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Episode #554: Bruce Stewart, an early Western student and teacher in the S.N. Goenka Vipassana tradition, reflects on a lifelong search for spiritual meaning driven by curiosity, wonder, and a desire to understand life more deeply. The sudden death of his younger sister prompted early questions about life's meaning, while stories from traveling hippies kindled a desire to explore the wider world. Leaving New Zealand, Stewart worked his passage to Europe on a cargo ship and spent several adventurous years traveling through Europe and Africa and immersing himself in the hippie counterculture. Eventually Stewart found his way to a Sivananda ashram in Canada, where his spiritual interests were given structure. There he met his future wife, Maureen. Together they returned to New Zealand and founded one of the country's first yoga centers, creating a vibrant community centered on yoga, vegetarianism, retreats, and alternative culture. Later, Stewart took a vipassana course with John Coleman, a student of U Ba Khin; the experience was life-changing. Soon after, he and Maureen dissolved their yoga center and traveled to India to became involved with the fledgling Vipassana center at Dhamma Giri in Igatpuri, where they worked closely with S.N. Goenka. As the movement expanded, Stewart and Maureen were heavily involved in helping the tradition take root in the U.S. Yet over time, he became increasingly uneasy with organizational culture, leadership styles, and narratives of purity and authority. Historical study and deeper inquiry eventually led him to question long-held assumptions, and eventually his decision to broaden his practice and step down from his Senior Teacher responsibilities. Still, he remains grateful for the practice and its benefits, viewing his spiritual life as a series of valuable stages that collectively formed a rich, demanding, and deeply meaningful journey.
In this episode of Healthy Wealthy & Smart, Dr. Karen Litzy welcomes Kathryn Nicolai, the creator and host of Nothing Much Happens, one of the most listened-to sleep podcasts in the world. Discover how storytelling, nervous system regulation, and mindful routines can transform your sleep quality in this engaging episode. Kathryn shares practical strategies rooted in her background in yoga, neuroscience, and storytelling to help listeners foster calm, resilience, and restful nights. Key Topics: · The therapeutic power of storytelling in calming anxiety and promoting sleep · The neuroscience behind why safety and overstimulation block restful sleep · Practical tools like breathwork, joy, and routines to reset the nervous system · The concept of SIMS (Safety in Me) versus DIMS (Danger in Me) and how to shift balance · How to develop a personalized sleep ritual that feels pleasurable and sustainable · The importance of joy, predictability, and self-compassion in sleep hygiene · Mental models for reducing hypervigilance and promoting safety at night · Kathryn's process of creating comforting stories and building a connected universe for sleep · Techniques for integrating mindfulness and sensory awareness into everyday life · Encouragement to prioritize pleasure over perfection in self-care routines Timestamps: 00:00 - What makes storytelling a powerful tool for sleep 00:48 - Kathryn's journey from yoga teacher to sleep storyteller 02:12 - Why safety in the nervous system is key to restful sleep 03:22 - The role of overstimulation and how modern life hampers rest 04:45 - The magic of bedtime stories and their universal calming effect 06:00 - Understanding default mode network and the glazed eye of overthinking 07:14 - The principles of SIMS and DIMS in regulating nervous system safety 08:45 - How stories foster a reparative sense of witnessing and safety 10:05 - The art of building a nurturing, interconnected storytelling universe 11:41 - Creating a sensory-rich environment that promotes calm 13:03 - Kathryn's storytelling techniques: pacing, predictability, and authenticity 14:13 - The importance of intention and personal touch in story creation 15:33 - Making routine pleasurable — integrating joy into sleep rituals 17:04 - The calming power of familiar locations and recurring characters 18:28 - The significance of predictability and control in anxious times 20:14 - The myth of perfect sleep routines and focusing on what feels good 22:24 - Front-loading the day with joy as a resilience booster 24:24 - The uplifting impact of simple pleasures — music, a kind word, a moment of delight 26:22 - Breathing techniques and other accessible practices to turn down the nervous system dial 27:34 - The accessibility and free nature of mindfulness tools 28:34 - Building habits slowly and with pleasure, not perfection 30:23 - Letting go of rigidity: sustainability in self-care 31:17 - The importance of internal permission to enjoy and relax 32:41 - The secret ordinary moments that remind us of magic 33:44 - Choosing a story setting you'd love to live in 34:19 - Debunking myths in the wellness industry around "perfect rest" 35:16 - The transformational advice to younger selves: embrace imperfect progress 36:11 - Resources, books, and ways to connect with Kathryn 37:13 - Final words: cultivating a safe, restful, joyful sleep environment Resources & Links: · Nothing Much Happens – Website · Nothing Much Happens – Podcast · Nothing Much Happens - Instagram · On the Street Where You Live – Kathryn's upcoming book (search title for purchase info) · First This – Guided meditation show · Kathryn on YouTube More About Kathryn Nicolai: Kathryn Nicolai is the creator and host of Nothing Much Happens, one of the most listened-to sleep podcasts in the world, where millions of listeners use her stories to calm anxiety, fall asleep, and feel more at ease in their bodies. With over 20 years of experience as a yoga and meditation teacher, Kathryn is a trusted voice in self-care, with a focus on sleep hygiene, nervous system regulation, mindfulness, and storytelling as medicine. She draws on lived experience and practices including Vipassana meditation, gentle movement, brain training, and bibliotherapy to support people navigating stress, anxiety, depression, and more. Through her work, Kathryn helps people cultivate rest, creativity, and emotional resilience in a culture shaped by overstimulation and burnout. Her new audio book, On The Street Where You Live, also comes out in July. Jane Sponsorship Information: Book a one-on-one demo here Mention the code LITZY1MO for a free month Follow Dr. Karen Litzy on Social Media: Karen's Instagram Karen's LinkedIn Subscribe to Healthy, Wealthy & Smart: YouTube Website Apple Podcast Spotify SoundCloud Stitcher iHeart Radio
Joseph Goldstein investigates the not-so-obvious delight of seeing our own arrogance (Māna), and the balance of knowing ultimate truth while living with a functional sense of “I.”Help us celebrate 10 years of Be Here Now Network and support the next chapter of Ram Dass Here and Now. Gifts are matched dollar for dollar through June 30. Learn more and give here: BHNN 10th Birthday FundraiserToday's 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 week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:Realizing the truth of non-self while still having an underlying feeling of ‘I am”The Buddhist concept of Māna, which can be translated as "pride", "arrogance", or "conceit"Our tendency to project the past into the futureRecognizing Māna for what it is and letting the thoughts dissolveHow the residue of ‘I' and ‘self' can fall away during practiceEngaging the self just enough to live in the relative world This episode is the 2nd part of a 3-part series. It was originally published on Dharmaseed and recorded at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, a non-profit organization founded by renowned meditation teachers Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg to integrate Buddhist study and practice. To start at the beginning, check out Ep. 261 – Gradual Cultivation in Buddhist Practice “These days, I am totally delighted when I see Māna arise in my mind…one of the reasons I am delighted is that I would much rather see it than not see it to recognize 'that's Māna', instead of not recognizing it and being caught up and identified with that pattern. Just the seeing of it is freeing.” –Joseph GoldsteinSee 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 dives into an essential aspect of the Buddha's path to awakening, The 4 Great Efforts. Early in his life, the Buddha discovered that he can categorize his mental states into two baskets: wholesome and unwholesome. he saw that wholesome mind states led to his welfare and happiness and the welfare and happiness of others, and he became resolute to prevent and abandon the type of mind states that led to his suffering and the suffering of those around him. Here's a look at how to do it. Enjoy! Last day to register for the WHMC retreat is TODAY! (6/10) - https://givebutter.com/summer26 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
Ngày hôm nay, BV xin chia sẻ tới các bạn một cuốn sách mà mình tin rằng: nếu bạn đang có thôi thúc tìm cho bản thân một con đường để thay đổi, để thoát khỏi khổ đau, bạn nhất định cần đọc trong đời. Đó là cuốn “Nghệ thuật sống: Thiền Vipassana" (The Art of Living). Cuốn sách này giới thiệu về phương pháp Vipassana theo sự giảng dạy của Thiền sư S. N. Goenka. S. N. Goenka là một trong những vị thầy về thiền Vipassana có ảnh hưởng lớn nhất trong thời hiện đại. Ông được thế giới ghi nhận là người phục hưng và phổ biến rộng rãi kỹ thuật thiền này trên toàn thế giới, giúp hàng triệu người đạt được sự bình an nội tâm và chuyển hoá đau khổ nơi thân tâm. Cuốn sách này là một trong những tác phẩm nổi tiếng nhất của ông. Nó đặc biệt ở chỗ trình bày giáo lý Đức Phật một cách đơn giản, rõ ràng, nhưng rất logic, giúp bạn có sự hiểu biết về bản chất của phương pháp Vipassana. Từ đó, có thể thiết lập một lộ trình tu tập toàn diện cho bản thân, để từng bước giải thoát chính mình khỏi những đau khổ, tổn thương và vô minh. Mời bạn lắng nghe!-------------------------Nếu bạn muốn mua sách giấy để đọc, có thể ủng hộ Better Version bằng cách mua qua đường link này nhé, cám ơn các bạn! ❤️ Link tổng hợp các cuốn sách trong tất cả video: https://beacons.ai/betterversion.vn/books ❤️ ỦNG HỘ KÊNH TẠI: https://beacons.ai/betterversion.donate
Episode #550: “There was something inside of me that was calling me,” says Jerry Roy, a long-time Vipassana meditator and early student in the Goenka tradition. “Not a thought, but something pulling me.” He argues that liberation comes not from rigid adherence to technique or authority, but from direct understanding of the mind—especially craving and aversion. Raised in a Jewish household, Roy felt pressure to conform to a shared identity he experienced as restrictive. He rejected its religious element early, identifying instead as a “cultural Jew,” and developed a lasting determination not to live “in a box.” That impulse aligned with the 1960s counterculture, where he immersed himself in experimentation and activism. Psychedelics presented a spiritual potentiality, yet, as he later reflects, “It opened a door, but it didn't show me how to walk through the door.” Disillusionment with activism, along with the suicide of a housemate, pushed him toward a deeper inquiry into suffering. That search led him to India. He rejected both the hedonistic hippie scenes and guru-centered traditions he came across, but then discovered Vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka. “I realized that I had found what I was looking for,” he says. He became deeply involved in the tradition, valuing its discipline and accessibility. Over time, however, he began to see increasing rigidity within the organization, especially after his divorce led to a feeling of being excluded from the community. His practice also continued to evolve beyond the strict technique of the Goenka tradition, towards more continuous awareness. “The practice is not a technique,” he explains. “The practice is being present in the moment.” Today, Roy emphasizes direct experience over doctrine. “All you need to do is understand the root cause of suffering, which is craving and aversion.”
