Buddhist Geeks

“Meditation is the royal road to the unconscious.” – Carl Jung Gerry Shishen Wick, Roshi joins us today to finish the discussion on koan training, Rinzai and Soto Zen, and on a method of training he uses to help people deal with certain psychological issues–called the Great Heart Way. He sees all of these methods as leading toward a more genuine and embodied Zen. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Koan Training and the Different Styles of Zen. Episode Links: The Great Heart Way: How To Heal Your Life and Find Self-Fulfillment ( http://bit.ly/16ZWG7 ) Great Mountain Zen Center ( http://www.gmzc.org ) The Book of Equanimity: Illuminating Classic Zen Koans ( http://bit.ly/la3Lt ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gerry Shishen Wick, Roshi is a dual-lineage holder of both the Soto and Rinzai schools of Zen. His teacher Maezumi Roshi passed along both lineages, and so we take this unique opportunity to ask Roshi to compare these two different approaches. He talks about shikantaza (Just Sitting) and also about koan practice–sometimes referred to as logical paradoxes. He explains that the koan system includes many different kinds of koans, each with different purposes. Some are meant to reveal the oneness of reality, while others are point to the multiplicity within that oneness. He also discusses the difference between “live words” and “dead words,” and why that distinction is so important in the practice of Koan training. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Embodied Zen. Episode Links: The Three Pillars of Zen ( http://bit.ly/dTTbS ) Great Mountain Zen Center ( http://www.gmzc.org ) The Book of Equanimity: Illuminating Classic Zen Koans ( http://bit.ly/la3Lt ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Goldstein–one of the primary figures in the development of the Insight Meditation movement–finishes up his conversation with us by sharing his perspective on the recent cross-pollunation of the Buddhist meditation with scientific investigation. He shares some of the recent studies that he has contributed to–including an in-depth study at the Insight Meditation Society–and also discusses a few research possibilities that he has recommended to scientists. Finally he shares an interesting idea he had for creating a “virtual bardo machine.” This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Joseph Goldstein on the Benefits of Long Term Practice. Episode Links: Mind and Life Institute ( http://www.mindandlife.org ) One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism ( bit.ly/kELk5 ) Insight Meditation Society ( www.dharma.og ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Goldstein–one of the primary figures in the development of the Insight Meditation movement–joins us today to discuss the unique benefits of long-term practice. He touches in on the need the train the mind, and hence the need for long periods of dedicated training. He also shares some of the background and vision behind the long-term retreat facility that he helped start called the Forest Refuge–a place where people can come and do long, self-guided retreat practice. Finally, we touch in on the future of the insight meditation tradition, and really the development of Western Buddhism in general. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Joseph Goldstein on the Science of Insight. Episode Links: The Forest Refuge ( http://www.dharma.org/meditation-retreats/forest-refuge ) One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism ( http://bit.ly/kELk5 ) Insight Meditation Society ( http://www.dharma.og ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reginald Ray, Tibetan Buddhist scholar and teacher, is back with us this week to discuss some pretty big topics. We explore the break that he made, several years ago with the Shambhala tradition, and the larger implications of becoming a Western teacher in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Connected with that we explore the whole issue of Westerners not being regularly empowered to be teachers, and several of the factors involved in that dynamic. We also touch on whether or not Westeners make the best practitioners, and what seems to keep them from going deep. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, The Forest Dwelling Yogi. Episode Links: Dharma Ocean ( www.dharmaocean.org ) Your Breathing Body – Vol 1. ( bit.ly/1HOKNVR ) Your Breathing Body – Vol 2. ( bit.ly/1HOKR81 ) Touching Enlightenment ( bit.ly/ia0sJ ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Enlightenment is found in the Body and nowhere else.” – famous Dzogchen saying We’re joined in this interview by Reginald Ray–author of numerous books on Tibetan Buddhism and teacher in the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. In this episode we discuss the forest dwelling meditator, a category of practitioner outside of the normal lay / monastic dichotomy. In particular we look at the role that retreat–both group and solitary–plays for the type of practitioner that does intensive retreat but is not a full-time practitioner. We also discuss Reggie’s teaching emphasis on the shamanic aspect of Vajrayana Buddhism, particulary the role that the body plays in awakening. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Tibetan Buddhist Lineage in the West. Episode Links: Naropa University ( http://www.naropa.edu ) Buddhist Saints in India ( http://bit.ly/ixNr8 ) Civilized Shamans: Buddhism in Tibetan Societies ( http://bit.ly/mJeGn ) Dharma Ocean ( http://www.dharmaocean.org ) Your Breathing Body – Vol 1. ( http://bit.ly/1HOKNVR ) Your Breathing Body – Vol 2. ( http://bit.ly/1HOKR81 ) Touching Enlightenment ( http://bit.ly/ia0sJ ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shinzen Young joins us again to discuss the possibility of a new way to deliver classical enlightenment to the masses. He discusses the classic delivery systems, which included monastic and lay life. He then builds on that to show a hybrid two-fold delivery system that would incorporate his artificial intelligence system with virtually led home retreats. This Home Practice Program is what is currently being offered at BasicMindfulness.org. Finally Shinzen discusses the “crowning glory” of his mission to unify Western and Eastern technologies, and that is to help nurture the emergence of a “neuro-scientific paradigm for classical enlightenment.” This paradigm could help lead to the emergence of technologies which have the potential to bring classical enlightenment to the masses and hence make large-scale social and individual change. Though Shinzen doesn’t think he’ll see these changes in his own lifetime, he does believe that he can do a lot to help train the future scientists who will. This is part 3 of a 3-part series. Listen to part 1, Shinzen Young: The Hybrid Teacher & part 2, Building a Dharma Successor. Episode Links: Shinzen.org: The Science of Meditation in Action ( www.shinzen.org ) Basic Mindfulness: Home Practice Program ( www.basicmindfulness.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shinzen Young, professional meditation instructor and geek-extraordinaire, joins us today to share his unique journey as a contemplative. From discontinuing his PhD studies to become a full-time shingon practitioner to taking up Japanese Zen and finally discovering the mindfulness practices originating from Theravada Buddhism, Shinzen has gone deep with several contemplative techniques. In addition to his training in the contemplative traditions of the East, Shinzen took time to train himself to become a relatively qualified mathematician and scientist so that he could one day be poised to bring together the best of the East (contemplative practice) with the best of the West (the scientific method). The hybrid of which, he thinks will yield a comletely unique fusion. Listen in to hear more from this incredibly gifted and incredibly geeky meditation teacher. This is part 1 of a 3-part series. Listen to part 2, Building a Dharma Successor and part 3, Enlightenment for the Rest of Us. Episode Links: Shinzen.org: The Science of Meditation in Action ( http://www.shinzen.org ) Basic Mindfulness: Home Practice Program ( http://www.basicmindfulness.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shinzen Young, professional meditation instructor and geek-extraordinaire, continues his discussion with us on the unique approach he has taken to combining the best of the scientific approach with the best of the contemplative modalities of the East. The result of this combination appears to be a delivery system for enlightenment that uses an interactive and algorithmic approach to guiding a student in their practice. In short, instead of appointing a human dharma successor, he is trying to build one. Listen in to find out more about this artificial intelligence system, which he refers to as “virtual Shinzen,” and how it might revolutionize the way that dharma teaching is done! This is part 2 of a 3-part series. Listen to part 1, Shinzen Young: The Hybrid Teacher & part 3, Enlightenment for the Rest of Us. Episode Links: Shinzen.org: The Science of Meditation in Action ( http://www.shinzen.org ) Basic Mindfulness: Home Practice Program ( http://www.basicmindfulness.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jun Po Roshi, an American Zen Master in the Rinzai Zen tradition, joins us again this week to discuss the limitations of Japanese Zen as it enters contemporary American culture. He also shares the way that his Hallow Bones Zen community has re-organized the core teachings of the Buddha in their five training elements: Sacred stewardship Philosophical re-indoctrination Emotional maturity & integrity Conscious embodiment Genuine insight These five training elements are a re-working and re-presentation of the original 8-fold path, but one that was designed specifically for our time and place. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Psychotropics and NeuroLinguistic Zen. Episode Links: Hollow Bones Zen School ( http://www.hollowbones.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ken Wilber coined the terms “ascending” and “descending” to describe two possible orientations to spiritual practice. The ascending path has to do with transcending the world, leaving samsara behind, and fusing with the infinite. The descending path has to do with finding spirit in the world–in the midst of everyday life. Both approaches are important, and both have been clearly highlighted in Stuart Davis’s journey as a Zen practitioner. Listen in to hear Davis’s radical flip-flop between these two approaches. Where Davis once found himself sitting up in his “Zen tree fort in the sky” he now finds that “the mystery” is most intimately connected with being a father & husband. Lastly, Davis shares with us a very strange and powerful connection he has with crows (yes, the animals), who apparently are an important symbol in the Zen tradition. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Stuart Davis: Bodhisattva Rocker. Episode Links: Stuart's Crow Paintings ( http://www.stuartdavis.com/paintings ) StuartDavis.com Sex, God, & Rock ‘n Roll ( http://www.sexgodrocknroll.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jun Po Roshi, an American Zen Master in the Rinzai Zen tradition, joins us to discuss his fascinating history with psychotropic drugs, including a form of LSD, called Clear Light, that he helped to create and distribute a long time ago. We also speak with him about his new form of Koan practice that uses NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) techniques to help anchor spiritual realization in one’s linguistic structures. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Hollow Bones Zen. Episode Links: Hollow Bones Zen School ( http://www.hollowbones.