Podcasts about vipassana

This meditation awakens the senses with a mindful scanning of the body, establishes an anchor for presence, and invites us to arrive again and again, deepening the pathway home. When difficult or intense experience arises, the practice is to learn to open to what is here with a clear, allowing and kind attention (a favorite from the archives).   Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music

This talk was given by Mikey Noechel at the Imperfect, Impersonal, Impermanent Meditation Retreat on Jan. 28th - Feb. 1st, 2026 in Sewanee, TN. These are the first morning instruction on mindfulness of breathing. Enjoy!  Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

Reflexión desde el coche sobre cómo mi relación con la audiencia necesitaba actualizarse.Después de años de Gestalt, retiros Vipassana, retiros de oscuridad y una separación, todos mis vínculos cambiaron... menos el vínculo con mi audiencia. Ya no quiero crear contenido pensando en lo que tú necesitas. Quiero expresarme de manera auténtica, como arte.Reflexión: ¿Cuánto pones la mirada en el otro? ¿Y si te preguntaras: qué quiero yo?

 In this talk, we explore the Buddhist teaching of Anattā (non-self) as it appears in everyday life. Through simple examples like eating, seeing, aging, and thinking, the speaker explains how mind and body function through cause and effect rather than a permanent “self” or soul. Listeners are encouraged to observe daily experiences mindfully to develop a direct, experiential understanding of non-self and deepen their meditation practice. YouTube Video LinkYouTube Channel Link Website:www.satipatthana.caDonations and Memberships

Trudy Goodman explains the healing power of mindfulness in helping adults be authentically present with children—fully entering their creative, playful world.Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Trudy Goodman talks about:Trudy's own life as a mother and grandmother, witnessing many stages of growth from different perspectivesBecoming inspired by the playfulness, openness, and curiosity of childrenApproaching the world with beginners mind: approaching all experiences as if they are newA sonar for presence: how children can tell when we are present and when we are notHow the capacity to meet ourselves often goes back to the parent-child relationship Striving to be ‘good enough' as a parent rather than perfectOrdinary devotion and maintaining a sense of routine care for our childrenLearning to be alone and getting acquainted with our inner lives Resting in presence and allowance rather than always trying to ‘fix' our children or ‘correct' their play and creativityTrusting the insubstantial nature of that which bothers us How our own expectations, concepts, and ideals, affect children for better and worseThis episode was originally published on DharmaseedAbout Trudy Goodman:Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA. For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel. You can learn more about Trudy's flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.com "Our mindfulness practice really offers us a way to know deeply what's going on with children and this knowing often comes in nonverbal moments of just seeing, just realizing. It's such a powerful way of staying present with what's happening with all the strange and wonderful creatures that emerge both in ourselves and in our kids." –Trudy GoodmanMore Be Here Now Network Podcasts:Lama Rod Owens covers the dharma of freedom, loving ourselves, ancestral work, and the power of meditation: Dedication to LiberationJoAnna Hardy shares a guided meditation all around the first foundation of mindfulness – mindfulness of the body: First Foundation Guided MeditationThrough bearing witness, love & service, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee shares how we can collectively heal the crisis of disconnection & ecological devastation: Love & ServiceBuddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh explores how we can joyfully bring mindfulness into everyday activities like phone calls, driving, and walking: The Ojai Foundation Presents: Under the Teaching Tree with Thich Nhat HanhSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 In this talk, we explore the forty types of supramundane (lokuttara) consciousness and how they arise through insight meditation. The teacher explains the relationship between jhāna, path consciousness, and fruition consciousness, showing how different meditation approaches can lead to the same stages of awakening. By understanding these mental processes, listeners gain insight into non-self (anattā) and learn how Buddhist psychology supports deep mindfulness and spiritual development. YouTube Video LinkYouTube Channel Link Website:www.satipatthana.caDonations and Memberships

Trechos do livro “Living Dharma” e de gravações em palestras de Jack Kornfield.Jack Kornfield (nascido em 1945), é Ph.D. em Psicologia Clínica, escritor e professor do movimento Vipassana no Budismo Theravada americano.Kornfield é descendente de judeus e tem quatro irmãos, seu pai era um cientista, o que o levou a se interessar por cura, medicina e ciência. Depois de se formar na universidade de Dartmouth College em 1967, Kornfield foi para a Tailândia, onde trabalhou em equipes de medicina tropical no vale do rio Mekong, e lá conheceu e se tornou um monge discípulo do mestre da floresta Ajahn Chah.Em 1972 Kornfield retornou aos Estados Unidos e após algum tempo fundou a Insight Meditation Society e Spirit Rock Meditation Center, os dois dos maiores centros budistas dos Estados Unidos.Jack treinou muitos dos professores de Vipassana na América e organizou e liderou reuniões para professores budistas em todo o mundo.Sendo um dos responsáveis por introduzir a atenção plena no Ocidente, Jack trabalhou para tornar o budismo acessível aos ocidentais, combinando bondade amorosa e autocompaixão com a prática da atenção plena, incorporando a sabedoria da psicologia oriental e ocidental.

"Only one modality has been empirally proven to reverse the effects of adverse childhood experiences: Kindness." Dr. Peter Levine.Welcome to our Spring Retreat offering: The Healing Power of Kindness. The program will be offered in two sections:Section A: Will meet on Sunday evenings, from 5pm-7pm Thai Time. (12 noon France)Section B: Will meet on Monday mornings, from 7am-9am Thai Time. (6pm East Coast Time, Sunday Evenings)Metta, often translated as Lovingkindness, is one of the Four Immeasurable Minds in the Buddhist traditions. During these ten weeks our facilitator Chris Luard will guide us through an exploration cultivating a boundless quality of kindness, friendliness, and care. In drawing on the meditation techniques found in the Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions, neuroscience, somatic experiencing, and psychology, this retreat will bring its participants to experience the circle of kindness and care widening gradually to include all beings everywhere.*The sessions are offered live, not pre-recorded.Meetings will occur live on Zoom and will be recorded for those participants who miss the live sessions, or for those who wish to enjoy the course at their own pace. The recordings will be made available to the course participants only.Sessions will include guided meditations, Q n A, A one to one private session with Chris, and interactive discussions with the retreat participants If you would like to participate, but find these times limiting, please feel free to message Chris here on Facebook or through the website: www.suchsweetthunder.orgChris Luard has been practicing meditation for four decades, and has been successfully teaching meditation worldwide since 2009, giving talks, facilitating retreats, and has authored two books.Chris has received formal training in Zen, Mahamudra and Dzogchen, from the Mahayana (Japanese, Korean, and Tibetan) traditions, Vipassana and early buddhist studies from the Theravada traditions, and Vedanta from the Hindu traditions.In addition to this Chris has received formal instruction from the more modern traditions and modalities such as Secular Buddhism, MBSR, Insight, Buddhist Psychology, Nonviolent Communication, Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness, Neuroplasticity, and Trauma Healing. Chris is a certified clinical trauma professional with an emphasis on somatic psychology.Signing up for this special offering in advance is recommended. To do so, message Chris directly here on FB, chrisluard@yahoo.com or through www.suchsweetthunder.org

