Mariana Restrepo, deputy editor of Buddhadharma, speaks with Rosamaría Segura. With a background in the Vipassana and Soto Zen traditions, Rosamaría’s work has focused on advocating for social justice, supporting disenfranchised communities, and serving as a death doula — a central topic of today’s discussion. The conversation delves into how her Buddhist practice shapes her approach to death and dying, how to support those going through this transition, and the profound insights she has gained from those approaching the end of life.

Following her insightful and compassionate commentaries on the war in Gaza for lionsroar.com, Buddhist teacher Tara Brach sits down with editor-in-chief Melvin McLeod to talk about the ultimate root of conflict, the destructive dehumanizing known as othering, and how we can overcome it in ourselves and society. Read Tara Brach’s pieces mentioned in the episode:

• What Is Love Asking from Us? 
• Gaza and the Bodhisattva Path

In this episode of the Lion's Roar Podcast, assistant editor Sandi Rankaduwa talks to Reverend Melissa Opel, a member of the LGBTQ+ community and a minister at the Buddhist Church of San Francisco — the oldest Jodo Shinshu, or Shin Buddhist, church in the mainland United States.  Rev. Opel shares what drew her to Buddhism, what keeps her inspired as a minister, how acceptance and inclusivity are central to the Jodo Shinshu tradition, and how Buddhists and Buddhist institutions can offer meaningful support to the LGBTQ+ community.  

This episode is sponsored by Karuna Training. Find out more at karunatraining.com

Today, we’re re-sharing one of the most popular episodes of The Lion’s Roar Podcast featuring essayist and novelist Pico Iyer. For Iyer, travel is a spiritual experience that shakes up our usual certainties and connects us to a richer, vaster world.

In this conversation, Iyer & Lion’s Roar’s editor-in-chief Melvin Mcleod, discuss Iyer’s book The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise and his eclectic contemplative practice.

Read Pico Iyer's articles discussed in this episode at lionsroar.com/author/pico-iyer/

In this episode of The Lion’s Roar Podcast, we’re thrilled to invite you to participate in BuddhaFest 2024, an online festival presented by Lion’s Roar. This year, BuddhaFest is dedicated to celebrating women in Buddhism.

In this conversation from BuddhaFest 2024, Gaetano Maida, executive director of the Buddhist Film Foundation, explores the intersection of film and Buddhism with Sharon Suh, president of the Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women, and author of Silver Screen Buddha. Together, they discuss the importance of telling women’s stories through film, the profound contributions of female filmmakers, and their own experiences watching this year’s selected BuddhaFest films.

This special event runs from July 15 through August 26. Your festival pass includes access to nine talks, 14 Buddhist films, musical performances, and more. Register at buddhafestonline.com‌

This podcast is sponsored by Karuna Training. Discover embodied compassion with Karuna's 2024 to 2026 Basic Training Program. Start your journey today at karunatraining.com

Mariana Restrepo speaks to Buddhist teacher and translator Lama Karma Yeshe Chödrön about visualization practice, a central aspect of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, explaining its benefits and how to do it. At the end of the episode, she guides us through a visualization practice of the bodhisattva of compassion, Chenrezig, also known as Avalokitesvara.

View an image of Chenrezig to accompany the visualization practice here.

This episode is sponsored by Saint John’s College. Find out more at https://www.sjc.edu/lion

Tibet’s first religion is not Buddhism. The authors of a new book on Bön, Tibet’s indigenous religion, talk to Melvin McLeod about the history of Bön, its influence on Tibetan Buddhism, and why its earth-centered spirituality is so important for the earth today.

East Bay Meditation Center teacher Arisika Razak talks to associate editor Mihiri Tillakaratne about loving-kindness, intergenerational trauma, recognizing our shared humanity, and the vulnerability in “ugly crying.” Razak then leads a loving-kindness meditation practice for ourselves, those who have supported our journeys, and even the difficult people in our lives.

The Insight Meditation Society celebrates the 80th birthday of one of its co-founders, Joseph Goldstein this year. In his conversation with Buddhadharma editor Rod Meade Sperry, Goldstein applies the “harmonized understanding” approach he championed in his book One Dharma to the concept of buddhanature, to uncover the concept’s relevance to Buddhist practitioners. In the end, he argues, what matters is not who’s right or wrong about what buddhanature is; it’s whether or not engaging with it leads us to less clinging.

Lion’s Roar editor-in-chief Melvin McLeod talks with Shantum Seth, a teacher in the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition who leads the In the Footsteps of the Buddha pilgrimages. They discuss Thich Nhat Hanh's own pilgrimage to India, how visiting the places where the Buddha lived brings him to life, and bringing Buddhism back to the country where it was born.

In partnership with Shantum Seth's company, 11 Directions, this year's Lion's Roar pilgrimage destinations include include India and Vietnam. Learn more at lionsroar.com/pilgrimages

This episode is sponsored by Saint John’s College. Find out more at https://www.sjc.edu/lion