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we’re joined by prolific musician, artist, writer, & comic Stuart Davis. Davis, a long-time Zen practitioner, shares with us his background as a creative and the resulting unique understanding that he has of the Bodhisattva’s path. Specifically, we discuss his current creative projects, including a language called IS that he is in the process of developing & and a spiritual talk-show that he’s hosting entitled Sex, God & Rock ‘n Roll. We also cover the topic of re-incarnation, and the spiritual tutelage he has received from his wife Marci. We hope you enjoy this interview with one of the most creative, absurd, and hilarious Zen-artists we know! This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Zen Tree Fort in the Sky. Episode Links: StuartDavis.com Sex, God, & Rock ‘n Roll ( http://www.sexgodrocknroll.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We are joined this week by Jenny Phillips, Director and Producer of the newly released documentary, The Dhamma Brothers. The Dhamma Brothers gives an in-depth look at how a trial program of vipassana meditation courses radically transforms the lives of inmates in a the maximum-security prison facility in Alabama. In our interview with Jenny we explore the story behind the film, her intentions for creating it, and the potential ramifications of introducing these powerful meditation practices into an environment where genuine positive transformation is almost unheard of. Put another way we discuss what happens when “East meets West, in the Deep South.” To find out more about the movie and to watch the trailor please visit: www.dhammabrothers.com. Episode Links: Interview with Jenny Phillips on Oprah’s Soul Series ( http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Jenny-Phillips-on-Oprahs-Soul-Series-Webcast ) Doing Time, Doing Vipassana ( http://www.karunafilms.com/dtdv/dtdv.htm ) The Dhamma Brothers Film ( http://dhammabrothers.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Geeks of the Round Table are back, continuing our discussion of Judy Lief’s article Glimpses of Awakening. We speculate on the language and culture surrounding enlightenment both here in the West and in various countries in the East–including Japan, Burma, and Thailand. We also speculate on how likely it is that people can have initial breakthroughs in their practice (the first glimpses of enlightenment) and how useful it would be to have an empirical, longitudinal study that tracked these kind of breakthroughs. And if you make it all the way to the end of this dialogue you’ll hear something that has a %99 chance of getting you enlightened, right there on the spot. :::wink, wink::: This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, The Buzz Lightyear Model of Enlightenment: To Infinity and Beyond. Episode Links: Episode Links: “Glimpses of Awakening” by Judy Lief ( www.lionsroar.com/glimpses-of-awakening-2/ ) The Zen Center of Las Cruces ( www.zencenteroflascruces.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we bring back the Geeks of the Round Table segment. Joining us is one of our regulars Duff McDuffee, and a new geek to the lineup, Mike LaTorra. Mike is the resident teacher of the Soto Zen Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico. During this conversation we discuss an article written by Shambhala Acharaya Judy Lief entitled, Glimpses of Awakening. We discuss the ideals surrounding awakening, and use the classic three trainings model (of ethics, concentration, & wisdom) to explore what enlightenment is about. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Particularities of Awakening. Episode Links: “Glimpses of Awakening” by Judy Lief ( http://www.lionsroar.com/glimpses-of-awakening-2/ ) The Zen Center of Las Cruces ( http://www.zencenteroflascruces.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Philosopher and long-time Buddhist practitioner, Ken Wilber, continues his discussion of the meditative terrain and of his spiritual philosophy in general. He finishes off his discussion of the meditative maps with an exploration of what it actual takes–both in terms of time and effort–to master these various stages of consciousness. He also explains the difference between what he is now calling “horizontal enlightenment” (which is basically everything we’ve explored up to this point) and “vertical enlightenment” which encompasses other areas of human development that can’t been developed while on the cushion. According to him the traditional notion of Buddhist enlightenment isn’t he be-all-end-all of human development. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, The Meditative Maps: Happy Mornings and Dark Nights. Episode Links: Integral Life ( www.integrallife.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Philosopher and long-time Buddhist practitioner, Ken Wilber, shares with us a 10,000 foot view of the terrain of meditative experience. He describes several of the most common Buddhist maps and their progression, including the one presented in the Visuddhimagga (one of the most prevalent in the Theravada tradition), the 10 ox herding pictures in the Zen tradition, and the Anuttara Tantra from the Tibetan tradition. He also gives an overview of the very difficult stages of practice called the Dark Nights. These are periods where after being plunged into a whole new experience of reality we have it stripped from us and feel like we have lost what was once discovered. Another meaning of the dark night has to do with dis-identifying with previous levels of consciousness, and the difficult journey of releasing our grasping and addiction to these lower levels. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Horizontal and Vertical Enlightenment. Episode Links: Integral Life ( https://www.integrallife.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Jeffrey Hopkins, one of the most important figure in the development of Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the United States, joins us to discuss the importance of academic studies. We explore what Buddhist studies are like in the West, the relationship between being a scholar and practitioner, and the broader role that Buddhist academia plays in Western Buddhism. This is part 2 of a two-part series Listen to part 1, The Practice Adventures of Dr. Jeffrey Hopkins. Episode Links: Tsong-Kha-Pa’s Final Exposition of Wisdom ( http://bit.ly/yIAVZ ) Light of Berotsana Translation Group ( http://berotsana.