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Exploring the factors of enlightenment, Vipassana teacher Trudy Goodman offers listeners ‘the good news' of Buddhist Practice.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:The balancing factor, energizing factors, and calming factors of enlightenmentManifesting metta through mindfulnessInvestigation into the truth of the dharma Offering compassion to the pain we feelThe beauty and profound stillness of a unified heart-mindBeing both the subject and object of experience Having faith in the strengthening of our mindfulness skillsThis 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 “We can be both the subject and object of experience. We can drop the whole thing and be neither. We have this capacity when we are willing to focus our attention, and, to focus our attention somewhere besides here, we discover a whole world of empathy, love, and intimate connection.” –Trudy GoodmanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Denne gang handler det om praksis: Hvordan arbejder du med energi i hverdagen — og hvordan finder du ud af, hvad der passer til netop dit system?Det er ikke en opskrift eller et ”du burde” gør sådan. Det er blot vores erfaringer med hvad der typisk sker i praksis.Landkortet for episoden:• Meditation uden dårlig samvittighed: Den ”omvendte meditation” hvor du lader det svære arbejde sig igennem i stedet for at styre det og giver energien plads til at arbejde.• Indsigten lander bagudrettet: hvorfor forståelsen kommer efter forandringen — ikke før.• Den energetiske svamp: det permeable selv, at mærke forskel på egen og andres energi, og konkrete redskaber som lyssøjlen og returnerings-øvelsen.• Fra skjold til søjle: hvorfor en erfaren klient til sidst ikke behøver beskyttelsen mere.• Plasma, cordings (energibånd) og resonans: tre måder vi energi fungerer på — fra opmærksomhedskampen, til at hæve frekvensen i et bånd, så det slipper af sig selv og til resssonans som måde at forbinde sig på.• Taknemmelighed som test: en enkel måde at mærke, om en relation dræner eller giver.• Nedefra-op og oppefra-ned: de to klienttyper — den der sidder fast i kroppen, og den der har let adgang opadtil men svært ved at lande hverdagen.• Vreden som din kraft: hvorfor den ikke bare skal reguleres væk, og hvad der sker, når døren i en relation kun kan åbnes indefra.Tag det, du kan bruge, og lad resten ligge.
Quante ore passiamo senza accorgerci di avere un corpo? Lo notiamo solo quando duole o quando è stanco. Questa meditazione ci invita a tornare ad abitarlo: portiamo l'attenzione dalla cima della testa fino al punto d'appoggio, una parte alla volta, osservando le sensazioni senza pretendere di cambiarle. È come se ogni zona, finora silenziosa, si svegliasse e cominciasse a parlarci. E scopriamo che nel corpo nulla è fermo: tutto cambia di continuo, perfino solo perché lo stiamo osservando. Meditazione guidata registrata da Sirimedho Stefano De Luca nel gruppo di meditazione dell'Associazione Kalyanamitta il 5 giugno 2026. Se vuoi partecipare agli incontri, vai sul nostro sito, sezione Partecipa / Gruppi di meditazione.
What if the same brain states people spend years chasing through psychedelics could be accessed through meditation alone, and in as little as seven days? In this fascinating solo episode, Darin Olien explores groundbreaking new research from University of California San Diego, Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and University of Montreal suggesting that meditation may produce brain patterns remarkably similar to those observed during psychedelic experiences. From the suppression of the default mode network and increases in neural complexity to neuroplasticity, endogenous opioids, and measurable biological changes in the bloodstream, Darin unpacks the science behind one of the most powerful, and completely free tools available to human beings. He also walks listeners through a practical seven-day protocol combining focused-attention meditation, Vipassana, breathwork, walking meditation, and loving-kindness practices designed to help cultivate greater awareness, emotional resilience, cognitive flexibility, and inner peace. What You'll Learn The groundbreaking UC San Diego meditation study and its surprising findings Why meditation may create brain states similar to psilocybin What the default mode network is and how it shapes everyday thinking How meditation may reduce rumination, anxiety, and self-referential thought The concept of brain criticality and cognitive flexibility Why post-meditation blood samples stimulated neuronal growth How meditation influences neuroplasticity and whole-body biology The differences between Samatha and Vipassana meditation What advanced monks are teaching scientists about consciousness The limitations and caveats of current meditation research A practical seven-day meditation protocol anyone can begin Why meditation may be one of the most powerful health interventions available today Chapters 00:00:03 – Welcome to SuperLife 00:00:33 – Sponsor: Alkemis and the hidden toxicity of indoor air 00:00:57 – Conventional paints, petrochemicals, and endocrine disruptors 00:01:24 – Why VOCs and PFAS may be affecting your home environment 00:01:55 – Fire-resistant mineral paints and healthier living spaces 00:02:27 – Cradle to Cradle certification and sustainable design 00:03:23 – The meditation study Darin can't stop thinking about 00:03:33 – Scanning the brains and blood of meditators 00:03:44 – Brain activity resembling psilocybin experiences 00:04:09 – The promise of a seven-day meditation protocol 00:04:22 – Psychedelics, consciousness, and dissolving the sense of self 00:04:47 – Ancient practices and modern scientific validation 00:05:23 – Why meditation research is entering a renaissance 00:05:41 – Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, and advanced consciousness mapping 00:06:00 – University of Montreal's study of monks with 15,000+ hours of practice 00:06:16 – Why psychedelics and meditation are converging scientifically 00:06:37 – What listeners will learn in today's episode 00:06:54 – Breaking down the UC San Diego retreat study 00:07:18 – Thirty-three hours of meditation, breathwork, and group practice 00:07:42 – EEG scans, blood draws, and laboratory neuron testing 00:08:05 – Reduced activity in the default mode network 00:08:24 – The science of mental chatter and rumination 00:08:50 – Blood plasma stimulating new neuronal growth 00:09:02 – Neuroplasticity and new neural connections 00:09:29 – Increased cellular metabolism and endogenous opioids 00:10:13 – Samatha vs Vipassana meditation explained 00:10:42 – How different meditation styles reshape the brain 00:10:50 – Harvard's advanced meditation consciousness studies 00:11:18 – Mapping concentration states and consciousness cessation 00:11:46 – Ancient contemplative traditions meeting modern neuroscience 00:11:50 – Important limitations of the research 00:12:05 – Why advanced monks aren't average practitioners 00:12:20 – Correlation versus causation in psychedelic comparisons 00:12:48 – What may actually be happening inside the brain 00:13:03 – Understanding the default mode network 00:13:26 – Anxiety, depression, addiction, and overactive self-talk 00:13:53 – Why meditation and psilocybin share common neurological effects 00:14:10 – Beginner studies showing measurable brain changes 00:14:28 – Brain criticality and cognitive adaptability 00:14:48 – The most surprising finding: meditation changes the blood 00:15:05 – Meditation as a whole-body signaling event 00:15:18 – Better sleep, digestion, hormone balance, and recovery 00:15:39 – Neuroplasticity, immune function, metabolism, and pain regulation 00:15:56 – Why meditation may be the ultimate free medicine 00:16:10 – Introducing the seven-day meditation protocol 00:16:34 – Sponsor break: Alkemis Paint 00:19:02 – Building a research-backed at-home meditation practice 00:19:24 – Why consistency matters more than total hours 00:19:41 – Combining focused attention and open monitoring 00:19:53 – Days 1–3: Stabilizing attention 00:20:02 – Morning focused-attention meditation instructions 00:20:34 – Evening body scan practice 00:21:04 – Preparing the brain for deeper awareness 00:21:08 – Days 4–5: Opening awareness through Vipassana 00:21:31 – Letting thoughts, sensations, and sounds pass freely 00:21:39 – Evening box breathing for nervous system regulation 00:22:01 – Why days four and five often feel more challenging 00:22:11 – Days 6–7: Deepening and integrating the practice 00:22:27 – Walking meditation and embodied awareness 00:22:52 – Loving-kindness meditation and compassion training 00:23:02 – Vagal tone, heart rate regulation, and inflammation reduction 00:23:18 – Three rules that determine success 00:23:26 – Eliminating distractions and protecting attention 00:23:36 – Why you should never judge your meditation sessions 00:24:00 – Extending the practice beyond seven days 00:24:19 – Psychedelics, meditation, and the search for transformation 00:24:51 – What the medicine always teaches: sit with yourself 00:25:03 – The wellness industry's tendency to monetize stillness 00:25:20 – Why you don't need expensive tools to transform 00:25:36 – Meditation as radical self-reclamation 00:26:02 – Meeting yourself without distraction 00:26:17 – Final reflections and closing thoughts 00:26:29 – Outro and farewell Thank You to Our Sponsors Alkemis: Go to https://alkemispaint.com/ and use code DARIN10 for 10% off your order. Manna Vitality: Go to mannavitality.com/ and use code DARIN12 for 12% off your order. Join the SuperLife Patreon: This is where Darin now shares the deeper work: - weekly voice notes - ingredient trackers - wellness challenges - extended conversations - community accountability - sovereignty practices Join now for only $7.49/month at https://patreon.com/darinolien Find More from Darin Olien: Website: darinolien.com Instagram: @darinolien Book: Fatal Conveniences Platform & Products: superlife.com New Show: Roadmap to Happiness Key Takeaway "Perhaps one of the most profound discoveries emerging from modern neuroscience is that many of the states of awareness humans have sought through substances, rituals, and external interventions may already be available within us. Meditation is not simply a relaxation practice—it appears to be a biological, neurological, and consciousness-altering intervention capable of reshaping the brain, changing the body, and transforming how we experience reality. The question is not whether the door exists. The question is whether we are willing to sit still long enough to walk through it." Bibliography/Sources: Here is the fully formatted bibliography for the "Seven Days to a New Brain" episode. It is organized by category, formatted in strict APA Style (7th Edition), and includes a direct link for every single source : Primary Studies Brewer, J. A., Worhunsky, P. D., Gray, J. R., Tang, Y. Y., Weber, J., & Kober, H. (2011). Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(50), 20254–20259 . https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1112029108 Lieberman, J. M., Rahrig, H., Britton, W. B., et al. (2025). Toward a neuroscience of consciousness using advanced meditation. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews . https://meditation.mgh.harvard.edu/files/Lieberman_25_NeuroscienceAndBiobehavioralReviews.pdf Pascarella, A., Jerbi, K., et al. (2026). Meditation induces shifts in neural oscillations, brain complexity, and critical dynamics: Novel insights from MEG. Neuroscience of Consciousness . https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41287816/ Patel, H., et al. (2025). Intensive meditation retreat induces rapid changes in brain activity, blood-based biomarkers, and neurotrophic signaling. Communications Biology . https://today.ucsd.edu/story/meditation-retreat-rapidly-reprograms-body-and-mind Shinozuka, K., et al. (2025). Neuroelectrophysiological correlates of extended cessation of consciousness in advanced meditation [Preprint]. bioRxiv . https://meditation.mgh.harvard.edu/files/Shinozuka_25_bioRxiv.pdf Van Lutterveld, R., et al. (2025). An intensively sampled electroencephalography case study of advanced concentration absorption meditation (jhana) [Preprint]. SSRN . https://meditation.mgh.harvard.edu/files/VanLutterveld_25_SSRN.pdf Supporting Press Coverage & Explainers Harvard Gazette. (2026, January). Your brain on advanced meditation . https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2026/01/your-brain-on-advanced-meditation/ Medical Xpress. (2026, February). Study of 12 monks finds meditation heightens brain activity, reshaping neural dynamics . https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-monks-meditation-heightens-brain-reshaping.html PsyPost. (2026). Brain scans of Buddhist monks reveal how different meditation styles alter consciousness . https://www.psypost.org/brain-scans-of-buddhist-monks-reveal-how-different-meditation-styles-alter-consciousness/ ScienceDaily. (2026, April 6). Scientists say 7 days of meditation can rewire your brain . https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260406192913.htm UC San Diego Today. (2026). Meditation retreat rapidly reprograms body and mind. UC San Diego News Center . https://today.ucsd.edu/story/meditation-retreat-rapidly-reprograms-body-and-mind Université de Montréal. (2026, January 5). Meditation doesn't rest the brain, it reshapes it. UdeMNouvelles . https://nouvelles.umontreal.ca/en/article/2026/01/05/meditation-doesn-t-rest-the-brain-it-reshapes-it
in this talk, Andrew talks about the Wisdom of Boundaries. as a part of wise view, boundaries help us uphold our wisdom of relating to the world with clarity and sometimes, directness. enjoy! Last day to register for the WHMC retreat is TODAY! (6/10) - https://givebutter.com/summer26 Wild Heart Meditation Center in a non-profit Buddhist community based in Nashville, TN. https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.orgDONATE: If you feel moved to support WHMC financially please visit:https://www.wildheartmeditationcenter.org/donateFollow Us on Socials!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHeartNashville/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheartnashville/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildheartmeditation
In this episode, Jeff Gross sits down with Madrid-born tennis standout turned Miami luxury real estate mogul and world-class ultra-endurance athlete, Alvaro Nuñez. Alvaro shares the incredible narrative arc of his life—from facing a sudden U.S. visa lottery rejection to pivoting immediately to launch an international high-net-worth hospitality empire, which eventually evolved into the Super Luxury Group. He candidly details the profound mental breakthroughs he achieved through a 10-day Vipassana meditation course, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, enduring a grueling seven-day total darkness cave retreat, and running six marathons across the Sahara Desert to raise mental health awareness. Alvaro and Jeff dive deep into regulating the nervous system, building luxury creator houses focused on clean community networking, and why the ultimate metric of elite success comes down to a deceptively simple standard: doing exactly what you say you will do. Chapters 00:00 - Intro & Wild Adventures with Dan "Jungle Man" Cates 02:21 - Finding Profound Clarity: Kilimanjaro, Everest Risks, and Vipassana Meditation 09:58 - The American Dream: Tennis Scholarships, Visa Setbacks, and Building a Luxury Real Estate Empire 16:26 - High-Flying Business: Helicopter Aviation, Confronting Signs, and Miami VIP Culture 22:54 - Extreme Challenges: 7 Marathons in 7 Days & Surviving a 7-Day Darkness Retreat 26:08 - Embracing the Misogi: Running the Sahara Desert for Mental Health Awareness 38:41 - Shifting the Focus: Presence Over Performance, Longevity, and Future Family Goals 46:49 - Disrupting Wellness: NASA-Backed Science, Inter Miami, and the Race Across America 54:22 - Activating Communities: Luxury Creator Houses & Stacking Daily Wins for Elite Success Links and Socials Alvaro Nuñez Instagram: https://instagram.com/alvaronunez Alvaro Nuñez X (Twitter): https://x.com/anunezofficial Alvaro Nuñez YouTube: https://youtube.com/@alvaronunezalfaro Super Luxury Group Instagram: https://instagram.com/superluxurygroup Super Luxury Group X (Twitter): https://x.com/superluxurygrp Super Luxury Group YouTube: https://youtube.com/@SuperLuxuryGroup Jeff Gross https://www.youtube.com/jeffgrosspoker https://www.youtube.com/jeffgrosspodcast http://twitch.com/jeffgrosspoker https://instagram.com/jeffgrosspoker https://x.com/jeffgrosspoker
Given after the Metta Vipassana Retreat thru Insight LA with Melissa McKay. This talk was given at the Center on Olympia in Santa Monica https://www.davesmithdharma.com/https://account.venmo.com/u/davesmithdharmaThank you for subscribing.
Send Us A Message or Ask Us A Question? TRE and the Power of Spontaneous Shaking: Richmond Heath on Somatic Stress RecoverySavia Rocks welcomes physiotherapist and TRE Australia founder Richmond Heath to season seven of The Us People Podcast to discuss spontaneous shaking/trembling as an overlooked, positive human recovery reflex. Richmond shares growing up on a farm in Victoria, later developing chronic pain and stress, and experiencing spontaneous movement during Vipassana meditation that shifted his understanding of tension and healing. He explains TRE (Tension/Trauma Release Exercises) as a trauma-informed method that uses simple muscle fatigue to deliberately evoke and regulate tremors, reframing shaking from a symptom of anxiety, shock, or weakness into a mechanism that discharges stress and adrenaline. The conversation covers somatics, polyvagal theory, trauma as immobilization, cultural suppression of shaking, examples from animals and traditional societies, and practical supports like breathwork, mindfulness, exercise, community, and purpose, plus Richmond's TRE online course (trecourse.com) and its global reach.00:00 Welcome to the Podcast02:27 Richmond Heath's Backstory03:35 Pain to Breakthrough10:01 Discovering TRE Purpose14:06 What Is TRE22:26 Shaking and Anxiety31:38 Somatic Explained39:10 Trauma Origins and Inheritance41:34 Practical Stress Tools44:39 Happiness Through Service46:47 Why TRE Calms Fast48:18 Beyond Mindfulness Limits49:40 COVID Shift to Online54:05 Polyvagal Science Basics56:22 Freeze Response Explained01:01:25 Everyday Trauma Example01:04:33 Why Adults Suppress Shaking01:06:54 Authenticity and Reawakening01:14:12 Key Takeaways and Utero Movement01:19:11 How to Learn TRE01:23:14 Closing Thanks and Outro01:25:51 End Credits and Final ReflectionThank you so much Richmond for teaching us that Trauma show be shown freely in order to heal ourselves - Savia RocksWebsite: https://www.treaustralia.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/TRE-Australia/100057615902736/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tre_australia/?hl=enLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmond-heath-08719326/Support the show
In Part 2 of my Vipassana series, I dive deeper into what actually happened during the retreat itself.A month after returning home, I reflect on what has stayed with me, what has faded, and the lessons that continue to unfold in daily life as a mother, entrepreneur, homeschooler, and spiritual seeker.In this episode, I share:• The surprising shift that happened after the first days of anger and frustration• What Vipassana taught me about boundaries, resentment, and speaking up for myself• The power of simplicity and why life felt so much lighter with fewer decisions• The relief of stepping away from other people's problems, complaints, and expectations• How meditation affected my posture, habits, and relationship with time• The fears that surfaced after the retreat and what I am learning about meeting them with awareness• The blissful, expansive state I experienced on Day 7—and the crash that followed• Why the teachers emphasized equanimity over chasing peak experiences• Reflections on love, partnership, and what being away revealed about my relationship with my husband• The image of the monarch butterfly that became a symbol of this season of my lifeI also speak about returning home, rebuilding a meditation practice in ordinary life, and the ongoing challenge of integrating profound spiritual experiences into the realities of work, family, and responsibility.While I did experience an interesting mystical experience, this conversation is more about what happens after a 10 day retreat: the slow work of change, the cultivation of awareness, and the courage to keep showing up for the life that is already here.Part 3 will explore my time in Glastonbury, Avebury, ancient sacred sites, and the unexpected experiences that awaited me there.