Ingeborg Mösching (*1953) ist Meditationslehrerin, MBSR-Lehrerin und ehemalige Pflegefachfrau. Über viele Jahre arbeitete sie mit schwerkranken und sterbenden Menschen und integrierte Achtsamkeit später auch in klinische Kontexte, unter anderem am Universitätsspital Basel. Ihre Meditationspraxis begann 1986 in der christlichen Zen-Tradition und vertiefte sich später in Vipassana und den Herzqualitäten (Brahma-Vihāras). Prägend waren lange Schweigeretreats – unter anderem an der Insight Meditation Society und im Kloster Shwe Oo Min in Myanmar – sowie die Schulung und Autorisierung durch Fred von Allmen.Im Gespräch sprechen wir über Pflege als Schulungsraum, über lange Retreats und das Üben von Gleichmut im Angesicht von Leid. Ingeborg beschreibt eindrücklich, was sie unter «Nicht-Einsteigen» versteht – ein praktisches Loslassen von Identifikation, ohne Verdrängen. Es geht um Einsicht als gelebte Erfahrung, um Herzqualitäten jenseits von Idealisierung und um eine Meditationspraxis, die nicht auf aussergewöhnliche Zustände zielt, sondern im Alltag trägt.Wir sprechen über:

Distinguishing aspiration from striving with ego, Joseph Goldstein gives listeners permission to have a sense of purpose along their spiritual path.This week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:Having a sense of purpose within the impersonal nature of all things Aspiration: understanding why we are practicing What the Buddha said about purpose and aspiration on The Eightfold PathSeeing the world objectively without reference to the selfBeing a great faith follower versus a dharma followerResting in our practice and letting go of unhealthy striving Insight Meditation Society and its commitment to diversity Maintaining the right attitude and openness to all experiencesThis episode was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society Forest Refuge and originally published on Dharmaseed"The Buddha definitely laid out a goal. The Eightfold Path leads someplace—it's not just meandering around, not going any place. The Eightfold path is leading to awakening, to enlightenment. We can have that aspiration which sets the direction for our practice, we can say that is a sense of purpose, but we're seeing it not so much in terms of an egoful striving, but a realization of our values and what leads to the accomplishment of our values." – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gil Fronsdal invites us to see Buddhism not as a doctrine but as a lived experience where insight, trust, and letting go give rise to genuine freedom.Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal dives into:How the twelve steps of dependent origination fit into the schema of Buddhist practiceThe stark difference between an insight and a belief Buddhism as a path to walk rather than a doctrine to believe in Turning from suffering and clinging to peaceFinding out how Buddhism is meaningful to us individuallyHow we have all been liberated from something in our livesAppreciating the relief and clarity that comes from letting go of clingingThe profound act of trust that it takes to be open and present The door of the wishless, when the mind stops desiring Looking at things exactly as they are rather than trying to conceptualize About Gil Fronsdal:Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders' Council. In 2011 he founded IMC's Insight Retreat Center. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil's talks on Audio Dharma.This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed "How deep and thorough can we let go? Can we liberate ourselves? The challenge that Buddhism offers us, more than a doctrine, it offers us a challenge that it is possible to get into the very deepest roots of the clinging in our hearts and uproot it, to become free from it." –Gil FronsdalSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick steers an hour crackling with listener calls about Catholic burial, interfaith family tensions, and tough questions of faith, cutting straight to personal stories and cultural flashpoints. He fields debates on sleepovers, Buddhist retreats, immigration protests, and celebrity activism, all while the pledge drive pushes generosity and invites every voice to reconnect with Catholic tradition. Some moments are gentle, others jolt, but Patrick stays sharp, offering clarity as the discussion tumbles between prayer and the pressures swirling outside. Audio: No Sleepovers (00:15) Zyra - Is it ok for Catholic to go to a Vipassana retreat? (01:59) Dennis - Catholic funeral masses: Does the priest need to have all of the cremains for the mass to be said? (14:39) Maureen - Is it a sin to not be buried in a Catholic Cemetery? (20:15) Audio: Billie Eilish calls America "stolen land" - https://x.com/endwokeness/status/2018176829723398321?s=46 (27:09) Audio: Josh Seiter Walking Tomahawk - Isn’t that how immigration works? – Everyone is welcome, but illegals. - https://x.com/danproft/status/2017585940483465336?s=46&t=m_l2itwnFvka2DG8_72nHQ (34:17) Mark - If you take any 2 hot button issues and look at behavior of protests there is a marked difference. I am talking about March for Life and ICE protests. (41:26) Audio: Tolerance double standards - It isn’t about morality or good and evil, or even right and wrong. It’s about power. From @liam.out.loud – https://x.com/thelizvariant/status/2017083337366483330?s=46&t=m_l2itwnFvka2DG8_72nHQ (43:26)) Jillian - If you had a child out of wedlock how do you explain church teaching without making the child feel like a mistake? (46:17)

Jay is someone I have wanted to interview on the podcast for a long time. And if you listen to his story you'll understand why. What really sets Jay and his story apart, for me at least, is the steps that have been made to be able to engage with life in a healthy, balanced manner. In this episode he introduces me to a new paradigm, one that I had been reluctant to accept. How the breath is the core component that underscores everything. How the breath used properly can dampen anxiety before chaos ensues. For me? Groundbreaking.We talk about how dyslexia made Jay's school years challenging, along with ADHD chaos. How out of this his MMA grit came forward, and a body that never quite settled—until a three-year breathing crisis and a botched surgery forced a life-or-death turning point. What followed wasn't a quick fix or shiny hack, but a slow, humble process of learning how to lower a revving baseline through breath, embodiment, and honest awareness. And make no mistake, this was a life and death moment. When you are battling just to breath correctly, life all of a sudden is not on solid ground. Jay shares the daily practices that helped shift his nervous system out of constant sympathetic threat and into parasympathetic ease: slow nasal breathing, gentle mobility, infrared heat, yoga, and learning to notice what the body is doing before the mind runs away with it. We explore why CBT and logic often don't stick when anxiety is loud, and how a body-first approach creates the conditions for the mind to finally do its best work.There's a powerful reframe for social anxiety here too. Most interactions are safe, yet the body reacts like there's a tiger in the aisle. We unpack how to “get between the film and the viewer,” recognise the fear script early, and use the breath to downshift before words are said and actions made.We also touch on insights from a 10-day Vipassana silent retreat, and what it really means to stop riding the emotional seesaw and start living from the middle.Underneath it all is something simple but profound: when the body is calm, connection stops being costly and becomes nourishing. This is a conversation about rebuilding from zero, and how one breath, one honest moment, and one small win at a time can change everything.-- Follow The Dysregulated Podcast: Instagram – @elliot.t.waters Facebook – The Dysregulated Podcast YouTube – The Dysregulated Podcast (Official Channel) Created by Elliot Waters — Inspired by lived experience. Mental health insights, real stories, real conversations.

