Buddhist Wisdom, Modern Life

In today’s episode I’ll be speaking with Nina Simons, Co-founder and Chief Relationship Officer at Bioneers, who leads its Everywoman’s Leadership program. Throughout her career, Nina has worked with nearly a thousand …

This is a meditation I led for the Power of Community program hosted by the Houston Jung Center’s Mind Body Spirit Institute. It was recorded live, so you might hear background noises.

If you’d like to join the Power of …

In today’s episode I’ll be speaking with Cynthia Kane, the Founder and CEO of the Kane Intentional Communication Institute, which provides services to help individuals and companies improve their communication skills …

Welcome, friends, in today’s episode I’ll speak a bit about meditating to benefit those who have died, and then I’ll guide a short practice using the mantra of Amitabha Buddha: OM AMI DEVA HRI.

(See below for a short …

Welcome, friends, in today’s episode I’ll be speaking with author, Zen monk, and founder of the Ithaca Zen Center Yoshin David Radin. Sylvia Boorstein (co-founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center) described his new …

New year, new you? Come get support and connect with fellow seekers at these live online events!

Impermanence and buddha nature with my lamas (and sometimes me) at Dawn Mountain's virtual temple: …

We've probably all wished we had more time for spiritual practice, and you might have made a resolution to meditate (or journal, pray, etc.) more …

This meditation uses the imagery of descending into a sacred pool inside a sacred cave to offer an opportunity for renewal: letting the ego self …

Inspired by Deborah Eden Tull's beautiful book Luminous Darkness, here are some reflections on the beauty of this darkest day of the year (in the …

My friend Dent Gitchell, PhD, an educator, author, and meditation teacher in Arkansas, joins me today to bring a different perspective on reincarnation cases. After a childhood of being open to the unseen aspects of …

I first met my guest today, Jake Loveland, when we recorded an interview for his podcast, Tenaciously Human, about the connections between Buddhism and success in life. (You can find that episode here: …

Hi, friends, I’m excited to introduce you to Dr. Dent Gitchell, an educator, author, and meditation teacher – a guy with a lot of credentials and a lot of expertise. But what I recently learned about him is that he’s …

If you've heard of the three types of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana), you might wonder: What are the origins of Vajrayana Buddhism? How is it similar to and different from Mahayana and Theravada? What are …

We’ve all heard of “enlightenment” in the context of spiritual practices like Buddhism. But in this episode, my colleague Deborah Eden Tull walks us …

Y'all, get ready to meet a good friend and dharma sister of mine, Pam Stockton, as we discuss psychedelics and how they can be helpful on the …

Y'all, I'm so happy to share a conversation I had with Emily Anchia, the Digital Manager at my home sangha, Dawn Mountain. Her degree is in personal finance, so we talked money stuff, and she comes at the topic from a …

Hello, friends, and welcome to this interview with Moriah Williams, who's going to share with us some of their wisdom about the world we can see and how it connects to the unseen. If you've ever felt like there's more …

A bodhisattva is one who has vowed to train to become fully awakened (enlightened) in order to benefit all beings. This spiritual aspiration has …

Hello, friends. If you're interested in the basics of Buddhism and want a fun introduction to the history, beliefs, and practices of the various Buddhist lineages, I have a great new learning platform to share with you: …

If you’ve ever wondered how to “get serious” about practicing Tibetan Buddhism, you might be relieved to know that you don’t have to become a monk or nun, and you don’t have to spend the rest of your life in a cave.

In …

A bodhisattva is one who has vowed to train to become fully awakened (enlightened) in order to benefit all beings. This spiritual aspiration has …

The previous episode was a live talk I offered on Insight Timer with some ideas for doing meditation practice for those who have died. Here's the guided meditation from the end of that talk so you can come back to it …

If you've lost a friend or loved one recently -- or just want to offer some practice to help folks you hear about on the news who've recently passed …

If you know someone who’s recently died (or want to help the people we all hear about on the news every day who die of COVID, in wars, or in gun …

This is an audio version of a bow of respect to everyone who's listening to this show. Today I want to appreciate you, especially folks in countries …

If you've ever wondered what the most important teaching in Buddhism is, now you know! If you understand impermanence -- that things are constantly changing -- then the rest of Buddha's teachings make sense.  

