Discussions on mindful living, inner discovery, transformation, and transcendent awareness.

The new podcast from Brian Thompson, poet, writer, thinker, photographer & author of the upcoming book, Sparks to Awaken.

The Zen Thinking Podcast shares the teachings and experiences that come from Zen wisdom, Taoism, and Buddhist philosophy — in an informal manner — through an awakened personal narrative, to help you understand the nature of your true self so you can live peacefully in the present moment.

Links to the readings featured in this episode can be found at the following link: http://www.zenthinking.net/podcasts

I hope you enjoy this debut episode, thanks for listening.

★ If you enjoy my work, become a patron: http://www.patreon.com/zenthinking ★

Brian Thompson
http://www.zenthinking.net

Episode 1

Religion & Spirituality

Other

Spirituality

Christianity

Buddhism

Hinduism

Judaism

Islam

I’m back! 

I took an unexpected couple of months off from writing and podcasting, but here I Am… and hopefully the pointings I have to share are even more clear and precise than before.

In this new  podcast episode I point towards the knowing of your true emptiness—the Absolute Zero, from which all that seems to be, appears, and in which all that seems to be seen, heard, and felt, arises.

Be the selfless witnessing of all experience.

Let go. Let go. Let go.

Return to Zero. 

Know yourself as an empty Knowing presence, nothing more.

Relax and abide in the bliss of nothing, in which the beauty of all somethings effortlessly pass through—free of mental attachment.

Om shanti shanti shanti.

Brian Thompson
www.zenthinking.net

♥︎ If you enjoy my work, become a patron: www.patreon.com/zenthinking

Read the show notes for this episode at www.zenthinking.net/podcast.

Episode 74 — Return to Zero

Join me in a meditation of Self, an inquiry into understanding the true nature of this knowing presence that you are and that I am.

Self-Inquiry, otherwise known as atma-vichara in Sanskrit, is a tool used in Advaita Vedanta’s seminal practice of Jnana Yoga, which is the Yoga of Wisdom.

This wisdom is not of the intellect however, it is the wisdom of knowing your Self as you truly are, and not how you think you are. Self-Inquiry is used to dispel the illusion of mind which is continually projected onto the world (and self) you perceive.

Self-Inquiry dissolves the ignorance of the falsely perceived personal self into the silent awareness of pure consciousness, which is the very presence of being which you acknowledge through your utterance of, I am.

I often speak of Self-Inquiry, but few understand how to approach it in their daily life. So, if this interests you, please join me in this podcast for a quiet walk-through of this inner-inquiry, which is the oldest question in the Universe—Who am I?  

Delve into the nature of your being, of consciousness, and find your Self.

Om shanti shanti shanti

Brian Thompson
http://www.zenthinking.net

♥︎ If you enjoy my work, become a patron: http://www.patreon.com/zenthinking

Read the show notes for this episode at http://www.zenthinking.net/podcast.

Episode 73 — A Quiet Contemplation of Self-Inquiry

In this week's new episode I share some pointers to help awaken you to your true nature, which is a peaceful presence of pure consciousness, free from the mind's dream-like influence.

Our continual stream of thoughts seem to rule our every waking moment, but, life doesn't have to be this way. 

We don't have to be so overwhelmed by the mind and its contents. We don't have to be troubled by the thoughts the ego projects, nor do we have to identify with any of the emotions that seem to flow through us.

We always have a choice—a choice to not react to the mind and to, instead, abide only in our presence of awareness, empty of influence.

I hope this episode helps point you towards knowing your truth of being—that which is always here and now.

Thanks for listening.

Brian Thompson
http://www.zenthinking.net

♥︎ If you enjoy my work, become a patron: http://www.patreon.com/zenthinking

Read the show notes for this episode at http://www.zenthinking.net/podcast.

Episode 72 — Seeing through the Dream of the Personal Self

This week's episode focusses on becoming aware of the subtle quality of "noticing" that enables every experience to appear.

Underneath every sensation and perception rests your presence of awareness, which is the absolute reality upon which all things rely—both conceptual and material.

Listening to podcasts, reading books, and attending teachings can point you towards your own Self, but its realization depends on a persistent practice of mindfulness, meditation, and self-inquiry.

Thanks for listening to the show, I hope you enjoy it. 
Brian

♥︎ If you enjoy my work, become a patron: http://www.patreon.com/zenthinking

Much love,
Brian Thompson
http://www.zenthinking.net

Read the show notes for this episode at http://www.zenthinking.net/podcast.

Episode 70 — I Am the Watcher of I

Underneath every concept of yourself and the world, there exists a still and silent presence of Being which is ever-present. 

This is your true Self—a pure and unconditioned Presence.

This aware presence that you are is the universal principle that gives every experience, every perception, and every sensation their appearance of reality. It is this principle alone that is a reality, while everything else is merely a brief appearance of mind within it.

When we forget our true formlessness, however, we suffer. We suffer because we become lost in the world of forms which the mind has created countless stories around, all of which are a threat to the concept called, "me".

In this episode, I attempt to bring the absolute reality of this underlying consciousness to your attention, so that it can be self-realized in the present-moment, which in turn helps you see through the many delusions created by the egoic mind.

By just observing the mind, and no longer believing in its stories, you dissolve the ego's hold over you. In doing so, you begin to awaken from the dreams in which you appear to suffer.

Thanks for listening to the show, I hope you enjoy it.      
Brian

♥︎ If you enjoy my work, become a patron: http://www.patreon.com/zenthinking

Much love,
Brian Thompson
http://www.zenthinking.net

Read the show notes for this episode at http://www.zenthinking.net/podcast.

Episode 1

Download our free app to listen on your phone