Posts by Ted Meissner

Éowyn Ahlstrom Éowyn Ahlstrom joins us to speak about embodiment in Buddhism, and secular mindfulness programs. There’s a word that confused me a great deal when it continued to show up in dharma talks, and in secular mindfulness programs. The very concept of embodiment was foreign to me. Of course you may be thinking that…

Innen Ray Parchelo Innen Ray Parchelo speaks with us about the interbeing of contemplative walking. Chances are if you are on a silent meditation retreat, the primary focus is sitting practice. Not just on retreats, either; sitting has a dominant focus in contemplative practice, interspersed with periods of short walking which seem geared to loosen…

Tami Simon Tami Simon joins us to speak about Sounds True, and the new book The Dharma of Dogs: Our Best Friends as Spiritual Teachers. If listening to the dharma is something you like doing, you may have encountered Sounds True as one of the most comprehensive resources for contemplative practice. Today we’re joined by…

Beth Mulligan Beth Mulligan joins us to speak about how dharma informs Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. In the past several years, there has been an astounding amount of press and research around mindfulness. And this has rustled some Buddhist feathers; honestly, it ruffled mine. I had a good understanding of sati having sit several satipatthana retreats…

One common focus of Secular Buddhism is the natural world, the understanding and acceptance of our interdependence upon one another and the environment in which we live. One’s contemplative aspirations may extend into ideas about ending rounds of rebirth, but the simple fact remains: we do have this life, we are living on this world,…

Doug Smith Doug Smith and Justin Whitaker join us to speak about their paper Reading the Buddha as a Philosopher. Have you ever been asked whether you think of Buddha as a religious figure, or as a philosopher? Or perhaps some other description has been thrown in the mix, like teacher or healer. Every time…

Stephen Batchelor Stephen Batchelor joins us to speak about his new book, Secular Buddhism: Imagining the Dharma in an Uncertain World. When this podcast started in May of 2009, the term Secular Buddhism was arguably uncommon, if not virtually unknown. In the past seven years, though, that’s changed considerably. More people now describe themselves as…

Jeff Eisenberg We may have an impression of Buddhism and Buddhists as peace loving pacifists. Nothing wrong with that, many of us might fit into that description. But Buddhism also has an association with fighting, the martial arts, and the two disciplines can help inform and help one another. Jeff Eisenberg was born in Irvington,…

Richard Gombrich Professor Richard Gombrich speaks with us about Buddhism in the modern world. The term living tradition may seem as much an oxymoron as, well, Secular Buddhism. And yet this organic vitality is a hallmark of Buddhism, even and perhaps especially today. There have been growing pains as Buddhism rubs up against, and eventually…

Nathan Jishin Michon and Daniel Clarkson Fisher speak with us about A Thousand Hands: A Guidebook to Caring for Your Buddhist Community. Many of us who attend a Buddhist or meditation center simply stop by a few times a week, or perhaps just once for a community sit. Some may also volunteer their time and…