The Wisdom Podcast

This episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, features special guests His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche and Michele Loew. Together with host Daniel Aitken, they celebrate the release of The Yoga of Niguma, available now at wisdom.org. This new publication interweaves Buddhist and yogic practices, making them accessible to both Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. Rinpoche shares personal stories about learning the practice and now teaching it, while Michele explores how yoga and meditation can serve as complementary paths, helping students integrate body and mind through embodied awareness. The discussion also covers practical advice for new practitioners, encouraging practitioners not to be intimidated by the practice but to approach the teachings with sincerity and humility and discover the impact on both physical and mental well-being. Rinpoche, Michele, and Daniel also discuss: the challenges and plateaus which can occur in Yoga; advanced practices and illusory body; healing and health benefits of Niguma Yoga; and much more!   Additional content mentioned in this episode: Rinpoche and Michele’s new book, The Yoga of Niguma Rinopche’s most recent online course, Niguma’s Dream Yoga Rinpoche’s first Wisdom Academy online course, The Illusory Body and Mind Learn more about Rinpoche and his work at https://shangpakagyu.org/ Learn more about Michele Loew at https://www.micheleloew.com/   The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent.     Meet Our Guests: His Eminence the 2nd Kalu Rinpoche His Eminence the 2nd Kalu Rinpoche was born on September 17, 1990 in Darjeeling, India. His father, Lama Gyaltsen, was a nephew of the previous Kalu Rinpoche and had also been his secretary since his youth. The 2nd Kalu Rinpoche was recognized on March 25, 1992 by Tai Situ Rinpoche. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has officially confirmed the recognition. On February 28, 1993, he was inducted into Samdrub Darjay Chöling (Sonada). His father passed away in 1999 and he asked to live in the monastery of Bokar Rinpoche in order to grow and study under his direction. In 2004, he began the traditional three-year retreat, which he completed in 2008. In 2009, he received from Tai Situ Rinpoche all the transmissions of the Shangpa Lineage. On this occasion, he undertook to confer 108 times the cycle of initiations of the lineage from which he is now the holder. In 2010, Kalu Rinpoche traveled to the West and took charge of the meditation centers created by the first Kalu Rinpoche around the world. In 2014, he returned to Burgundy, in the center of meditation Palden Shangpa La Boulaye, to teach and to resume the tradition of Monlam Shangpa initiated by his predecessor. He has done the same in the United States in 2019.   Michele Loew Michele Loew is an international yoga teacher and practitioner of Hatha and Tibetan yogas. She has taught, practiced, & studied avidly since 1998, and ran her longtime beloved yoga studio, The Yoga Space in Portland, Oregon, from 2006-2025. You can now practice with her online or at in-person retreats, yoga immersions, and teacher trainings. She is known as a teacher’s teacher and is respected for her 200 & 300 hr Yoga Alliance Certification schools and her ability to integrate modern therapeutics and cutting-edge science with lineage-based traditional yoga practices. She is the co-author of The Yoga of Niguma with H.E. Kalu Rinpoche and shares Niguma’s yoga practices and the dharma around the world. Her love and commitment to the unexcelled yoga tantras of Varayana and the sister science of Hatha Yoga as paths we can take towards perfect enlightenment, seeing both as powerful interconnected traditions, infuses her work with great joy & commitment towards sharing yoga and spirituality to create a more compassionate and awakened world. She honors the lineage of teachers she comes from and bows to her longtime Hatha & Classical Yoga teacher Richard Freeman for elucidating the middle path of love with the utmost clarity and compassion and His Holiness the Dalai Lama for sharing the “religion” of kindness. She is on the board of Tibet House US and is committed to supporting and preserving Tibetan Culture and their dharma practices for the benefit of all. Her Clearlight Yoga school continues to educate teachers around the world on the enlightened sleep yoga practices such as Yoga Nidra and Dream Yoga and the 6 yogas of Niguma and Naropa. The post His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche and Michele Loew: The Yoga of Niguma (#227) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken is joined by John Makransky. John is Associate Professor of Buddhism and Comparative Theology at Boston College, senior advisor for Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche’s Centre of Buddhist Studies in Nepal, and developer of the Sustainable Compassion Training model for accessing innate capacities of compassion and awareness. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. As a meditation teacher and a practitioner of Tibetan meditations of compassion and wisdom for four decades, John has pioneered new ways of making these accessible to people of all backgrounds and faith. His published works from Wisdom Publications include Awakening Through Love: Unveiling Your Deepest Goodness. Join John and Daniel as they explore Buddha nature, bodhicitta, and compassion in today’s world. They also discuss: John’s new book How Compassion Works: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cultivating Well-Being, Love, and Wisdom; the significance of the emptiness and luminosity aspects of your fundamental awareness; ways to deepen your practice; and much more! Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about John’s work with Sustainable Compassion Training at https://sustainablecompassion.org/ How Compassion Works: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cultivating Well-Being, Love, and Wisdom by John Makransky, Paul Condon Awakening Through Love: Unveiling Your Deepest Goodness by John Makransky   The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post John Makransky: How Compassion Works (#226) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

This episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, features special guest Eva Natanya. This episode is part of a two-part series discussing the themes in Śamatha and Vipaśyanā. You can listen to Part 1 with Lama Alan Wallace, Lama Alan Wallace: Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: Part 1 (#217). In this episode, join host Daniel Aitken and Eva as they go behind the scenes and discuss the process of bringing Śamatha and Vipaśyanā to publication. Eva shares her deep engagement in solitary meditation retreats and working with Lama Alan Wallace on translating such significant Buddhist texts. Discover the importance of courage and perseverance in the spiritual journey to realize one’s true self and embody genuine well-being. Eva and Daniel also discuss: The process of translation and the compilation of the texts; the significance of clear light and rigpa; compassion and pristine awareness; and much more! Mentioned in this episode: Open Mind translated by B. Alan Wallace Fathoming the Mind translation and commentary by B. Alan Wallace Kindness, Clarity, and Insight by His Holiness The Dalai Lama, translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins, edited by Elizabeth Napper This is part 2 of a two-part series on the release of this volume. Be sure to check out part one featuring fellow Lama Alan Wallace here.   Wisdom Podcast listeners are invited to save 20% off Śamatha and Vipaśyanā with code WPODSV through Februrary 15.   The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post Eva Natanya: Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: Part 2 (#225) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

This episode, previously recorded as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, features Professor John Dunne. John is the distinguished chair in contemplative humanities at the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He works with Buddhist philosophy and contemplative practice. He is also an author of the winner of the 2025 Khyentse Foundation Prize for Outstanding Translation, Nāgārjuna’s Precious Garland. Join host Daniel Aitken and John as they discuss Buddhist philosophy and the historical significance of the Nalanda tradition. They transition to conceptual thinking and non-duality, exploring the relationship between consciousness and perception, the importance of education in understanding these concepts, and so much more! They also discuss: Yogic perception and meditation; temporal and spatial experience; the role of education in cultivating wisdom; the intersection of AI and Buddhist philosophy; and so much more!   Additional content mentioned in this episode: The Wisdom of the Nalanda Tradition – A Wisdom Academy course. Available now. This course is offered as pay what you can. Neural effects and phenomenology of nondual meditation and 5-MeO-DMT in an expert meditation practitioner – Winner 2025 Neuroscience of Pure Awareness prize by the Culture of Consciousness Foundation by Thomas Metzinger. Authors: Christopher Timmermann, Tommaso Barba, James Sanders, Stéphane Offort, John Dunne, David Erritzoe, Antoine Lutz. Available in preprint – https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/whqdp_v2 The post Professor John Dunne: Buddhist Philosophy and the Nalanda Tradition (#223) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode of The Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken is joined by David M. DiValerio. Join David and Daniel as they discuss David’s newest book, Mountain Dharma: Meditative Retreat and the Tibetan Ascetic Self. David shares his journey into Tibetan Buddhist studies, as well as his experiences and research on Tibetan retreats over the years. They also discuss: the historical context and modern adaptations of retreat practices; the differences between solitary, individual, and community retreat practice; the challenges of translating ancient texts; and much more!   Wisdom Podcast listeners are invited to save 20% off Mountain Dharma with code CUP20. Code valid when purchased from Columbia University Press.   The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post David M. DiValerio: Mountain Dharma (#221) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode of The Wisdom Podcast, previously recorded as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, host Daniel Aitken is joined by Brendan Barca and Pema Sherpa. Join the trio as they discuss Brendan and Pema’s new book, The Daily Buddhist. The conversation explores their approach of making dharma applicable to everyday life in the modern world and how they manage various challenges, such as balancing technology use and family time. Stressing the importance of persistence, self-compassion, and using mindfulness as a tool for personal growth and lasting happiness. In this episode, Brendan, Pema, and Daniel also discuss: The importance of teamwork in their personal and professional lives; how to integrate dharma into your daily life; using meditation to connect to your inner self; and much more! Mentioned in this episode: Instagram: @daily.buddhist Learn more about Pema and Brendan’s newsletter, and get your copy of The Daily Buddhist at thedailybuddhist.net   The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post Brendan Barca and Pema Sherpa: The Daily Buddhist (#220) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode, host Daniel Aitken is joined by Dasho Karma Ura. Dasho Karma Ura has a Bachelor of Arts from Oxford University, a Master of Philosophy from Edinburgh, and a PhD from Nagoya University. He was awarded the red scarf and the ancient title of distinction, Dasho, by His Majesty the Fourth King in 2006 for his dedicated service to the country of Bhutan. He was a member of the Drafting Committee of Bhutan’s first Constitution in 2008 and became president of the Centre for Bhutan Studies and Gross National Happiness Research. He is a painter and author of many books, including Bhutan: The Unremembered Nation – Volumes 1 & 2. In 2010, he was bestowed the honour of Druk Khorlo (Wheel of Dragon Kingdom) by His Majesty the King for his contributions to literature and fine arts. In this episode, Dasho Karma and Daniel explore the study and influence of Gross National Happiness, a philosophy pioneered in Bhutan by His Majesty the Fourth King, in which a government prioritizes national happiness over economic growth. In this episode, Dasho Karma and Daniel also discuss: Buddhist ideals shaping Bhutanese culture; Language and cultural preservation; National happiness and collective well-being; Craft and virtue in Buddhist practice; The life and art of Yeshe Tsogyal; and much more!   The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post Dasho Karma Ura: The Pursuit of Happiness in Bhutan (#219) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.