakening in a Chaotic World. As a recognized teacher of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and meditation, Ani Lodro's insights are deeply rooted in the unbroken lineage of Buddhist wisdom, through the Karma Kagyu lineage of The Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. Although Ani has decades of monastic experience within Tibetan Buddhism, she teaches how the frustrations and dissatisfaction of our everyday lives can be understood and transcended through wisdom and compassion. She writes and speaks in an accessible way, with the gentle encouragement of a friend that is helpful to both new seekers and seasoned practitioners alike. Her teachings are available through retreats, online sessions, and publications. In the conversation we talked about a wide range things, including: How we tend to misunderstanding what suffering is. Gurus and reincarnation as a part of Tibetan Buddhism, but not a necessary part. The Four Noble Truths as a path to awakening. Taking the mystique from karma, as Ani writes: "transforming [it] from an enigmatic doctrine into a practical guide for conscious existence…. rooted in intention and behavior." Her teaching of the "7 Simple Truths to End Suffering": (1) Thoughts are nothing, they are no things; (2) Labels and thoughts create our reality; (3) When we look for our thoughts, they aren't there; (4) Your beliefs are not truth; (5) Dropping attachments is the fastest way to end suffering; (6)You can't focus on helping others and be miserable at the same time; (7) You don't need your mind (as much as you think). ... And much more. I know you will enjoy Ani Lodro's easy and relatable style of teaching and be inspired by what she has to say.   Learn more about Ani Lodro Palmo: https://www.anilodroretreats.com/   Vajra Vidya Monsastery: https://vajravidya.com/   Buy her books The End of Suffering:  The End of Suffering All That Appears & Exists: All That Appears & Exists Journey Into Peace: Timeless Tales of Zen Buddhism: Journey Into Peace   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@anilodroretreats     Become a patron to support this podcast and get special member benefits, including a membership community, a virtual sangha, and a subscription to my Everyday Buddhism Substack:https://www.patreon.com/EverydayBuddhism     Check out my Substack for ongoing chapter releases of my new serial book, Living Life As It Is and the podcast, Words From My Teachers: https://wendyshinyohaylett.substack.com/   If this podcast has helped you understand Buddhism or help in your everyday life, consider making a one-time donation here: https://donorbox.org/podcast-donations   Support the podcast through the affiliate link to buy the book, Everyday Buddhism: Real-Life Buddhist Teachings & Practices for Real Change: Buy the book, Everyday Buddhism   Support the podcast and show your support through the purchase of Everyday Buddhism merch: https://www.zazzle.com/store/everyday_buddhism   NOTE: Free shipping on ALL (unlimited) items (Everyday Buddhism merch or gifts from other stores) if you join Zazzle Plus for $19.95/year: https://www.zazzle.com/zazzleplus

What happens when you die? No one knows for sure. But the Tibetan Buddhist system describes a precise series of steps that our consciousness may experience as we die, which we can explore in a meditation to probe the boundary of life and death with curiosity and wonder.Episode 58: What Happens When You Die?From August 28 to 31, Scott Snibbe is leading an in-person meditation retreat at Vajrapani Institute. We'll explore antidotes to anxiety, fear, and loneliness—and cultivate the deeper causes of a happy mind; connected, loving relationships; and a better world. It all happens in the beautiful redwood forests of California, while enjoying delicious vegetarian meals and meeting thoughtful new friends.SIGN UP NOWSupport the show

Most people are either rehashing the past or obsessing over the future - never living in the present moment. The result? Walking around with major incompletions that keep us from connection, creativity, and wholeness. Carrying unfinished conversations, unspoken words, unresolved feelings, and unfelt experiences. And that robs us of something precious…all the incredible things we could be creating right now! Completion isn't about perfection or checking every box. It's the deep, often uncomfortable practice of letting go of past regrets, imagined futures, buried emotions, and the need to control what can't be controlled. When we learn how to complete and release, we create space for what's trying to emerge right now, and that's where the richest experience can be found. Why is it so hard to live in the present moment? How do we detach from the past and the future? In this episode, Gay Hendricks returns to talk about one of life's most powerful skills: knowing how and when to let go. We discuss how to complete things and why that makes room for essence, energy, presence, and genius.    Things You'll Learn In This Episode  -Why we stay in the past (or worry about the future) What's really behind our resistance to being in the present moment? Why are the past and future safe distractions from the wild creativity of now? -The hidden cost of incompletions How do unspoken feelings, unfinished business, and mental replays block our ability to manifest new ideas, deepen relationships, and feel fully alive? -The 10-second sweaty conversation that changes everything What's the one unarguable sentence that can complete years of stuck emotion, tension, or confusion in a relationship, in just seconds?   Guest Bio Gay Hendricks has served for more than 30 years as one of the major contributors to the fields of relationship transformation and bodymind therapies. Along with his wife, Dr. Kate Hendricks, Gay is the author of many bestsellers, including Conscious Loving, At The Speed Of Life, The Big Leap, and the New York Times bestseller, Five Wishes. Dr. Hendricks received his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Stanford in 1974. After a twenty-one-year career as a professor at the University of Colorado, he founded The Hendricks Institute and later co-founded its charitable organization, Foundation for Conscious Living. He was also the founder of a virtual learning center for transformation and a publishing company, and was a co-founder of a conscious entertainment company. Throughout his career he has done executive coaching with more than 800 executives, including the top management at such firms as Dell Computer, Hewlett-Packard, Motorola and KLM. His book, The Corporate Mystic, is used widely to train management in combining business skills and personal development tools. Gay is also a mystery novelist, with a series of five books featuring the Tibetan-Buddhist private detective, Tenzing Norbu. In recent years, he has co-created a popular podcast called The Big Leap with Gay Hendricks and Mike Koenigs. He has appeared on more than 500 radio and television shows, including OPRAH, CNN, CNBC, 48 HOURS, and others. Learn about the Coaches Portal here.    About Your Hosts Katie Hendricks, Ph.D., BC-DMT, is a pioneer in body intelligence and conscious loving with over 40 years of experience. Known internationally as a presenter and seminar leader, she focuses on authenticity, responsibility, and appreciation in conscious living. She co-authored 12 books, including best-sellers Conscious Loving and Conscious Loving Ever After, and she has appeared on over 500 radio and TV programs. Sophie Chiche is a seasoned coach and consultant who has worked with thousands of individuals and teams globally. With a focus on helping people live fully expressed lives, she guides clients and facilitates group sessions to remove obstacles and design meaningful lives. Sophie has developed unique methods, mindset shifts, and healing modalities to create lasting change.   Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm, so the show reaches more people!

