Amidst all the dizzying changes of our world, Josh reflects on how practice provides a ballast of stability in the middle of the storm.

“We can and must, each of us, individually, be a ballast, a reminder of what is good and right, of peace and justice, of supporting the environment, of trusting in individual experiences, voices, choices and stories.” – Nadia Colburn

In this short reflection, Josh introduces the spiritual story about Bahiya, a spiritual seeker who faced his doubts about the path, directly.

“Then, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will only be the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself.” – Buddha

In this talk, Josh reflects on a student’s question: Do the hindrances in meditation (and life) eventually disappear? Or will they always be part of life?

“Most people are afraid of suffering. But suffering is a kind of mud to help the lotus flower of happiness grow. There can be no lotus flower without the mud.” —Thich Nhat Hanh

In this talk, Josh responds to questions about the relationship between dharma practice and the many crises that are burning in our world.

“It is not billionaires or technology that will save us, but instead a ‘vitalist mass movement,’ driven by human spirit that may actually be magical enough to change hearts and minds across the world.” – Amitav Ghosh

In this episode, Josh interview’s Amiel Handelsman on why it’s important to deracialize people as part of combatting racism.

“Racial essentialism keeps racism alive. The more entrenched racial categories are in the public mind, the easier it is for white power advocates to use them for their own nefarious purposes—and for the rest of us to slip into old stereotypes and cognitive biases.” – Amiel Handelsman

Amiel Handelsman’s free essay: How to Be an Anti-race Antiracist

Two part blog series: Why Deracializing People is Essential To Combatting Racism Part 1, Part 2

Amiel’s Website: www.amielhandelsman.com

In this talk, Josh reflects on how dharma practice transforms and deracializes consciousness.

“Because, as the first line of the Dhammapada says, ‘All that we are is the result of what we have thought,’ the transformation of ‘sociological and psychological structures’ must take place initially in our own minds – and those of others – if we truly hope to address the root cause of social suffering.” – Charles Johnson

In this talk, Josh offers a dharmic interpretation of Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” and how meditation helps free us from being defined by conceptual projections and awakens us to a direct experience of the way things are.

“And if he were forcibly dragged up the steep and rugged ascent and not let go till he had been dragged out [of the cave] into the sunlight, the process would be a painful one, to which he would much object, and when he emerged into the light his eyes would be so dazzled by the glare of it that he wouldn’t be able to see a single one of the things he was now told were real.” – Plato, The Republic

In this talk, Josh explores the conditioned “self,” and how meditation awakens us to this conditioning. Sometimes these awakenings can feel quite shocking, similar to culture shock.

"In becoming aware of our conditioning, we can then practice ways of creatively establishing more skillful habits of relationship and engagement." - Josh Summers

The teachings of the Buddha, known as the Dharma, are like a map that shows the spiritual seeker how to walk the path of awakening. Josh reflects on this map and how sometimes symbols on the map can get lost in translation.

"I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that ancient path, that ancient road? It is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is: wise view, wise intention, wise speech, wise action, wise livelihood, wise effort, wise mindfulness and wise stillness." - The Buddha