Secular Buddhism

Why are we so harsh on ourselves? Have you ever noticed how we tend to be nicer, the further out we go from our inner circle? We're not as mean to a stranger as we are to a family member. But we’re ruthless to ourselves! In this episode, I will explore the idea of self-pity, self-criticism, and self-compassion. I will share 3 steps you can take to help you to be kinder to the person who needs it most...YOU! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suffering arises naturally when we crave for life to be other than it is. Knowing this, we can look deeply at our own suffering or the suffering of others and we can work to alleviate the causes and conditions of the suffering. When we experience an instance of suffering, we tend to narrow our view to that specific instance to the point where we are no longer aware of all the instances of non-suffering that are simultaneously present. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The key difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is an emotion we experience, while joy is an attitude we can develop. In this podcast episode, I will discuss the 8 pillars of joy and how these pillars can lead to a more joyful attitude that not only benefits ourselves but others as well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I discuss the art of giving and receiving. Life is, “as much about graciously receiving as it is about giving”. The Buddha taught that generosity should be measured by the level of attachment one has to what is being given and to the self that is giving it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heaven and Hell are real, they are the contents of everyday life. They are states we experience in the here and now and WE are the gatekeepers. In this episode, I will discuss the Zen koan called: the gate of paradise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a 15-minute GUIDED meditation track for practicing Threefold Mindfulness Meditation. Episode 32 "How To Meditate (Threefold Mindfulness Meditation)" explains how to use this file and how to practice Threefold Mindfulness Meditation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a 15-minute meditation track for practicing Threefold Mindfulness Meditation. Episode 32 "How To Meditate (Threefold Mindfulness Meditation)" explains how to use this file and how to practice Threefold Mindfulness Meditation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast episode, you will learn how to practice Threefold Mindfulness Meditation (Calm, Observe, and Analyze). This meditation technique is aimed at training the mind to overcome our habitual reactivity. The goal of this meditation technique is to learn to create a space between what happens (stimulus), and how we react to what happens (response). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do we fear uncertainty? In this episode, I will discuss how we are hardwired to fear the unknown and how that fear affects our quality of life in the present moment. The problem isn't that there is uncertainty in life, the problem is that we're not OK with the fact that there is uncertainty in life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Society tends to want to put labels on people, are you a this or a that? Are you one of us or one of them? These labels can be useful to describe how we are but not who we are. I've felt pressure recently to define what I am or what I'm not. This has made me think about why I do what I do. Why do I practice and teach Buddhism? Ultimately, it's because I'm trying to be a better version of me. I hope you enjoy this update and explanation. I will do my best to keep up with regular podcast episodes from here on out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when we die? This is a common question I hear when I'm teaching workshops or seminars. The short answer is "change". Change is what happens when we die. In this episode, I will discuss the Buddhist perspective of death and the thoughts behind it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever felt stuck between a rock and a hard place? It's difficult to be aware while we're experiencing difficulties and yet that is the very moment that awareness can change everything for us. In this short episode, I will share the zen story of the strawberry and explain how I view this story to be a powerful lesson about awareness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to practice non-attachment? Rather than thinking of non-attachment as not attaching to things, think of it as not allowing things to own you. What things own you? Those are the things you're attached to. In this episode, I will discuss the concept of non-attachment and I will attempt to make this idea more accessible and easy to understand. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gratitude is the key to happiness but gratitude requires practice. In this episode, I will discuss how we can develop a practice of gratitude. “The root of joy is gratefulness...It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” ― David Steindl-Rast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most common questions I hear when I'm teaching is "Is Buddhism a Religion?" People are typically expecting a simple "yes" or "no" but I've found that the answer is a bit more complex than that. In this episode, I will share my view of why I see Buddhism as an applied psychology or a philosophical way of life more than a religion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life is a journey and the journey is the goal. What would life be like if we did things for the sake of doing them? In this episode, I will explore the idea of learning to enjoy the journey instead of always focusing on destinations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We want to win and we don't want to lose. The problem is that there is no winning without losing. There is no good without bad, no right without wrong. This is the basic understanding of non-duality. We are free to be what we are free to be but that also means we are not free to be what we are not free to be. In this episode, I will discuss the illusion of free will and how the greatest sense of freedom you will ever discover is the freedom to become what you already are. You! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In life, difficulties arise. This is a universal aspect of the human experience. Knowing this, how do we deal with difficult emotions? We don't like feeling angry, sad, or afraid, but these are normal and natural emotions just like happiness or joy. Emotions, like everything else, are impermanent and interdependent. In this episode, I will discuss the topic of dealing with difficult emotions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are continually making comparisons, this vs that, good vs bad, here vs there, etc...In this episode, I will discuss the topic of perfection and the problems we run into when we compare things. The understanding of non-duality permeates through all Buddhist teachings. In order to properly understand perfection, we must not compare to anything else. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do we make sense of the atrocities that are committed every day in the world? Is there a source of evil behind such things? In this episode, I will discuss the Buddhist understanding of non-dichotomy in relationship to good and evil. How does our understanding of interdependence influence our way of understanding the horrible things we see happening in the world? Let me know what you think in the comments below. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.