Dr. Rick and Forrest are joined by Mingyur Rinpoche, a renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher, to explore calming anxiety with awareness, relaxing unhealthy wanting, and finding a deeper sense of our innate goodness. Rinpoche shares how a near-death experience during his four-year “wandering retreat” transformed his relationship to fear and deepened his gratitude for life. They discuss practical ways to see the true nature of the mind, soften the grip of aversion and attachment, reframe fear as care, and embrace impermanence as a path to freedom. Learn more about Rinpoche's live teaching in South Africa and join for free online at https://tergar.org/southafrica. Key Topics: 0:00: Introduction 3:33: How a near-death experience dissolved Rinpoche's fear 7:06: Learning not to fight panic attacks 10:25: Seeing anxiety as clouds in the sky 14:18: Awareness, wisdom, and love as innate qualities 18:39: Recognizing basic goodness even in self-hatred 25:28: Courage to be with doubt and uncertainty 27:51: “Anytime, anywhere” meditation practice 33:57: Awareness and emptiness as inseparable 46:49: Letting old selves die and embracing change 52:41: Recap Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Level up your bedding with Quince. Go to Quince.com/BEINGWELL for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Join hundreds of thousands of people who are taking charge of their health. Learn more and join Function at functionhealth.com/BEINGWELL. Listen now to the Life Kit podcast from NPR. Go to Zocdoc.com/BEING to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today.Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beingwell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Venerable Lama Konchok Sonam is the Spiritual Director of the Drikung Meditation Center. Born in Lhasa, Tibet, Lama Sonam began his Buddhist training when young within the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. At the age of 18, Lama Sonam took full ordination and became a monk (Gelong). Lama Sonam then went on to complete a retreat on Ngondro (Common and Extraordinary Preliminaries) and the Five-Fold Path of Mahamudra under H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche and Gelong Yeshe. Lama Sonam received teachings and blessings from more than twenty-five great masters, including Nyedak Rinpoche, his beloved main teacher, and the Most Venerable Pachung Rinpoche, the renown scholar and retreat master at Drikung Thil monastery. Lama Sonam served as disciplinarian at Jang Chub Ling monastery, in Dehra Dun, India. This difficult position required an extremely vast knowledge of the Dharma, and inspirational deep inner qualities. Lama Sonam has also served as the personal attendant to H.H. Chungtsang Rinpoche, H.E. Drubwang Rinpoche, Tongkar Tulku, and H.E. Thritsab Rinpoche, and tutored American tulku Thadag Rinpoche (Jack Churchward).   On June 9, 2003, Lama Sonam arrived in Boston to be the Resident Lama at the Drikung Meditation Center. Lama Sonam has shown himself to be expert in both the theoretical and practical aspects of training the mind through meditation and Vajrayana methods for awakening our Buddha Nature. In the fall of 2005, Lama Sonam started the Jowo Rinpoche Statue Project to benefit the Boston area, the United States, and the world. Lama Sonam began to realize his vision of bringing the blessings of Buddhism, from Buddha Shakyamuni and countless other enlightened masters from the East- India, Nepal, and Tibet, to the United States by creating a pilgrimage site. Arriving in May of 2008, the centerpiece of the pilgrimage site is an eight foot tall gilded, jewel-encrusted bronze, the U.S. Jowo Rinpoche Statue. The magnificent U.S. Jowo Rinpoche statue is a replica and spiritual emanation of the most revered Jowo Rinpoche statue that was made at the time of the historical Buddha and brought to Lhasa, Tibet in 641 AD.

A step-by-step guide to reclaiming the soul• Shares four maps for spiritual rebirth based on Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, and the precession of the equinoxes• Traces the author's journey of rebirth, covering his transformation through a spiritual crisis and the creation of a more meaningful life• Provides visualization practices based on ancient Tibetan wisdom to support you on the path of self-realizationExploring wisdom from mystical traditions and perennial philosophy on "dying before you die," Buddhist psychotherapist Miles Neale shares his own hero's journey of rebirth, providing a detailed roadmap for the pilgrimage through dissolution, into the great mystery, and back again to the world. He shares his transformation through a spiritual crisis and, ultimately, his creation of a more meaningful life. He provides four intersecting maps to help guide readers through the experiential process of metaphoric death, reclaiming the soul, and sharing one's genius with others. These four maps—the cosmological map, psychological map, alchemical map, and mythopoetic map—draw on the mythological stages of Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung's process of individuation, the Tibetan Buddhist alchemy of conscious rebirth, and the astrological phenomenon of the precession of the equinoxes, offering a detailed philosophical underpinning for the soul's journey to immortality. He also provides in-depth visualization practices based on ancient Tibetan wisdom to support you on the path of self-realization.Integrating Tibetan Buddhism with psychology, trauma healing, neuroscience, and mythology, along with profound personal experience, Neale provides a step-by-step manual for spiritual rebirth, revealing how to reframe life's unrelenting challenges and transitions as opportunities for psychological growth.Dr. Miles Neale, PsyD is a psychotherapist in private practice, teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, founder of the Gradual Path for inner and outer journeys, author of Gradual Awakening, and co-editor of Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy.His forthcoming book, Return with Elixir: Four Maps for the Pilgrimage of the Soul Through Death and Rebirth (Inner Traditions, 2025), integrates Joseph Campbell's mythology, Carl Jung's psychology, Tibetan Buddhist alchemy, and the precession of the equinoxes.Over the past twenty-five years, Miles has fused Eastern spirituality with Western psychology. He earned a Masters in meditation research from New York University, a Doctorate in clinical psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, and trained in long-term mentor-student relationships with preeminent American Buddhist scholars Professor Robert Thurman, PhD, and Dr. Joseph Loizzo, MD, PhD as well as Tibetan master Geshe Tenzin Zopa.Miles has taught psychology and meditation at the integrative medical clinics of Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell Universities, designed and led the Contemplative Studies Immersion certificate program based on the Tibetan gradual path (lam rim), offers courses and workshops internationally including at the Tibet House, US, and has initiated fundraising campaigns for nunneries in the Himalayan region.Miles curates and leads life-changing pilgrimages to sacred sites around the world and lives with his wife and two kids in Bali, Indonesia.www.milesneale.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/earth-ancients--2790919/support.

What can be illuminated when you explore in the darkness of your subconscious mind, through lucid dreaming or darkness retreats? We get to the heart of mystery in this mind-bending episode with Andrew Holecek, one of the most brilliant and poetic explorers of consciousness I know.We go deep into the transformative crucible of dark retreat—something I experienced firsthand. What happens when you face your own mind in complete darkness? No distractions, nowhere to hide. Magic happens, that's what.Andrew weaves together decades of wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, offers cutting edge dream research on lucid dreaming, and shares his own profound encounters in the dark. The stories he tells will leave you questioning the very fabric of reality.This episode has it all—quantum physics paradoxes, Sufi teaching tales, and practical tools for your own path of discovery. Andrew has a way of making the most esoteric ideas feel like a chat with a wise friend. That's a rare gift.Andrew is also the host of the "Edge of Mind" podcast, where he interviews luminaries in science, philosophy, spirituality, and psychology. His work has been featured in major outlets, including Wired magazine, and he is recognized for his innovative approach to integrating Eastern and Western perspectives on consciousness and transformation.Edge of Mind podcast | https://edgeofmindpodcast.com/Find out more about Andrews teachings books and events: https://www.andrewholecek.com/This episode is sponsored by►Metal Mark Golden Collectable Art |  https://mtlmrk.com/►Korrect Energy | https://korrectlife.com/►Hone Health | https://shorturl.at/JvhAJ| Aubrey Marcus |Website | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2GesYqi ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2BlfCEO ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2F4nBZk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X |  ⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2BlGBAdAd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the Aubrey Marcus newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.aubreymarcus.com/pages/email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To partner with the Aubrey Marcus Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the Aubrey Marcus podcast:iTunes | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/2lMZRCn ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://spoti.fi/2EaELZO ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stitcher | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2G8ccJt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IHeartRadio | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ihr.fm/3CiV4x3 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this week's show, Lian is joined by Nicholas Breeze Wood. Nicholas has practiced shamanism for over 40 years, combining it with the 'earthier' end of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as with 'medicine' teachings from Native North American peoples. He has worked with many gifted medicine people and shamans over the years, and is deeply apprenticed to his own spirit helpers, whose teachings never fail to awe and surprise him. Nick's shamanism is a fusion of traditional Himalayan and Mongolian forms, combined with teachings from his own spirits. He works especially deeply with ritual objects - such as bronze shaman's mirrors, phurba daggers and many other Mongolian and Tibetan shamanic and Buddhist ritual objects - for which he holds traditional teachings and, where required, traditional initiations. Despite being a ‘rather uneducated Buddhist,' he is an ordained Tibetan Buddhist lama, a type called a ngakpa, whose role is similar to a shaman's. Ngakpas are non-monastic, non-celebrate lamas who live in the community, specialising in ritual and magic for people within their community. Nick is the editor of Sacred Hoop Magazine - a leading international magazine about shamanism - which has been published since 1993. He is also a musician and artist. He is the author of several books including, 'Walking with the Tiger,' 'Sacred Drums of Siberia,' 'A Little Book of Revealing,' 'Voices From The Earth,' 'The Book of the Shaman,' 'The Shaman Box,' and 'The Resplendent Other'. He runs the large Facebook group 3Worlds Shamanism, has done a podcast called the 3Worlds shamanism podcast on and off since 2006 and also has a somewhat neglected YouTube channel, also called 3Worlds Shamanism. In this episode, Lian and Nicholas explore what it means to walk the path of shamanism in the modern West. Together, they trace the winding threads of Nicholas' life… from the windswept fields of his Midlands childhood to the birth of Sacred Hoop magazine, through encounters with medicine wheel teachings, Mongolian and Himalayan shamans, and the long shadow of Castaneda. What unfolds is not a how-to or a prescription… but a living braid of animism, discipline, and devotion. Nicholas reflects on the unexpected gift of dyslexia and how neurodivergence shaped his initiatory path, as a different kind of perception… one that enabled a direct, embodied relationship with the unseen. He and Lian explore the tension between psychotherapeutic frameworks and authentic shamanic practice, and the danger of mistaking surface form for deep structure. What makes a shaman, he says, is not sensitivity or interest, but being chosen by the spirits themselves. Woven through the conversation is the question of lineage. What does it mean to carry teachings from other lands onto this one? How do we honour both the transmission and the soil we stand upon? From the cosmology of the medicine wheel to the pitfalls of cultural appropriation, from core shamanism to the necessity of cosmological bone… this episode offers a rare encounter with an elder who has walked the shamanic path for many decades. We'd love to know what YOU think about this week's show. Let's carry on the conversation… please leave a comment wherever you are listening or in any of our other spaces to engage. What you'll learn from this episode: Why the word “shaman” is often misused… and how understanding deep structure versus surface form can clarify what is truly sacred. How neurodivergence can shape perception in ways that become part of our gift, especially when navigating the unseen or the unknown. What it might mean to birth a Western lineage… one rooted not in imitation, but in integration, initiation, and real relationship with land and spirit. Resources and stuff spoken about: Visit Nick's websites: Sacred Hoop Magazine 3Worlds Podcast Buy Nick's books Join Nick on YouTube Join UNIO, the Academy of the Soul. This is for the old souls in this new world… Discover your kin & unite with your soul's calling to truly live your myth. Be Mythical Join our mailing list for soul stirring goodness: https://www.bemythical.com/moonly Discover your kin & unite with your soul's calling to truly live your myth: https://www.bemythical.com/unio Go Deeper: https://www.bemythical.com/godeeper Follow us: Facebook Instagram TikTok YouTube Thank you for listening! There's a fresh episode released each week here and on most podcast platforms - and video too on YouTube. If you subscribe then you'll get each new episode delivered to your device every week automagically. (that way you'll never miss a show).