Laurent, ça fait longtemps que je voulais lui parler.C'est un pratiquant de méditation chevronné, un auteur et enseignant respecté. Il a écrit plusieurs très beaux ouvrages. Mais surtout — et c'est ça qui m'intéresse — sa vie est le récit d'un dialogue entre deux traditions spirituelles qui se rencontrent rarement : celle de la méditation et celle du chamanisme.Et pile au milieu de ces deux mondes, il y a Laurent.À mi-distance entre l'Inde et l'Amérique du sud. Entre Bodhgaya et la forêt amazonienne. D'ailleurs, c'est à équidistance de ces deux zones qu'il était quand je lui ai parlé : c'est depuis sa Suisse natale qu'il m'a raconté son histoire.L'histoire avant tout d'un explorateur de la conscience qui n'a pas froid aux yeux. Qui ne se défile pas face à l'inconfort. Et qui depuis toujours contemple, arpente, scrute et cherche, pour ramener dans sa vie — mais aussi dans celle de sa communauté — des voies d'accès à une existence plus riche, plus harmonieuse, et peut-être plus… espiègle.Dans ce récit, il sera souvent question d'humour. Mais aussi de pizzas livrées en scooter, de kalachnikovs au Chiapas, de cactus à mescaline et de singes en colère.D'un fou rire impossible à contenir lors d'une retraite Vipassana. D'un aigle qui attendait son retour. Et d'une morsure qui a tout fait basculer.Bienvenue dans un itinéraire de vie entre plusieurs mondes. Bienvenue dans l'histoire de Laurent.Bonne écoute
No music version A deeply relaxing Vipassana Meditation for stress relief. This episode is a 25-minute Vipassana body scan meditation — one of the most powerful and time-honoured practices for deep stress reduction, grounding, and present-moment awareness. Rooted in the ancient Vipassana tradition, this session guides you gently through the entire body — from the crown of the head, through the face, neck, shoulders, chest, belly, and all the way down to the soles of the feet. No fixing. No forcing. Just pure, open observation. In 25 minutes you'll experience: ✦ A full head-to-toe body scan using Vipassana awareness ✦ Release of physical tension held in the face, shoulders, and back ✦ A deep settling of the nervous system ✦ Spacious, whole-body awareness — calm, grounded, and present This practice is suitable for complete beginners and experienced meditators alike. All you need is 25 minutes and a quiet place to sit or lie down. As you'll discover: when there are no problems to solve and nowhere to be — there is only peace. And that peace is always available to you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Paul Sheppard is a mindset coach and therapist with more than two decades of experience helping people break free from the limitations of the ego. A specialist in transformational thinking, he is known for his groundbreaking work in reframing anxiety and guiding clients toward lasting, meaningful change. Contact, community, newsletter, substack.
Tänane külaline on Liis, on naine, kes ütleb enda kohta, et ta on “täiesti tavaline Eesti inimene” aga tema teekond ei ole olnud seda kindlasti. Tema elu ei ole kulgenud sirgjooneliselt. Vastupidi, see on olnud täis otsinguid, murdekohti ja hetki, kus kogu senine maailmapilt on kokku kukkunud. Seljakotirännak Austraalias, kus ta koges hülgamist. Vipassana meditatsioon Tais, kus ta esimest korda tundis puhast armastust inimeste vastu. Suvi telgiga Londoni parkides. Otsingud Indias. Ja vahepeal täielik lahtilaskmine, loobumine harjumustest, asjadest, identiteedist. Tema teekond ei ole olnud vastuste leidmine, vaid küsimuste sügavamaks muutumine. Täna uurib Liis elu läbi vaimsete praktikate, filosoofia ja isikliku kogemuse, otsides, mis on päriselt tõde, mitte see, mida meile on õpetatud uskuma. Ja võib-olla kõige ausam küsimus, mida ta endalt küsib on: “Kas ma olen midagi leidnud, või olen ma alles teel?” --- SHOWNOTES — TUGEVAD MÕTTED "Hirmsast unenäost on suurem motivatsioon üles ärgata kui heast unenäost." "Keegi ei küsinud — ja sellepärast ma ei rääkinud." "Kogu aeg oli tunne, et räägin välja perekonna saladuse." "Esimesed 20 aastat arvasin, et elu ongi nii — ja positiivselt mõtlejad pole lihtsalt veel piisavalt kogenud." "Funktsioon ei olnud see, et elu oleks ilus, vaid et järgmise päevani vastu pidada." "Ma armastan sind sellepärast, et sa oled olemas — mitte sellepärast, mida sa teed." "Guru on nagu lennuk, mis lendab su kohal ja ootab, et sul oleks piisavalt vaba ruumi, et maanduda." "Mõtted viitavad kogemusele, aga nad ei ole kogemus ise." "Maailm on loodud inimesele — ja see on müüt, milles me kõik elame." "Kui sa oled oma mõttes, oled sa alati ühe mõtte kaugusel reaalsusest." "Mul on alati valida — kas olla solvunud või jätkata tingimuseta armastuse andmist." "Valu on olnud minu parim nõelravi." "Austraalia õpetas mulle, et elu ei pea olema raske." "Vastutuse võtmine enda eest on see, mis tegelikult elu muudab — mitte aeg." "Ma ei tea, kus ma oleksin, kui ma poleks endaga tegelenud. Kas mind oleks üldse." "Nothing excites me — ja see ei ole probleem, see on shift." "Teises riigis hakkad aru saama, mis sinu enda kultuuris on lihtsalt harjumus, mitte tõde." "Iga tehnika teeb oma töö ära — ära jää sellesse kinni." "Ellujäämine ei ole saavutus — see on lähtepunkt." "Inimkontakt on põhiline — see on natuke ära kadunud, aga selle jaoks me siin oleme." ---
Why Isn't Everyone Using Their Pleasure Consciously? with Jeremy Lipkowitz What if the thing quietly hijacking your focus, your relationships, and your capacity for joy isn't a character flaw, but a billion-dollar industry deliberately engineering your addiction? In this episode, Emily Fletcher sits down with Jeremy Lipkowitz, Duke-trained researcher, former Buddhist monk, and founder of Unhooked Academy, where he helps men break free from porn addiction and reclaim their inner freedom. Jeremy's story begins at age six and escalates through the rise of high-speed internet until, by college, the habit had become a one-to-two-hour nightly ritual - despite him being a high-achieving student with what looked, from the outside, like a genuinely good life. That gap between the outer and the inner is exactly what this conversation explores. They trace the neurological pathway from innocent curiosity to compulsive behavior, unpack the precise distinction between lust and desire, and name the Viktor Frankl principle at the heart of all addiction recovery. Emily offers the Ziva lens: why you cannot manifest from a nervous system still running on craving and lack, and how meditation is the prerequisite for desire that is truly intuitive rather than compulsive. In this episode, they explore: – The three A's of porn addiction: affordability, accessibility, and anonymity – How repeated porn use hardwires dissatisfaction and chronic lack into the brain – Lust vs. desire — and why you need a spiritual practice to tell them apart – "Pleasure is inevitable. Happiness is optional." What that reframe changes – The Viktor Frankl principle: between stimulus and response is where freedom lives – Why porn addiction is a microcosm of every modern addiction – The two-step exercise Jeremy uses with clients: default future vs. dream future – How the porn industry became bigger than all U.S. professional sports combined Key Moments: 02:08 — Introducing Jeremy Lipkowitz 09:00 — High-speed internet and the moment a habit became an addiction 12:20 — The walk that changed Jeremy's life 14:00 — Lust vs. desire: the distinction that changes everything 26:25 — Between stimulus and response lies your freedom 33:54 — Pleasure vs. happiness: the most important distinction Jeremy has ever learned 43:47 — Bliss is any feeling fully felt 57:00 — The two-step exercise for any addiction 01:00:00 — The billion-dollar industry engineering your addiction About Jeremy Lipkowitz Jeremy Lipkowitz is a Duke-trained researcher, former Buddhist monk, and founder of Unhooked Academy. After completing 20 Vipassana retreats and a monastic ordination in Myanmar, he built a platform to help men break free from compulsive behavior and reclaim their inner freedom. His work bridges neuroscience, Buddhist psychology, and practical recovery tools. Podcast: Unhooked Breaking Porn Addiction PodcastWebsite: unhookedacademy.com This episode is a perfect window into the work we've been building toward at Ziva. The craving, the longing, the thing pulling you toward what doesn't actually fill you — Jeremy calls it lust. We have a different name for it. And we have a practice for transmuting it into something that does. Something new is forming this summer. Get on the list to hear about it first.
A deeply relaxing Vipassana Meditation for stress relief. This episode is a 25-minute Vipassana body scan meditation — one of the most powerful and time-honoured practices for deep stress reduction, grounding, and present-moment awareness. Rooted in the ancient Vipassana tradition, this session guides you gently through the entire body — from the crown of the head, through the face, neck, shoulders, chest, belly, and all the way down to the soles of the feet. No fixing. No forcing. Just pure, open observation. In 25 minutes you'll experience: ✦ A full head-to-toe body scan using Vipassana awareness ✦ Release of physical tension held in the face, shoulders, and back ✦ A deep settling of the nervous system ✦ Spacious, whole-body awareness — calm, grounded, and present This practice is suitable for complete beginners and experienced meditators alike. All you need is 25 minutes and a quiet place to sit or lie down. As you'll discover: when there are no problems to solve and nowhere to be — there is only peace. And that peace is always available to you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Paul Sheppard is a mindset coach and therapist with more than two decades of experience helping people break free from the limitations of the ego. A specialist in transformational thinking, he is known for his groundbreaking work in reframing anxiety and guiding clients toward lasting, meaningful change. Contact, community, newsletter, substack.
