The Secular Buddhist Podcast
Episode 147 :: Cheryl Giles and Willa Miller :: Arts of Contemplative Care: Pioneering Voices in Buddhist Chaplaincy and Pastoral Work
We all go through times in our lives when we have a hard time. Conditioned existence, the world in which we live, is like that. And we have different levels of ability to find comfort in those trying times. Some are naturally flexible, able to easily navigate the difficult waters of significant personal loss or…
Read MoreEpisode 146 :: David Chapman :: Enlightenment and Epistemology
David Chapman Buddhist blogger David Chapman returns to the podcast to speak with us about how we can gain provisional understanding of what is true, from what is false. We’ve had some recent discussion on the Secular Buddhist Association website about what is sometimes perceived as a dogmatic adherence to “scientism”. That is, we absolutely…
Read MoreEpisode 145 :: Russell Long :: Room to Breathe
Russell Long Producer / Director Russell Long speaks with us about his film Room to Breathe, about the teaching of mindfulness to at risk youth. Inner city schools are having problems. In many cities, about half of high school students drop out, and a similar percentage of teachers leave after just five years in the…
Read MoreEpisode 144 :: Josh Korda :: Addiction Recovery Approaches
Josh Korda Meditation teacher Josh Korda speaks with us about how his work in addiction recovery is informed by his own experiences, traditional Buddhist thought, and modern science. Craving, that’s what we struggle with. Whether it’s a light interest in having our relaxing afternoon continue to be relaxing, or the more damaging physical and psychological…
Read MoreEpisode 143 :: Gary Gach :: Finding the New in the Mix
Gary Gach Gary Gach speaks with us today about finding newness in the mix of contemporary Buddhist practices. With so many different ways of engaging with Buddhism in the West, it’s hard to not only find what resonates most for us, but to even tell what’s what. Is contemporary Western Buddhism a messy goulash, or…
Read MoreEpisode 142 :: Melissa Lee, Matt Lowry, Melissa Kaercher :: Dealing with Different Views
Matt Lowry How often do we have conversations where all participants agree, completely, on all points? Just shy of never. Every day, we are going to run into an expected variety of thoughts, opinions, and beliefs. Some of these will be held quite strongly, others not so much. It gets difficult when the passion about…
Read MoreEpisode 141 :: Shaila Catherine :: Focused and Fearless with the Jhanas
Shaila Catherine Meditation teacher Shaila Catherine speaks with us about jhana meditation and her book, Focused and Fearless: A Meditator’s Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm and Clarity. These days, it seems that there’s a great deal of attention to mindfulness meditation. And there’s nothing wrong with us spending time learning about and practicing…
Read MoreEpisode 140 :: Molly Hahn :: Buddha Doodles
Molly Hahn Professional artist and children’s book author Molly Hahn speaks with us today about the new release of her book Buddha Doodles Volume 2, combining art and practice, and finding ways to inspire others to grow past trauma. Transforming our lives is a benefit we enjoy from our practice. We learn to relate to…
Read MoreEpisode 139 :: Chris McKenna :: Bardo
Chris McKenna Author Chris McKenna speaks with us about his new Buddhist themed fiction book, Bardo. More and more, we’re seeing an increase in the mainstream media of Buddhist practices and ideas. There is Buddhist inspired rock and roll, art sites that focus on Buddhist themes, and happily for those of us who are avid…
Read MoreEpisode 138 :: Brad Warner :: Hardcore Zen Strikes Again
Brad Warner Zen teacher Brad Warner speaks with us about his new book, Hardcore Zen Strikes Again. Zen stories are filled with teachers doing odd things. Their behaviors, their words, can often rub people the wrong way as the softness of social constraint gives way to pointing out the realities we often lose sight of,…
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