There are …

I was listening to a Radiolab episode recently (link & description below) that was all about nihilism and why it seems to be having a moment …

Happy May the 4th, fellow Star Wars nerds! 🤓  

If, like me, you've ever wondered, "Is the Force real?" then this video is for you! I'll share a few thoughts on ideas from Buddhism and Asian martial arts about the life …

Every Easter, I think about the similarities between the Tibetan teachings about the transition from one life to the next -- that we die, experience an in-between state called the bardo of becoming, and then take shape …

The Buddha taught that awakening is our ticket out of an endless round of deaths and rebirths. But these days, many folks don't believe in rebirth …

There's no "self" in Buddhism, so what gets reborn? Do we keep connecting with loved ones lifetime after lifetime? And most important: what can we do now to optimize our chances of a good rebirth?

For more on karma, …

Dukkha (unease or unsatisfactoriness) is the main problem the Buddhist tradition helps us solve. In this meditation, you'll be guided to notice …

If you’ve ever wondered what karma is or how to get rid of bad karma, you’re not alone. We all have felt the effects of bad karma in our life, but what is it and how do you get rid of it?

The term karma is a Sanskrit …

You can check out my new book about the Four Noble Truths, The Buddhist Path to Joy, for free this week! Available worldwide. https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy

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If you’ve decided to take refuge (become a Buddhist), what should you do to get ready? It’s not rocket science, but this is a significant commitment, …

Happy Saturday, friends, and keep an eye on your feed this Monday (March 28) for a link to grab my first book, The Buddhist Path to Joy, for free! May you and all beings be well.

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Send in a voice message: …

Taking refuge is how you become a Buddhist and commit to waking up out of samsara (the endless cycle of deaths and rebirths). You can meditate and get lots of benefit from Buddhist practices without taking refuge, but …

What does it mean to take refuge in the three jewels (Buddha, dharma, and sangha), and what’s the benefit of taking refuge? Do you have to be Buddhist to practice meditation?  

If you’ve ever wondered how to become a …

In the third part of my conversation with my dharma friend Loppon Yudron Wangmo, she explains how to request teachings and make a good connection with a spiritual teacher. Did you know that it’s traditional to ask a …

In the second part of my conversation with my dharma friend Loppon Yudron Wangmo, she explains the lineage she teaches in, the Dudjom Tersar, and her approach to teaching at Mayum Mountain, her foundation. Plus she …

In this meditation, we start with connecting to the earth to cool down excessive fire, then use the breath to fan the embers of deficient fire. …

Y’all, I’m so pleased to introduce you to a dharma teacher I follow and admire, Loppon Yudron Wangmo. She’s a Western-born teacher who’s now based in …

This past Thursday I offered an afternoon meditation for the Mind Body Spirit Institute of the Jung Center Houston. It was all about using earth energy at the end of a workday, and I want to offer it to you now!

If …

For the next two weeks, it's Losar (Tibetan New Year), a special time to reflect on who we want to "grow up" to be this year.

In this quick talk and meditation (starting at 6:08), I'll explain why it's not just …

Happy Losar (Tibean New Year)! May this new year bring you and yours safety, growth, wisdom, and all auspicious things. ⁠

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These next two weeks are …

Tomorrow Losar begins, so let's shed some negativities to start the year right! 

This guided meditation uses imagery of luminous blessings flowing down through the body, energy system, and mind to cleanse our entire …

#TibetanNewYear (#Losar) is a time for reflection and for setting new intentions. A great way to start the New Year is by purifying any negativities …

Probably the question I get asked the most is: “How did you end up Buddhist?” And I get it! Coming from a Christian family in small-town Texas, Tibetan Buddhism isn’t where you might think I’d end up finding my …

Washing away the old is a great way to get ready for the Tibetan New Year (Losar). Whether you're purifying yourself spiritually, mentally, or …

As we approach Losar this year (March 3), there's so much gunk from the old year to clear out! Between political division and now the invasion of …

Kyohei and I continued our conversation about Buddhism, pop culture, and philosophy. In this episode, he asks me about my earlier video on the 1999 …

Everyone knows meditation is good for you, but how do you make time to meditate in daily life? In this video, I’ll share how to meditate with the …

Mindfulness, compassion, insight: there are so many kinds of meditation and often it feels like there’s not enough time in our busy lives to fit them …

In Tibetan Buddhism, the space element is understood as emptiness or the nature of mind, and it is this emptiness that allows for everything to manifest in its own unique way.

Space is an essential part of our …

Maybe you've heard that Buddhism teaches that attachment is the root of suffering. In that case, how can you love someone or be in a relationship?