Recorded on May 9, 2026, at Boundless Mind Temple in Brooklyn, NY This dharma offering by guest teacher Kaira Jewel Lingo addresses how grieving abides in the body and how taking refuge in ourselves offers healing and stability. Her offering includes a brief period of paired sharing, a guided meditation practice, a writing practice, a ceremony for holding grief together, and a dharma talk. The audio includes periods of unclear sound and silence. Time stamps are provided below. Kaira Jewel read the poem, “After I Fell in the Canyon of Grief,” by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. The poem can be found here, on the the poet's poetry blog: The poet's website: https://www.wordwoman.com/ Time stamps 5:20 – 9:30: Paired sharing about “something tender or unfinished in your heart” 11:15 – 13:20: “After I Fell in the Canyon of Grief” by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer 14:15 – 21:25: Guided meditation practice on finding places of support and grief in the body 21:25 – 25:00: Writing exercise, a sentence or phrase conveying a present grief 25:00 – 32:07: Holding the Grief Together ceremony, with choral harmonic humming and reading of phrases 32:07 – 54:32: Dharma Talk Kaira Jewel Lingo is a senior Dharma teacher in the Plum Village Zen lineage and a Vipassana teacher, and a member of the Plum Village North American Dharma Teachers Council of Elders. Her work continues the Engaged Buddhism developed by Thich Nhat Hanh, drawing inspiration from her parents' lives of service and her father's work with Martin Luther King, Jr. After living as an ordained nun for 15 years in Thich Nhat Hanh's monastic community, Kaira Jewel now teaches internationally in the Zen and Vipassana traditions, as well as in secular mindfulness contexts. Her teaching focuses on the intersection of racial, climate, and social justice, with particular care for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, as well as activists, artists, educators, families, and youth. Based in New York, she offers spiritual mentoring and is faculty in a Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy training, and one of the guiding teachers of One Earth Sangha. She is the author of We Were Made for These Times: Ten Lessons in Moving Through Change, Loss, and Disruption, and co-author of Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation. More information about her teachings and events can be found at www.kairajewel.com The BZC Podcast is offered free of charge and made possible by the donations we receive. If these teachings have benefited your life, please consider supporting the program with a donation (suggested $2-7/episode, or whatever feels right for you!). You can donate to Brooklyn Zen Center at brooklynzen.org under ‘Giving.' Thank you for your generosity!
Neste episódio, Iuri Piragibe apareceu para falar de uma bruxa que viu uma entidade nas costas dele, da Bucha Paulista, de sociedades discretas e do tipo de história que faz alguém olhar para a porta para ver se está trancada.Eu falei de retiro em silêncio absoluto, de virar luz, de cirurgia espiritual e dessas ideias sobre tempo que não resolvem nada, mas atrapalham bastante a falsa sensação de normalidade.O programa funciona assim. Ninguém vence debate. Ninguém traz cinco passos para prosperar. A gente conversa até aparecer alguma coisa útil no meio do exagero humano.Se isso lhe interessa, escute.Se não interessa, às vezes interessa também.
Kati Devaney is a neuroscientist and meditation teacher with over 25 years of practice. She earned her PhD in 2018 using fMRI to study attention and prediction updating in experienced Vipassana meditators and completed a postdoc at Harvard Medical School. She's now the Chief Scientific Officer at the Consciousness Foundation, co-founded the Berkeley Alembic and the SF Dharma Collective, advises Jhourney on the neuroscience of jhana, and has been quoted on the brain and meditation in The Atlantic, National Geographic, and TIME.In this episode we talk about weird stuff like cessation, jhanas, and non-duality. We also explore how the brain quietly constructs your sense of reality moment-to-moment, and how to (re)start a meditation practice. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themetagame.substack.com
In this episode, Josefina explores with you the distinctions between the masculine & feminine spiritual paths as a way for you to find which path feels more true to you. She's supporting you in focusing on reclaiming authenticity and aliveness rather than over-optimizing the body through traditional masculine-based practices, giving permission to your feminine light to shine bright through the feminine spiritual path, which is divinely designed differently for a female body and spirit.✧The Feminine vs. Masculine PathThe masculine path, often rooted in traditions like Vipassana, is a more rigid and strictly disciplined practice of stillness, non-reactivity, and observing reality to move beyond attachments and cravings.The feminine path, which is rooted more in both Tantric traditions and somatic-based practices. This path is directed towards "full contact" with reality, involving active participation and riding the edge of sensations rather than stepping back to observe them.Masculine practices focus on neutralizing energy and transcending desire, while the feminine path uses movement, breath-work, sound, and pleasure to activate energy and radiance.Many women feel exhausted because they try to follow masculine operating systems, schedules, and practices that may deplete their natural feminine vitality.✧Spiritual Polarity in RelationshipsJosefina addresses a common fear in relationships, that partners will grow apart if they follow different spiritual paths.Merging completely by adopting a partner's habits and abandoning personal interests is a "spiritual trap" that can lead to a flat, dull, and chargeless polarity in a romantic relationship.Relationship polarity requires two distinct energy fields; attraction is fueled by the meeting of different energies, such as masculine stillness and feminine fire.Intimacy is built through genuine curiosity about who the other person is becoming rather than achieving absolute sameness.✧Integration and PracticeMaintaining separate individual morning practices allows each partner to tend to their own inner life first, bringing more authenticity to the union.Vipassana can be integrated as a complementary tool for sharpening focus and mental faculties without replacing the movement-based feminine path.Shared language and discussing what is "alive" within each person create a deeper connection than simply matching practices.Abandoning one's path to mirror a partner is not true love and can lead to self-abandonment and an erosion of the connection.A woman rooted in her own feminine path is more present, magnetic, and alive within her relationship.The ultimate goal is for each partner to be fully on their own path while staying curious and supportive of the other's journey toward their highest potential.✧ Connect with Josefina:Follow on Instagram: @Josefinabashout Apply for your free Pleasure blueprint session with Josefina https://lp.josefinabashout.com/booking
A unique Dhamma talk describing the Buddha's interpretation of sixteen dreams of King Pasenadi and what it holds for the future, specifically starting 2500 years later, in the very time that we currently live.YouTube Channel LinkWebsite:www.satipatthana.caDonations and Memberships
6th May 2026In this Satsang, Sanjay delivered a spiritual teaching on the futility of searching for permanent happiness and immortality in the external world. Drawing on a story from Buddha's time about a warrior seeking a physical place where no one dies, he explained that true immortality and eternal bliss (Satchitananda) can only be found by turning inward and realizing the unchanging, formless Self. He highlighted how the mind constantly divides and creates "fake news" of discrimination, urging seekers to treat all worldly projections like an illusory movie and to abide instead in the unified silence of the heart. The session beautifully concluded with a guest speaker, Lakshmi from Nepal, who shared her transformative journey from practicing Vipassana to discovering profound inner silence through Ramana Maharshi's teachings via Conscious Circle, culminating in her writing a book and devoting her life to solitude. Sanjay celebrated her dedication, discussed the idea of an inclusive spiritual center, and announced upcoming Hindi Satsangs for the community. These are teachings and pointers from ongoing NDA(Non-duality awareness)/Advaitic Satsangs held at Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Arunachala Ramanaya !
Piyush Mishra brings his full self to this live Jashn-e-Rekhta session, sharp humour, raw memories, music, poetry, and the kind of honesty that refuses to sound rehearsed.In this conversation, he opens up about love, heartbreak, and why today's fast-moving Gen Z relationships often miss the patience and depth of old-school romance. He speaks about acting as imagination, not just technique, and shares hard-earned truths from his early Mumbai days, when survival, writing, theatre, and cinema were all part of the same struggle.The discussion moves from NSD and the myth of instant fame to the emotional cost of chasing art in a city like Mumbai. Piyush Mishra reflects on guilt, ego, Vipassana, alcoholism, truth, and the personal battles that shaped his voice as an artist. He also recalls Anurag Kashyap, Kay Kay Menon, and the creative integrity behind Black Friday.Alongside the conversation, the session carries powerful musical moments and memories connected to Ek Bagal Mein Chand Hoga, Aarambh Hai Prachand, and Husna. From Bhagat Singh and Faiz Ahmad Faiz to Partition pain and the loneliness of the artist, this episode is a rare mix of laughter, confession, music, and literary fire.Listen to Piyush Mishra at his most unfiltered, poetic, funny, wounded, and alive.