El escritor, periodista y viajero Antonio Doñaque nos presenta el libro "La medicina del Alma", una obra que nos invita a conocer los beneficios de la meditación para nuestra salud física y mental, y en concreto la esencia de la meditación vipassana.Escuchar audio

In this talk, we explore the relationship between Noble Persons (Ariya) and Mental Defilements (Kilesa) in Theravāda Buddhism. Using the framework of the ten fetters, the teaching explains how each of the four stages of enlightenment—Stream-Enterer, Once-Returner, Non-Returner, and Arahant—progressively eradicates or weakens specific defilements.The episode clarifies which fetters are abandoned at each stage, how moral purity and insight deepen, and why only the Arahant fully uproots all unwholesome consciousness. A practical and illuminating guide for understanding one's spiritual progress on the path to liberation.YouTube Video LinkYouTube Channel Link Website:www.satipatthana.caDonations and Memberships

How do we discern when it's time to end the romantic relationship (vs. when it's appropriate to repair or reconnect)? Is here a rubric for navigating this, or is it case-by-case? And how do attachment strategies play into this discernment process? Try our free video resource "The Main Signs of Attachment Disturbance " and learn how to identify core attachment disturbances, move beyond the challenges and live a truly meaningful life. Get it now at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mettagroup.org/start-here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mettagroup was founded by George Haas in 2003 and named the ‘Best Online Buddhist Meditation' by Los Angeles Magazine in 2011, Mettagroup uses Vipassana, or Insight meditation, as a way to help students live a meaningful life. Drawing from 2500-year-old 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.More info at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mettagroup.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This talk was recorded at the Radical Kindness New Year's Retreat 12/28/25 - 1/2/26 in Bay St. Louis, MS.Mikey Noechel offers the 2nd morning instructions on metta or loving kindness meditation. Enjoy! Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

Nesta live, mergulhamos na linha tênue entre a genialidade e o imperdoável. Analiso a fundo o caso P. Diddy, o subtexto das ações de Kanye West (Ye) e a polêmica da liberdade no humor com Léo Lins. Em um momento mais íntimo, abro o coração sobre o luto pelo meu pai, como a meditação Vipassana revolucionou minha saúde mental e os bastidores reais. Ainda rolam dicas de cinema (filmes coreanos e Louis C.K.), debate sobre IA e o lançamento do meu novo single 'CAPRICORN' com FAB GODAMN & yo.

(Terre d'Éveil Vipassana)

(Terre d'Éveil Vipassana)

(Terre d'Éveil Vipassana)

(Terre d'Éveil Vipassana)

(Terre d'Éveil Vipassana)

232 Five days. No talking. No technology. Just awareness.Nadine shares her powerful experience from a five-day silent Vipassana retreat—and what emerged when there was nowhere left to escape. From boredom and resistance to unexpected joy, grief, and clarity, Nadine opens up about the emotional and spiritual breakthroughs that unfolded in stillness.She reflects on self-compassion, non-reactivity, and the freedom that comes from releasing expectations and the constant desire for things to be different. A moving loving-kindness meditation becomes the catalyst for deep emotional release and insight, revealing a simple but radical truth: happiness doesn't live in the future—it's available now.This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and discover what silence can teach us about presence, peace, and being fully alive.Get access to the full episode when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.Covered in this episode:Why she chose to do a silent retreat for the second timeWhat was different (and disappointing) this timeWhat it was like to renounce technologyThe rules she brokeThe breakthroughs she hadThe shocking vision that made her weepReclaim your writing time with the following offerings in 2026:Revision Made Easy: A 3-Step Process to Up-level Your Writing Virtual, Feb 28Revision Retreat: Craft Your Best Draft (In-person): Aug 2026, Madeline Island School of the Arts, WIAbout Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today's top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column...

If you've been thinking about signing up for a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat—especially as your first experience with meditation—this episode might give you a perspective you haven't heard before. I've been meditating for over 25 years and have had a daily practice for more than 20 of those years. While I'm not against retreats or Vipassana itself, I've seen some patterns emerge that raise a few important red flags—particularly for beginners. In this episode, I walk through those red flags one by one, culminating in the biggest one that often gets overlooked, even by seasoned meditators. I'll also share what I've found to be a more realistic, sustainable way to build a practice that actually sticks. This isn't a takedown—it's a grounded, honest take on what works, what doesn't, and how to choose a path that you'll still want to be walking six months, or even six years, from now.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