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we speak with Dr. Jeffrey Hopkins, Professor Emeritus of Tibetan & Buddhist Studies at University of Virgina. Dr. Hopkins is a prolific translator–with 40 books translated in his career–and a committed meditation practitioner. In this episode we ask him to share some of the details of his early practice. He shares with us his experience doing sky meditations and dark retreats, all of which he did before being exposed to Tibetan Buddhism. He also shares some of the details of his meeting the Dalai Lama and working with him on translating some of his books to English, as well as being his translator. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Buddhist Studies in the West. Episode Links: Tsong-Kha-Pa’s Final Exposition of Wisdom ( http://bit.ly/yIAVZ ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us as we finish up our dialogue with Venerable Robina Courtin, the highly energetic Tibetan Nun, who some refer to as a “Dharma CEO”. In this episode she continues to share the specific logistics behind her approach to balancing wisdom and compassion in today’s world. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Venerable Robina Courtin: Bodhisattva CEO. Episode Links: Liberation Prison Project ( http://www.liberationprisonproject.org ) Chasing Buddha Pilgrimage ( http://www.chasingbuddhafilm.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us this week as we converse with one of the most energetic and high-powered Nuns that we know, Venerable Robina Courtin. A long-time Nun in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Robina shares with us the importance of approaching work in the world, from the “Bodhisattva perspective” while also maintaining a firm grounding in emptiness. Listen in to find out more about the work that Robina does, and more importantly, how she approaches her work. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Logistics of Being a Bodhisattva. Episode Links: Liberation Prison Project ( http://www.liberationprisonproject.org ) Chasing Buddha Pilgrimage ( http://www.chasingbuddhafilm.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re joined again by CEO and Founder of Twine.com, and long-time Dzogchen practitioner, Nova Spivack. In this episode we discuss the short-comings of the Western traditions understanding and pursuit of consciousness, especially with regards to finding an ultimate particle in physics. We also explore the strengths and limitations of technology to aid in the process of awakening. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Does the Web have Buddha Nature? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we are joined by CEO and Founder of Twine.com and long-time Dzogchen practitioner Nova Spivack. Nova has been a student of many of the world’s most well-known Rinpoches while simultaneously being one of the first pioneering entrepreneurs on the web. In this episode Nova shares with us his background as a Buddhist practitioner and launches into a discussion on the intersection between Buddhist practice, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and the future of the world wide web. He shares a unique perspective on the evolution of the web and tackles the question of whether or not the web will ever become sentient. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen part 2, Technology Makes our Delusion More Functional. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us this week as we speak with Dr. Peter Grossenbacher, director of the Consciousness Laboratory at Naropa University, about the difference between Eastern and Western modes of inquiry, sensory awareness practice, and of the importance of contemplative education. Peter ties together the Eastern and Western schools of thought by pointing out that they are both loosely interested in the empirical, or what is observable. He also explains the sensory awareness practice that he guides students through, and in our first guided practice here on Buddhist Geeks, leads us through a few minutes of sensory awareness practice. We finish our discussion with Peter touching briefly on the role of “contemplative education,” or in an education that is attempting to bring together conceptual and non-conceptual modes of learning. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1, The Consciousness Laboratory. Episode Links: The Naropa University Consciousness Laboratory ( www.naropa.edu/consciousness ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us this week as we speak with Dr. Peter Grossenbacher, director of the Consciousness Laboratory at Naropa University, about his research on meditation and contemplative spirituality. Along with finding out about the specific work that Dr. Grossenbacher is engaged in in the Consciousness Lab, listen in as we ask we ask such questions as: Can awareness be defined through empirical methods? And if so, what methods might those be? And finally, can the emphasis on objectivity found in much of mainstream science be applied to subjective research? This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, How Did Descartes Die? Episode Links: The Naropa University Consciousness Laboratory ( http://naropa.edu/consciousness ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