If you love the esoteric aspects of spirituality, this is the episode for you! Psychotherapist and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, Miles Neale, joins me to chat about his new book - Return with Elixir: Four Maps for the Soul's Pilgrimage through Death and Rebirth.I loved this book from the moment I laid eyes on it. It is a manual for spiritual rebirth, a step-by-step guide to reclaiming the soul. Revealing how to reframe life's challenges and transitions as opportunities for inner growth. His book integrates Tibetan Buddhism with psychology, trauma healing, neuroscience, and mythology, along with profound personal experience. We talk about:​How the elixir of immortal life is the secret of both Eastern and Western esoteric traditions. And what does return with the elixir mean?​Exploring themes of the collective unconscious, archetypes, The heroes journey, and the search for wholeness.​Miles shares the four maps for spiritual rebirth based on Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, and the precession of the equinoxes.​We also talk about Jungian esotericism (The Red Book)​And we talk about how the symbolism of deity, Vajra Yogini is an archetype.And so much more. I hope you enjoy this episode. Please write a review, share the episode and follow me on IG at The Conscious Diva. Thank you so much for listening. About Miles:Miles Neale, Psy.D., is a psychotherapist, teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, and founder of the Gradual Path, where he leads pilgrimages of spiritual transformation around the world. He trained intensively with Buddhist scholars Robert Thurman and Joseph Loizzo as well as Tibetan master Geshe Tenzin Zopa and has taught meditation and integrative healing at Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell university hospitals. The author of Gradual Awakening and co-editor of Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy, he lives in Bali, Indonesia.His documentary, The Missing Peace, with film maker Matthew Friddel can be found on YouTube. Links: https://www.milesneale.comhttps://www.gradualpath.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@milesnealeIf you liked this episode, please write a review and follow me on Instagram. Thank you so much for listening.Thank you to new sponsors. This Episode is brought to you by: ​ The Sattva Collection - 10% off with code TheConsciousDiva​ Birds & Beans Organic Coffee - 10% off with DIVA2025The Conscious Diva Podcast wouldn't be possible without your support! A massive THANK YOU for listening. If you'd like to further support my podcast, you can:​ SUBSCRIBE in your favorite podcast player or YouTube.​ FOLLOW me @The_Conscious_Diva on Instagram. ​ BOOK a session with Tatyanna.​ SIGN-UP to receive emails at www.tatyannawright.com

Host Michael Taft continues his conversation with with Andrew Holecek about the transformative practice of Dark Retreat; the reasons behind the recent surge of interest in darkness practices; its relationship to the feminine principle and as an antidote to runaway patriarchy; the three “tracks” or “schools” of dark retreat in Tibetan Vajrayana: Kalachakra, Nyingma, and Bön; the power of darkness for working with fear, fear of death, projections; fear as a sign that you're close to the truth, and hints for integration post darkness.Andrew Holecek is an interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner in Tibetan Buddhism and other nondual wisdom traditions. He is the Resident Contemplative Scholar at the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies, and a research consultant for the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University. His work involves studies on dream yoga and the practice of dark retreat. Dr. Holecek is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the author of nine books, and a concert pianist. He has completed the Tibetan Buddhist three-year retreat and is a frequent subject in scientific studies on meditation and lucid dreaming. His work integrates ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary perspectives, aiming to help individuals navigate spiritual challenges and end-of-life experiences. He is currently writing two books on dark retreat. Holecek holds degrees in classical music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery.Andrew Holecek's websiteYou can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lectio Divina (“divine reading” in Latin) is a centuries-old tradition of being inspired by reflecting on the text of a scripture. It may also be considered in terms of “reading” creation and what Thomas Merton called the “calligraphy of nature.” Merton (1915-1968) was a Catholic monastic and mystic whose writing impacted vast numbers of Christians by introducing them to a perspective on Eastern traditions they had never been exposed to before. He used his journaling as a portal into prayer, an entryway to clarity of thinking and love for God. He acknowledged times of doubt, fear, and anger and wrote with self-honesty and courage through it all. Merton walked a razor's edge in monastic life as his writings were subject to censorship in the Church. He met Tibetan Buddhist masters, considered Zen, Hindu, and Sufi teachings, and reported his own nondual experience. He wrote about the Vietnam war and had communications with Martin Luther King, Joan Baez, and many other public figures and writers. Merton stayed the course within the Catholic Church, sensing that God had placed him where he was. He was much loved by those resonant with the roots of mystical Christianity and maligned by those who were rigid and felt he had gone outside of the bounds of his faith. His overriding context was that all of life is a play of God. He felt that our desire to go where God wants us to go is praise of God and that “The gate of heaven is everywhere.” Journaling can be a way of communicating with the deep self, our highest self. Prompts were given to those who attended the talk, and some shared their journaling about “what I know and don't know about prayer.” Regina Sara Ryan was the editor of Hohm Press for 35 years. She is a workshop leader, retreat guide, and author of The Woman Awake, Igniting the Inner Life, Praying Dangerously, Only God, and other books.

This episode, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, features special guest Sarah Harding. Join Sarah and Daniel Aitken as they discuss Sarah's newest release with Wisdom Severance: The Early Practice of Chö. Together, they explore how chö (severance)—an ancient Tibetan Buddhist practice—guides us to confront our deepest fears, cut through ego-clinging, and realize the mind's innate […] The post Sarah Harding: Severance (#211) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