This episode looks at how early attachment experiences shape our ability to let in love. How does Metta practice and other techniques help re-teach the body that connection is safe, and to open to share/receive love? Try our free video resource "The Main Signs of Attachment Disturbance " and learn how to identify core attachment disturbances, move beyond the challenges and live a truly meaningful life. Get it now at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mettagroup.org/start-here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mettagroup was founded by George Haas in 2003 and named the ‘Best Online Buddhist Meditation' by Los Angeles Magazine in 2011, Mettagroup uses Vipassana, or Insight meditation, as a way to help students live a meaningful life. Drawing from 2500-year-old 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.More info at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mettagroup.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Exploring Vedanta and Vipassana practices, Ram Appalaraju discusses interfaith spirituality and his work as an eco-chaplain, honoring the dignity of all beings.Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Ram and Vincent discuss:Encountering dukkha (suffering) on a day-to-day basisResourcing ourselves so that we can be a resource for othersSelf-discovery and learning how to process our sufferingThe yoga of meditation and cultivating the core aspect of inner growthThe sense of ease that comes from deepening our practiceWeaving together Vedanta and Vipassana practices Fostering trust in our own experiences Transitioning from a high-stress work environment to living a more spiritual lifeOffering dignity to ourselves and others, no matter their circumstanceRam's work in prisons and offering compassionate, attentive care to othersHow preconceived notions hinder us from truly connecting with and caring for people“There's a human sense of dignity that we can offer to another person and that can only happen when we have dignity within ourselves when we have a sense of acceptance of who we are.” –Ram AppalarajuThis conversation was originally recorded on the Paths of Practice Podcast. Listen to more episodes HERE.About Ram Appalaraju:Ram Appalaraju has served on the boards of nonprofit organizations for over eight years after retiring from the high-tech industry where he worked for 35 years. Ram has been studying Buddhism under Gil Fronsdal and is currently in the Insight Meditation Center's Dharma Leaders Training. He also graduated as a chaplain and an eco-chaplain from the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies. He now teaches as a faculty member at Sati Center's Eco-Chaplaincy program and is one of the organizing team members at IMC's Earth Care community group. He also serves as a Buddhist chaplain and Mindfulness Meditation teacher at Santa Clara County Jails and is currently pursuing Clinical Pastoral Education.Ram has been practicing Buddhism for over 14 years and has engaged with several underprivileged and marginalized communities, teaching meditation and offering support. He is deeply committed to social and ecological causes and serves various groups in nature-based education through science and spirituality. He currently serves on the board of Insight Meditation Center at Redwood City and teaches at the San Jose Insight Meditation Sangha. Ram has also studied Vedanta at Sri Ramakrishna Mission and Chinmaya Mission for over 20 years.Ram serves as president of Insight World Aid. For more information about Insight World Aid, please see HERE.“My own capacity to care started to unfold. It is not just an external activity of me learning how to care for someone, that's a byproduct. The intent is self-discovery: how did I process my own suffering and how and when it's relevant to engage with others who may be suffering for their own reasons.” –Ram AppalarajuAbout Vincent Moore:Vincent Moore is a creative and creative consultant living in San Francisco, California, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and holds a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies. For years, he performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improv and sketch comedy theatre based in New York and Los Angeles. As an actor, Vincent performed on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Seth Meyers, Above Average, and The UCB Show on Seeso. As a writer, he developed for television as well as stage, including work with the Blue Man Group, and his own written projects have been featured on websites such as Funny or Die. Additionally, he received a Masters of Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies with a Certificate in Soto Zen Studies and engages in a personal Buddhist practice within the Soto Zen tradition. Vincent is also the creator and host of the podcast, Paths of Practice, which features interviews with Buddhists from all over the world. Learn more on Vincent's website HERE.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Supramundane Consciousness (Lokuttara Citta)—the consciousness that transcends the conditioned world and leads directly to Nibbāna. It introduces Path (Magga) and Fruition (Phala) consciousness, clarifying how they function to eradicate mental defilements at each of the four stages of enlightenment: Stream-Enterer, Once-Returner, Non-Returner, and Arahant.The talk highlights the eight noble persons, the immediate nature of fruition consciousness, and how each path consciousness arises only once to permanently uproot specific defilements. A concise yet profound overview of how liberation unfolds through insight and supramundane wisdom.YouTube Video LinkYouTube Channel Link Website:www.satipatthana.caDonations and Memberships

In this episode of the Crazy Wisdom podcast, host Stewart Alsop sits down with Kelvin Lwin for their second conversation exploring the fascinating intersection of AI and Buddhist cosmology. Lwin brings his unique perspective as both a technologist with deep Silicon Valley experience and a serious meditation practitioner who's spent decades studying Buddhist philosophy. Together, they examine how AI development fits into ancient spiritual prophecies, discuss the dangerous allure of LLMs as potentially "asura weapons" that can mislead users, and explore verification methods for enlightenment claims in our modern digital age. The conversation ranges from technical discussions about the need for better AI compilers and world models to profound questions about humanity's role in what Lwin sees as an inevitable technological crucible that will determine our collective spiritual evolution. For more information about Kelvin's work on attention training and AI, visit his website at alin.ai. You can also join Kelvin for live meditation sessions twice daily on Clubhouse at clubhouse.com/house/neowise.Timestamps00:00 Exploring AI and Spirituality05:56 The Quest for Enlightenment Verification11:58 AI's Impact on Spirituality and Reality17:51 The 500-Year Prophecy of Buddhism23:36 The Future of AI and Business Innovation32:15 Exploring Language and Communication34:54 Programming Languages and Human Interaction36:23 AI and the Crucible of Change39:20 World Models and Physical AI41:27 The Role of Ontologies in AI44:25 The Asura and Deva: A Battle for Supremacy48:15 The Future of Humanity and AI51:08 Persuasion and the Power of LLMs55:29 Navigating the New Age of TechnologyKey Insights1. The Rarity of Polymath AI-Spirituality Perspectives: Kelvin argues that very few people are approaching AI through spiritual frameworks because it requires being a polymath with deep knowledge across multiple domains. Most people specialize in one field, and combining AI expertise with Buddhist cosmology requires significant time, resources, and academic background that few possess.2. Traditional Enlightenment Verification vs. Modern Claims: There are established methods for verifying enlightenment claims in Buddhist traditions, including adherence to the five precepts and overcoming hell rebirth through karmic resolution. Many modern Western practitioners claiming enlightenment fail these traditional tests, often changing the criteria when they can't meet the original requirements.3. The 500-Year Buddhist Prophecy and Current Timing: We are approximately 60 years into a prophesied 500-year period where enlightenment becomes possible again. This "startup phase of Buddhism revival" coincides with technological developments like the internet and AI, which are seen as integral to this spiritual renaissance rather than obstacles to it.4. LLMs as UI Solution, Not Reasoning Engine: While LLMs have solved the user interface problem of capturing human intent, they fundamentally cannot reason or make decisions due to their token-based architecture. The technology works well enough to create illusion of capability, leading people down an asymptotic path away from true solutions.5. The Need for New Programming Paradigms: Current AI development caters too much to human cognitive limitations through familiar programming structures. True advancement requires moving beyond human-readable code toward agent-generated languages that prioritize efficiency over human comprehension, similar to how compilers already translate high-level code.6. AI as Asura Weapon in Spiritual Warfare: From Buddhist cosmological perspective, AI represents an asura (demon-realm) tool that appears helpful but is fundamentally wasteful and disruptive to human consciousness. Humanity exists as the battleground between divine and demonic forces, with AI serving as a weapon that both sides employ in this cosmic conflict.7. 2029 as Critical Convergence Point: Multiple technological and spiritual trends point toward 2029 as when various systems will reach breaking points, forcing humanity to either transcend current limitations or be consumed by them. This timing aligns with both technological development curves and spiritual prophecies about transformation periods.

