One of the foremost goals of Buddhism is to help alleviate humanity’s self-inflicted suffering. French-born Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard notes that through this alleviation, there can emerge a genuine species of happiness. But what exactly does “happiness” mean? In this excerpt from his audio program Happiness—selected by Sounds True producer Randy Roark—Matthieu uses his background […]

Jack Kornfield speaks from the heart. It is his ability to create a genuine heart-level connection with his audience that has made him one of the most beloved and accessible meditation teachers of our time. In recording this segment from Guided Meditations for Self-Healing, producer Randy Roark was especially moved by Jack’s account of his […]

In this selection from the audio program Living in Wise Mind: Practices to Master Your Emotions and Transform Your Life, Erin Olivo, PhD shares techniques for handling those periods when life becomes inundated with difficulty and stress. As a clinical psychologist and former director of Columbia University’s Integrative Medicine program, Olivo has years of experience […]

For decades, David Frenette has been one of the most prominent authorities on Christian contemplative prayer. In this excerpt from the audio program Centering Prayer Meditations: Effortless Contemplation to Deepen Your Experience of God, David discusses the concept of “the dark night of the soul”—that infamous time of inner spiritual conflict. According to David, that […]

Mark Nepo’s audio program Reduced to Joy: The Journey from Our Head to Our Heart arose from an experience he shared with Sounds True producer Stephen Lessard. “I had the wonderful opportunity once to sit with Mark Nepo as he read one of his poems to me,” says Stephen. “He then explained how that poem […]

Thomas Hübl is a spiritual teacher with a deep commitment to bring awakening to all of life—not just to retreat or spiritual practice, but also to our most difficult interactions in the workplace, with friends, and with intimate partners. As Sounds True producer Mitchell Clute says, “Working with Thomas, I really resonated with his engaged, […]

José Luis Stevens is one of the world’s foremost experts on shamanism and shamanic practice. The founder of the Power Path School of Shamanism, José has trained extensively for decades under the authority of shamans from the Huichol, Shipibo, and Q’ero peoples. In this excerpt from the audio program Meditations for the Inner Shaman: Awakening […]

As one of the most beloved voices of American Buddhism, Pema Chödrön shares traditional wisdom with openness, warmth, and spritely good humor. In the words of Sounds True producer Randy Roark, “It’s as if all that’s left of Pema is compassion, no matter what subject she’s addressing.” In this excerpt drawn from the new audio […]

Pioneering neuroscientist Dr. Rick Hanson explores what modern science tells us about how our evolving brains both assist and make more difficult our relationships with others. In this selection from his audio course The Neurodharma of Love, Dr. Hanson addresses an area of confusion for most of us: what does the healthy expression of self-assertiveness […]

As an internationally known authority on Ayurveda—the 5,000–year–old Indian “science of life”—Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar offers listeners a proven and easily applicable approach for better nutrition and overall improved health. In this excerpt from the audio program Effortless Weight Loss: The Ayurvedic Way, Dr. Suhas describes the body as a “river of intelligence” that contains all […]