B. Alan Wallace joins to us to compare and contrast two fantastic dream practices. One comes from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, going all the way back to India, with the yogi Naropa. This practice, called Dream Yoga, is a type of insight practice which utilizes the dream state in order to wake up. The other practice, called Lucid Dreaming, comes out of the pioneering research of Dr. Stephen LaBerge. Lucid dreaming breaks down the same goals that Dream Yoga aspires to, but into smaller and more attainable goals. It is also firmly grounded in the scientific method. Listen in to hear Dr. Wallace, who is authorized to teach both of these methods, discuss the similarities and differences in these two different approaches. Episode Links: The Lucidity Institute ( http://www.lucidity.com ) Train your Mind, Change your Brain ( http://bit.ly/1RYFWH ) Building the Dream Body ( http://www.wie.org/j39/zane.asp ) Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies ( http://www.sbinstitute.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, an esteemed teacher in the Bon Buddhist tradition of Tibet, joins us again to continue describing the importance of dream yoga as part of the larger system of the 6 yogas of Naropa. Rinpoche guides us through the three different kinds of dreams that we can have, including samsaric dreams, dreams of clarity, and clear light dreams. He also discusses the importance of dream practice, for those that have a naturally tendency toward being active in their dreams, comments on the methodology of lucid dreaming, that Western dream research Stephen LaBerge has created, and explains the importance of dream yoga in relationship to the process of death and the bardo. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Sleep as a Spiritual Journey. Episode Links: The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep ( http://bit.ly/IjSZC ) Ligmincha Institute ( https://www.ligmincha.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Look to your experience in dreams to know how you will fare in death. Look to your experience of sleep to discover whether or not you are truly awake.” – Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, an esteemed teacher in the Bon Buddhist tradition of Tibet, joins us to discuss the importance of sleep in relation to the spiritual path. Since we spend nearly a third of our lives asleep, the focus on sleep and dream practice becomes of utmost important for those practitioners that want to make the best of the time they have. Listen in to find out more about the Bon tradition, the dissolution of the sense of self during sleep, and the way that dream practices can contribute to greater awareness during both sleep and death. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Yogas of Dream and Sleep. Episode Links: The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep ( http://bit.ly/IjSZC ) Ligmincha Institute ( https://www.ligmincha.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Melvin McLeod, Editor-in-Chief of the Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma magazines, concludes his conversation with us, this time discussing the inevitable tensions that arise in Buddhist media. These tensions center primarily around going deep vs. spreading wide. Listen in to hear how these magazines find the middle ground between condemning Buddhism to the irrelevant on the one hand (too much depth) and selling out on the other (too much breadth). Also at the end Melvin shares the specific ways that their publications are looking to integrate new media technologies into their projects. Exciting times! This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Peering Under the Hood of Buddhist Media. Episode Links: BuddhaDharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly ( http://www.thebuddhadharma.com ) Shambhala Sun ( http://www.shambhalasun.com ) One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism ( http://bit.ly/dy5egV ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Buddhism offers the most profound critique or criticism of life imaginable in it’s analysis of the role of ego, and of the nature of samsara, as well as in its basic doctrine of emptiness. There could hardly be a more profound critique of life then to say that neither your nor it exists.” – Melvin McLeod Melvin McLeod, Editor-in-Chief of the Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma magazines, joins us to share his perspective on the differences and similarities that Buddhist media sources have with more traditional media. Listen in to find out more about the philosophical underpinnings of a publication that has at it’s heart a commitment to the teachings of non-ego. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Inevitable Tension: Going Deep vs. Spreading Wide. Episode Links: Mindful Politics: A Buddhist Guide to Making the World a Better Place ( http://bit.ly/KnkeU ) Shambhala Sun ( http://www.shambhalasun.com ) BuddhaDharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly ( http://www.thebuddhadharma.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“At any moment the Yellowstone caldera could blow up, wipe out %99 of the life on the surface of the planet, and probably all humans, and in our last minutes the degree of equanimity with which we face that prospect is the test of our dharmic fortitude and wisdom.” – James Hughes In our final episode with professor James Hughes we tackle the less rosy side of Transhumanism, which has to do with massive existential threats and risks. Though there are many natural risks that could threaten humanity as a whole, including large asteriod collisions, gamma bursts, and super volcanoes, the Transhumanist recognize a whole host of other ways that we could threaten ourselves with advanced technologies. In addition to discussing these threats and all of the possible side traps on the way toward a more techno-utopian future, James ties these together with our understanding of the dharma. He argues that even in a techno-utopian future (assuming we make it), we will still have to deal with annica—the ever changing flow of reality. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to part 1, Transhumanism and the Authentic Self and part 2, Cyborg Buddhas & Techno-Utopian Pure Lands! Episode Links: The Cyborg Buddha Project ( http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/cyborgbuddha ( http://bit.ly/Wh12u ) Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond To The Redesigned Human Of The Future The Lifeboat Foundation ( http://www.lifeboat.