Don't worry, you can still love the important people in your life, and …

Intellect, curiosity, change, and transformation: these are all important qualities on the spiritual path, and in Tibetan Buddhism they’re related to the air element. The air element can help us to move with greater …

My new friend and PhD student in the University of Chicago's Divinity School Kyohei Mikawa explains the ideas of the immanent and transcendent in the …

Tibetan Buddhism describes five elements and their qualities as a way of understanding ourselves and the world around us. Fire drives our creativity and enthusiasm, and when it's balanced we naturally find an energized, …

We all want to flow more easily through life, with grace and ease. Did you know that flow in Tibetan Buddhism is associated with the water element?

In this talk, I'll explain the basic qualities of the water element in …

The "heaviest" of the elements, earth symbolizes stability, equanimity, and rootedness. Love and acceptance are fundamental elements of earth energy. …

If you've ever tried to overcome anxiety through mindfulness alone, you might know it's not so easy. But according to Tibetan Buddhism, all emotions …

What do you need to do to set yourself up for success for your first time doing a DIY meditation retreat? Here are a few DIY retreat ideas you can use, even if you've never tried this before!

And you can sign up to get …

If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to start meditating… for years now… then this course is for you! We’ll do short practices together as a group, …

The Matrix is full of Buddhist themes! In the movies, we're dreaming, not interacting with the real world because the machines (read: AI) are using …

In traditional Tibetan Buddhist teachings on the bardo states, the bardo of this life is the first one mentioned. It’s the one we’re in now, and it’s the best time to train our minds. But in the process of transitions, …

Today’s episode is all about the most famous part of the death and rebirth cycle in Tibetan Buddhism: the bardo between death and rebirth, also called the bardo of becoming. We start with a summary of the traditional …

The bardo of clear light is the one moment in our life-death-and-rebirth cycle when we naturally have a direct experience of our true nature. It’s a moment we can prepare for during this lifetime by getting in the habit …

Tibetan teachings on the death process are profoundly inspiring. Yes, it’s a sad and possibly scary time of letting go of our ordinary sense of self – but what really dies is everything except our true self, which gets …

Transitions often take us through loss and darkness, but we come out the other side transformed and more in touch with our light.  In this episode, I briefly outline the four bardo (in-between) states that the Tibetan …

If you've ever tried to overcome anxiety through mindfulness alone, you might know it's not so easy. But according to Tibetan Buddhism, all emotions …

In this introduction to the origins and basic beliefs of Buddhism, Karim Ali interviews monk Ajahn Punnadhammo and me (Claire Villarreal). Listen for his take on the Buddha’s life story, the Four Noble Truths – and some …

If you've ever tried -- and failed -- to "let go" of anxiety, anger, or sadness, you might know it's not so easy. Buddhism offers a different way to deal with these emotions. First we need to recognize the wisdom within …

Many people try to avoid sadness and even judge ourselves when we feel sad. But it's an important emotion, and when we feel it with full attention, …

Recorded live from an Insight Timer meditation, this session is all about meditating with anger. According to Tibetan Buddhist teachings, emotions contain wisdom, and rather than trying to suppress the ones we don't …

How does Zen Buddhism connect emptiness and buddha nature? What is Pure Land Buddhism, and how do its followers practice?  

Zen and Pure Land …

If you've ever tried -- and failed -- to "let go" of anxiety, anger, or sadness, you might know it's not so easy. Buddhism offers a different way to deal with these emotions. First we need to recognize the wisdom within …

Mahayana Buddhism has a lot in common with earlier forms of Buddhism (like belief in samsara and nirvana, lack of inherently existent self, dukkha, impermanence, etc.). But in this episode I'll explore two of the …

Welcome to this introduction to the origins and history of the Mahayana schools of Buddhism! I’ll discuss how the Mahayana grew organically from …

If you've heard of the three types of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana), you might wonder: What are the origins of Mayahana Buddhism? How is it similar to and different from Theravada? What are the practices …

Being gentle with yourself as you begin to practice meditation, then staying curious as your mind shows you what's really going on in your head -- these two qualities together can keep meditation fun and help you stick …

Often folks new to meditation feel as though they have to do it "right" from the get-go, which can be super frustrating. In this episode, I'll share …

What is Theravada Buddhism? It's the oldest surviving school of Early Buddhism, and it's still centered on the earliest teachings of Shakyamuni …

What are the origins of mindfulness meditation? The mindfulness movement has become so ubiquitous that it seems as though it's always been around!

