Be Here Now Network

Joseph Goldstein offers insight on deepening our understanding of impermanence by growing our awareness of the constant change that surrounds us.

This episode is the fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta, one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. If you are just jumping into the series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience: https://youtu.be/RfuH9O7DS4o

This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein explores:

Seeing the momentariness of phenomena

The liberating effect of presence moment awareness

The power of wholesome activities and the karmic effect of giving

Unreliability within that which is impermanent

Being dispassionate and not caught up in the grit of desire

The stories and drama we engage with in our lives

Witnessing changes in the world around us

Refining our perception of change

The mirror of the dhamma

Having unbroken confidence in the path of awakening

Consciousness in the process of dying

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“Somehow, we are so conditioned to count on things staying a certain way, of staying stable. Or, if they’re going to change, that they should only change for the better, the way we’d like things to be. But, that’s not how it is, there is no evidence to support that. All we have to do is open up and look around and pay attention in the most obvious of ways. This is not a subtle meditative attainment; it is all around us.” – Joseph Goldstein

In conversation with listeners, Ramdev explains how prayer unites us with God and prepares us to receive grace.

This week on Healing at the Edge, RamDev teaches us about:

Prayer as the foundation of every religion

Having faith in the boundless qualities of God

Loving God with passion

Different levels of prayer

How prayer unites us with God and prepares us for receiving grace

Admitting our humanness within our prayers

Listener perspectives on different styles of prayer

Praying for help from our ancestors and for the healing of others

Prayer as an invitation for God to enter the heart

Healing from shame and gradually trusting our inner wholeness

“Prayer is the action of being able to receive the blessing of the sun. The warmth, the connectedness of the sunshine. We learn not only to pray for ourselves, but for all beings.” – RamDev

Exploring how to direct energy in a wise way, Jack shares how embracing Sacred Effort nourishes joy, ease, beauty, equanimity, mindfulness, and loving kindness in your life.

Want fresh Jack teachings delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Jack’s newsletter at JackKornfield.com/newsletter for weekly free content – guided meditations, Dharma Talks, articles, and more!

"Right Effort, or Wise Energy, most fundamentally is the effort to pay attention, the effort to be present, awake, and see what is true in front of us. Out of all the kinds of efforts we can make, the most fundamental wise effort in spiritual life is to be where we are and see it clearly, to be conscious, or mindful." – Jack Kornfield

In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:

Directing the energy of your life to be awake, aware, and present

Seeing the Eightfold Path as a lotus or mandala

Carlos Castaneda, impeccability, and becoming a spiritual warrior

How to wake yourself up from sleepwalking through your life

Having a full heart, deep attention, and clear seeing

The two levels of spiritual friends and spiritual practice

Using suffering to develop a wise heart

Remembering death and impermanence

What Jack taught his daughter about death

Bowing to our difficult emotions and moving on

Disentangling ourselves from greed, fear, and obsession

Nourishing equanimity, ease, joy, beauty, and loving kindness

Tending each moment as if you were planting a seed

Balance and the Buddha stringing the lute

Ramana Maharshi and the wisdom of letting go

Making your life and activity an expression of the Tao

"The teaching of Right Effort or Wise Effort is a reminder of our nobility. It is a reminder of the human inspiration of spirit not just to get through our lives, but to honor it, to respect it, to be present for it, to delight in it." – Jack Kornfield

"Unclench the heart, steady yourself, and be present for things as they are, and then your activity becomes an expression of your awakening, it becomes a vehicle for the Tao." – Jack Kornfield

This Dharma Talk recorded on 3/1/1992 was originally published on DharmaSeed.

In this Q&A session from 1990, Ram Dass talks about service, karma, alcoholism, the concept of eternity, cultivating the intuitive heart, experiencing the feeling of coming home, and more.

This show is brought to you by Magic Mind, a matcha-based energy shot infused with nootropics and adaptogens designed to crush procrastination, brain fog, & fatigue. Use the code RAMDASS at checkout to get up to 50% off your subscription: Magic Mind

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Our episode is from a Q&A session during a talk in Oklahoma City in May of 1990.

Ram Dass begins by addressing questions about Hatha yoga, the concept of eternity, and where we can start when it comes to service. He talks about listening inwardly to hear the unique part we can play.

Next up, Ram Dass explores dealing with alcoholism, cultivating qualities such as compassion and sympathetic joy, the concept of karma and our unique karmic predicaments, and experiencing the feeling of coming home into the harmony of all things.