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With radical advances in science in technology would it be possible for us to turn our world into a so-called, “Buddha Realm” or would it be more likely that we create some sort of God Realm, where awakening is discouraged because the conditions are so radically pleasant? And how specifically could these advances help us develop spiritually, on the path toward Buddhahood? This week, we discuss this and other questions with professor James Hughes, author of the upcoming book Cyborg Buddha. If you want to have your views regarding technology and it’s relation to the Buddhist path challenged, please listen in! This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to part 1, Transhumanism and the Authentic Self and part 3, Existential Threats and Risks: We Can’t Escape Impermanence! Episode Links: The Cyborg Buddha Project ( http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/cyborgbuddha ) Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond To The Redesigned Human Of The Future ( http://amzn.to/1HOESA8 ) Technologies of Self-Perfection ( http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/hughes20040922/ ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“The longer our lives, the more we’ll have a chance to see that there’s no self living them.” – James Hughes What is Transhumanism and how is it related to Buddhist practice? Will technology enable us to radically extend our lifespans, help us control our thoughts and emotions, and bring about the potential to upload our consciousness into virtual reality spaces? And if so, what are the deeper implications for our contemplative traditions. Will these advances actually support the deepening of wisdom? According to professor James Hughes, a Buddhist practitioner and leading voice in the Transhumanist movement, these advances will enable us to deconstruct the notion and experience we have of an “authentic self” and will support the development of happiness, and the cessation of suffering. Listen in to find out how… This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to part 2, Cyborg Buddhas & Techno-Utopian Pure Lands! and part 3, Existential Threats and Risks: We Can’t Escape Impermanence! Episode Links: The Illusiveness of Immortality ( http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/430/ ) Zen and the Brain ( http://bit.ly/KxYDq ) The Cyborg Buddha Project ( http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/cyborgbuddha ) Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond To The Redesigned Human Of The Future ( http://bit.ly/Wh12u ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“I do not believe in an after life, although I am bringing a change of underwear.” – Woody Allen The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche joins us again, this time to discuss the importance of the teachings of rebirth in the Western context. He also gives many detailed suggestions on how to work with suffering in practice, especially when your awareness of it becomes more acute–a common occurrence in practice. We finish off this fantastic dialogue with Rinpoche hearing his thoughts on transplanting Buddhism to the west to form a genuine form of western buddhism. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to part 1, Analytical Meditation: Going Beyond Coffee Table Dharma and part 2, The Best Preparation for Dying Well is Living Well. Episode Links: Bodhi Magazine ( http://www.bodhionline.org ) Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche ( http://dpr.info ) Mind Beyond Death ( http://bit.ly/OJHKT ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is the only Rinpoche we know who owns and uses a Blackberry! Rinpoche shares with us the different ways that he has adopted modern technology into the work that he does and into his teaching style. We also speak with Rinpoche about his most recent book, which explores the Bardo teachings, Mind Beyond Death. Rinpoche explains to us that death, one of the greatest sources of suffering, gives us a palpable opportunity to live well. He also points out that in terms of the trained mind, both death and life are but two sides of the same coin. Both can bring about enlightenment. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to part 1, Analytical Meditation: Going Beyond Coffee Table Dharma Episode Links: Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche ( http://dpr.info ) Bodhi Magazine ( http://www.bodhionline.org ) Mind Beyond Death ( http://bit.ly/OJHKT ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, one of the foremost teachers in the Nyingma and Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism, joins us to discuss his efforts in creating a genuinely Western form of the traditional shedra tract of Buddhist learning. This traditional scholastic training system is being translated and slightly altered for Westerners so that they can learn the full system of monastic training. In this episode we spoke with Rinpoche about the ways that these systems are being altered for Westerners, how this in-depth training is different from “coffee table dharma”, and how analytic meditation—using the mind to analyze the mind—actually works. This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to part 2, The Best Preparation for Dying Well is Living Well. Episode Links: Nitartha Institute ( http://www.nitarthainstitute.org ) Bodhi Magazine ( http://www.bodhionline.org ) Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche ( http://dpr.info ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Long-time American Zen practitioner Stuart Lachs has spent some 40 years practicing Zen. First with Suzuki Roshi at the Tassajara Monastery in California and then with Eido Shimano Roshi, Walter Nowick, and finally with Ch’an Master Sheng-yen. In all of these communities Stuart ran up against strange and unfortunate dynamics playing out between the Zen Master and their communities. After getting heavily involved with the academic and sociological study of Zen, Stuart began seeing some of the cultural (and invisible) reasons that these communities would falter, whether from sexual scandals, the intense vanity of the teacher, or worse. In this episode he shares with us some of the ways that the legitimacy, authority & power of the Zen Master are spread through the