Joseph Goldstein explores gradual cultivation, highlighting that even if we are suddenly awakened, we still must have an ongoing practice to work with hindrances and ingrained habits.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 week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:The areas of life where clinging shows up most How clinging to sensory pleasures is so embedded in our cultureLightening up for enlightenment and not taking ourselves so seriously How a sense of humor can benefit our practice Unhelpful attachment to view and opinionThe unity of clarity and emptiness (self-existing wakefulness)The Buddhist meaning of unborn/unformed Uprooting of the view of self with the understanding that there is still more work to doHaving an ongoing, gradual cultivation of skillful means This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed and recorded at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, a non-profit organization founded by renowned meditation teachers Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg to integrate Buddhist study and practice.“Very often, people can have genuine realization and have a really deep understanding, and then get attached to that as if everything is done. So very often these folks can get engaged in skillful behavior, thinking it's all coming from their deep realization, it's really coming from all the work that still needs to be done.” –Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Teaching listeners to incline the mind towards peacefulness, Trudy Goodman offers practical ways to be calm and experience the blessings of tranquility. 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.In this episode, Trudy Goodman holds a talk on:Calm as a factor of enlightenment Having an intimate connection with our own experiencePractical ways to calm down Making our lives a living vigil of silence Being in the holding presence of anotherThe mothering nature of mindfulnessHow metta brings us self-compassion and calm Inclining the mind towards practice and peacefulnessWitnessing the blessings of tranquilityThis was recorded at Spirit Rock and 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“One person happily reported in our meeting, I asked, ‘What is happening in your practice? How are you doing?' This person said, ‘Nothing, nothing is happening. It took 30 days, but finally nothing is happening.' This is calm. It's really very neutral.” –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 powerful conversation, consciousness researcher and Portal to Ascension founder Neil Gaur joins Emilio Ortiz on Just Tap In Podcast to explore humanity's collective awakening and the release of long hidden truths. Drawing from ancient wisdom, meditation experiences, and scientific anomalies, Neil explains why society is entering a period of massive transformation where darkness must be exposed in order for healing to occur. Rather than fear, he believes this moment calls for awareness, responsibility, and conscious evolution.✦ Join Emilio's Private Community – The Deep Dive Membership | https://iamemilioortiz.com/the-deep-dive/The conversation dives into consciousness, past lives, human origins, ET phenomena, hidden civilizations, quantum reality, and the future of humanity. Neil shares insights from Vipassana meditation, discusses the idea of Earth as a school for consciousness, and explains why revealed truths could either divide humanity or bring it into greater unity. He also speaks about 2027 as a potential turning point in collective consciousness and asks one central question: how do we move forward with integrity as more truth comes to light?___________________PODCAST CHAPTERS00:00 – Neil Gaur Intro1:01 - What's Happening Globally Right Now? 3:11 - Has Humanity's True Story Been Inverted?3:53 - The Origin of Reality: From Singularity to Duality6:05 - The Missing Link in Evolution 7:17 - The 26,000-Year Cycle & Where We Are Now10:03 - Kali Yuga Explained: The Age of Delusion12:12 - The Shift into the Age of Energy & Sovereignty14:21 - The Wormhole Analogy: Humanity's Rapid Evolution16:30 - Earth as a “Galactic Mental Hospital”17:05 - Past Life Regression: Orion & Stargate Keeper Origins22:16 - Who Are the Founder Races?24:50 - The DNA Wars: Humans vs Reptilians25:46 - How Ancient Galactic Trauma Plays Out Today26:11 - Earth as the Final Frontier of Consciousness29:02 - Humanity as the DNA Library of the Galaxy29:48 - Are ETs Watching Us? 34:01 - The Biggest Secrets Still Being Hidden36:04 - Lost Civilizations Beneath the Sahara36:53 - The Amazon: A Forgotten Advanced Civilization37:33 - Peru's Ancient Beings & Elongated Skulls39:26 - Awakening Through DNA Memory & Remembrance42:11 - Vipassana & Accessing Past Lives44:16 - The Thinning Veil & Mass Awakening44:32 - Who Are the “Gods” We Speak To?47:05 - Higher-Dimensional Beings & Fractals of Source50:16 - Interdimensional ETs & The Nature of Reality51:46 - The New Age: Energy, Quantum Reality & Sovereignty57:35 - The Future: Telepathy, Levitation & Mastery59:57 - When Will Humanity Unlock These Abilities?1:02:12 - Fear, Division & The Illusion of Separation1:09:36 - The Final Trio Begins1:10:06 - Message to His Younger Self1:10:46 - The Question He Wishes People Asked1:11:29 - What Is Darkness, Really?___________________Guest: Neil Gaur, Portal to Ascension ✦ Website | https://portaltoascension.org/✦ Upcoming Events | https://portaltoascension.org/upcoming-events/✦ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/portaltoascension/Host: Emilio Ortiz✦ IG | https://www.instagram.com/iamemilioortiz/✦ Subscribe to Channel | https://www.youtube.com/EmilioOrtiz___________________© 2026 Emilio Ortiz. All rights reserved. Content from Just Tap In Podcast is protected under copyright law.Legal Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by guests on Just Tap In are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Emilio Ortiz or the Just Tap In Podcast. All content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.
"The primary asset of any high-performance organization is not its capital, but the quality of the decisions made by its leaders. And quality decisions require a clear mind." — Ray DalioSunaina Sinha is Global Head of Private Capital Advisory at Raymond James, with $1.7 trillion in assets under management.In an industry where "red-lining" toward burnout is a badge of honor, Sunaina has spent 15 years honing a different weapon: radical stillness. Through a dedicated meditation practice, the finance executive has transformed mental fitness into a measurable business ROI, proving that composure is the ultimate competitive advantage in volatile markets.Sunaina has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones as one of the most influential figures in private equity. She is also dual-degree graduate of Stanford and Harvard, a certified sommelier, and mother of three.In this episode:• The secret to high-stakes presence and productivity.• How to balance career with family.• The #1 way to start any important meeting.• Why the long game is the only game worth playing.Before we begin, the right bit of inspiration can completely change the trajectory of someone's life, so if there's a friend or loved one who needs to hear this episode or could use some help to Win the Day, share it with them right now.Let's WIN THE DAY with Sunaina Sinha!_
This episode explores Josefina's experience at a 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat, an intensive silent meditation practice rooted in the original teachings of Gautama Buddha.✧ Retreat Overview and PreparationWhat is Vipassana meditation? Josefina immersed herself in 10 days of “Noble Silence”, no talking, eye contact, or gestures, to fully turn inward and observe sensations, cravings, and aversions. Her retreat took place in Joshua Tree at 29 Palms, booked through Dhamma.org. She attended with her fiancé and learned that proactive communication (even when waitlisted) can help secure a spot. Once committed, she fully immersed herself, letting go of other practices like yoga, breathwork, journaling and reading to discover a deeper connection to her inner nature.✧ Her Experience and InsightsThe beginning wasn't all peaceful and blissful; it was irritating. Small things, like her assigned seat or interactions with others, triggered her. Instead of reacting, she used these moments as opportunities to observe her internal patterns of judgment and aversion. Managing the Process: Josefina emphasized the importance of staying light with diet and choosing self-care, such as prioritizing sleep, over strict, perfect adherence to the schedule.Reflecting on Relationship: The retreat experience allowed Josefina and her fiancé to deepen their connection through a shared, quiet awareness, leading to a profound reunion at the end of the retreat.She also embraced flexibility, prioritizing rest and self-care rather than rigidly following every aspect of the schedule. Listen to her personal story, insights, challenges, and revelations in this episode. ✧ BreakthroughsAs the days progressed, deeper patterns surfaced.She noticed a tendency to cling, especially to pleasant sensations and her fiancé's attention. When that attention wasn't present, it triggered deeper feelings of rejection. By day seven, this intensified into what she described as a “psychosomatic storm” of rage, linked not just to the present, but to unresolved childhood experiences. Instead of resisting, she stayed present with the physical sensations. Through observation, she reached a state of stillness and realized that the agitation itself, not external situations, was the root of her anger. .✧ 10-day Silent Vipassana retreat:Go to the website - https://www.dhamma.org/en-US✧ Connect with Josefina:Follow on Instagram: @Josefinabashout Apply for your free Pleasure blueprint session with Josefina https://lp.josefinabashout.com/booking
You can't breathe in the past or the future, and you can't switch off thinking on command. That's where Susan Piver brings a refreshing kind of relief to meditation practice, especially if you've ever judged yourself for having a busy mind. We talk about Shamatha Vipassana, the mindfulness awareness approach she teaches, and why the real skill is not perfect focus but the simple act of noticing and returning.We also get practical about what mindfulness is and what it is not. Mindfulness is the trainable part: placing attention where you choose and coming back when it wanders. Awareness is the wider field that opens over time, often on its own. Susan shares why insight lives in awareness, why deeper practice can make us feel more (sometimes unexpectedly), and why teachers should expect inner states to shift in ways that do not follow a tidy script.Along the way, we touch on what science can measure like stress and cortisol, insomnia support, and reduced depression relapse when paired with other care, while also honoring the contemplative side that doesn't fit neatly in a chart. If you teach mindfulness, support clients, or simply want a kinder relationship with your own mind, this conversation gives you a clear frame you can use immediately. Subscribe, share this with a friend who thinks they're “bad at meditating,” and leave a review. What belief about meditation do you want to unlearn next?Teach mindfulness without self-doubt, fear of judgment, or imposter syndrome. Learn about our Internationally Accredited Certification Program: https://certify.mindfulnessexercises.com/Mindfulness Exercises with Sean Fargo is a practical, grounded mindfulness podcast for people who want meditation to actually help in real life.Hosted by Sean Fargo — a former Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, and founder of MindfulnessExercises.com — this podcast explores how mindfulness can support mental health, emotional regulation, trauma sensitivity, chronic pain, leadership, creativity, and meaningful work.Each episode offers a mix of:Practical mindfulness and meditation teachingsConversations with respected meditation teachers, clinicians, authors, and researchersReal-world insights for therapists, coaches, yoga teachers, educators, and caregiversGentle reflections for anyone navigating stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, or changeIf you're interested in:Mindfulness meditation for everyday lifeTrauma-sensitive and compassion-based practicesTeaching mindfulness in an authentic, non-performative wayDeepening your own practice while supporting others…you're in the right place.Learn more at ...