Magdalena Maria Turek is an independent research scholar. She received her PhD from Humboldt University, Germany, and was a Research Fellow with the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies at the American Council of Learned Societies, USA. Her research examines how contemporary reiterations of Tibetan Buddhist orthopraxy, local narratives, and religious historiography shape Buddhist identities among Tibetans in China and the diaspora. She just published Buddhist Hermits in Eastern Tibet: Saint Making and Ascetic Performance (Routledge, 2025), a fascinating ethnography of the meditation school of Lapchi in Kham, which is in Eastern Tibet in modern day Yushu Prefecture in Qinghai Province. This is a relatively modern hermitage founded by a charismatic ascetic master named Tsultrim Tarchen, and populated by various nuns and monks who are studying meditation under Tsultrim Tarchen. Her book explores the rise of Tsultrim Tarchen, the activities practiced by the students there, and the how their contemplative practices and ascetic regimes allow for self-formation and empowerment on the part of the meditators, participate in ethno-religious revival, and articulate a counter-cultural position against Chinese domination of Tibetan culture. I found this book rich with ethnographic detail about the various nuns and why they were there. It was able to help me understand modern Buddhist practices on their own terms, but also how they relate to broader social and historical forces. It's very readable, but also deeply researched both in the field and in terms of the theoretical literature.  Note: Early on in the podcast, we mention a film made by some traveling companions of Dr. Turek's around the same area she did fieldwork. The film was not made by Dr. Turek and does not reflect her views, but gives a sense of the area where she did her fieldwork. The link to the trailer can be found here. Kate Hartmann is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Wyoming. She recently published Making the Invisible Real: Practices of Seeing in Tibetan Pilgrimage (Oxford University Press, 2025). Her other work can be found on her personal website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Magdalena Maria Turek is an independent research scholar. She received her PhD from Humboldt University, Germany, and was a Research Fellow with the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies at the American Council of Learned Societies, USA. Her research examines how contemporary reiterations of Tibetan Buddhist orthopraxy, local narratives, and religious historiography shape Buddhist identities among Tibetans in China and the diaspora. She just published Buddhist Hermits in Eastern Tibet: Saint Making and Ascetic Performance (Routledge, 2025), a fascinating ethnography of the meditation school of Lapchi in Kham, which is in Eastern Tibet in modern day Yushu Prefecture in Qinghai Province. This is a relatively modern hermitage founded by a charismatic ascetic master named Tsultrim Tarchen, and populated by various nuns and monks who are studying meditation under Tsultrim Tarchen. Her book explores the rise of Tsultrim Tarchen, the activities practiced by the students there, and the how their contemplative practices and ascetic regimes allow for self-formation and empowerment on the part of the meditators, participate in ethno-religious revival, and articulate a counter-cultural position against Chinese domination of Tibetan culture. I found this book rich with ethnographic detail about the various nuns and why they were there. It was able to help me understand modern Buddhist practices on their own terms, but also how they relate to broader social and historical forces. It's very readable, but also deeply researched both in the field and in terms of the theoretical literature.  Note: Early on in the podcast, we mention a film made by some traveling companions of Dr. Turek's around the same area she did fieldwork. The film was not made by Dr. Turek and does not reflect her views, but gives a sense of the area where she did her fieldwork. The link to the trailer can be found here. Kate Hartmann is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Wyoming. She recently published Making the Invisible Real: Practices of Seeing in Tibetan Pilgrimage (Oxford University Press, 2025). Her other work can be found on her personal website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Magdalena Maria Turek is an independent research scholar. She received her PhD from Humboldt University, Germany, and was a Research Fellow with the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies at the American Council of Learned Societies, USA. Her research examines how contemporary reiterations of Tibetan Buddhist orthopraxy, local narratives, and religious historiography shape Buddhist identities among Tibetans in China and the diaspora. She just published Buddhist Hermits in Eastern Tibet: Saint Making and Ascetic Performance (Routledge, 2025), a fascinating ethnography of the meditation school of Lapchi in Kham, which is in Eastern Tibet in modern day Yushu Prefecture in Qinghai Province. This is a relatively modern hermitage founded by a charismatic ascetic master named Tsultrim Tarchen, and populated by various nuns and monks who are studying meditation under Tsultrim Tarchen. Her book explores the rise of Tsultrim Tarchen, the activities practiced by the students there, and the how their contemplative practices and ascetic regimes allow for self-formation and empowerment on the part of the meditators, participate in ethno-religious revival, and articulate a counter-cultural position against Chinese domination of Tibetan culture. I found this book rich with ethnographic detail about the various nuns and why they were there. It was able to help me understand modern Buddhist practices on their own terms, but also how they relate to broader social and historical forces. It's very readable, but also deeply researched both in the field and in terms of the theoretical literature.  Note: Early on in the podcast, we mention a film made by some traveling companions of Dr. Turek's around the same area she did fieldwork. The film was not made by Dr. Turek and does not reflect her views, but gives a sense of the area where she did her fieldwork. The link to the trailer can be found here. Kate Hartmann is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Wyoming. She recently published Making the Invisible Real: Practices of Seeing in Tibetan Pilgrimage (Oxford University Press, 2025). Her other work can be found on her personal website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/buddhist-studies

Magdalena Maria Turek is an independent research scholar. She received her PhD from Humboldt University, Germany, and was a Research Fellow with the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies at the American Council of Learned Societies, USA. Her research examines how contemporary reiterations of Tibetan Buddhist orthopraxy, local narratives, and religious historiography shape Buddhist identities among Tibetans in China and the diaspora. She just published Buddhist Hermits in Eastern Tibet: Saint Making and Ascetic Performance (Routledge, 2025), a fascinating ethnography of the meditation school of Lapchi in Kham, which is in Eastern Tibet in modern day Yushu Prefecture in Qinghai Province. This is a relatively modern hermitage founded by a charismatic ascetic master named Tsultrim Tarchen, and populated by various nuns and monks who are studying meditation under Tsultrim Tarchen. Her book explores the rise of Tsultrim Tarchen, the activities practiced by the students there, and the how their contemplative practices and ascetic regimes allow for self-formation and empowerment on the part of the meditators, participate in ethno-religious revival, and articulate a counter-cultural position against Chinese domination of Tibetan culture. I found this book rich with ethnographic detail about the various nuns and why they were there. It was able to help me understand modern Buddhist practices on their own terms, but also how they relate to broader social and historical forces. It's very readable, but also deeply researched both in the field and in terms of the theoretical literature.  Note: Early on in the podcast, we mention a film made by some traveling companions of Dr. Turek's around the same area she did fieldwork. The film was not made by Dr. Turek and does not reflect her views, but gives a sense of the area where she did her fieldwork. The link to the trailer can be found here. Kate Hartmann is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Wyoming. She recently published Making the Invisible Real: Practices of Seeing in Tibetan Pilgrimage (Oxford University Press, 2025). Her other work can be found on her personal website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

Next Monday, July 28, 2025, is Chokor Duchen, the Great Holy Day of Turning the Wheel of Dharma, commemorating the first public teaching of the Buddha Shakyamuni, the Four Truths of Noble Beings.In a live recording from Chokor Duchen 2024, Lamas Yeshe and Zopa invite us to delve into this living practice of praise and grateful respect to the Buddha. We invite you to incorporate into your practice to start your day on Monday and all four great Holy Days of the Tibetan Buddhist calendar that celebrate the life of the Buddha.A pdf of the text for the practice is available on our website at https://www.prajnafire.com/resources THE PRAJNA SPARKS PODCAST CELEBRATES ITS FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY TODAYTO ALLOW TIME AND SPACE TO DISCERN WHERE TO TAKE THE PODCAST GOING FORWARD WE WILL BE ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICESTAY TUNED, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!#buddha #buddhashakyamuni #buddhanature #Mahamudra #buddhism #buddhistmeditation #tibetanbuddhismResources for this episode⁠⁠⁠⁠Make a dana offering⁠⁠⁠⁠PRAJNA FIRE is a United States 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by applicable law.Learn more about the integrative dharma practice of ⁠⁠⁠⁠listening, contemplating, and meditating ⁠⁠⁠⁠from Prajna Rising, our online journal.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet Lama Yeshe & Lama Zopa, in Tricycle Magazine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bit.ly/3xRySck⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PUBLISHED ARTICLES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.prajnafire.com/media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Prajna Fire on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://prajnafire.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PRAJNA SPARKS follows the lunar calendar. Look for new episodes on the new moons. Tibetan singing bowl interludes by Shivnee RatnaFOLLOW US⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Global Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for regular updates on Prajna Fire events with Yeshe and ZopaLama Yeshe and Lama Zopa offer individual spiritual counsel on formal Buddhist practice as well as innovative ways to integrate Buddhist perspective into your everyday life. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book Online at Prajna Fire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with immediate confirmation (https://www.prajnafire.com/book-online)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check us out in the media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.prajnafire.com/mediaEMAIL US sparks@prajnafire.comFIND US on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Prajna Fire website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.prajnafire.com/sparks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)@prajnasparks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRUzGmU7c4_TJdLhG9R8IDA/videos)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.prajnafire.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@karmayeshechodron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@karmazopajigme⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shivnee Ratna, Tibetan singing bowls (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.shivgauree.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)

