In this episode, Lama John describes how our relationships with others are central to our making progress on the path, and how we can use the challenges we have with others to help open our hearts and ensure we exempt no one from our love.

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In this episode, Lama John takes a deep dive into bodhichitta, describing how we can cultivate its spontaneous fire power so that it becomes the mesh of our reality. He also recounts his first meditation experiences and working with the subtle body energy of the chakras and channels.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com

Visualize a golden ball of energy at your heart.  

Decide that that is your seat of your compassion, your love for other beings, this desire that nobody suffers.    

And that with this wish that, by our efforts here, by our motivation, by our wish to see a brighter world full of awakened beings, give away the goodness and dedicate our time together to all sentient beings.  

Then visualize galaxies full of sentient beings as far as your mind can imagine, really go supernova. And let this light explode out of your heart, and imagine that it's striking the hearts of all these sentient beings, and that our motivation, our dedication, our very path is benefiting not only ourselves but all these sentient beings.

And imagine, just imagine, that clarity dawns. Ahhh! True refuge — refuge that will actually bring true well-being, true enlightenment — arises in the minds of all these sentient beings, and rejoice in this end of pain and confusion. See it happen and be happy.

And then let that light withdraw back into your body, back into your heart.

And just sit for a second in non-elaboration feeling the beauty of compassion.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com

In this inaugural episode, Lama John recounts his early years, moving about with his family throughout Canada before finally settling in Vancouver. He remembers his first meetings with Mira Shani and Lama Marut and the influence they had on his journey. And there’s lots of great information on refuge as well.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com