Resting in the field of love that ‘just is', Gil Fronsdal explores how to live for the benefit of both self and others.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 explores:Resting in the field of love without expectations Love that does not require anything of othersAppreciating the simplicity of love through the simplicity of awareness What the Buddha said about becoming a wise personLiving for the benefit of both self and othersThe selfless nature of parenting Understanding the circle of ‘we' and the dynamics of family, society, and being a part of a wholeTaking time to be with reality rather than immediately responding and reacting This episode was originally recorded at a family retreat and 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. “Love that just is, it's not something that requires something of others. It doesn't require them to be any particular way, to perform, to reciprocate, love is just there.” –Gil FronsdalSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode #529: Daniel Dodd is one of the two center teachers at Dhamma Patapa, a Vipassana meditation center in Georgia in the tradition of S.N. Goenka. Alongside his work as a meditation practitioner and teacher, he has built a career in community organizing, nonprofit leadership, and federal service focused on low-income communities. But it has not been an easy journey. Dodd was born in Brazil to a Colombian mother and an American father. The family later moved to the United States, and much of his childhood unfolded in rural Maine after his parents separated. His mother raised three children on a homestead without plumbing, where daily life required endurance and adaptability. His adolescence and early adulthood were marked by confusion and drift: He struggled in school, barely graduating, and began drinking and smoking marijuana, uncertain about his future, an angry and agitated young man. A period teaching English in Bogotá during Colombia's violent drug-war years broadened his outlook but did not resolve deeper internal struggles. After a painful breakup left him feeling unmoored, he took a ten-day Vipassana retreat. The experience proved transformative, and meditation gradually became the organizing center of his life. Rather than turning away from society, the practice deepened his awareness of suffering's personal and social dimensions. That perspective guided his later work organizing low-income communities and eventually serving at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. For Dodd, meditation does not remove concern about injustice; it changes how that concern is carried. As he reflects near the end of the conversation, “We're all kind of trying to figure these things out and become better people as we're sitting and living our lives.”
Phil Borges is a photographer and flimmaker dedicated to documenting the lives of indigenous cultures, and their shamans in particular. His work is exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide and his award winning books, which have been published in four languages, include Tibetan Portrait, Enduring Spirit, Women Empowered and Tibet: Culture on the Edge. He has hosted television documentaries on indigenous cultures for Discovery and National Geographic channels. Phil also lectures and teaches internationally. During his work, he noticed similarities between shamans and the people we label as mentally ill - specifically schizophrenic or bipolar. His documentary Crazywise dives into this subject and focuses on two individuals in America who suffer from psychotic episodes and how they tried to deal with their mental difficulties. CRAZYWISE explores the relevance of Shamanic traditional practices and beliefs to those of us living in the modern world. CRAZYWISE centers around a young man struggling with his sanity, world renowned mental health professionals, and a gutsy survivor-led movement...all challenging a mental health system in crisis. In this interview, we talk about growing up in the Haight-Ashbury, becoming an orthodontist, interviewing hippies on the street, becoming a photographer/interviewer, becoming a professional photographer, documenting tribal cultures, Tibet, watching the Dahlai Lama's kuten go into trance and channel an oracle, an interview with the kuten discussing how he got the job, things shamans have in common, schizophrenia, ego disolution, psychadelic experiences and the neuroscience behind them, what happens when our identity anchors are taken away, near-death experiences, our view of reality, making the film CRAZYWISE, Vipassana, pharmaceuticals, trauma, ayahuasca, psilocybin, how to talk to people having a psychotic episode or paranoid hallucinations, the stigma associated with psychotic diagnoses, advice for people with schizophrenic freinds, the importance of maintaining the relationship, and more. links are on the podcast shownotes page support the show through patreon
Can we separate politics from democracy? Our political system is wholly corrupt and no longer fit for purpose - if it ever was. What if Citizens' Assemblies could bring agency to the whole of our population, helping people to find empathy with each other, to engage in conversations in good faith and work together to solve the wicked problems of the polycrisis: social inequity, climate chaos, the death cult of predatory capitalism. These are so interlinked, we won't fix one unless we fix them all. So how do we do it? This week, I'm talking to someone who spends her life reflecting on, teaching and researching this. Isabella Roberts started off in the Big Four, Private Equity and Investment Banking, then switched from the private markets into politics at the start of 2021 as a candidate for the London Assembly elections. Against the backdrop of the UK's first year out of the EU and in the depths of the COVID pandemic, she was inspired to take a stand and be the change she wanted to see in the governance of the UK's capital. She then took on a Masters in Digital Politics and Sustainable Development. Her thesis in 2023 focused on How Collective Intelligence Can Enhance Democracy, which resulted in the initiation of SAAFE which stands for: Space for Silent Contemplation and Reflection, Active Listening and Feeling Heard, Ability to Change One's Mind, Feeling Connected as Part of the Whole, Epistemic Growth and Epistemic Humility - and which uses human-centred design principles for empowering participants in tech-enabled deliberation. This is an inquiry into what it means to be human in a digital age, in line with systems change towards a more deliberative democracy, and it has manifested in a multi-stakeholder project supported by the Web Science Institute at the University of Southampton, bringing together democratic practitioners and the developers of deliberative technologies. Meanwhile, Bella is the independent evaluator of two deliberative processes: the Birmingham Museums Trust Citizens' Jury, and currently the National Gallery's Citizens' Assembly (NG Citizens). She also completed her first Vipassana course of 10-day silent meditation and is studying for a PhD with the title: Revolutionising deliberative democracy with immersive technology - a comparison between East and West. Bella has explored the depth and breadth of what works, so that together, we can create a democracy that empowers ordinary people to help fix their communities and the wider world. Like previous podcast guests, Matt Golding of Antidote and Dylan McGarry of Empatheatre, Bella understands the sense of meaning and purpose and involvement that is so transformative - which was why this conversation was so rich and so deep. Enjoy!LinksBella on LinkedInAntipartyDelibtechBreathe With Bella SubstackBella on YouTube Bella on Spotify@Antiparty on YouTubeANTIPARTY on SpotifyPOLISBooksAgainst ElectionsPolitics without Politicians by Helen Landemore Bella's Masters Dissertation - How Can Collective Intelligence Enhance Democracy? An Investigation Towards Human Centred Design Principles For Empowering People Engaging With Deliberative Technologies?—About Accidental Gods—We offer three strands all rooted in the same soil, drawing from the same river: Accidental Gods, Dreaming Awake and the Thrutopia Writing Masterclass Our next Open Gathering offered as part of our Accidental Gods Programme is 'FALLING IN LOVE WITH LIFE' which will run on Sunday 17th May 2026 from 16:00 - 20:00 GMT - details are here. You don't have to be a member of Accidental Gods - but if you are, all Gatherings are half price.If you'd like to join us at Accidental Gods, this is the membership where we endeavour to help you to connect fully with the living web of life. If you'd like to train more deeply in the contemporary shamanic work at Dreaming Awake, you'll find us here. If you'd like to explore the recordings from our last Thrutopia Writing Masterclass, the details are hereManda and Louise both offer one-to-one Mentoring Calls. Manda is fully booked just now, but if you'd like to contact Louise, details are here.
Episode #524: Max Ante's story begins not with a gradual curiosity, but with a sudden rupture. At twenty, after a series of chance encounters, he found himself on a ten-day Vipassana retreat in the Goenka tradition—an experience that would reorder his life almost overnight. The stillness he encountered at the end of that course carried an authority that eclipsed everything that came before. Ambitions, identity, relationships—all of it fell away in the face of something that felt more real, more urgent, more true. What followed was not casual interest, but total commitment. Max structured his life entirely around the practice, meditating daily, sitting increasingly long retreats, and traveling internationally to deepen his experience. Liberation from suffering became his central aim, grounded in what he believed was direct insight into the nature of reality. The framework was complete, self-reinforcing, and supported by a community that validated both his experiences and his interpretations of them. Over time, this commitment extended into every aspect of his life. Relationships, work, and personal decisions were filtered through the logic of the practice. Challenges—whether emotional, psychological, or relational—were met with more meditation, under the assumption that the technique itself was sufficient. But instead of resolving these tensions, many quietly accumulated beneath the surface. Years later, cracks began to appear. Personal loss, unresolved strain, and contradictions within the tradition itself forced Max to reexamine what he had taken as unquestionable. He began to see how the system had shaped not only his experiences, but his interpretation of them—closing off alternative ways of understanding his own life. Looking back, Max holds a complex view. The practice gave him discipline, clarity, and access to profound inner states. But it also narrowed his world, guiding decisions in ways that, in retrospect, limited his autonomy. In his current view, the issue is not the practice itself, but the degree of authority he had given it. He emphasizes that systems become self-reinforcing when they define both the experience and the “correct” interpretation of that experience, leaving little room for critical thinking.
Vipassana, also known as insight meditation, is training in bringing a clear mindful attention to our moment to moment experience. We begin by relaxing through the body and then resting attention with the breath - or some other sensory anchor - and allowing the mind to settle. Then we open to whatever is predominant or calling our attention - sensations, emotions, sounds - meeting each arising experience with a clear, kind attention. The gift of this process is discovering balance in the midst of the changing flow, and gaining deep insight into the nature of reality. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music
The third talk in a weeklong meditation retreat, with Heidi Schuttenberg. Our unwelcome visitors are guides to our freedom. This talk explores the Buddha's five hindrances and offers practical tools for meeting them with compassion, curiosity, and even gratitude. With 25 years of Vipassana practice and a day job in international marine conservation, Heidi Schuttenberg, PhD brings both deep personal inquiry and real-world urgency to her teaching. She mentors in Jonathan Foust's Year of Living Mindfully and is dedicated to making applied mindfulness available to those on the front lines environmental conservation and social change. Learn more at / heidi-schuttenberg-1114a658 . Dana: Venmo @Heidi-Schuttenberg
The best meditation hall has no walls. This talk explores how nature cultivates focus, non-judgment, and belonging, and how mindfulness can help us stay engaged with the world's pain without burning out. Bio: With 25 years of Vipassana practice and a day job in international marine conservation, Heidi Schuttenberg, PhD brings both deep personal inquiry and real-world urgency to her teaching. She mentors in Jonathan Foust's Year of Living Mindfully and is dedicated to making applied mindfulness available to those on the front lines environmental conservation and social change. Learn more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-schuttenberg-1114a658/.