Zen institution, and how these sometimes ridiculous ideals are accepted without questions from many intelligent, well-meaning, people. If you’re a Buddhist practitioner of any sort, you won’t want to miss this conversation! This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Darker Side of Zen: Institutions Defining Reality. Episode Links: Zen Master in America: Dressing the Donkey with Bells and Scarves ( http://mandala.hr/samsara/Stuart_Lachs.The_Zen_Master_in_America.pdf ) The Sacred Canopy ( http://bit.ly/Svhwi ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"What the teacher really offers the student is literally living proof that all this talk and the seemingly impossible goals [of Zen] can be realized in this lifetime.” – Baker Roshi in the Introduction to Zen Mind, Begineer’s Mind Stuart Lachs, who for many decades has studied Zen from within and from without, challenges the legitimacy and authority of the Zen Master by deconstructing the structures and invisible institutional systems that grant this authority to the Zen Master. Listen in to find out how Noam Chomsky’s notion of “useful doctrinal fabrications” applies to Zen, how the story of an unbroken lineage of Zen masters going back to the Buddha himself is basically bogus, how all of the elements of Zen itself weave together to form a seamless web of nearly unquestionable power, and why it’s so hard to leave these communities even if you want to. This isn’t to say that the practice of Zen isn’t extremely powerful, and Stuart himself is a huge fan of the practices therein, but it is to say that many of us aren’t aware of the ways that the institution itself defines reality for us. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Zen Masters: Dressing the Donkey with Bells and Scarves. Episode Links: Zen Mind, Begineer’s Mind ( http://bit.ly/pecQo ) Shoes Outside the Door: Desire, Devotion, and Excess at San Francisco Zen Center ( http://bit.ly/ipGKl ) Zen Master in America: Dressing the Donkey with Bells and Scarves ( http://mandala.hr/samsara/Stuart_Lachs.The_Zen_Master_in_America.pdf ) Mahākāśyapa ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahakashyapa ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our conversation with Susan Piver continues this week as we wrap our discussion on the relationship between meditation and writing. We also also explore the role that intention plays in offering or marketing the dharma. Finally, we wrap up the conversation by touching in on personality theory and productivity. Find out which enneagram type the Buddha was, and why productivity systems can bring about more bliss than meditation, in one of our geekiest (and fun) conversations to date! This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Susan Piver: The Fearless Writer. Episode Links: susanpiver.com Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity ( http://bit.ly/grQY1 ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Susan Piver’s book, The Hard Questions, hit the top of the NY Times Bestsellers list (and stayed there) she decided that she needed to deepen her practice immediately. Listen in this week as speak with Susan about her journey as a popular author and Buddhist practitioner. And if you have an interest in writing, or the creative process, you won’t want to miss out on her description of the “meditation for writers” retreats that she leads, where writers of all backgrounds are able to combine their interest in writing with the power of the retreat environment. Are creativity and meditation really all that different? This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Mind Like Space. Episode Links: How Not to be Afraid of Your Own Life ( http://bit.ly/UwJpP ) Susan Piver ( http://www.susanpiver.com ) The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity ( http://bit.ly/YX85s ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Round Table Geeks continue their exploration of Whitney Joiner’s article, “Dive-bar Dharma”. In a flurry of paradox, perspectives, humor, and exploration they tackle questions of integrating dharma into life, the Buddhist secular movements, contemplative practices in other traditions, and the historical and sociological dimensions of Dharma’s spread to the West. We hope you enjoy this dynamic and fun conversation between fellow Buddhist geeks. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Dive-bar Dharma: Making it Fresh or Sensationalizing it?. Episode Links: Dive-bar Dharma ( http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2008/02/20/dharma_in_dive_bars/ ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hokai Sobol and John Peacock continue their discussion about how the Buddha and Buddhism are described in the earliest Buddhist writings. By getting more accurate with translations of the earliest writings, Peacock believes modern Buddhism can free itself of the trappings of Religion, Humanism, and the need for consolation in the face of reality. They discuss the role and importance of critical inquiry in Buddhism’s future, and how all of this is leading to a secularization of Buddhism. This is part 2 of a 2 part series. Listen to part 1, Will the Real Buddha Please Stand Up? Episode Links: Oxford Mindfulness Center ( http://oxfordmindfulness.org ) Hokai Sobol | 21st Century Dharma ( http://www.hokai.info ) Sutta Nipata ( http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/index.html ) Ariyapariyesana Sutta ( http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Buddhist scholar and Chaplain Danny Fisher, joins us to explore various stories, or narratives, that run through the Buddhist world. There are a variety of different kind of stories in the Buddhist tradition, including those that are more traditional and those which are more modern. Included in those narratives are Buddhist hagiographies (traditional teaching stories about important figures), historical narratives, and more modern narratives. Listen in as we try and piece apart what some of these stories are, and find out how the stories that we believe in affect us as individuals and