In this episode I'll talk about my uneasy relationship with the 5 Precepts. Do they produce more questions—and more confusion—than answers? Do they cause more suffering than they prevent? I'll explore how, if looked at as rules and "thou shall not's", they set up barriers between Right View and the…
This episode is about finding your WHY. How do you feel about your life? Is it motivated by a big story, something bigger than yourself and your own little ego-driven, perceived wants and needs? The Buddha offered his followers an opportunity to become part of a big story. Being part…
Meditating on death is a traditional Buddhist practice. In this podcast, we'll talk about how thinking about our own and others' death can help us live more fully. All the things that keep us busy and entertained might help us forget about the certainty of death, but it won't help…
In the first podcast episode of Everyday Buddhism: Making Everyday Better we'll talk about what it means to be an "insider." The Tibetan word for Buddhist is called Nangpa. Nangpa means “insider.” Everything in our lives is about how we look at things and nobody makes us see things another…
In a listener-requested podcast I relate how the story of releasing cows from Thich Nhat Hanh’s book No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering, helped me find freedom from suffering over a series of minor personal losses and disappointments...and freedom FROM the losses themselves. We each have "cows"…
In this podcast, we'll look at the Buddhist concept of "No-Self", or Anatta, I introduced in episode 2. Where is your "self"? Is it something you can describe? It's hard to describe or identify as a discrete and non-changing thing, yet we sometimes cling to ideas of self that cause…
In this episode, as a fun diversion, I'm going to talk about "the Buddhist answer to everything. And the answer is: "Maybe." A loose quote from The Lankavatara Sutra: "Things are not what they seem; nor are they otherwise” … which is really saying things are as we label them…
In this podcast, we'll look more closely at koans, poetry, koan practice in general ... and we'll see how to work with one koan, specifically ... to start your practice. We'll look at the koan, "Manjushri Enters the Gate." I will provide an interpretation from Rev. Gyomay Kubose, as well…
Join me for a special episode in honor of Bodhi Day, celebrating Shakyamuni Buddha's enlightenment. The long nights of December are marked by numerous celebrations using light as a symbol. Bodhi Day can be adopted as a holiday for your own personal or family "culture." Light symbolizes a rekindling of…
Exciting series coming soon for members of the Everyday Buddhism Membership Community and the Everyday Sangha. If you're not already a member, you can join here: https://www.everyday-buddhism.com/join-community-or-sangha.html
During these uncertain and scary times, it's more important than ever to reach out. Since we can't reach out and touch physically, let's try harder to open our hearts to the world. The world is suffering with illness and fear. There are ways you can help. Reach out through Skype,…
There is a view of Buddhism that is idealistic. That it's all about meditating and chanting in an incense-filled room, hidden away from the world. That the peace promised in Buddhism comes from being away from, above, or different from, the troubles of the world. If your mind is full…
This is a special episode dedicated to the life of our good friend and neighbor—too soon lost. It focuses on the haiku by Issa: "This world of dew is a world of dew, and yet, and yet." Listen as I read writings of my grief and how I come to…
Meet the Everyday Buddhism podcast, book, sangha, and membership community where the "depths" of Buddhist psychology and philosophy discussed and shared as "tips & tricks" to make everyday better! Thank you for listening to Everyday Buddhism! Visit us at our website for more! https://www.everyday-buddhism.com/ Join the public Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/308497089951447/…
Join me for a special episode and conversation with Ken McLeod, author, translator, and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. Ken and I talk about his innovative approach to teaching and writing about traditional Buddhist texts and practices. I reached out to Ken because I connected on a deep level to the…
2020 seems like something out of Sci-Fi. But here we are. And from my perspective—approaching my 67th birthday in a little under 2 weeks—we ARE living in what was the sci-fi from my childhood perspective. I imagine, though, that for most of my podcast listeners, how we are living today…
