Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox

Episode 180 - Practicing Kindness Toward Ourselves

Metta meditation, also known as loving-kindness meditation, is a fundamental practice in Buddhism that cultivates feelings of love, compassion, and goodwill towards oneself and others. The word "Metta" is a Pali term that translates to "loving-kindness" or "benevolence." In this ...

Episode 178 - Seeking The True Nature of Reality

In this episode we look at the practice of wisdom. In particular, this refers to wisdom realizing the true nature of reality. Little by little we touch reality as we gain wisdom. We come to understand why we suffer, where ...

Episode 176 - Light up this world like a moon set free

The Buddha said that an earnest practitioner, even when just beginning the path to enlightenment, "lights up this world like the moon set free from a cloud." This episode explores how to relate to being this light in our world, ...

Episode 174 - Staying calm

In Buddhism, equanimity (upekkha in Pali) is a state of calmness, balance, and non-reactivity in the face of both pleasant and unpleasant experiences. Equanimity is a quality of mind that is gradually cultivated through spiritual practice. Equanimity is considered one ...

Episode 172 - Releasing Negative Self Concepts

In Buddhism, the concept of "emptiness" (Sunyata) is a fundamental teaching that refers to the absence of inherent existence or independent selfhood. All things, including our self, are empty of inherent existence. The notion of a fixed, permanent, and independent ...

Episode 170 - Freedom from Envy

In Buddhism, envy is considered a painful state of mind because it arises from a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of reality and the origin of happiness. Envy is rooted in the belief that one's own happiness and well-being are ...

Episode 168 - Purifying Our Speech, Purifying Our World

Episode 166 - Restraint

The practice of restraint is a crucial part of the Buddhist path to enlightenment. It involves abstaining from harmful thoughts, speech, and actions that lead to suffering for oneself and others. In this episode, we look at the practice of ...

Episode 164 - Taking Refuge in Dharma

Taking refuge in the Dharma means we turn to the spiritual teaching of Buddha to help us solve our problems to alleviate pain. It means we commit to working on ourselves. Having taken refuge in the Dharma, reality itself becomes ...

Episode 162 - Overcoming Fear

Fearlessness is much talked about in Buddhism, particularly the idea of becoming fearless. In this episode we look at that which causes us fear, antidotes to fear, and tapping into our own bravery. It’s important to begin a discussion on ...

Episode 160 - Attachment To What Is Non-virtuous

Buddha said, “with effort, we have all attainments.” We can achieve any goal, no matter how lofty, with enough continued effort, even becoming a bodhisattva and attaining enlightenment. So why do such noble goals seem so hard to achieve? Because ...

Episode 157: Constant Craving Versus Letting Go

Buddha taught that no chains are as powerful as attachment, and nothing bonds us to suffering like our attachment. In the First Noble Truth, Buddha didn't just say, "Life is pervaded by suffering," but defined suffering: In short, the five ...

Episode 155 - The Heart of Awakening

When we’re being selfish, our actions are motivated by attachment to our happiness, reputation, opinion, expectations being met, etc. As we practiced after the last episode, we again practice cherishing others as an opponent to attachment. This time, however, we ...

Episode 152 - Examining Attachment To Our Self

Attachment to the self causes suffering, just as suffering invariably follows attachment to any object. In general, attachment arises when we perceive an object we find attractive and become fixated on it; we exaggerate its qualities until we become glued ...

Episode 150 - Happiness and Attachment

Once Buddha was staying near the Himalayas in a place where the people were being very poorly treated by three cruel and ruthless kings. Buddha had the thought, ‘I wonder if there is a way to get the kings to ...

Episode 148 - Mindfulness for a Happy Life

Mindfulness can be used to train the mind: to make the mind more peaceful and see your world differently. Mindfulness, in this way, is used to remember things we’ve learned and intend to put into practice. For example, we may ...

Episode 146 - Caring For Our Parents

The Buddha taught that certain factors strengthen the karmic results of our actions. One example is that the effects of actions we do toward certain types of people are intensified because of their special relationship to us and the benefits ...

Episode 144 - How To Turn The Other Cheek

Many of the great religious leaders have asked us to practice non-retaliation, to turn the other cheek, and practice nonviolence. The Buddha explained that non-retaliation is not only important for the person who harms us, but for the protection of ...

Episode 142 - Mindful Speech

When the Buddha explained the ten nonvirtuous actions to abandon, four are devoted to our speech. Our words are an incredibly powerful tool; they can build ourselves and others up. Or they can tear ourselves and others down. In a ...

Episode 140 - Happiness Training

Where we place our thoughts is how we produce happiness, calm, and peace. The real trap we're all in is believing that we will be happy when_______. Think about how many times we've said this: "I'll be happy when I ...

Episode 137 - Being Tender with Our Anger

When Buddha was accused of sexual relations with a young, beautiful woman named Sundari, and his followers were accused of murdering her, Buddha remained unphased. Buddha merely used it as an opportunity to teach about karma. If only we could ...

Episode 134 - Good Karma

Have you ever wondered how to practice karma? In this episode, we look at how to practice karma by maintaining mindfulness of the law of karma and acting in accordance with it. The word karma literally means action. Every action ...

Episode 132: Cherishing Others, The Basis of All Good Qualities

The Buddha said that the minds of his followers should “constantly, day and night, delight in spiritual practice.” What practice can we weave through our days and use our own life as a spiritual path? What practice can we do ...

Episode 130 - Mindful of The Body

In this episode we explore mindfulness of the body. Many of us spend our work days sitting in front of a computer, disconnected from our bodies. Sometimes we are in a beautiful place but not really present. Mindfulness of the ...

Episode 128 - The Middle Way

The Buddha sometimes spoke in metaphor to convey very deep and complex truths. In this episode, we examine a beautiful verse that describes how we can attain freedom from suffering and difficulties. In particular, the episode is devoted to understanding ...