What does it mean to set boundaries without cutting people off? What can we learn from Buddhist non-attachment and healthy relational boundaries, in navigating relationships and getting our needs met? Try our free video resource "The Main Signs of Attachment Disturbance " and learn how to identify core attachment disturbances, move beyond the challenges and live a truly meaningful life. Get it now at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mettagroup.org/start-here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mettagroup was founded by George Haas in 2003 and named the ‘Best Online Buddhist Meditation' by Los Angeles Magazine in 2011, Mettagroup uses Vipassana, or Insight meditation, as a way to help students live a meaningful life. Drawing from 2500-year-old 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.More info at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mettagroup.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Vipassana teacher Trudy Goodman provides practical tools for staying present.Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Trudy Goodman explores:Staying connected to the flow of the breathThe breath as our life-long companion and source of presence The loneliness of thought and being caught in the trap of our own thinking How the breath is our anchor and our teacherCultivating the power of the mind to focusThe pause at the end of a breath Balancing our energies and moving through each breath with care Stepping out of our familiar reactivity Accepting this as they are so that we can let them go About Trudy Goodman:Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA. For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel. You can learn more about Trudy's flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.comThis episode was originally published on Dharmaseed “All the ways of being mindful are ways that the Buddha asks us to be true to our own hearts and minds. Mindfulness is a form of honesty, of telling ourselves the truth of what is happening. It's showing us that when we're present with the breath, the breath is not just our companion, it's our dharma friend, it's our teacher.” –Trudy GoodmanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Andrew talks about the link between the first two factors of the eightfold path, View & Intention. How does your perspective of things inform your motivations in life? Find out how the Buddha's understanding of our psychology 2600 years ago is still very much relevant today. Enjoy! Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

Join Dave and fellow Wise Squirrels in The Nest. Watch today's full interview in video! Take a look inside. ⁠⁠⁠https://wisesquirrels.com/nest⁠⁠⁠

YouTube Channel Link Website:www.satipatthana.caDonations and Memberships

This episode introduces Formless Sphere Consciousness (Arūpāvacara Citta) and the four formless jhānas: infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither-perception-nor-non-perception. It explains how these refined states arise after mastering the fifth form-sphere jhāna and how they relate to the formless Brahma realms.The talk also outlines the twelve types of formless consciousness—wholesome, resultant, and functional—and clarifies their role in meditation and rebirth. While these attainments represent the highest bliss in the mundane world, the episode reminds us that liberation from suffering is achieved only through insight leading to NibbānaYouTube Video LinkYouTube Channel Link Website:www.satipatthana.caDonations and Memberships

Joseph Goldstein discusses equanimity and how to remove the self from the knowing, effectively freeing ourselves from identification with awareness.This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein mindfully explores:Thoughts as passing phenomena that do not truly belong to anyoneSeeing all experiences as the simultaneous arising of both knowing and objectLetting go of our identification with knowing and awarenessShifting from active voice to passive voice as a mindfulness practiceThe near enemies of the mental qualities listed in the BrahmaviharasEquanimity and holding all things equally, seeing things for what they areThe difference between impartiality and indifference, openness versus carelessnessNavigating the complexity of our lives through the balance of compassion and equanimityMaintaining an interest in exploring rather than relying on our preconceptions about people and situationsThis episode was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society Forest Refuge and originally published on Dharmaseed“When you look for the mind there's nothing to find and the not finding is the finding. It's to see that there is nothing to find and when there is nothing to find, there is nothing to identify with.” –Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How psychology and spirituality can work together. Amita Schmidt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Hawaii. She has taught Vipassana meditation for over thirty years, and was the Resident Teacher at Insight Meditation Society for six years. She is the author of the book Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master. Amita currently teaches and practices non-dual meditation and is a certified IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapist. In this episode we talk about: How psychology and spirituality can work together The basics of Internal Family Systems (or IFS) Amita's personal path through trauma, depression, and a pivotal insight that changed everything Why states like depression aren't as solid as they feel How to work with the inner critic Simple ways to access the sanest, wisest version of yourself The shift from psychological healing to spiritual insight The value of acceptance and surrender Simple pointers for sensing "aware presence" beneath all the mental noise Related Episodes: How (and Why) to Hug Your Inner Dragons | Richard Schwartz How To Handle Your Demons | Richard Schwartz Additional resources: Amita on InsightTimer Amita on DharmaSeed Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris Thanks to our sponsor: LinkedIn:  Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads and get a $250 credit for the next one. Just go to linkedin.com/happier.

in this episode, Andrew talks about the first factor of the Buddha's eightfold path, Wise View. it is said to be both the beginning and the culmination of the path. Wise View includes the Buddha's teachings on the 4 Noble Truths and Karma. Enjoy! Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation

Explaining how imagination creates both beauty and suffering, Gil Fronsdal offers a skillful way to tap into inspiration without becoming lost in a dream.This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal dives into:The poem “Thursday” by William Carlos WilliamsTransformation through presence during mundane experiences Dreaming as an important part of being humanHow the imagination helps to create connectionsThe Zen principle of present moment awarenessAllowing reality to move through the world of our imaginationNot becoming lost or stuck in a dreamThe Buddha as a man of tremendous imaginationImagining the possibility of being freed from sufferingThis episode was originally published on DharmaseedAbout Gil Fronsdal:Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders' Council. In 2011 he founded IMC's Insight Retreat Center. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil's talks on Audio Dharma. “Dreaming, I think, is a very important part of being a human being. The imagination that can imagine possibilities, potential, that can create wonderful connections between things.” –Gil FronsdalSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From NYE retreat, Bay St. Louis. Flowering Lotus: https://www.floweringlotusmeditation.org/ https://www.davesmithdharma.com/https://account.venmo.com/u/davesmithdharmaThank you for subscribing.

This is a Pariyatti Presents... event recorded May 4th, 2025 with Paul R. Fleischman, interviewed by Kory Goldberg, titled 'The Psychological and Social Wellsprings of Vipassana'. This is part one of 'The Power of Small Changes' interview series. Paul R. Fleischman May 4, 2025 1 hour 45 minutes Watch the video or download the audio. Download Audio (48MB) Video copyright, 2025 Pariyatti View the archive of all Pariyatti Presents... Events. More by Dr. Paul R. Fleischman at store.pariyatti.org/paul_fleischman. Kory Goldberg's & Michelle Décary's 'Along the Path': store.pariyatti.org/along-the-path-3. View more books and audio resources available at the online Pariyatti bookstore.