The Psychedelic Entrepreneur - Medicine for These Times with Beth Weinstein
In this episode, Beth shares why she's finally saying yes to an Iboga journey…after contemplating and building a relationship with this medicine for 14 years. You'll hear the story of how seeds were planted back in 2012, why she kept putting it off for years, what finally shifted, and what she's learning and receiving from Iboga before the retreat even begins. This is about truth, fear, prayer, timing, deep integration and the difference between chasing quick and easy healing vs. building a relationship with a medicine as an ally. If you've been contemplating Iboga or another plant medicine, this may be helpful for you to hear about her process to discernment and decision making. What you'll hear inside The first time Beth heard about Iboga and the phrase she never forgot: “First ceremony cleanses your karma… second tells you what to do with your life.” The long on-and-off relationship with the calling to this medicine and why she didn't do Iboga for so many years The piece most people underestimate: ample space and time for integration, especially with Iboga. Taking an “energetic sabbatical”--what it actually has been, what it wasn't, and why it matters Midlife portal and the deeper question underneath: “What do I really want?” The hard moment when a death at an Iboga center changed everything A trusted friend's iboga experience and a mysterious “one thing” she hasn't been able to move despite doing “all the things” to change it. “Hanuman made me do it!” (?!) Various “lightning bolt” moments and timeline-jumps. Microdosing Iboga, how it happened and what it was like A plant connection practice Beth recommends if you feel called to any medicine and what happened the very first time she did it with Iboga The FEAR of iboga… why has she rarely felt this level of fear before a medicine journey? The purge-before-the-purge: shedding the skin of the snake and endings for the highest good. Yet another call-out of the “Amazon Prime effect” of “quick healing” culture… and why intention, prayer, reverence, and relationship matter more than trying to “get something” from a plant Recurring ocean dreams Beth's deepest intention… not “fix me,” but: “Whatever is in the highest and best for me to be of service on this planet at this time.” Themes Prayer and right relationship with Iboga and other sacred plant medicines Timing, readiness, and discernment Integration as an actual lifestyle (not just an integration circle) When fear is a doorway in The way spirit weaves in your life LONG before the ceremony Truth vs. bypassing Mentions + Modalities referenced Ayahuasca, psilocybin mushrooms, Bufo, and “trickster” medicines Master plant dietas and retreat integration Vipassana / extended meditation retreats Transformational NLP and Family Constellation work (and why it can feel like “there's no other way to get there”) Devotion, chanting, singing…and her journey of lightening bolt moments with the Hanuman Chalisa and dreams of Hanuman Dream guidance from plant spirits A note on Iboga safety + discernment Iboga is not to be taken lightly. Making this decision was not a casual path. Beth speaks to the importance of being held by skilled facilitators, proper screening, and not rushing toward a “quick fix.” If you're feeling called, let your prayer deepen, let guidance ripen, and choose safety and integrity over urgency. New 1-1 Container Now Open! Sunarai: The Journey Home to Your Quintessence, Clarity & Abundance is a 12-Week 1:1 Private Alchemical Journey with Subconscious Reprogramming Transformational NLP Sessions; Plant Medicine Guidance + Support; Gene Keys + Energetic Activation; Embodied Soul Alignment, and deep purification work Links Free Gifts: https://bethaweinstein.com/grow-your-spiritual-business/ Sunarai: The Journey Home to Your Quintessence, Clarity & Abundance: https://go.bethaweinstein.com/sunarai/ Upcoming plant dieta (with astrology + special guests): sign up for the waitlist here https://go.bethaweinstein.com/rose-dieta/ If this episode speaks to you… Send it to someone who's been circling a big decision or someone who's trying to stop outsourcing their truth to “the next thing.” And if you're not on Beth's email list yet, that's the place to stay connected when social platforms do what they do. Download Beth's free trainings here: Clarity to Clients: Start & Grow a Transformational Coaching, Healing, Spiritual, or Psychedelic Business: https://bethaweinstein.com/grow-your-spiritual-businessIntegrating Psychedelics & Sacred Medicines Into Business: https://bethaweinstein.com/psychedelics-in-business▶ Beth's Coaching & Guidance: https://bethaweinstein.com/coaching ▶ Beth's Offerings & Courses: https://bethaweinstein.com/services▶ Instagram: @bethaweinstein ▶ FB: / bethw.nyc + bethweinsteinbiz
Going Pro Yoga (Formerly the Yoga Teacher Evolution Podcast)
One bad morning. A package, a canceled massage, and a spiral — here's what it taught.This short solo episode is a real, unfiltered snapshot of a difficult morning — a disappointing delivery, a canceled plan, and the subtle but familiar feeling of a day already going sideways before it even starts. Rather than glossing over it, the episode sits with it honestly: why do small frustrations hit so hard? Why does negativity stick when positivity slips away? Drawing on a lesson from Vipassana meditation — that humans are the creators of their own suffering — the episode explores how our expectations and desires quietly run the show. It's a gentle but honest reminder that not every day needs to feel like your best, that emotions move in waves, and that coming back to love, breath, and the present moment is always available — even on the hard ones. Short, human, and quietly powerful.Episode Chapters:00:00:29 Introduction00:01:09 The Morning It All Went Wrong00:03:44 We Are the Creators of Our Own Suffering00:04:36 Expectations, Desires, and Where Pain Comes From00:05:33 Not Every Day Needs to Be Your Best00:06:36 How to Keep Moving Forward Anyway00:07:51 Being Witnessed — And Why It Helps00:08:15 Coming Back to Breath, Body, and Earth----------Mentions & Resources:Michael Henri's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelyoga.pt/ The IN Movement Instagram: https://www.instagram/com/the_in_movement/Practices referenced:Vipassana meditation (10-day silent retreat — completed by Christina a few months prior)Breathwork and grounding as a reset toolConcepts explored:Buddhist principle: humans as creators of their own sufferingThe role of desire and expectation in emotional sufferingThe power of being witnessed as a grounding tool----------Tags: solo episode, personal story, grounding, root chakra, home, self-awareness, suffering, Vipassana, meditation, expectations, disappointment, mindfulness, emotional regulation, nervous system, yoga philosophy, presence, breath, inner work, mental wellness, real talk, motivation, acceptance, daily practice
Jessica Gibbons offers a talk and meditation on the topic: What Blocks the Path is the Path 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
Episode DescriptionIn this From the Archive conversation, James talks with Yuval Noah Harari about the idea underneath Sapiens and Homo Deus: humans did not come to dominate the planet because they were the strongest animals, but because they learned to cooperate at scale through shared stories—religion, money, nations, and eventually data. The discussion moves from early human history to agriculture, war, terrorism, AI, and bioengineering, but the throughline stays the same: civilization runs on belief systems, and those belief systems shape what humans build next.What makes the episode useful is that Harari is not just offering sweeping history. He keeps tying big ideas back to practical questions: why modern war has changed, why terrorism works by hijacking imagination, how technology may widen inequality, and why meditation might be one of the few ways to separate reality from the stories people live inside.What You'll LearnWhy Harari argues that the real human superpower is the ability to believe in shared fictions—and how that enabled large-scale cooperation.Why the agricultural revolution may have strengthened humanity collectively while making everyday life harder for individuals.Why modern war has declined in some forms as economies shift from material assets to knowledge-based wealth. Source transcript:How terrorism operates by capturing attention and imagination more than by raw military strength.Why Harari thinks the next major divide may be biological inequality, where the rich can upgrade themselves in ways the poor cannot. Timestamped Chapters[02:00] Why Homo sapiens conquered the planet[02:18] The human superpower: fiction[02:39] Introducing Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens, and Homo Deus[04:25] Other human species and why sapiens were not obviously superior[06:00] What changed 70,000 years ago[07:20] From tribes to mass cooperation[08:39] Trade, trust, and imagined kinship[10:24] Money as the most successful shared story[11:35] How sapiens may have overtaken other human species[13:29] What changed in the human brain[15:29] The history of humanity as the history of stories[16:08] Why successful stories stay simple[17:29] Expansion, Australia, and the destruction of large animals[19:46] Violence and unification in human history[21:42] Why the agricultural revolution made life worse for many individuals[23:30] Hunter-gatherer intelligence versus modern specialization[24:53] Why modern war is changing[27:18] Terrorism as psychological warfare[29:07] Human enhancement, dataism, and the future of intelligence[33:18] Humanism versus data as the next source of authority[35:36] The danger of biological inequality[37:04] Longevity, wealth, and who gets to live longer[41:15] Engineering happiness and the danger of inner imbalance[43:48] Automation, uselessness, and the future job market[46:24] How Harari's ideas changed his own life[47:17] Vipassana meditation and separating reality from story[49:15] A practical test: can it suffer?Additional ResourcesSapiens: A Brief History of Humankind — https://www.ynharari.com/book/sapiensHomo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow — https://www.ynharari.com/book/homo-deus/Yuval Noah Harari official site — https://www.ynharari.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Continuing his exploration of selflessness, Joseph Goldstein helps listeners live in the balance of both relative and ultimate truth.This episode is a continuation of a talk that started in episode 259, "Selflessness, Dukkha, and Freedom."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 discusses:The impersonal nature of experiencing peaceSeeing with consciousness rather than with the subjective mindReframing the language of experience with a passive voiceBeing fully present in the moment without identificationUnderstanding death and dying as the natural flow of impermanenceHaving an easeful mind even when the body is afflictedUnderstanding both relative and ultimate truthThe wonderful and joyful practice of generosity This episode was recorded at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and originally published on Dharmaseed“We work to understand the dynamics of our conventional reality and all the challenges of it, even as we understand the essential selfless nature of it all. This is really the heart of a mature spiritual practice, the union of these two, not the separation." –Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
My friend Zen.Sei Álvaro Fernández shares his path from losing his father to discovering somatic and spiritual practices—Buddhism, Vipassana, darkness retreats, the Fourth Way, Temazcal, and Jiu-Jitsu—and how those experiences led him to Sacred Sons and men's leadership work. The episode explores rites of passage, vulnerability in men's circles, the healing power of physical practice and community, and practical tools for resilience, presence, and service in daily life. We had a great conversation and I am sop grateful for life that keeps growing our family of folk that are participating in changing the world. May this podcast be of great service to all that listen. Gracias Alvaro!
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