In this insightful podcast, a renowned Rinpoche and spiritual expert delves deep into Tibetan Buddhism and its profound teachings. Explore his expertise in ancient Tibetan Buddhist texts, where he dissects complex scriptures to reveal timeless wisdom on spirituality, karma, and the path to enlightenment. Discover his unique perspectives on handling negative energies and the importance of a religious code of conduct in modern life. The discussion also covers the vital process of knowledge transfer within Tibetan Buddhist traditions and shares the Rinpoche's personal spiritual journey. Learn about the art of focused learning and meditation techniques that cultivate mindfulness and inner peace. This episode offers valuable insights into how spirituality can be tailored to individual needs across different life stages. Whether you are curious about the law of karma, mindfulness, or the role of spirituality in today's world, this podcast provides a comprehensive guide rooted in authentic Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. Perfect for seekers of wisdom, meditation practitioners, and anyone interested in the rich heritage of Tibetan Buddhism. Don't miss this chance to deepen your understanding and experience transformative teachings from a true spiritual master. GET CONNECTED WITH Tulku Jamyang: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tulkujamyang?igsh=NGcxMW5haXF4OTdt  

What if your struggles could become tools for awakening? What if a few short slogans could reshape how you meet life's challenges? In this episode, Dhammamegha speaks with Dhirananda and Viryabodhi, authors of Train Your Mind: Tibetan Exercises in Wisdom and Compassion — a fresh, practical guide to the ancient Tibetan Buddhist practice of Lojong. Together, they explore how mind-training slogans like “Don't expect applause”, “At this crucial time, practise the essentials”, and “Blame it all on the one culprit” offer pithy, powerful ways to meet life with clarity and courage. We dive into the transformative power of these teachings — and the Tonglen meditation that often accompanies them — to discover how to work with our minds amid the messiness of real life. Whether you're navigating relationship tensions, inner critics, or a busy modern life, this conversation is an invitation to practise wise compassion in the heart of it all. Plus: hear how a Swedish-language book became a Windhorse English edition, and what keeps these authors inspired after decades of practice.

China has been described as the “most prolific,” “sophisticated, far-reaching, and comprehensive” perpetrator of transnational repression in the world. It has targeted many religious communities in diaspora, including Uyghur Muslims, Protestant Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and members of the Church of Almighty God. Specific transnational repression tactics used by the Chinese government include stalking, harassment, intimidation or threats, assault, kidnapping, forcing or coercing the victim to return to China, and threatening or detaining family members in China. In its 2025 annual report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate China as a Country of Particular Concern.  On today's episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler joins Supervisory Policy Advisor Mingzhi Chen to discuss the impact of China's transnational repression on religious freedom.  Read USCIRF's 2025 Annual Report Chapter on China and USCIRF's most recent factsheet on Sinicization of Religion: China's Coercive Religious Policy. With Contributions from:Mingzhi Chen, Supervisory Policy Advisor, USCIRFVeronica McCarthy, Public Affairs Specialist, USCIRF

In this episode of Coaching In Session, host Michael Rearden sits down with Cesar Cardona, a speaker and mindfulness expert, to explore the journey of self-discovery, the power of mindfulness, and the balance between societal expectations and personal fulfillment.Cesar shares insights from his life experiences, including his transformative studies with Sri Lankan and Tibetan Buddhist monks. The discussion highlights why letting go is essential for growth, how self-discovery leads to inner peace, and why success doesn't always equate to happiness. Michael and Cesar also dive into the role of community, resilience, and vulnerability in creating deeper human connections.If you've ever felt disconnected, burdened by the past, or uncertain about your path, this episode will help you reframe your mindset and embrace your journey with clarity and intention.Key Takeaways:✅ True fulfillment starts from within—not from external validation.✅ Societal expectations can mislead individuals about their true needs.✅ Letting go of past experiences is crucial for personal growth.✅ The story of the monk illustrates the importance of releasing burdens.✅ Finding inner peace is essential before seeking external happiness.✅ Enlightenment is about realizing the vibrant self within.✅ Success, when externally driven, can lead to dissatisfaction.✅ Relationships should complement happiness, not be its sole source.✅ Self-discovery requires effort, introspection, and the right community.✅ Isolation in a hyper-connected world can lead to deeper disconnection.✅ Being kind to oneself is essential for long-term growth.✅ Embracing vulnerability can lead to more meaningful connections.Guest Links:

Vulture and New York Magazine film critic Bilge Ebiri returns to discuss Bernardo Bertolucci's stunning mood piece Little Buddha, a rich and evocative story of an American family who travel to Bhutan after learning their son may be the reincarnation of the spiritual leader of a group of Tibetan Buddhist monks. The film also chronicles chapters in the life of Siddartha (played by Keanu Reeves) who rejects his life of sheltered privilege after learning of human suffering in order to seek a path of spiritual enlightenment. Exhibiting Berolucci's customary visual richness - emboldened by breathtaking images from Academy Award-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro - and an otherworldly emotional frankness, Little Buddha conjures the sensation and grandeur of a personal spiritual awakening. We discuss the career of Bertolucci and his "Eastern Trilogy" beginning with 1987's Best Picture winner The Last Emperor, in which Bertolucci's fascination with the spiritual and cultural practices of the Asian continent became a personal endeavor into a deeper understanding of his own artistic ethos. Then we unpack the splendid uncannines of Little Buddha and how Bertolucci's directorial mastery allows for a film of constant settling and de-escalation to feel thrilling and proulsive through it's evocation of a preternatural emotionality. Finally, we discuss the west's fascination with the Tibetan independence movement in the 1990s and the American films it inspired during the decade.   Follow Bilge Ebiri on TwitterOrder Little Buddha on 4K or Blu-ray from Kino LorberGet access to all of our premium episodes and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.....Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish

This 20 minute guided meditation comes from the sequence Scott shares in the How to Train a Happy Mind podcast and book. The stages are based on the Tibetan Buddhist lamrim, which was created more than a thousand years ago by the Indian Master Atisha Dipankar. Over the past decade, Scott has adapted it to be a non-religious way to transform the mind from states of frustration, craving, and loneliness to states of satisfaction, connection, and meaning. Scott leads live meditations like this every Sunday in our Train a Happy Mind community, which you can join for free or by donation. There's also an archive there of over 100 meditations he's led for the community over the past two years. Episode 197: 20 Minute Path to a Happy Mind Guided Meditation From August 28 to 31, Scott Snibbe is leading an in-person meditation retreat at Vajrapani Institute. We'll explore antidotes to anxiety, fear, and loneliness—and cultivate the deeper causes of a happy mind; connected, loving relationships; and a better world. It all happens in the beautiful redwood forests of California, while enjoying delicious vegetarian meals and meeting thoughtful new friends.SIGN UP NOWSupport the show

Text me your feedback.Continuing our series on Awakening the Heart, this month we're exploring the Buddhist path of the bodhisattva through the cultivation of bodhicitta - the awakened heart-mind that forms the foundation of compassionate living. Drawing from Mahayana Buddhist teachings, we also take a look at Lojong (mind training), the Tibetan Buddhist contemplative practice that can be used as a powerful framework for developing genuine compassion.Highlights include:Cultivating the open-hearted attitude of enlightened ones (Bodhisattvas) Two types of BodhicittaParamitas (Perfections)Short history and details of LojongUnpacking of the First Lojong statement: Train the PreliminariesTips for working with the Lojong phrasesMentioned on the show:Judy Lief's online Lojong translation and commentary: https://judylief.com/offerings/slogans-of-atisha/Norman Fischer's "Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong" https://bookshop.org/p/books/training-in-compassion-zen-teachings-on-the-practice-of-lojong-norman-fischer/9663817?ean=9781611800401&next=tVIA Character Strengths & Virtues: https://www.viacharacter.org/Dalai Lama Poem "This Precious Human Life" https://mountainsangha.org/a-precious-human-life/~ ~ ~SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

