Do you have a mind that can meet what’s unpleasant?

In this deeply reflective talk from October 30, 2012, Michael Stone explores the inner tension that draws us to the path of practice. He weaves together insights from Carl Jung, the experience of boredom, the discipline of meditation and even a story from his Bar Mitzvah. With characteristic warmth and clarity, Michael invites us to consider how becoming a dharma student begins the moment we recognize the strain within ourselves—and our longing to understand it.

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this Best of Awake in the World episode, Michael Stone and Grant Hutchinson teach the ways yogic breathing returns the nervous system to "factory settings." Topics include ujjayii pranayama, the palette, the spine and viola pranayama. Pranayama is a practice of settling your attention on your breath. As attention becomes balanced, so too does the nervous system. Recorded on February 6, 2012.

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Michael Stone talks on the importance of relaxing your mind and how patience and relaxation give rise to enthusiasm. The talk is based on chapter 8 of Shantideva's Guide to a Bodhisattva's Way of Life. Ways of seeing your parents, how deep concentration arises through relaxation, and how to glide with breathing. Recorded at Centre of Gravity, Toronto on April 9, 2013.

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this Best of Awake in the World episode Michael begins teaching on the Two Darts and explains how physical and emotional pain are connected and how when we feel physical pain (first dart) it’s followed by a mental response (second dart). Then Michael teaches a guided meditation that people can do alone or as caregivers for people in pain. Workshop in Green Bay, Wisconsin. May 20, 2014.

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this Best of Awake in the World episode, we join Michael and Sanga on retreat at the Christine Center in Wisconsin. Michael shares a Zen story in which a teacher describes his teaching as “Just This Is It,” sparking a conversation about guilt, remorse, devotion, and the challenge of truly seeing oneself. Together, they explore what it means to find your true path.

(Duration: 50 min) Recorded 2016

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Today’s Best of episode follows along with a talk from Michael recorded on the first day of a retreat back in February 2016 at Chapin Mill, New York. In this 50-minute session, Michael explores the practice of walking meditation and bowing, offering valuable tips on how to go deeper into your retreat experience. He shares insights on approaching anxiety with mindfulness and how you might uncover unexpected revelations when you explore your thoughts in practice—especially when the space for awareness begins to open up. The talk concludes with a beautiful description of Samadhi, and how concentration can serve as a protective force on our path.

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Michael also reflects on the profound reality of human suffering, pointing out how the existence of prisons and the suffering within them calls into question the true freedom we experience. He shares the unsettling statistic that the USA has the highest per capita incarceration rate in the world and the growing trend of hospices being built within prisons. The conversation turns to the universal need for healing—whether physical, mental, or emotional. Michael asks, who among us doesn't have a loved one in need of healing? He calls attention to the collective healing we all need, from our anger and depression to the loss of joy, urging us to remember how to live fully while also noticing and critiquing the world around us. Recorded August 21, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this episode of Best of Awake in the World, Michael leads a 20-minute guided meditation focusing on mindfulness of thinking. This practice invites listeners to gently observe their thoughts without judgment or attachment. Perfect for those looking to enhance their meditation practice or find stillness in the midst of mental clutter, this episode serves as a powerful reminder to return to our “home base” of mindful awareness. Recorded in Vancouver 2016.

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this Best of Awake in the World, Michael explores how mind states are not inherently fixed; you can hold mind states lightly; moods are phenomena, not who you are, and; you can sculpt your attitude. This session is part of the Meditation Facilitation Program recorded in Vancouver, 2016.

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this episode of Best of Awake in the World, Michael lectures on the end of 2nd chapter of the Yoga-Sutra and then gets into a very precise mapping of what happens to the ego when you get into deeper states of calm and how to practice without dissociating. Recorded in Stockholm, September 8, 2016.

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.