Metta-Vipassana is an integrated practice that unites the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Vipassana) with Metta practices (Brahmavihāras). Vipassana meditation (insight or mindfulness practice) connects the richness of our shared human experience with the immediacy of moment-to-moment awareness. As the body and mind learn to settle, intuitive wisdom emerges. This wisdom allows us to fully open to the entirety of each moment, both within and around us. By cultivating this openness, we increase our capacity and interest in meeting life's joys and sorrows with ease and presence.Metta practice (kind-friendliness) calls forth and strengthens beautiful spiritual emotions within the heart: kindness, care, joy, and equanimity. Mindfulness of these qualities helps bring them to full fruition. This process directs our life's energy toward awakening our full potential, providing a stable foundation for contentment, purpose, and meaning...thus I have heard. https://www.davesmithdharma.com/schedule/  https://www.davesmithdharma.com/https://account.venmo.com/u/davesmithdharmaThank you for subscribing.

In this episode of Living Well with MS, we're joined by Juliet Delattre, a language teacher and digital nomad from the Netherlands who was diagnosed with MS in 2019.   Juliet shares the shock of being diagnosed after relatively mild symptoms, and what it was like searching for answers, navigating uncertainty, and deciding who to tell. We also talk about the role of lifestyle alongside medical care, how Juliet experimented with different approaches over time, and why she ultimately chose to follow the Overcoming MS Program.   Juliet speaks honestly about stress, study, travel and bereavement – and offers a compassionate reminder that there's no single “perfect” way to live well with MS, only the approach that's sustainable for you.   Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the topics and timestamps. Topics and timestamps 00:00 Juliette's diagnosis and initial shock  03:33 The emotional impact of MS  05:58 The decision to share: who to tell and why  08:30 Choosing a path: medication and lifestyle changes  11:09 Life after diagnosis: changes and adaptations  13:38 Travelling with MS  16:50 Trying different diets and why evidence mattered  19:17 Stress support: drawing, meditation, retreats and finding what's sustainable  22:41 Studying with MS: a flare-up, disability support and difficult systems  24:24 Discovering Overcoming MS and choosing a path that “clicked”  26:50 Family support: making diet changes feel achievable  29:12 Exercise, confidence and changing mindset  32:05 Bereavement, stress and finding ways to cope  35:36 Embracing creativity and possibilities  More info and links Learn more about Joe Dispenza's work on placebo and healing  Read Juliet's blog on her drawings of her sensations in her body  Learn more about Vipassana meditation retreats  Read about the benefits of therapeutic journaling in time of stress  Try one of Juliet's favorite 30-minute meditations  Read about hypnotherapy for MS  New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub Visit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest Don't miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here. Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. Support us: If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please leave a donation here. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

A complete guided meditation session expanding your compassion, stabilizing concentration on the breath, and observing your thoughts.Episode 3: Guided Meditation: Stabilizing the Mind and Watching ThoughtsSupport the show

In this episode of Mental Training Lab, I sit down with psychiatrist, meditation teacher, and author of The Mindful Twenty-Something,  Dr. Holly Rogers. We're breaking down how mindfulness and meditation can transform our relationship to the present moment, performance, and our lives as a whole. Holly has spent decades working with college students, emerging adults, and high performers, helping them use Vipassana (mindfulness) meditation not as a relaxation tool, but as a mental training and nervous system regulation practice. We dig into what mindfulness actually is (and isn't), why it's not about “clearing your mind” and more about expanding your stretch zone so you don't tip into overwhelm when it matters most.We also get personal. I share how these practices have helped me transform my relationship with self-criticism, including a moment where I found myself unexpectedly in tears on the cushion, able to meet a younger version of me, and his “wrestler mindset” with compassion instead of judgment. Holly brings in 30 years of clinical experience to bust the myth that being kinder to yourself will make you soft or lazy and explains why she's never once seen that happen.If you're an athlete, coach, or high performer who's curious about mindfulness, meditation, self-compassion, performance, and resilience, this conversation offers practical tools, science-backed insight, and very human stories to help you start (or restart) your own practice in a doable, sustainable way.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Learn more about The Mental Training LabConnect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | WebsiteSubscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

Joseph Goldstein responds to questions on spiritual craving, mental focus, and what it truly means to become aware of awareness.This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein mindfully explains:Bringing your daily life into your spiritual practiceMindfulness of seeing: focusing on the seeing itself rather than on what we are looking atResting in open, non-reactive spaciousnessThe cognizing power of emptiness and realizing that there is nothing to knowKeeping the mind steady and how concentration deepens insight Understanding both relative and ultimate reality Defining dukkha as the inevitability of unwanted experiencesHow to not waste suffering: taking an interest in the shadows of our own minds Having agency over our own minds during difficult experiencesMindfulness of anger and other negative emotions This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed“How do I become aware of awareness? Where is it? How can I put my finger on it? When we realize that there's nothing to find, and yet the knowing is happening, then we relax back into the mystery of consciousness, and you're very aware of the capacity of the mind to know.” –Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Christina Guimond has always been oriented toward the mysterious, even from early childhood. She grew up in a Catholic family in Nova Scotia, Canada, and later settled in Montreal, where she married and raised four children. When her youngest was ten, a long-dormant curiosity about the nature of existence began to take centre stage. On the 8th day of a Vipassana retreat in 2001, Christina had an awakening that deeply shifted her understanding of self and reality. What followed was fourteen years of dedicated daily meditation and numerous silent retreats within the S.N. Goenka Vipassana tradition. In 2015, a 2nd awakening unfolded—this time bringing a deeper dissolution of personal identity. Around this period, she began studying with Gary Weber, with whom she worked closely until he retired from teaching in 2019. Those years were marked by intense transformation, awakening the body, healing the nervous system, working with attachments, belief, and shadow. In 2017, two further openings occurred. The first was a non-medical NDE - a profound experience of God—an overwhelming sense of divine presence and infinite love. A month later came an even more radical realization: the complete disappearance of self and world into a primal void. It was an encounter with absolute emptiness—an unconditioned reality beneath all phenomena. In that vast nothingness, only an indescribably sublime, subtle awareness was present. Nothing was manifest, yet it was clear this “nothing” held the potential for everything—a living, dynamic void, like a field of infinite possibilities before form appears. In 2022, Christina began working with Angelo Dilullo, M.D., whose guidance led to the final falling away of the remaining identity structure. What remains is a natural, effortless functioning—life living itself. The integration of that realization continues to unfold. Following the invitation and suggestion of Angelo Dilullo, she has been teaching and guiding others through the awakening. Website: christinaguimond.com Mentioned during the interview: Interview with Angelo Dilullo PAPAJI - Consciousness Alone Is Kevin Shanilec's method for working with reactivity. A Heart Blown Open: The Life & Practice of Zen Master Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi by Keith Martin-Smith Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Interview recorded December 6, 2025

How repairing your own attachment affects the way you show up for children or those you nurture.