Finally, Ram Dass talks about some of the figures he admires, cultivating the intuitive heart, and how to deal with the seductive appeal of intensity. What we can do is cultivate the quality of the Witness within ourselves that notices when we get taken and lost in the drama of life.

Want to participate in the discussion about this episode of Here and Now? Join us for the SoulPod Meet-Up on July 30th at 8 p.m. EDT.

“I’ll tell you, I experience that as I keep opening my heart and accept my part in the sea of humanity, in the process of it, and start to allow that quality of compassion to come forth, I experience the feeling of coming home. I feel like I come home into family, I come home into place, I come home into the harmony of things. I think that the conditions are available for us to feel that feeling. I think as each individual feels it, then they become an instrument through which others feel it. I think it is a heart-to-heart process of coming home into that feeling of being at home.” – Ram Dass

Continuing his exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph discusses mindfulness as the vehicle for all spiritual undertakings.

This episode is the third part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta, one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

The mental qualities that are necessary for the path of awakening

How mindfulness makes any spiritual undertaking possible

How small efforts we take in our daily practice can greatly impact the larger picture

The noble task of purifying the mind and heart

Reflecting on the Buddha, dharma, and sangha

The difference between self-judgement and contemplating our sila (right conduct)

How the whole of the dharma is revealed through receptive listening

Mindfulness as a guardian of the sense stores

Avoiding the proliferation of wanting and discontent

How mindfulness balances faith and wisdom, effort and concentration

Mindfulness as a tool to notice the habit patterns we are conditioned into

The nature of the mind as peaceful

This recording was originally published by Dharmaseed

“It’s that sense of just the whole of the dharma being revealed in this place of listening, of receptive awareness, of open awareness, when we aren’t trying to control things or make things happen but we’re letting things be revealed. This quality of sati, of mindfulness, of listening, has tremendous power... It’s mindfulness which makes any spiritual undertaking possible.” – Joseph Goldstein

Jamie Kilstein returns to the Mindrolling Podcast!

In this episode, Jamie speaks with Raghu about finding an appreciation for all faiths and shares how exploring different religions led him to Jesus.

Jamie and Raghu talk about:

Oppression within organized religion

Jamie’s experience with psychedelics and Ram Dass

Zen as the atheism of religion

Maharaj-ji and incorporating multiple religions

How music connects us to religion

Being led to Jesus Christ

The importance of Sangha and connecting to the community

Seeing the beauty in all faiths rather than being restrictive

How Jesus set us free for freedom

About Jamie Kilstein:

Jamie Alexander Kilstein is an American writer, radio host, and stand-up comic. He hosts the podcast, Trauma Bonding, with his wife Alex:https://www.youtube.com/@UCyT_eLBgnKUBmE7q9g0iu0g

“I think you find the right spiritual group or people who can connect with you and can laugh so hard that you can feel God, people who can hold you accountable, that is really important with spirituality.” – Jamie Kilstein

Revealing how to smoothly navigate the cycles of spiritual life in openness, stillness, and intimacy, Jack explores the transformative beauty of living the Dharma.

This episode is brought to you by Betterhelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.

“There are different cycles. They are natural for us. We breathe in and out. Our heart opens and closes. Your heart isn’t supposed to stay open all the time, even flowers close at night. So don’t get some idea you’re supposed to be some certain state or some certain way. It’s more about flexibility, listening, and honoring what cycle you are in in your life.” – Jack Kornfield

In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:

- Navigating the cycles of spiritual life

- Spiritual practice as a voyage, a journey

- Openness and the necessity of letting go

- What we can learn from the change of seasons

- Cultivating the courage to live a spiritual life

- Rumi’s poem of the wisdom of the bird in the trap

- The peace of rejecting nothing whatsoever

- How Jack had to work his way down the chakras instead of up

- Embodying and experiencing your feelings

- Stillness, simplicity, intimacy and reconnecting with the earth

- A perspective-shifting Buddhist meditation on death and good deeds

- Overcoming self-judgement and unworthiness

- Non-attachment and commitment in relationships

- A tantric master’s wisdom on overcoming burnout

- The Dalai Lama’s surprising advice to Jack

“When you look back over your life, what really matters is, ‘How well have I loved?’ And that love is never done in generalities. It’s always done in a moment with a tree, or a spider, or a person that you meet, or a person close to you.” – Jack Kornfield

“In some way in life, that’s all that people around us want if you look—people mostly just want to be listened to and acknowledged.” – Jack Kornfield

For free teachings and meditations from Jack delivered to your inbox weekly, along with new courses, upcoming events, and more, sign up for Jack's newsletter at JackKornfield.com/newsletter

This Dharma Talk recorded on 7/14/1990 was originally published on DharmaSeed.

