Posts by Ted Meissner
Secular Dharma Semitreat :: Day One
by Ted Meissner First full day of the retreat, and traditional retreat habits of all kinds have taken up right where they left off. This includes the penchant for what I rationally know to be unpalatable Folgers instant coffee in the morning, and the same brand in decaf before bed. The food is proving to…
Read MoreSecular Dharma Semitreat :: Prologue
by Ted Meissner Several people have asked that I keep them posted about the Secular Dharma seminar with Stephen and Martine Batchelor, so I’ll be posting here on the blog as time, connectivity, and silence permit. The blog entries say “Semitreat” as the combination of it being somewhere between a seminar and a retreat, a…
Read MoreEpisode 69 :: Dr. Roland Griffiths :: Psilocybin and Meditation
Dr. Roland Griffiths Dr. Roland Griffiths speaks with us about his work studying psilocybin’s intersection with meditation. Many of our Buddhist centers here in the United States got their start and found practitioners in the psychedelic 60’s. Literally. The culture of the time had an exploration of pharmacologicals, especially those which could produce altered perceptions…
Read MoreSecular Buddhism :: Part One :: What Is It?
This is Part One of a five part series, exploring some concepts of Secular Buddhism. This post is the What, upcoming posts will examine Who, Where, When, and How. *** Recently, and in the past few weeks in particular, there seems to have been an upsurge in the blogosphere about secular Buddhism. Commentary has been…
Read MoreEpisode 68 :: Stephen Schettini :: It Begins with Silence
Stephen Schettini Stephen Schettini speaks with us about his new book, It Begins with Silence – The Art of Mindful Reflection. Meditation can be very challenging, not the least of which is understanding what it is we’re trying to do. Empty the mind, use the mind, both, or neither? Seeing that meditation can be many…
Read MoreEpisode 67 :: Scott Edelstein :: Sex and the Spiritual Teacher
Scott Edelstein Scott Edelstein speaks with us about his book Sex and the Spiritual Teacher. Physical relationships between teachers and students is not a particularly new occurrence. It happens, perhaps more than we know. In certain situations, there are factors making it clearly inappropriate. In others, the lines may not be so very clear, as…
Read MoreEpisode 66 :: Sikivu Hutchinson :: Moral Combat: Black Atheists, Gender Politics, and the Values Wars
Author and educator Sikivu Hutchinson speaks with us about her book, Moral Combat: Black Atheists, Gender Politics, and the Values Wars.
Read MoreEpisode 65 :: Dr. Richard Davidson :: Center for Investigating Healthy Minds
Dr. Richard Davidson Dr. Richard Davidson speaks with us about the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, and the use of science in validating the effects of meditation. The study of the mind is nothing new. It certainly predates the time of the Buddha. And as the forms of Buddhism have grown, and developed new ways…
Read MoreEpisode 64 :: Glenn Wallis :: Buddhavacana, A Pali Reader
Glenn Wallis Our friend Dr. Glenn Wallis is back to talk with us today about his new book Buddhavacana, A Pali Reader, and the issues translators face making meaningful sense out of ancient texts. One of the most perplexing tasks a human being can attempt, at least for those of us who are linguistically challenged,…
Read MoreEpisode 63 :: Erik Storlie :: Lineage Delusions
Erik Storlie Dr. Erik Storlie speaks with us about his online article Lineage Delusions: Eido Shimano Roshi, Dharma Transmission, and American Zen. Many of us got our start in Buddhism and meditation with reading books, and from there, we sought out a local center. Find some community, develop a relationship with a teacher. And often,…
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