BONUS: When AI Knows Your Emotional Triggers Better Than You Do — Navigating Mindfulness in the AI Age In this thought-provoking conversation, former computer engineer and mindfulness leader Mo Edjlali explores how AI is reshaping human meaning, attention, and decision-making. We examine the critical question: what happens when AI knows your emotional triggers better than you know yourself? Mo shares insights on remaining sovereign over our attention, avoiding dependency in both mindfulness and technology, and preparing for a world where AI may outperform us in nearly every domain. From Technology Pioneer to Mindfulness Leader "I've been very heavily influenced by technology, computer engineering, software development. I introduced DevOps to the federal government. But I have never seen anything change the way in which human beings work together like Agile." — Mo Edjlali   Mo's journey began in the tech world — graduating in 1998, he was on the front line of the internet explosion. He remembers the days before the internet, watched online multiplayer games emerge in 1994, and worked on some of the most complicated tech projects in federal government. Technology felt almost like magic, advancing at a logarithmic rate faster than anything else. But when Mo discovered mindfulness practices 12-15 years ago, he found something equally transformative: actual exercises to develop emotional intelligence and soft skills that the tech world talked about but never taught. Mindfulness provided logical, practical methods that didn't require "woo-woo" beliefs — just practice that fundamentally changed his relationship with his mind. This dual perspective — tech innovator and mindfulness teacher — gives Mo a unique lens for understanding where we're headed. The Shift from Liberation to Dependency "I was fortunate enough, the teachers I was exposed to, the mentality was very much: you're gonna learn how to meditate on your own, in silence. There is no guru. There is no cult of personality." — Mo Edjlali   Mo identifies a dangerous drift in the mindfulness movement: from teaching independence to creating dependency. His early training, particularly a Vipassana retreat led by S.N. Goenka, modeled true liberation — you show up for 10 days, pay nothing, receive food and lodging, learn to meditate, then donate what you can at the end. Critically, you leave being able to meditate on your own without worshiping a teacher or subscribing to guided meditations. But today's commercialized mindfulness often creates the opposite: powerful figures leading fiefdoms, consumers taught to listen to guided meditations rather than meditate independently. This dependency model mirrors exactly what's happening with AI — systems designed to make us rely on them rather than empower our own capabilities. Recognizing this parallel is essential for navigating both fields wisely. AI as a New Human Age, Not Just Another Tool "With AI, this is different. This isn't like mobile computing, this isn't like the internet. We're entering a new age. We had the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Industrial Age. When you enter a new age, it's almost like knocking the chess board over, flipping the pieces upside down. We're playing a new game." — Mo Edjlali   Mo frames AI not as another technology upgrade but as the beginning of an entirely new human age. In a new age, everything shifts: currency, economies, government, technology, even religions. The documentary about the Bronze Age collapse taught him that when ages turn over, the old rules no longer apply. This perspective explains why AI feels fundamentally different from previous innovations. ChatGPT 2.0 was interesting; ChatGPT 3 blew Mo's mind and made him realize we're witnessing something unprecedented. While he's optimistic about the potential for sustainable abundance and extraordinary breakthroughs, he's also aware we're entering both the most exciting and most frightening time to be alive. Everything we learned in high school might be proven wrong as AI rewrites human knowledge, translates animal languages, extends longevity, and achieves things we can't even imagine. The Mental Health Tsunami and Loss of Purpose "If we do enter the age of abundance, where AI could do anything that human beings could do and do it better, suddenly the system we have set up — where our purpose is often tied to our income and our job — suddenly, we don't need to work. So what is our purpose?" — Mo Edjlali   Mo offers a provocative vision of the future: a world where people might pay for jobs rather than get paid to work. It sounds crazy until you realize it's already happening — people pay $100,000-$200,000 for college just to get a job, politicians spend millions to get elected. If AI handles most work and we enter an age of abundance, jobs won't be about survival or income — they'll be about meaning, identity, and social connection. This creates three major crises Mo sees accelerating: attacks on our focus and attention (technology hijacking our awareness), polarization (forcing black-and-white thinking), and isolation (pushing us toward solo experiences). The mental health tsunami is coming as people struggle to find purpose in a world where AI outperforms them in domain after domain. The jobs will change, the value systems will shift, and those without tools for navigating this transformation will suffer most. When AI Reads Your Mind "Researchers at Duke University had hooked up fMRI brain scanning technology and took that data and fed it into GPT 2. They were able to translate brain signals into written narrative. So the implications are that we could read people's minds using AI." — Mo Edjlali   The future Mo describes isn't science fiction — it's already beginning. Three years ago, researchers used early GPT to translate brain signals into written text by scanning people's minds with fMRI and training AI on the patterns. Today, AI knows a lot about heavy users like Mo through chat conversations. Tomorrow, AI will have video input of everything we see, sensory input from our biometrics (pulse, heart rate, health indicators), and potentially direct connection to our minds. This symbiotic relationship is coming whether we're ready or not. Mo demonstrates this with a personal experiment: he asked his AI to tell him about himself, describe his personality, identify his strengths, and most powerfully — reveal his blind spots. The AI's response was outstanding, better than what any human (even his therapist or himself) could have articulated. This is the reality we're moving toward: AI that knows our emotional triggers, blind spots, and patterns better than we do ourselves. Using AI as a Mirror for Self-Discovery "I asked my AI, 'What are my blind spots?' Human beings usually won't always tell you what your blind spots are, they might not see them. A therapist might not exactly see them. But the AI has... I've had the most intimate kind of conversations about everything. And the response was outstanding." — Mo Edjlali   Mo's approach to AI is both pragmatic and experimental. He uses it extensively — at the level of teenagers and early college students who are on it all the time. But rather than just using AI as a tool, he treats it as a mirror for understanding himself. Asking AI to identify your blind spots is a powerful exercise because AI has observed all your conversations, patterns, and tendencies without the human limitations of forgetfulness or social politeness. Vasco shares a similar experience using AI as a therapy companion — not replacing his human therapist, but preparing for sessions and processing afterward. This reveals an essential truth: most of us don't understand ourselves that well. We're blind navigators using an increasingly powerful tool. The question isn't whether AI will know us better than we know ourselves — that's already happening. The question is how we use that knowledge wisely. The Danger of AI Hijacking Our Agency "There's this real danger. I saw that South Park episode about ChatGPT where his wife is like, 'Come on, put the AI down, talk to me,' and he's got this crazy business idea, and the AI keeps