For episode 244 Valerie Mason-John makes their first appearance on the Metta Hour to speak about their new book, “First Aid Kit for the Mind: Breaking the Cycle of Habitual Behaviors”.

Valerie is a founding facilitator of Compassionate Inquiry and the author of eleven books, including the award-winning book, “Eight Step Recovery.” They are a co-founder of the training program, Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery, and work as a public speaker in the field of Mindfulness for Addiction and Trauma.

In this conversation, Valerie and Sharon discuss:

How lovingkindness saved Valerie’s life

How Valerie became the “Bully Doctor”

Valerie’s journey in recovery

The importance of community in recovery

Recovery Cafe

Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry

Thoughts are not facts

First-Aid Kit for the Mind

The breath is medicine

What is still true? What can we rely on?

Dharma: that which we can rely on

Thich Naht Hanh’s influence on Valerie

How to maintain mindfulness

The role of Storytelling in Valerie’s work

How story compounds addiction

Playwriting and poetry as social justice

Valerie closes the conversation with a guided meditation LOVE from their new book, First Aid Kit for the Mind. Learn more about Valarie’s work on their website right here.

Through the inspiration of Sufism, Matt Winkler describes how he merged the business world with spirituality to form heart-centered companies and find financial freedom.

This time on The Indie Spiritualist, Matt and Chris chat about:

Matt’s youth and leaving for California with only the shirt on his back

Building his own business out of his apartment

Getting below the hood of pain

How meeting a Sufi healer taught Matt to go into his heart-space

Walking through the door of the ego and surrendering

Building a trusting relationship with the divine

Sufism as a sweet, mystical path rather than a rule-centered religion

Merging the material world with the spiritual world

Advice on having a conscious relationship with money

Matt’s experience with chronic stress, burnout, and auto-immune disease

Finding financial freedom and learning about passive income

Allowing ourselves to experience abundance

Examining what we really want, finding purpose, and taking action

About Matt Winkley:

Matt Winkley is a businessman and mystic who doesn’t see a difference between the spiritual world and the external world, finding meaning in both. He built companies with integrity and has a passion for bringing spiritual principles into the workplace. Matt studied intensely under the tutelage of the great spiritual Sufi master Sidi Muhammad al-Jamal. During these years of study Matt transformed himself from the inside out. Taking these teachings into the area of business, Matt seamlessly integrated both worlds, creating unique leadership styles and heart centered business practices. As a savvy investor Matt was able to create financial freedom in his 30’s and now uses his time to give back. He mentors young conscious entrepreneurs, teaches meditation classes and supports charitable causes. Keep up with Matt on his Instagram.

“I think you can be a cautious, spiritual, heart-centered person and have abundance. I don’t believe money changes you, I think it amplifies you. I think if you’re a kind, generous, heart-driven person, you’ll be able to do more of that with resources.” – Matt Winkley

Jack Kornfield delves into the simplicity of goodness and virtue in a talk spanning Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Amma-ji, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Napoleon, and Rumi.

Want fresh Jack teachings delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Jack’s newsletter for weekly free content from JackKornfield.com – guided meditations, Dharma Talks, articles, and more at JackKornfield.com/newsletter

“I believe within us, within the human heart and human consciousness, is an innate love of honesty and a joy in virtue, straightforwardness, and the simplicity of goodness.” – Jack Kornfield

In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:

- Buddhism, virtue, and the Five Precepts

- Ahimsa – the blessing of non-harming

- The chilling note Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche wrote when he escaped Tibet

- Taking a fearless moral inventory

- Honesty and the simplicity of goodness

- What Buddha learned in his past lives

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and standing up for truth

- Adi-Sila – spontaneous or innate virtue, the shining of the just heart

- The Tibetan Buddhist perspective on reincarnation

- Jack’s meeting with “hugging saint,” Amma-ji, archetype of the Divine Mother

- Finding your Buddha Nature, Tao, and Dharma

- Rumi’s brilliant poem about ducks

- Interdependence and connectedness

- Deep philosophical questions and contemplations from Jack

- Napoleon, the sword, and the spirit

“Meditation or spiritual life asks us to look at our actions and pay attention to how we actually live.” – Jack Kornfield

“We’re all in it together, we’re all connected, we all support one another.” – Jack Kornfield

This Dharma Talk recorded on 6/1/1990 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.