Category: Podcast

This week we’re stepping right into the heart of a Buddhist version of a Reality Check. When the Buddha came out of his meditative state, he didn’t run to tell people about all the trippy things he experienced. Instead, he chose his first teaching to be about the Four Noble Truths – the fact that dissatisfaction is part of the human experience, and there’s a way to not get hooked by it. I’ll break down each of these aspects and how they lead to the most hopeful message of all: that despite the suffering and discomfort we will face in our lives, there is a way forward, so we can face any moment with resilience, joy, and freedom!

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This week is the first in our Off the Cushion and Into the World series. This series came from multiple requests for a course on Buddhist philosophy and psychology, and I wanted to offer this series on the foundational teachings here on the podcast. As the Dalai Lama said, you don’t have to be Buddhist to benefit from the teachings of Buddhism! You can use the tools to have less suffering in your life – no matter what your path is. In this first episode of the series, we explore the story of Siddhartha and the trials and tribulations that led to his Awakening; how he was a human who suffered just like us, and therefore how Awakening is something available to all of us. We explore the foundational values of inquiry and debate within Buddhism, and how we need to discover our own path and test things out for ourselves, not relying on blind faith. We also dive into the Three Refuges (aka the 3 Jewels) and why they’re essential on our journey, and how to explore our own versions of these refuges.Most of all, you learn how to begin applying these things to this wild and whacky human life.

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This week’s episode is all about one of the foundational teachings of Buddhism: ehipassiko. We’ll jam on what it means to “live the question” and why it’s important for us to see things for ourselves instead of relying on others’ experiences. Plus, we’ll talk about how to not judge others for how they choose to live their lives.

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This week we talk about the misguided idea that if it’s meant to be, it should be easy, and if it’s hard, it’s a sign that something is NOT meant to be. While there’s some validity to certain experiences like this, it isn’t universally true. In this episode, I share ways you can actually differentiate if your suffering is an indication of misalignment, or if it’s a part of the universality of the human experience. Plus I’ll share one practice you can start today to connect with that discomfort and keep moving forward, instead of fearing and being stuck in it.

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This week’s episode is about some of the things we can do to help us show up as our best selves when there is someone in our life who has a mental illness. We’ll jam on cultivating practices that help us come to these challenges with more love, compassion + wisdom. Plus I’ll tell you the ONE thing you can do that matters more than anything else.

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This week we have some inspiration from my bodhisattva cab driver in Eugene, Bruce. He has intimate knowledge of The Ripple Effect. We’ll jam on how he uses it to make the world a better place through his Soul Work – even more evidence that our soul purpose can have nothing to do with our career.

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In this episode we talk about the two wings of freedom: wisdom and compassion. I’ll explain the importance of cultivating a balance of both, and what can happen when we are practicing one without the other (HINT: often, more harm than good). We will also go over some tips to help us cultivate both wisdom and compassion in our daily lives.

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This week I ask the question: would you still act in kindness if no one ever knew? We all want to be recognized for our actions – it’s part of our human nature (and our culture). But when we act anonymously, we may find ourselves feeling freer.

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This week we’ll discuss how it’s ok to make other people and ourselves uncomfortable…even if it makes you want to puke 😉 We’ll dive into why discomfort can be a good thing and how to tell if it’s actually harming you. We’ll also talk about the myth of “feel good healing,” and why we need discomfort to grow!

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This week we explore something that often makes a lot of people uncomfortable: Sacred Rage. Many of us don’t feel like it’s healthy to express rage, and/or we are thrown or upset when we see others express it. We’ll dive into why rage is actually necessary when it comes from a place of compassion + love and talk about ways we can use that rage for the betterment of ourselves and the more-than-human world around us.

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