Vegan Aharonian: Basic Goodness – Podcast 208
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We practice meditation in order to – in some way – become a better person. Vegan Aharonian discusses this ultimate potential within is all, known in the Shambhala tradition as “Basic Goodness”.
Natalie Baker: What Is Constant In Life? – Podcast 207
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The Buddha taught that there are three qualities of life that we can’t escape: impermanence, feeling unsatisfied, and selflessness. We typically know these qualities as the experience of surprise when things change, constantly wanting life to be different than it is, and not knowing who we are. What if these qualities were actually the stepping stones to appreciating life?
Shanté Smalls: The Cradle of Loving-Kindness – Podcast 206
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At times there is a palpable sense of fear in the world. When this is our experience, Shambhala’s root instruction is to place our fearful mind into “the cradle of loving-kindness”. What does this actually look like?
Shanté Smalls: Can Shambhala Get Sober? – Podcast 205
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What could “sobriety” look like for the Shambhala organization? Shanté Smalls discusses tools to help us heal and prevent trauma, abuse, and harmful patterns – from the Buddhist Five Precepts to teachings on Basic Goodness to 12-Step inventories. Are we ready to really use these tools personally and in our community to “get sober”?
Maho Kawachi: Being Genuine – Podcast 204
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Maho Kawachi discusses how simply sitting and observing our minds can be an act of compassion and bravery, which leads to greater genuineness.
Robert Chender: Difficult Emotions – Podcast 203
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How do we function when we’re caught up in anger or fear, or we just freeze? The “lizard brain” takes over, and it seems like threats are everywhere. Robert Chender discusses how meditation helps us encounter our difficult emotions.
Natalie Baker: We Can Clean Up Our Messes – Podcast 202
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In the midst of great turmoil, the Shambhala teachings encourage us that all is not lost. Our fundamental nature is not problematic. We can clean up our messes.
Bill Auerbach & Una Chung: Buddhism, Gender and Freedom – Podcast 201
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You notice how your body feels during meditation. Una Chung and Bill Auerbach discuss how this practice of noticing can effect the (sometimes rigid) ways we categorize our bodies, and what Buddhism has to say about our experiences of gender and sexuality.
Shanté Smalls: Holding Space, Healing Harm – Podcast 200
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When everything is screaming for us to shut down, how do we simply hold space for what we’re feeling? And frankly, why would we even want to?
Rick Redondo: From Stressful Work to Contentment – Podcast 199
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The Shambhala teachings remind us that we can always choose to be open. But what does that look like in a stressful work environment? Rick Redondo discusses the path to contentment at work.