As the Dalai Lama marks his 90th birthday on Sunday, July 6, we spoke to some community members about their impressions of the Lama and the future of Tibetan spiritual leadership. Listen to our conversation with Tenzing Yeshi from the Tibetan Community of Victoria, Sherpa Association of Victoria President Pemba Sherpa, former president Mingmar Sherpa, Melbourne-based Tibetan Buddhist monk Kunchok Bhutia and Khusang Pakhrin from the Tamang Society of Victoria. - तिब्बतका धर्मगुरु दलाई लामाले आइतबार, ६ जुलाई २०२५ मा आफ्नो ९० औँ जन्मदिन मनाउँदै छन्। यही अवरमा मेलबर्नमा विशेष कार्यक्रम गर्ने तयारीमा रहेका टिबेटन कम्युनिटी अफ भिक्टोरियाका टेन्जिङ येशी भन्छन् कि यो दोस्रो पुस्तालाई तिब्बती कला संस्कृति सिकाउने मौका पनि हो। योसँगै आउँदो दलाई लामा को होलान् भन्ने विषयमा येशी लगायत मेलबर्नका लामा कुन्चोक भुटिया, शेर्पा एसोसिएसन अफ भिक्टोरियाका अध्यक्ष पेम्बा शेर्पा र पूर्वाध्यक्ष मिङ्मार शेर्पा, तामाङ सोसाइटी अफ भिक्टोरियाका मदन लामा तामाङ र खुसाङ पाख्रिनले एसबीएस नेपालीसँग गरेको कुराकानी सुन्नुहोस्।

In this episode I am joined by Ani Pema, an American nun in the Tibetan Buddhist religion and former swami in the Siddha Yoga organisation. Ani Pema recalls her childhood in Boise Idaho, her high flying career in fashion working for Vogue magazine, and how dissatisfaction with the American dream set her on a spiritual search. Ani Pema details her sixteen years of close discipleship and ordination under the renowned Siddha Yoga guru Swami Muktananda, her transformative encounters with the 16th Karmapa, and her subsequent discipleship under Tibetan Buddhist teachers such as Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and Namkhai Nyingpo. Ani Pema also explains the powerful phenomena of shaktipat including the severe karmic consequences for its use, reflects on Western shaktipat gurus such as Rudi and Adi Da Samraj, and gives her heart advice for those who wish to follow the spiritual path. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep314-me-my-gurus-ani-pema Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'.
 … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:06 - High flying fashion career 02:41 - Questioning the American dream 03:24 - Taking up yoga 04:02 - Meeting Swami Muktananda 04:55 - A precognitive vision 05:40 - Close study with Swami Muktananda in India 07:29 - Rigorous practice regime at the ashram 08:38 - Obliterating the self 11:02 - Muktananda as a vortex of energy 12:09 - A past life connection 14:47 - Swami Muktananda's 1974 USA tour 19:17 - The serious karmic burden of giving shaktipat 20:09 - Attending the 16th Karmapa 22:02 - Leaving Muktananda's organisation 22:55 - Becoming a disciple of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche 24:24 - Becoming a disciple of Namkhai Nyingpo in Bhutan 26:03 - Working for Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche after he became famous 27:19 - You hire the guru to assassinate your ego 28:44 - Lichivi House 30:02 - Reflections on past gurus 31:23 - Rudi and shaktipat 32:28 - Adi Da's ego and meeting with Swami Muktananda 36:33 - 4 methods of shaktipat 38:31 - Health consequences of offering shaktipat 40:25 - Dangers of unauthorised shaktipat 41:48 - Mind to mind transmission in Tibetan Buddhism 42:32 - 4-6hrs of chanting per day 43:24 - Celibacy and guru controversies 47:27 - Comparing 16th Karmapa with Swami Muktananda 49:19 - Kashmir Shaivism vs Tibetan Buddhism 50:39 - Depression after Swami Muktananda's death 52:47 - Profound periods of purification 54:48 - Consequences of the spiritual path 56:23 - Do Tibetan teachers recognise Muktananda's dharma? 59:18 - Meditation is beyond tradition 01:00:46 - Ani Pema reflects on her experience as a practitioner 01:03:55 - Ani Pema's advice for practitioners 01:06:19 - Difficulties in following famous gurus … To find out more about Ani Pema, visit: - https://www.facebook.com/karen.schaefer - https://dayananda-lifewithandafterbaba.blogspot.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

As the Dalai Lama nears his 90th birthday, Tibetan exiles in Australia are preparing cultural tributes that double as acts of defiance. While students here enjoy freedoms denied in Tibet, the future of spiritual leadership for Tibetan Buddhists remains uncertain. China insists the next Dalai Lama must be Chinese, but he says his successor will come from the free world, possibly even as a woman. - Приближается 90 летие Далай-ламы. Тибетские изгнанники в Австралии готовят культурные подношения, которые одновременно представляют собой акты неповиновения. Пока студенты здесь наслаждаются свободами, которых лишены в Тибете, будущее духовного лидерства тибетских буддистов остается неопределенным. Китай настаивает, что следующим Далай-ламой должен быть китаец, но сам Далай-лама говорит, что его преемником станет выходец из свободного мира, возможно, даже женщина.

Dalai Lama says successor to be picked in consultation with senior Tibetan Buddhist leaders. China, which views him as separatist, insists reincarnation must be approved by Chinese govt.  

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama says the centuries-old Tibetan Buddhist institution will continue after his death, ending years of speculation.

Each year, over 10,000 UFO sightings are reported across the globe… but why are they visiting us so often?Tonight's episode dives deep into the explosive revelations found in the book Who They Are by researchers Leslie and Stephen Shaw—who have spent decades piecing together mankind's hidden history using ancient texts, UFO encounters, human evolution theories, and even Tibetan Buddhist knowledge.Prepare for answers to the questions the mainstream avoids:Who is piloting these mysterious craft?Why are people being abducted?What's behind the human-alien hybrid program?Are cattle mutilations part of something much darker?We also confront age-old mysteries: Did giants once walk the Earth? Was the Great Flood real? And were the Anunnaki involved in shaping human DNA?If you've ever wondered who they are, where they come from, and what they want—this is the episode you've been waiting for.The truth about our origins, our visitors, and our future may be far stranger than you ever imagined.

As the Dalai Lama nears his 90th birthday, Tibetan exiles in Australia are preparing cultural tributes that double as acts of defiance. While students here enjoy freedoms denied in Tibet, the future of spiritual leadership for Tibetan Buddhists remains uncertain. China insists the next Dalai Lama must be Chinese, but he says his successor will come from the free world, possibly even as a woman.

Welcome to the Sacred Stream Radio Podcast. I'm your host, Laura Chandler, and on today's episode, I speak with Tibetan Buddhist nun, Venerable Ani Choyang. Ani is part of a distinguished group of Tibetan nuns on the path to earning the highest degree in Buddhist Philosophy—an honor that, until recently, was reserved exclusively for men. Her academic achievements extend beyond traditional studies into the realm of Western science. In this conversation, Ani shares the powerful story of her escape from Chinese-occupied Tibet, where she spent her early years working in a factory with limited access to education. She speaks about the challenges and triumphs of learning the Tibetan language and discovering Tibetan culture for the first time at age 18. We also explore her inspiring academic journey and her unwavering commitment to expanding educational opportunities for nuns and women alike. Ani Choyang was the first nun from Tibet to be awarded the prestigious Tenzin Gyatso Science Scholarship from Emory University in Atlanta. She has also completed an internship in neuroscience at Northwestern University and is currently involved in a groundbreaking research project on lucid dreaming and dream yoga. Ani is a resident nun and science teacher at Jangchub Choeling Nunnery in Mundgod, India. She also serves as the Coordinator of the Library and Learning Center, a new facility under development at the nunnery that will offer nuns a comprehensive education in both Buddhist studies and Western subjects.

