Posts by Ted Meissner
Episode 76 :: Dave Smith :: Meditation Nashville Style
Dave Smith Dave Smith talks with us about growing up a dharma brat, and meditation Nashville style. Hi, everyone. As many of you know, I was fortunate enough to attend a Secular Dharma retreat at Barre Center for Buddhist Studies recently, led by Stephen and Martine Batchelor. One of the best aspects to that retreat,…
Read MoreResponse to Faith and Belief in Secular Buddhism
What follows below is taken from an email I received today from Geoff, regarding one of the threads on Sujato’s Blog. I thought this audience might be interested in the full response, and I’ll also see if I can find the spot on Sujato’s site to respond there as well. Many of the topics here…
Read MoreEpisode 75 :: Eugenie Scott :: National Center for Science Education
Dr. Eugenie Scott Dr. Eugenie Scott from the National Center for Science Education speaks with us about keeping faith traditions separate from science in our classrooms. Hi, everyone. There’s a topic I don’t get to talk about very much on this podcast, something I’m quite passionate about because it is paramount in the distinction between…
Read MoreEpisode 74 :: Erik Storlie :: Psychedelics and Western Zen's Roots
Erik Storlie Dr. Erik Storlie joins us again, this time to speak about his book Nothing on My Mind: Berkeley, LSD, Two Zen Masters, and a Life on the Dharma Trail, about psychedelics and Western Zen’s roots. Many of us have some interest in the recent past in the Zen tradition’s start in the West.…
Read MoreEpisode 73 :: Dr. Cathy Kerr :: Modulating Somatosensory Attention
Dr. Cathy Kerr Dr. Cathy Kerr joins us to speak about her recent study on the effects of mindfulness meditation training on anticipatory alpha modulation in primary somatosensory cortex. Hi, everyone. Today, with this episode as with many others, I learned something. Only this time, it was very unexpected, and helped me assess my own…
Read MoreEpisode 72 :: David McMahan :: The Making of Buddhist Modernism
David McMahan David L. McMahan talks with us about The Making of Buddhist Modernism. Hi, everyone. Over the past year or so of the podcast, many of you have heard me use terms regarding the ‘evolution’ of Buddhism in contemporary culture. Some of us also use terms like ‘adaptation’, but the underlying principle is the…
Read MoreEpisode 71 :: Carol Tavris :: Delusions and Cognitive Dissonance
Carol Tavris Carol Tavris speaks with us about how cognitive dissonance can lead to unhealthy conceptual attachments. Fairly frequently I get email from listeners, asking for recommendations on books that have been particularly helpful with practice. Often, there is an interest in books that are more secular in nature, and I’m happy to ask a…
Read MoreSecular Dharma Semitreat :: Day Three
Day three, at last our horrific kammic past has been fully extinguished, and we’re enjoying a change from that perfect weather. Rain, all day. And you know, that really is okay, the rich scents the moisture brings is better than incense. Our dish cleaning team of Stan, Stan, Bill, and Ted (yes, Bill and Ted,…
Read MoreSecular Dharma Semitreat :: Day Two
We’re cursed with yet another absolutely gorgeous day. Clearly bad kamma coming to fruition. Darn you, vipāka! Darn you, previous me! We started the day with instructions from Martine on listening meditation, simply hearing the sound without creating additional commentary around it. In this setting, the sounds are typically birds and chippies, so that was…
Read MoreEpisode 70 :: Steve Hagen :: Faith and Belief
Steve Hagen Steve Hagen speaks with us about faith and belief, a wee bit of Nagarjuna, and a big ol’ rock. Hi, everyone. Today I write this sitting by myself in the farmhouse at Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, after a week long seminar on Secular Dharma. And it was wonderful, if you ever get…
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