Curious Bodhi

After a long break, here are the various insights I've found on dreams and premonitions of what could come out of this auspicious, mysterious, and fully weird moment in history. As spiritual beings living a Dharmic lifestyle, sometimes it's necessary to follow our instinct to create seclusion in our environments, for reflection and relaxation, and see what comes to the surface. It's always a surprise, I tell you! Our dreams enrich our waking world... after all, the Buddha mentioned that life is like "a bubble, a dream", and he got into the fact that if we can wake up from our night-time dreams, then we can also wake up from our much longer daytime dream called "ME" and "my life". If you have anything to share, please email me at [email protected]!

The Dhamma is really uncomplicated if we wish to make it so... but the trick is that we have to start where we are and be honest about what we know and what we don't know. For a western audience especially, this is imperative so that we start out with the fundamentals in mind and in heart before hurriedly moving to esoteric and highly ritualistic teachings, such as Tantrayana. Whether Vajrayana or Theravada, the overarching similarities all include the 8-fold path; compassion as a core component; critical thinking and analysis by trial and error, as instructed by the Buddha; and meditation and obtaining "loss" of average sense perception and self-image. Please consider supporting our show on www.curiousbodhipodcast.com/services-donations/.

Two simultaneous dreams that reveal the nature of reality, as I strive for the largest portrait of the truth in this lifetime. Can you help me interpret these dreams? Please email me at [email protected] with your findings!

If you have the feeling that the pandemic is more than questionable and misleading - you are not alone! I go over the recent unfoldment of events from both my personal life and in the wider community where I have been avidly listening, watching, and researching for months. Youtube and Facebook are actively silencing, censoring, and banning "dissident" opinions if they are not in the view of the mainstream; however, qualified doctors and scientists are speaking out about the virus' lack of verification and its relation to the over-reaction of governments and authoratative bodies, who are actively killing world economies. We also talk about Bill Gates and forced vaccination, the "Test, Track, and Trace" app experiment put forth currently by the UK, and how the pieces of the puzzle fit together with plans for a less human world where digital economies and AI will become normal, if we don't STAND UP FOR OUR HUMAN DIGNITY AND LIBERTY NOW!

Good morning! A simple message about love and what you are.

This episode follows up on part 1 (episode 55) of building your own eco-home in Portugal, but it will help you with your dreams no matter which country you choose to build in. Here, we talk specifically about building out of shipping containers. What exactly is a "rough finish" for your container, and what steps do you need to take to start to build one? Step-by-step, we go over: types of industrial-grade metal paint for the outside, creating the skeleton and stud walls with plasterboard, joining the walls, sealing the screws, what to do about windows and doors, applying a mist coat of paint, laying concrete under each container for support, and more. These details are the bare minimum to get you started, so please ask questions! As promised, the best oil-based, rust-proof, industrial-grade paint we have found for the outside of our containers to protect against the weather is called: "Titan Industrial: 815 Esmalte Antioxidante, Rust Preventive Enamel, 8150599 Tinting Base White" with its partner dilutent: "Titan Industrial: Diluyente 872, 8720003". Please ask for any other brands of materials used! Email me at [email protected] 

We give a brief overview of what the Buddha has to offer us in terms of wisdom; indeed, 2500 years ago, the Buddha discovered what we are discovering in quantum physics today, and we compare this with Einstein's knowledge. Spiritual science and material science really just explore different facets of the same reality. Both seek to explain the ultimate nature of existence, but the scope and focus is not the same: IE, the Buddhist explores the mind, body, and (non-physical) heart whereas science mainly explores material objects and projections. I start with the question, "Does time have an end?" - a very interesting philosophical and practical inquiry - and we go from there... Thank you to Bob Thurman of the Bob Thurman Podcast, and friend of the Dalai Lama at Tibet House US, for your guidance on the Buddha's theory of ultimate relativity! Email me at [email protected].

Rarely do I do an opinion piece, but this is too big to ignore. Because of the global scale of the virus, we should be asking the same analytical questions, and more. Why are economies essentially destroying themselves? What excuses are being made to overturn our monetary system? Already, we are seeing blows to small businesses and farmer's markets - who are either forced to shut down completely or we are advised to stay away from. What extra measures will governments put in place to make sure we can't control our own food or medical choices anymore? Already, the UK has deployed the military to step into supermarkets; Spain is giving out fines for simply running or bicycling on the street; and airports are considering "forcibly quarantining people who may carry the virus" as a travel norm. What will this do to our freedom of movement? And most importantly: what can we do during this time instead of panic or experience fear and dread? If Buddhists express one thing clearly, it's that we need to look within and self-reflect rather than being constantly enamored with the material world. This is a great opportunity to explore ourselves: clearly, as the majority, we can take the situation into our own hands using our human spirit. It is crucial that we use our critical minds at this stage instead of being overtaken by survival mode or over-reacting.

Spirituality is for everyone! Although we have different capacities in terms of intellect and obtaining knowledge, creativity, physical abilities, and so on...  the same force operating the macrocosm - reality - is operating within each individual as a microcosm. What is the same within all humans, regardless of the coming-and-going of experiences? We all have consciousness, which is the only prerequisite for finding out the truth about ourselves. Spirituality transcends absolutely every individual, so the matter of expression is inconsequential; if you want to practice Bhakti and dance, then dance! If you want to obtain through knowledge, then Jnana is the way! If you want to sit and meditate, then meditate. If you want to experiment with entheogens, then go for it. There are 84,000 doors to the Dhamma, remember. Which way you choose is up to you. The spiritual life is truly all-inclusive!

We are all subject to what the Buddha called the "three poisons": greed, hatred, and delusion. If we look closely, it is clear that addiction - affecting not just oneself but loved ones and the wider community - are bound up with the poisons. Studying the Dhamma is a helpful motivator to move beyond addiction and free oneself. Since putting down his beer glass for the last time over 20 years ago, Vince Cullen has been practicing the Buddha Dhamma. He started his recovery at the Wat Thamkrabok monestary in Thailand at a detox retreat and took a vow never to take intoxicants again. He is now a charter member of the Buddhist Recovery Network, facilitates Hungry Ghost Retreats, and has held Sangha sit-and-share meetings in England, Scotland, Ireland, India, Nepal, Thailand, and the USA. If you are struggling with addiction and want help, Vince is able to travel anywhere in the world to come teach and see you. Just visit his website www.hungryghostretreats.org under the "Invitations to Teach" section. Namaste and Om!