encouraging him along. It's a point where he's relying way too heavily on the AI and making really poor decisions." — Mo Edjlali   Not all AI use is beneficial. Mo candidly admits his own mistakes — sometimes leaning into AI feedback over his actual users' feedback for his Meditate Together app because "I like what the AI is saying." This mirrors the South Park episode's warning about AI dependency, where the character's AI encourages increasingly poor decisions while his relationships suffer. Social media demonstrates this danger at scale: AI algorithms tuned to steal our attention and hijack our agency, preventing us from thinking about what truly matters — relationships and human connection. Mo shares a disturbing story about Zoom bombers disrupting Meditate Together sessions, filming it, posting it on YouTube where it got 90,000 views, with comments thanking the disruptors for "making my day better." Technology created a cannibalistic dynamic where teenagers watched videos of their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers being harassed during meditation. When Mo tried to contact Google, the company's incentive structure prioritized views and revenue over human decency. Technology combined with capitalism creates these dangerous momentum toward monetizing attention at any cost. Remaining Sovereign Over Your Attention "Traditionally, mindfulness does an extraordinary job, if you practice right, to help you regain your agency of your focus and concentration. It takes practice. But reading is now becoming a concentration practice. It's an actual practice." — Mo Edjlali   Mo identifies three major symptoms affecting us: attacks on focus/attention, polarization into black-and-white thinking, and isolation. Mindfulness practices directly counter all three — but only if practiced correctly. Training attention, focus, and concentration requires actual practice, not just listening to guided meditations. Mo offers practical strategies: reading as concentration practice (asking "does anyone read anymore?" recognizing that sustained reading now requires deliberate effort), turning off AirPods while jogging or driving to find silence, spending time alone with your thoughts, and recognizing that we were given extraordinary power (smartphones) with zero training on how to be aware of it. Older generations remember having to rewind VHS tapes — forced moments of patience and stillness that no longer exist. We need to deliberately recreate those spaces where we're not constantly consuming entertainment and input. Dialectic Thinking: Beyond Polarization "I saw someone the other day wear a shirt that said, 'I'm perfect the way I am.' That's one-dimensional thinking. Two-dimensional thinking is: you're perfect the way that you are, and you could be a little better." — Mo Edjlali   Mo's book OpenMBSR specifically addresses polarization by introducing dialectic thinking — the ability to hold paradoxes and seeming contradictions simultaneously. Social media and algorithms push us toward one-dimensional, black-and-white thinking: good/bad, right/wrong, with me/against me. But reality is far more nuanced. The ability to think "I'm perfect as I am AND I can improve" or "AI is extraordinary AND dangerous" is essential for navigating complexity. This mirrors the tech world's embrace of continuous improvement in Agile — accepting where you are while always pushing for better. Chess players learned this years ago when AI defeated humans — they didn't freak out, they accepted it and adapted. Now AI in chess doesn't just give answers; it helps humans understand how it arrived at those answers. This partnership model, where AI coaches us through complexity rather than simply replacing us, represents the healthiest path forward. Building Community, Not Dependency "When people think to meditate, unfortunately, they think, I have to do this by myself and listen to guided meditation. I'm saying no. Do it in silence. If you listen to guided meditation, listen to guided meditation that teaches you how to meditate in silence. And do it with other people, with intentional community." — Mo Edjlali   Mo's OpenMBSR initiative explicitly borrows from the Agile movement's success: grassroots, community-centric, open source, transparent. Rather than creating fiefdoms around cult personalities, he wants mindfulness to spread organically through communities helping communities. This directly counters the isolation trend that technology accelerates. Meditate Together exists specifically to create spaces where people meditate with other human beings around the world, with volunteer hosts holding sessions. The model isn't about dependency on a teacher or platform — it's about building connection and shared practice. This aligns perfectly with how the tech world revolutionized collaborative work through Agile and Scrum: transparent, iterative, valuing individuals and interactions. The question for both mindfulness and AI adoption is whether we'll create systems that empower independence and community, or ones that foster dependency and isolation. Preparing for a World Where AI Outperforms Humans "AI is going to need to kind of coach us and ease us into it, right? There's some really dark, ugly things about ourselves that could be jarring without it being properly shared, exposed, and explained." — Mo Edjlali   Looking at his children, Mo wonders what tools they'll need in a world where AI may outperform humans in nearly every domain. The answer isn't trying to compete with AI in calculation, memory, or analysis — that battle is already lost. Instead, the essential human skills become self-awareness, emotional intelligence, dialectic thinking, community building, and maintaining agency over attention and decision-making. AI will need to become a coach, helping humans understand not just answers but how it arrived at those answers. This requires AI development that prioritizes human growth over profit maximization. It also requires humans willing to do the hard work of understanding themselves — confronting blind spots, managing emotional triggers, practicing concentration, and building genuine relationships. The mental health tsunami Mo predicts isn't inevitable if we prepare now by teaching these skills widely, building community-centric systems, and designing AI that empowers rather than replaces human wisdom and connection.   About Mo Edjlali   Mo Edjlali is a former computer engineer, and also the founder and CEO of Mindful Leader, the world's largest provider of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training. Mo's new book Open MBSR: Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness explores how ancient practices can help us navigate the AI revolution with awareness and resilience.   You can learn more about Mo and his work at MindfulLeader.org, check out Meditate Together, and read his articles on AI's Mind-Reading Breakthrough and AI: Not Another Tool, but a New Human Age.

Defining the nature of Bodhicitta, Joseph Goldstein explains that enlightenment is inevitable when compassion and emptiness coexist.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein thoughtfully articulates:Bodhicitta: the heart-mind of awakening and working for the benefit of all beingsLiving in the world while still remembering the truth of non-self and impermanenceThe beauty of selflessness embodied through Dipa Ma's life and teachingsRegularly reflecting on impermanence as both a reality check and a spiritual practiceThe nature of the mind as intrinsically empty and naturally radiant Coming out of our mind-drama and entering into the empty luminosity of the present moment Compassionate responsiveness to the needs of othersForgiveness as one of the most profound ways to respond with open-hearted compassionThis talk was originally published on Dharmaseed“This responsiveness is compassion, not as a meditative stance, but rather it is the responsiveness of an open heart, of an open mind. It can show itself, this compassionate responsiveness, in so many different ways. It can manifest very beautifully as forgiveness.” –Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.