The Secular Buddhist Podcast
Episode 17 :: Labels, or Mindful Sinning
Linda Blanchard Labels are invaluable as a tool in human communication. How we refer to ourselves and to our practice can help us find fellow students, and helps others understand what our point of view might be. But they can also hinder us as we either become to attached to our designations, or as we…
Read MoreEpisode 16 :: Jim Eubanks :: Center for Pragmatic Buddhism
Jim Eubanks, DC, MS, CSCS Finding practical applications for our Buddhist practice is one of the hallmarks of our modern cultural movement. Today we speak with the Director of Buddhist Studies from the Center for Pragmatic Buddhism, Sensei Jim Eubanks. Abbot, Order of Pragmatic Buddhists (OPB) President and Director of Buddhist Studies, Center for Pragmatic…
Read MoreEpisode 15 :: Dr. Walter Bera :: Narrative Therapy
Dr. Walter Bera Today we will be speaking with Walter H. Bera, PhD, LP, LMFT, LADC. Walter is Center Director and Founder with more than 25 years of clinical experience. He holds Minnesota Licensure as a Psychologist, Marriage and Family Therapist and Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Walter has authored articles, books, videos and curricula and…
Read MoreEpisode 14 :: Revitalization Movements :: Part Two
We will conclude part two of our interview with the Triple Gem of the virtual secular sangha, Linda Blanchard, Jan Ford, and Dana Nourie on the topic of revitalization movements, and how that’s impacting us in the early stages of the development of secular buddhist practice. Linda Blanchard Linda Blanchard founded the Skeptical Buddhists’ Sangha…
Read MoreEpisode 13 :: Revitalization Movements :: Part One
Linda Blanchard Today’s interview is with the Triple Gem of the virtual secular sangha, Linda Blanchard, Jan Ford, and Dana Nourie. We’ll talk about revitalization movements, and how that’s impacting us in the early stages of the development of secular buddhist practice. Hi, everyone. Happy Vesakha! For those of you not of the buddhisty persuasion,…
Read MoreEpisode 12 :: Juniper :: Buddhist Training for Modern Life
How do you, as a modern human being, approach a practice that’s 2,500 years old? Is it relevant to you, does it help you with your day to day stress, does it foster your personal growth? And most important, does it give you a methodology that enables you to put that growth into practice, and plant more seeds as you go?
Born in London, England, Lawrence moved to the United States as a teenager. He studied business at Indiana University and law at Harvard Law School. A successful career in law and the high technology industry culminated at Pixar Animation Studios, where he was chief financial officer and a board member.
Read MoreEpisode 11 :: Enlightenment Experiences: Validity and Usefulness
Will Davidson Self Dropped Away? Awesome! So Now What? Many people have experiences that we would commonly call “spiritual”, every day. They feel a deep connectedness as self drops away, and there is nothing between them and their direct involvement of the processes of life. A tremendous joy arises, incomparable to any previous feeling they’ve…
Read MoreEpisode 10 :: David Meade :: Skeptical Monastics Unite
Can One Become a Skeptical Monastic? In today’s world, as it was 2,500 years ago in the time of Buddha, there is an interdependence between monastics and the lay community. In Theravadin Buddhism, this has remained unchanged. The specific rules for monastic behavior are the same, and even perplexing restrictions that seem to have little…
Read MoreEpisode 9 :: Spirituality for Atheists :: Part Two
Grant Steves Today we’re presenting the second part of our conversation with Grant Steves about spirituality for atheists, and we’ll get to that in a moment. But first, a question came up from the the previous podcast, part one of that interview. I ran into Jack Caravela this morning at Memorial Blood Centers, we and…
Read MoreEpisode 8 :: Spirituality for Atheists :: Part One
Grant Steves Grant is a retired educator who taught debate, communications, language arts, and more for forty years. At an early age, he started reading books on philosophy and religion that had belonged to his grandfather. It was his introduction to Buddhism. In college he pursued Asian studies, and that was the time in which…
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