communities. Episode Links: www.DannyFisher.org University of the West ( http://www.uwest.edu ) A People’s History of the United States ( http://amzn.to/eytcyu ) How the Swans Came to the Lake ( http://amzn.to/gtQqvB ) Buddhism in America ( http://amzn.to/hu3UWV ) Luminous Passage ( http://amzn.to/fAWiDL ) After the Ecstasy, the Laundry ( http://amzn.to/dHxc2N )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re joined this week by Soto Zen teacher Zenkai Taiun Elliston. Along with the being the abbot of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center, Taiun is also a long-time professional designer, having trained and taught modern design. We ask him to share his perspective on the interplay and parallels between the two fields, which brings about a very interesting conversation about the aesthetic of simplicity, the importance of sensory engagement, and the nature of the medium we are exploring, whether it’s a physical medium, as in design, or the medium of consciousness itself, as in Zen. Episode Links: Silent Thunder Order ( http://silentthunderorder.org ) Atlanta Soto Zen Center ( http://www.aszc.org ) Bauhaus Design ( https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Bauhaus )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re joined this week by Rich Fernandez, who serves as the Head of Learning and Organization Development at eBay. Rich has a long history with meditation and eastern practices, and has been working to bring secular mindfulness practice into the workplace. He shares some striking early research into the experimental programs that he’s helping to implement at eBay and also explores a larger initiative that he’s working on, called the Wisdom 2.0 Architecture. Episode Links: Wisdom 2.0 ( http://wisdom2summit.com ) Taylorism ( http://www.answers.com/topic/taylorism ) Migration of Mindfulness: Cave to Corporate America ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbJZFb3ZTrY ) The Mindful Leader ( http://amzn.to/fAq35E ) Awake at Work ( http://amzn.to/fHxw2u ) George Mumford ( http://bit.ly/gXXzYx )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we have an intimate conversation with two young Buddhist practitioners. The first vignette is with Sophie McLaren, who practices in the Shambhala community and runs an organization dedicated to bringing Buddhism and mindful living to youth populations. The second vignette is with Wes Rosacker a Zen practitioner in the White Plum sangha and a training psychotherapist. We discuss how each of these young practitioners makes sense of their practice in terms of the rest of their lives, and how specifically they bring their practical understanding of Buddhism into their professions. Episode Links: Everybodhi : peace within, peace in the world ( http://every-bodhi.org ) Taizan Maezumi Roshi ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taizan_Maezumi ) Robert Kegan ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kegan )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re joined this week by mother, author, and Zen teacher Karen Maezen Miller. Maezen speaks directly to the need to see through the dualisms that we create in our lives, and speaks specifically about the dualism of being a parent and a practitioner. She shares advice on how to not make one part of our life battle with other parts, and explores an empowering understanding of what monastic forms have contributed to us. She also speaks about the misunderstandings that can plague our meditation practice, and where these originate from. Episode Links: www.KarenMaezenMiller.com Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life ( http://amzn.to/hwJwjh ) Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood ( http://amzn.to/gEA5Hc ) Hazy Moon Zen Center ( http://www.hazymoon.com )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We conclude our discussion with spiritual teacher Sally Kempton—who has her spiritual roots in the Hindu tantra tradition of Kashmir Shaivism—this time speaking about some of the crucial secrets that she has discovered about deepening in meditation. She begins by sharing how she overcame a period where she had been stopping short in her meditation. She shares how she used her spiritual heart and an intention to move into everything to arose in her practice to continue deepening on the path. She also speaks about how important it is to consider the relationship we have with experience, and connects this with the understanding of relationship being a facet of Spirit. She speaks about the type of relationship one can have with experience, and how that fundamentally changes the act of meditation. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, The Tantric Cousins. Episode Links: www.SallyKempton.com Meditation for the Love of It: Enjoy Your Own Deepest Experience ( http://amzn.to/e1bp40 ) The Three Faces of Spirit: Where is Awareness Locating Itself? ( http://bit.ly/1MsmyTT )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we speak with spiritual teacher Sally Kempton. Sally was a student of the influential Hindu guru Swami Muktananda and taught in his lineage for many years. She shares with us her journey of first being introduced to Swami Muktananda, how she became a teacher, and why she shifted from being a swami to teaching in a more secular capacity later on. During the 2nd half of the discussion Sally shares with us some of the history of the tantric non-dual system of Kashmir Shaivism, which is a close cousin to Indian Tantric Buddhism. She compares and contrasts the two systems, and also goes into detail concerning some of the crucial texts, practices, and philosophical tenets of the tradition. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Secrets of Meditation. Episode Links: www.SallyKempton.com Meditation for the Love of It: Enjoy Your Own Deepest Experience ( http://amzn.to/e1bp40 ) Kashmir Shaivism ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmir_Shaivism ) Vasugupta ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasugupta )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.