Jaymee Carpenter shares a raw, soul-shaking conversation about addiction, hitting rock bottom, the psychedelic experience that changed everything, and how Tibetan Buddhism helped him rewire his life. From his early days as a rising musician to living homeless on Skid Row, Jaymee's journey through darkness brought him to a place of deep reflection, healing, and rebirth.We dive into:* His near-death experience through ayahuasca* The lessons death teaches us about life* Tibetan Buddhist teachings on impermanence, reincarnation, and grief* Why Western culture is uncomfortable with death* Embracing discomfort, truth, and radical vulnerabilityWhether you're navigating grief, addiction, or seeking a deeper meaning to life and death, this is the conversation you didn't know you needed. Stay present—this one goes deep.For more on Jaymee Carpenter, today's guest, follow him on Instagram @loveistheauthorInterested in Mentorship with Jaymee? Email: lacee@loveistheauthor.com for more information or to set up a free consultation, or visit: www.loveistheauthor.com/mentorship

What does it mean to partner with the Earth in sacred service? In this episode, I'm honored to welcome Cynthia Jurs—activist, teacher, and wisdom keeper of the Earth Treasure Vase practice. Her journey is one of deep listening, devotion, and global healing. From her early mentorship with Thich Nhat Hanh to a fateful meeting in a cave in Nepal, Cynthia was called to carry forward a Tibetan Buddhist practice of planting consecrated vases into the Earth to aid in planetary healing. Together, we explore the profound teachings of Gaia, the necessity of shifting from domination to love, and how true feminine sovereignty is woven into our reconnection with Earth and purpose. Cynthia's words remind us: the healing of the Earth is not separate from the healing of ourselves. This conversation is a prayer, a remembering, and an invitation. Listen: https://www.sarahpoet.com/podcast   Find Cynthia:  https://earthtreasurevase.org/   Buy the book: https://www.summonedbytheearth.org/   Sign up for Sarah's Sunday Post & Sacred Musings:  https://www.sarahpoet.com/newsletter   #SacredRemembering #EarthTreasureVase #GaiaWisdom #FeminineSovereignty #PlanetaryHealing #SpiritualEcology #SacredFeminine #DivineFeminineRising #EarthHealing #ConsciousLeadership #AwakenedWoman #ThichNhatHanh #CollectiveAwakening #EarthAsTeacher #HealingWithGaia #WomenOnPurpose

This episode is an edited version of a live TikTok session that became a flowing, unscripted conversation about navigating our current times with greater presence and authenticity. In this deeply reflective dialogue, we explore the concept of moving beyond the traditional "hero's journey" toward a more interconnected, collaborative approach to personal growth and spiritual development. Drawing from Tibetan Buddhist meditation practices and nature-based wisdom, this episode offers insights on navigating collective uncertainty while staying true to your authentic essence. asoulcalledjoel.com

During this talk, Allie Vaknin reviews Buddhist concepts regarding mortality, referring frequently to the Bardo, a descriptive term for the states of birth, death and rebirth from a Tibetan Buddhist perspective.  Her report is followed by comments from participants regarding their views of mortality, often referring to the impact after witnessing their witnessing of the […]

In this episode of The Infinite Spark of Being, Keith explores the deceptive comfort of black-and-white thinking — and how clinging to rigid beliefs can quietly block our spiritual and psychological growth. Whether it's in politics, religion, or modern spirituality, dogma often offers the illusion of safety by outsourcing our thinking. But true spiritual awakening asks us to question, examine, and step into the discomfort of nuance.Keith reflects on why we gravitate toward ideologies that do our thinking for us and explains how real transformation begins with inquiry — not obedience. Drawing on Plato's dialectic, Tibetan Buddhist debate, and the practice of self-inquiry, this episode invites you to return to your own inner authority and remember who you truly are beneath the programming.This is not about taking sides — it's about taking back your mind.

Original Air Date: December 11, 2017 Born in New York City, Pema Chödrön is one of the first Western women to be fully ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun. Pema explains how difficult times can be an opportunity for growth and change if you're willing to embrace the situation and the feelings that come with it. One of the basic Buddhist tenets, Pema says, is that change is constant. "Things are going to keep changing," she says. "If you're invested in security and certainty, then you're not going to feel good a lot of the time." 

Today's story: The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, one of three major schools of Buddhism. Though he leads only a fraction of the world's Buddhists, his influence is global due to his role as a symbol of Tibet's struggle for religious freedom. Now the Dalai Lama is 89, and confronting the fact that he will be the first in over 600 years to die outside Tibet.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/774Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/774 --In this lesson, you heard the English expression "figure out." It's part of our Essential English Expressions series. Listen to the episode here: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/figure-out --Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English.You might be learning English to improve your career, enjoy music and movies, connect with family abroad, or even prepare for an international move. Whatever your reason, we'll help you achieve your goals in English.How it works: Listen to a new story every Monday and Thursday. They're all about current events, trending topics, and what's going on in the world. Get exposure to new words and ideas that you otherwise might not have heard in English.The audio moves at a speed that's right for intermediate English learners: just a little slower than full native speed. You'll improve your English listening, learn new words, and have fun thinking in English.--Did you like this episode? You'll love the full Plain English experience. Join today and unlock the fast (native-speed) version of this episode, translations in the transcripts, how-to video lessons, live conversation calls, and more. Tap/click: PlainEnglish.com/joinHere's where else you can find us: Instagram | YouTube | WhatsApp | EmailMentioned in this episode:The Expressions are back!Subscribe to our new podcast, "Essential English Expressions." Each episode shows you step-by-step how to use a common English expression, with plenty of examples. Season 1 is available now. Download or stream all 14 episodes at [link].

Prayer Moment 2 of 4 in MayPrayer for More Global Workers in the Tibetan Buddhist World1. More discipleship: Pray for more global workers to be called and sent to the Buddhist world  to disciple new believers with humility and cultural sensitivity.2. Well-trained workers: Pray for global workers who understand spiritual and social issues to go to the Buddhist world. 3. Access to Never Reached People: Pray for global and local workers to gain access to people groups who have no gospel influence.

Host Michael Taft speaks with Andrew Holecek about the transformative practice of Dark Retreat, how the mind “falls into itself,” light as obfuscator, the revelation of the construction of reality, the power—and very real dangers—of Dark Retreat, ways to begin the practice of Dark Retreat, nondual view, Andrew's own journey into this practice, and the “collision with the infinite.”Andrew Holecek is an interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner in Tibetan Buddhism and other nondual wisdom traditions. He is the Resident Contemplative Scholar at the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies, and a research consultant for the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University. His work involves studies on dream yoga and the practice of dark retreat. Dr. Holecek is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the author of nine books, and a concert pianist. He has completed the Tibetan Buddhist three-year retreat and is a frequent subject in scientific studies on meditation and lucid dreaming. His work integrates ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary perspectives, aiming to help individuals navigate spiritual challenges and end-of-life experiences. He is currently writing two books on dark retreat. Holecek holds degrees in classical music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery.Andrew Holecek's websiteYou can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to the Change The Map podcast, where we inspire, educate, and resource you to transform the Buddhist world through prayer and action. Join us as we explore the mystical world of Buddhism. Discover its unique challenges, meet Buddhist background followers of Jesus, and engage in strategic prayer to change the spiritual map of the Buddhist world....This month Josh is joined by Jason, a Veteran Global Worker serving Tibetan Buddhists in the Himalayas. On today's episode, we hear some great insight into one of the biggest challenges faced by seekers and new believers in Buddhist communities. Jason shares the incredible power that identity holds within a Buddhist community and how prayer, spirit led wisdom, and intentionality can overcome it. 

The first step in understanding the nature of our material world can be found in the ritualistic practices of indigenous people.  Native Americans would expose sand on a taught buckskin to rhythmic chants and drums, while the particles danced to a geometric still-point. Australian Aborigines produced similar effects with the didgeridoo, and Tibetan Buddhists did the same with their wind instrument known as the dungchen. Harmonic patterns (Cymatics) are the proving ground for what has eluded Western "Science" in its quest for answering the most basic of questions, "what makes the material universe tick"? The profundity underlying these simple & observable truths is that human consciousness produces resonant patterns with every thought, emotion & deed! We're excited to host Ana Maria Oliva on this special Alfacast to help us unpack what our distant ancestors knew regarding pattern recognition and the Natural Order from a contemporary context of 'Information - Energy - Matter'. Ana Maria is the perfect guide for this exploratory discussion.  Here's just a few of Ana Maria's credentials: Mom of twins, industrial mechanical engineer, master inBiomedical Engineering (extraordinary award ) from the University of Barcelona, PhD Biomedicine (Study of the effects of electric fields on cells), 5 years working in the NanoBioEngineering Lab and Microbiology Lab, with a 20 year history of teaching at different levels.  She has clinical experience with 10.000+ patients, while working in the most-awarded clinic in Europe.  Ana Maria has additionally been involved in "science for consciousness" conferences spanning 16 some countries, published 5 books, and created the Living University of Terrain and the EscuelasVivas.    This one is not to be missed, as our conversation is sure to deliver a good number of eye-openers, as we traverse many fascinating topics. Show links: https://www.universityofterrain.com https://www.escuelasvivas.com Learn The True Nature Of Dis-Ease & How Our Bodies Actually Work: https://alfavedic.com/themyth/ Join Our Private Community And Join In The Discussion: https://alfavedic.com/join-us/ Follow our new YT channel: / @offgridelegance Start healing yourself and loved ones with ozone! https://alfavedic.com/ozone Get our favorite blue blocker glasses! https://alfavedic.com/raoptics Learn how to express your law and uphold your rights as one of mankind. https://alfavedic.com/lawformankind Alfa Vedic is an off-grid agriculture & health co-op focused on developing products, media & educational platforms for the betterment of our world. By using advanced scientific methods, cutting-edge technologies and tools derived from the knowledge of the world's greatest minds, the AV community aims to be a model for the future we all want to see. Our comprehensive line of health products and nutrition is available on our website. Most products are hand mixed and formulated right on our off grid farm including our Immortality Teas which we grow on site. Find them all at https://alfavedic.com​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Follow Alfa Vedic: https://linktr.ee/alfavedic Follow Mike Winner: https://linktr.ee/djmikewinner

It has been 30 years since the Chinese government kidnapped a major Tibetan Buddhist leader. The victim, a six year-old boy, has not been seen since. Matthew Peterson investigates the disappearance and its ongoing ramifications for Tibetan autonomy.

Prayer Moment 1 of 4 in MayPrayer Against Spiritual Darkness in the Tibetan Buddhist World 1. Spiritual Oppression: Pray for Buddhists to be freed from evil spirits.2. Minds Held Captive: Pray for the truth of the Gospel to set free those whose minds are held captive by a Buddhist identity.3. Cultural Identity: Pray for people in the Buddhist world to find identity in Christ but remain part of society.

In this episode I am joined by Tulku Sherab Dorje, Buddhist teacher, translator, and author of scholarly and popular books about Tibetan Buddhism. Tulku Sherdor reflects on the changes in the spiritual journey over a lifetime, whether or not the world is becoming more turbulent, and the effects of ageing on yogic practice and view. Tulku Sherdor explains why mind training is superior to mystical experiences, emphasises the reality of impermanence, and shares the best tests of successful retreat and spiritual growth. Tulku Sherdor also warns about the prognosis of tulkus who do not conduct extensive retreat; critiques the shortcomings of the 3-year retreat model as conducted in the West; and details the temptations for dharma teachers in pleasure, profit, praise, and popularity. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep304-crumbs-from-the-parrots-beak-tulku-sherdor Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:04 - Crumbs from the Parrot's Beak 02:43 - The spiritual journey and the phases of life 04:24 - Is the world becoming more turbulent? 05:56 - The effects of ageing on spiritual practice 07:53 - How to relate to physical limitations 09:56 - Ambition for enlightenment 12:26 - This is more fundamental than Bodhicitta 13:23 - Reality of impermanence 15:20 - The unique challenges of intensive practice and retreat 18:39 - Distinguishing appearance from substance 19:41 - The title “lama” is not a guarantee of quality 21:12 - The best proof of progress 23:17 - The role of a demanding retreat schedule 26:24 - Mature practice 28:03 - Tulkus must conduct extensive retreat but sometimes don't 30:28 - Prognosis for high lamas who don't do extensive retreat 32:30 - Hopes for corrections in the tulku system 34:58 - The Tibetan Buddhist tradition is unique and precious 35:41 - Signs of a successful retreat 38:01 - Completing a 3 year retreat is not a guarantee of quality 38:56 - Substandard Western 3 year retreats 40:49 - Pre-1950s Tibet and the renunciate yogi system 46:11 - Today's economic challenges when practicing the dharma 49:47 - Mind training is superior to glimpses of the nature of mind 55:45 - The best test of success in practice 57:00 - Does practice ever get easier? 01:01:28 - The 4 payoffs: pleasure, profit, praise, popularity 01:06:49 - Guru devotion and the guru relationship 01:12:31 - A story about Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche 01:14:41- Peace Prayer Gathering in June 2025 … Previous episode with Tulku Sherdor: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep276-canadian-tulku-translator-tulku-sherab-dorje To find our more about Tulku Sherdor, visit: - https://blazingwisdom.org/tulku-sherab-dorje/ - https://dharmakayacenter.org/all-programs/2637/sadhana-practice-expanding-our-compassion-for-all-beings/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKAGaRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFXZEJ2cmRmb0U3VTExUWpmAR729nsWXoI6VZEb9GkrzCeajdhS6ze_zGrQZUTvLpsphQJQHPSdJABxQ0brag_aem_dWMYHIGmMRk_dxeWxEuL7A For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Ani Choying Drolma is a Nepalese Buddhist nun and musician from Nagi Gompa, renowned for bringing Tibetan Buddhist chants to global audiences. Joining her is Manose Singh, a flutist from the band 1974 AD and the first Nepali musician to be nominated for a Grammy Award. Together, they have helped introduce Nepali and Tibetan spiritual music to the world.

Today's episode is the final part of three parts ~ 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:49 Signs, visions, dreams 00:12:00 Protector land spirits 00:16:00 Tests, conceptual collapse and faith 00:20:00 Meditation boxes 0023:30 Sky burial 00:28:00 Sri Lanka vipassana reform 00:29:30  Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok and Larung Gar 00:32:00 Modernity, realization and tacit knowledge 00:39:00 Old world preservation 00:43:50 Yidam neuroscience and dilution 00:46:00 Changes in education system 00:49:00 Yogini tulkus and titles 00:57:00 The Gebchak way, peer-pressure and self-responsibility 01:03:00 Becoming a translator 01:07:00 Disrobing 01:10:00 Historical rarity of terms Rigpa and dzogchen 01:12:00 Character of yoginis and aspirations ༓ Listen to Part One here: On Gebchak's History & Yogic Activity in the Realm of the Meditators https://oliviaclementine.com/elizabet... ༓ Listen to Part Two here: On Embodied Practitioners of Tsa-lung Inner Fire & Dzogchen https://oliviaclementine.com/elizabeth-mcdougal-gebchak-yoginis-part-two/ ༓ Podcast website & transcripts https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts ~ About Elizabeth Elizabeth McDougal, known also as Tenzin Chozom, grew up in Western Canada and then trained as a Buddhist nun in India and on the Tibetan Plateau for seventeen years. Towards the end of her time as a nun – she studied a Masters of Indian philosophy at Banaras Hindu University and then a PhD (2021) at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on the modernisation of Tibetan Buddhist practice lineages and on pedagogy as a crucial bridge in translating pre-modern wisdom traditions to the modern world. Elizabeth currently lives in Australia with her human and animal family where she lectures at Nan Tien Institute in applied Buddhist studies. She continues to serve as a Tibetan-to-English translator for Gebchak Wangdrak Rinpoche and other practice lineage lamas. Elizabeth published a book in 2024 called “The Words and World of Gebchak Nunnery: Tantric Meditation in Context.” Images included: 1: Of two Gebchak yoginis by Jerome Raphalen 2: Yoginis looking out in ceremony to a sacred feminine vulva form in the landscape

In this episode of the Secular Buddhism Podcast, Noah Rasheta explores the Tibetan Buddhist concept of bardos, traditionally understood as transitional states between life, death, and rebirth. Taking a secular approach, Noah reinterprets bardos as a framework for understanding all of life's transitions, both big and small.Life is constantly shifting—between moments, relationships, jobs, emotions, and even identities. Each transition, whether minor or major, offers an opportunity to pause, reflect, and make intentional choices about what we bring forward and what we leave behind. Noah discusses the six bardos in Tibetan Buddhism and reimagines them in an everyday context, showing how they can help us navigate change with mindfulness and presence.Through personal stories and practical reflections, this episode encourages listeners to embrace the space between what was and what will be—not as something to fear, but as a fertile ground for growth, renewal, and greater self-awareness.Tune in to explore how recognizing bardos in daily life can help you move through transitions with clarity, resilience, and wisdom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.