In our second episode with professor Phil Stanley, Phil discusses Buddhist lifestyles in the West and how our approach to practice differs from traditional Eastern practitioners. He addresses our relationship to retreats and monasticism, as well as the difficulties Westerners face in finding a livelihood that supports practice. Phil also discusses controversy over what constitutes a legitimate lineage and teacher.

This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1, Phil Stanley on the Development of Western Buddhism and Part 3, Where are all the Western Rinpoches?

Episode Links:

• Naropa University ( www.naropa.edu )

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In our second episode with Alan Wallace, he presents a new model for “professional” contemplatives. Instead of trying to transplant the monastic model to the West, Dr. Wallace suggests that contemplation become an actual profession. Just as a neuroscientist would go to school to get a PhD and then spend 40+ hour a week working in their field, so too could we have “contemplative scientists” who devote their time to the exploration and investigation of subjective experience.

This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1, Alan Wallace on Achieving Shamatha and Part 3, The Shamatha Project.

Episode Links:

• The Attention Revolution ( http://bit.ly/HIW1o )
• Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Consciousness Studies ( http://www.sbinstitute.com )
• The Shamatha Project ( http://www.sbinstitute.com/research_Shamatha.html )

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In our first episode with scholar-practitioner Phil Stanley, professor at Naropa University, he chats with us about how he became a practitioner and his passion for Buddhist study. Phil shares his thoughts on the importance of intellectual study, as well as what changes he sees Buddhism experiencing as it takes root in the West.

This is Part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2, We’re Not the Cheerleaders of Buddhism and Part 3, Where are all the Western Rinpoches?

Episode Links:

• Naropa University ( www.naropa.edu )

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In our first interview featuring scholar-practitioner B. Alan Wallace, we asked Dr. Wallace to give us the low-down on his spiritual journey, as well as describe the stages of deepening relaxation and vividness of attention leading to the culmination of an attainment he calls shamatha.

This is Part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2, Get a PhD in Contemplative Science and Part 3, The Shamatha Project.

Episode Links:

• The Attention Revolution ( http://bit.ly/HIW1o )
• Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Consciousness Studies ( http://www.sbinstitute.com )
• The Shamatha Project ( http://www.sbinstitute.com/research_Shamatha.html )

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In our 1st episode, “Meet the Geeks” you’ll hear the three founding members of Buddhist Geeks--Vincent Horn, Ryan Oelke, & Gwen Bell--discussing the vision behind this project. By weaving together snippets of a larger conversation this podcast should give you a sense of what this project is about and how you can contribute to it. The following episodes will be interviews with Buddhist teachers, scholars, and advanced practitioners who we feel have provocative perspectives to offer. We hope you enjoy!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.