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The Theravada Buddhist tradition has wonderful resources on meditation, like the Four Foundations of Mindfulness in the Satipatthana Sutta. But put …

The core teachings of Buddhism are all here! Samsara is the Buddhist term describing the cycle longing for something or someone we think will make us happy, getting what we want, and being dissatisfied again before too …

If you've ever wondered how the different types of Buddhism developed -- like Zen, Tibetan, Theravada, Pure Land, etc. -- and what their basic similarities are, this video will walk you through an overview of that …

What happens when we die? It's one of the biggest mysteries of human life, and all spiritual traditions offer an answer. But Tibetan Buddhism has incredibly extensive teachings about the death and rebirth process.   

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Green Tara's mantra (OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA) is famous and beloved in Tibet and elsewhere. In this short teaching and meditation practice, I'll give a brief introduction to Tara, and then (about minute 7) we'll chant …

If you're interested in the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, you've surely heard the term "bodhichitta." It's supposed to be the aspiration behind all of our dharma practice -- but what does it actually mean?

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Karma is one of the most important teachings of Buddhism, but it's often misunderstood! Let's talk about what karma is (actions and their results), …

In Buddhism, the Three Jewels are the Buddha (the one who shows us the way to awakening), the Dharma (the teachings that wake us up), and the Sangha (our guides and friends on the path to awakening). Traditionally, …

Meditation retreats are a wonderful way to deepen your practice -- so in this video I'll share what retreat is, how you can do retreat, and the …

In Tibetan Buddhism, mantras are sacred syllables that evoke the energy of a buddha. We say them to wake that divine energy up in ourselves.  Mantras are intended to protect the mind from falling asleep to our true …

Emptiness and buddha nature might sound like two different topics, but actually they're deeply interconnected, and both are vital to Mahayana Buddhism.  "Emptiness" means that everything we experience in the world -- …

Dukkha is an important word in Buddhism. It can mean anything from subtle unease -- thinking life could somehow be better -- to outright suffering. …

Buddhism’s Fourth Noble Truth contains the entire Buddhist path to awakening (enlightenment). It states that there’s a path from unawakened …

The Buddhist tradition teaches that everything is impermanent, but what does that mean? With this simple meditation, we'll pay attention to the flow of the breath, its pauses and its unceasing dynamism.

In this guided meditation, we'll imagine a luminous pebble dropping down through the ocean until it comes to rest at the bottom. In the process, we focus the mind and drop it deeper into the body. If you enjoy …

We often focus on the objects of mind -- thoughts, sensations, feelings, etc. -- without noticing the mind itself. In this guided meditation, we'll settle the mind and then shift our focus to the space in which all …

Get this free mini-course that introduces you to each of the Four Noble Truths, with guided meditations, reflection questions, a reading list, and …

For a free mini-course on the Four Noble Truths and how they can help us live more fulfilling lives, visit https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs.

The third …

For a free mini-course on the Four Noble Truths and how they can help us live more fulfilling lives, visit https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs.

In the first …

For a free mini-course on the Four Noble Truths and how they can help us live more fulfilling lives, visit https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs.

The first of …

These teachings are the foundations of Buddhist beliefs around the world, and in this episode you'll hear the story behind the Four Noble Truths: of the Buddha's spiritual quest for enlightenment. That quest is one that …

This meditation is for fans of the improvised comedy sci-fi podcast Mission to Zyxx, in which there are Jedi-like "mystical warriors" called the Zima knights. But the Zimas are more like stoner hippies who train in the …

Tibetan Buddhism offers powerful tools for cleansing our minds and bodies of stress and anxiety -- or anything else that's obscuring our luminous …

Tong-len (meditation on taking and giving) has deep roots in Tibetan Buddhism.  For this practice, we imagine a version of ourselves -- or you could …

In these stressful times, it's tempting to "seek refuge" in quick fixes that distract us from uncomfortable feelings of deficiency and vulnerability …

Want to move your body and meditate at the same time?  This short, guided walking meditation track takes you through a timeless practice -- that makes a great break if you typically sit at a desk all day!

This short practice is intended to help turn down your amygdala (the part of the brain responsible for the fear and stress response), helping you find a calm center in the middle of life's storms.  It's guided, with the …

f you practice the Buddhist path (Buddhadharma), it can be easy to fall into a rut and forget the real reasons we practice: to see into the nature of reality, to benefit all living beings, to throw the weight of our …

This meditation helps you unplug from thoughts with a simple set of labels.  This one is great for a time when you're having trouble settling into …