Zen Commuter

I have been away from the mic for, well, for as long as I have been away. And while there is no explanation needed; I provide one nonetheless. Thank you all for your grace and understanding. I missed you all, and am glad to be back.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

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Nineteen Buddhist monks set out from Fort Worth, Texas, on a 2,300-mile pilgrimage to Washington, D.C., carrying a message of peace, compassion, and nonviolence. Despite harsh weather, physical exhaustion, and serious injury, their simple act of placing one foot in front of the other captured the attention of millions. In the Tricycle article, "What Do Buddhists Think of Fort Worth's 'Walk for Peace' Monks?", Buddhist teachers and authors reflect on why this journey resonated so deeply with people searching for hope, connection, and an alternative to the anger and division surrounding us.

In today's episode, I explore what these monks can teach us about peace as an embodied practice. Their pilgrimage reminds us that peace is not passive, nor is it something we must wait for the world to create on our behalf. It can begin with our own intentional steps—through compassion, generosity, mindful presence, and the small ways we choose to meet one another each day. We may never walk thousands of miles, but every one of us can decide that today will be our peaceful day.

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Be a part of the show! 🎙 Send me a voice message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter 📧 Email: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @thom_walters 🐦 Twitter: @thom_walters 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/zencommuter Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

One of the greatest benefits of meditation is its ability to help us understand that we can sit with anything that comes our way, seemingly good or bad. With a solid practice, we can objectively think thoughts and feel emotions, without the need to be dragged into them against our will. Today I talk about the calm that comes from knowing that nothing needs to change.

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Sometimes (for many people, always) we see the end of the day as the finish line. Along the way we treat each interaction or moment as something to rate or change. We tally the score at the end of the day and determine if the day was a success or a failure. Did you know that no day is ever a success or failure; it simply is. But there is a way to enhance your perception of the day. Come listen how.

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Be a part of the show! 🎙 Send me a voice message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter 📧 Email: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @thom_walters 🐦 Twitter: @thom_walters 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/zencommuter Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

In this episode, I share and reflect on part of a thoughtful article from Lion's Roar exploring anger through the lens of Buddhist practice. As one of the "three poisons" alongside greed and ignorance, anger can easily pull us away from peace and connection when left unexamined. Rather than condemning anger or pretending it shouldn't exist, this discussion gently explores how awareness, compassion, and understanding can transform our relationship with difficult emotions and help us respond to life with greater clarity and calm.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

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Be a part of the show! 🎙 Send me a voice message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter 📧 Email: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @thom_walters 🐦 Twitter: @thom_walters 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/zencommuter Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

If you have meditated in the past and have fallen off your practice, then today's episode is for you. If you are listening to this episode and your practice has stopped, then it's safe to say you are eager to start it up again. But if you don't know why it stopped, it might get derailed again. No worries. Today, I share with you eight reasons why you may have stopped. the purpose is easy; if you know why you stopped, you'll be prepared should the circumstances line up to kick you off the trail again…And you'll be ready!

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

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Be a part of the show! 🎙 Send me a voice message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter 📧 Email: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @thom_walters 🐦 Twitter: @thom_walters 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/zencommuter Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

In this episode, we sit down with multi-hyphenate storyteller Christopher Rivas — actor, writer, Buddhist practitioner, and host of the Brown Enough podcast. We dive deep into themes of identity, race, belonging, and what it means to "live in the middle space." Christopher shares his journeys into Buddhism, the stories behind his creative work (including Brown Enough and Rubirosa), and how life, art, and spiritual practice intersect for him.

Christopher Rivas is an actor, author, playwright, and podcast host known for exploring issues of race, culture, identity, and transformation. Christopher Rivas

• He hosts the Brown Enough podcast, where he explores what it means to navigate "brownness" in a Black/white world. Brown Enough Podcast

• He also created Rubirosa, a documentary-style story about Porfirio Rubirosa (a Dominican figure many believe inspired James Bond). Rubirosa Podcast

Key writings in Tricycle Magazine Christopher regularly contributes essays to Tricycle. A few notable ones:

• Non-Self Storage — reflection on attachment, possessions, and letting go Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

• I Think the Clock Is Broken — on time anxiety, meditation, and being present

• Always Lie When Someone Asks If You Meditate — an unconventional take on how practice begins (and how we show up)

Social & Web Links

• Christopher's official site:

• Brown Enough podcast: Apple Podcasts Apple Podcasts | Spotify Spotify | general listing via Podnews Podnews

• YouTube playlist for Brown Enough episodes: YouTube

• Twitter / X: @chris__rivas X (formerly Twitter)+1

Here are some of the central topics and takeaways we explore:

1. Integration of spiritual practice & creativity We talk about his meditation journey (16 years and counting), how Buddhist ideas inform his storytelling, and practices that help him stay grounded amid creative turbulence.

2. Storytelling as healing & reimagining narratives Christopher uses storytelling not just as art, but as a bridge to identity, culture, and reconciliation.

3. Attachment, letting go, and identity We unpack his reflections on possessions, ego, attachment, and what does it mean to truly let go (materially and emotionally).

• Official website / podcast hub: christopherrivas.com

• Brown Enough podcast: • Apple Podcasts Apple Podcasts • Spotify Spotify • Podnews listing & show info Podnews

• YouTube Brown Enough playlist YouTube

• Twitter / X handle: @chris__rivas X (formerly Twitter)+1

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page.

Be a part of the show! 🎙 Send me a voice message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter 📧 Email: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @thom_walters 🐦 Twitter: @thom_walters 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/zencommuter Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

In today's episode, I share a thoughtful piece from Tricycle: The Buddhist Review titled Silent Underground by Aryavandana. It's a gentle yet powerful reflection on the unseen roots of our practice—the quiet, often unnoticed ways that mindfulness and compassion take hold beneath the surface of our daily lives. Much like roots growing in the dark, our practice doesn't always announce itself, but over time, it nourishes a steadier, more grounded way of being. Take a few minutes to explore how what's unseen within you may be shaping something truly beautiful.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

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Be a part of the show! 🎙 Send me a voice message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter 📧 Email: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @thom_walters 🐦 Twitter: @thom_walters 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/zencommuter Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Today I want to talk about the comfort that comes from knowing that in every situation you are completely safe. You might be thinking…"Thom, that is a nice thought, but not a real one…Have you seen the world lately?" I have, and I'm sticking by my premise. And hopefully, if it serves you, you might do the same.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

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Be a part of the show! 🎙 Send me a voice message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter 📧 Email: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @thom_walters 🐦 Twitter: @thom_walters 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/zencommuter Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

In today's Tricycle Tuesday, we explore the article The Economy of Grace, a reflection on the quiet abundance that arises when we shift from striving to allowing. Rather than measuring life through effort and achievement, this piece invites us to recognize the grace that is already present—flowing through our relationships, our practice, and the simple moments we often overlook. Join me as we consider what it means to live not from scarcity, but from a place of openness, receptivity, and trust.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page.

Be a part of the show! 🎙 Send me a voice message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter 📧 Email: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @thom_walters 🐦 Twitter: @thom_walters 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/zencommuter Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify