The theme of distinguishing between the Buddhist teachings and forms which lead to awakening, and those forms that are culturally inherited and perhaps unsuited for our current Western context, is an ongoing one on Buddhist Geeks.  This week, we continue this exploration with Dharma teacher, Martin Aylward.  Martin, who lives in southern France, where he runs and teaches as Le Moulin Meditation Centre, has been actively exploring what it means to translate Dharma to the West.  He recognizes that we're still quite early in that process, but is a pioneer when it comes to adapting the forms of Buddhism to the West.  His use of technology and emphasis on relational dharma, as well as what calls "Freestyle or DIY Awakening" is a striking attempt at making Dharma more relevant for the lives of Western, engaged, lay practitioners.  This is part 1 of a two part series.  Listen to part 2, Work, Sex, Money, Dharma (airing next week!)

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We continue our discussion with Shambhala acharya, Judith Simmer-Brown, about how we can strategically invest in American Buddhism so that it survives in the long-term.  We explored the first three areas of importance in-depth in part 1, which included the translation of core texts, the development of a monastic lineage, and the appointment of dharma heirs.In this part of the discussion we flesh out the details of the fourth area, which is royal patronage.  Judith speaks about how, given a lack of that kind of support, most dharma teachers and organizations turn whole-heartedly to the market to sustain them.  And with that come all sort of issues--including the pursuit of fame and fortune.  We finish the discussion, going back to the question of whether we'll be able to develop a monastic community in the West, and why that's important to the healthy development of Buddhism in America.This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, The Survival of American Buddhism.

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This week, we're joined by Shambhala acharya and Naropa University professor, Judith Simmer-Brown.  She joins us today to discuss four areas, which she learned about while at Colombia University in the late 60's, that help determine whether or not Buddhism will take root in a new country.  These four are: The translation of core Buddhist texts into English The development of a monastic lineage w/ American lineage holders The training and appointment of dharma transmission holders Royal patronage, or financial support from within the country After describing each area of focus, Judith goes into depth as to how we're doing with the first three areas, today in America.  She shares her reflections, while also raising some provocative questions, as to how we're doing with building a sustainable infrastructure for Buddhism to prosper in the West. Next week, we'll finish the conversation by exploring the 4th area in depth, and speaking about how we can best invest in the future of American Buddhism.  This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Investing in the Future of American Buddhism. 

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Insight Meditation teacher, Rodney Smith, joins us to explore the topic of "urban dharma"--seeing that the transformative potential of one's life and relationships are on equal footing with silent, more passive forms of meditation.  Rodney critiques the common tendency to elevate silent retreat practice above all other aspects of practice.  As part of that exploration he also shares a moving story from his time studying with the famous Advaita teacher Nisargadatta Maharaj. Rodney concludes by exploring what it might it mean to be a "Buddhist revolutionary," updating and contemporizing the Buddhist teachings, while "turning one's back to the Buddha and moving forward..."  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, Stepping out of Self-Deception. 

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Rodney Smith, the founder of the Seattle Insight Meditation Society, joins us today to discuss several fascinating topics.  We start with an exploration of how the Big Bang and the origin of life on Earth (some 3.8 billion years ago) and spiritually significant events.  We also discuss the overall compatibility between Buddhist teachings and these new found scientific findings.  Finally, Rodney shares with us a powerful mathematical analogy for understanding the spiritual path, that of fractions.  The numerator of the fraction represents the appearances of things, and the denominator represents the undifferentiated wholeness underlying appearances.  Rodney shares how spiritual practice, and the process of dying, can both help us cross the fraction line. This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Turning Your Back to the Buddha.

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This week, we're joined by Kenneth Cohen, a well-known qi-gong master.  Along with his training in the Taoist qi-gong and tai chi chuan, Kenneth has a strong connection to the Zen tradition and to the Japanese tea ceremony.  In this episode, he shares with us some of the history of tea (the camellia sinensis plant), its long-standing relationship to the Buddhist tradition, his own training with Japanese tea master Millie Johnstone, and the wonderful profundity of drinking a simple cup of tea.

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"A perception, sudden as blinking, that subject and object are one, will lead to a deeply mysterious wordless understanding; and by this understanding will you awaken to the truth of Zen." - Zen Master Huang-po The above quote, taken from James Austin's newest book Selfless Insight, is a description of kensho, an "initial awakening" to the true nature of things.  We continue our discussion, this week, with James Austin about the importance of both kensho and satori in the Zen tradition, and his hypothesis as to what is happening in the brain, leading up to and during these events.  We also discuss the vast importance of the thalamus, which Austin describes as a type of gateway of perceptual experience.  Finally, Austin makes a strong distinction between both the absorptions and various types of quickenings that can precede kensho or satori, but that are not the same as them. This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, This is Your Brain on Meditation.

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This week we speak with academic nuerologist and Zen practitioner James Austin.  Austin, who wrote the well-known book, Zen and the Brain, joins us to explain some of the physical mechanisms underlying both attention and the way we process reality.  In terms of attention, he shares with us a very descriptive difference between "top-down" and "bottom-up" modes of attention.  He also shares the difference, from the perspective of the brain, between self-centered (egocentric) processing and other-centered (allocentric) processing.  He also shares the ways in which these two are related to the different forms of meditation that are commonly seen in the Buddhist tradition.  Although sometimes technical, his descriptions are extremely interesting for those who have an interest on the intersection between meditation and the brain. This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, The Mechanisms of Kensho.

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This week with speak with the author of Saltwater Buddha, Jaimal Yogis.  Jaimal, a Zen surfer and journalist, wrote Saltwater Buddha to chronicle his late teens and early 20's as he learned to surf and delved into Zen.  He shares with us some of the highlights from this time of his life, and also shares what a powerful metaphor the ocean has been for his spiritual life, especially given his passion for surfing.  He also shares some prescient observations about what it's like being a young Buddhist, and what he notices that is different about the young generation of up-and-coming practitioners. 

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In this episode we have a round-table discussion, with members from the NYC-based Interdependence Project, on issues surrounding 21st century dharma in the West.  Both Buddhist Geeks and the Interdependence Project tend to attract younger practitioners in their 20s & 30s.  So, in this dialogue, where the oldest of us is 31, we take on some interesting questions about how Dharma is changing in the West, what challenges we face in the future, the economics of dharma, and the implications of a generation who are so interconnected with technology and culture.  Listen in to hear a genuine conversation between young practitioners who are trying to find their way as Buddhist practitioners in the 21st century. 

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We're back again with Artificial Intelligence researcher and Zen-dabbler, Ben Goertzel.  We continue our exploration of some of the major themes in his non-fiction story "Enlightenment 2.0".  This precipitates a conversation about whether consciousness is a result of the mechanisms of the brain, or whether it is fundamental.  And connected to that, what are the ethical implications of creating an artificial intelligence, if we do indeed see it as having BuddhaNature?  Finally, Ben shares what he has discovered while exploring the notion of "artificial wisdom"--including what difference there is between intelligence and wisdom.  He also talks about the seeming incompatibility between intense scientific thinking and enlightenment, and how that might be rectified by creating a more wise and intelligent super-mind.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, Enlightenment 2.0. 

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This week we speak with Ben Goertzel, an artificial intelligence researcher and Zen-dabbling spiritual seeker.  Ben shares with us his introduction to Zen and his on-going relationship to spiritual practice.  He also explains what is meant by "strong artificial intelligence" and AGI (artificial general intelligence) and explains why he thinks a fully functioning AI may be as little as a decade away.  Finally, we explore the overlap between his work as an AI researcher and his experiences with Zen and other spiritual practices, through discussing a story he wrote entitled, "Enlightenment 2.0" about an enlightened AI being who determines that it is possible to construct a more enlightened mind, what Ben calls a "super mind", but isn't sure whether or not it is possible for us.  This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Artificial Wisdom.

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In this episode we speak with Karma Kagyu teacher, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.  He starts off by telling us about how he got into formal Buddhist practice, at the tender age of 9.  He also shares some of his initial challenges with anxiety, and how he was able to work with it on his first 3-year retreat.  Rinpoche also shares some suggestions for meditators who are fairly new to the path, suggesting that they focus on 1) Wisdom & 2) Method.  In addition to that he speaks about what makes a good teacher and whether or not it is vital to practice in a particular lineage.  We finish our interview with Rinpoche discussing the importance of Joy on the Buddhist path, and of what he calls "Boundless Joy."  Tying in with that he shares what it was like participating in the meditative research conducted by Dr. Richard Davidson, and what the results of that study were. 

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We're joined today by Vidyuddeva, a young Zen teacher who spent 5 years in monastic training with Zen Master Steve Hagen.  Vid is now a teacher in his own right, and teaches with both the iEvolve Practice Community as well as with the Integral Spiritual Center (founded by Ken Wilber).  In this episode, Vid shares with us how he came to the dharma, and how it eventually led to his time as a Zen monastic.  He also turns the table on the Geeks and begins questioning us as to what the significance is between meditation and life.  Listen in to hear more from this young & dynamic voice of wisdom.  

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Erik Curren is a business leader, community activist, author, Buddhist meditator, and politician?who is running for state legislature in Virginia during the 2010 election period.  We were contacted by Erik's campaign manager, who told us that Erik's Buddhist background was causing a backlash of religious intolerance from some camps, including his fellow Democrats.  We spoke with Erik about the importance of religious freedom in American politics, as well as about the way that the Bodhisattva ideal impacts his work as a politician.  Finally, we speak with Erik about his first book, Buddha's Not Smiling, which explored some of the issues behind the current controversy between the two young men who both claim to be reincarnations of the 16th Karmapa--the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu school.  It turns out that there is corruption and misunderstanding in Tibetan politics, just as there are in American politics. 

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This week we're joined by Reverend Danny Fisher--a Buddhist Chaplain and author.  Danny shares with us his reasons for becoming chaplain, where the notion of chaplaincy or service to others comes from in the Buddhist tradition, and what it's like to undertake a Buddhist-based divinity program. In the 2nd half of our conversation we ask him about his take on the challenges and opportunities that young Buddhists encounter.  Being an emerging voice for young Buddhists, and a popular Buddhist blogger, Danny shares with us some of his thoughts on what it's like being a young Buddhist today. 

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This week we speak with esteemed scholar, and the former professor of Buddhist Studies at UC Berkely, Dr. Lewis Lancaster.  Lewis shares with us the important history of the Buddhist tradition, focusing in particular on the unique attributes of Buddhism that made it the first "world religion," a religion that is able to detach from it's original homeland and language and travel wide and far.  We also discuss the recent history of Buddhism transitioning to the West, and how Buddhism continues to morph and change through time.  Listen in for a great dose of geeky history! 

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Zen teacher Norman Fischer—a teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi?joins us again to speak about the religion, evolution, and Buddhism's unique role in both.  The conversation begins with an overview of American sociologist Robert Bellah's schema on the evolution of religion throughout the ages.  We then discuss the important role that Buddhism can play in the evolution of religion in the West.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to Part 1, Buddhism May Need a Plan B. 

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As Buddhism transitions to the West, we see that it is doing so in a couple different ways.  Some forms look more like their original Asian roots, while others are secular and non-Religious in their presentation.  Zen teacher Norman Fischer, an early 2nd generation teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, calls the more traditional forms part of "Plan A" and the more secular forms, "Plan B." In this interview we discuss with Norman the importance of Plan B approaches, like Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction.  We also discuss his personal experience teaching Plan B at places like Google.  Finally, we explore how the livelihood of trained and competent meditation teachers may rely heavily on Plan B approaches. This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Buddhism and the Evolution of Religion.

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This week, I speak with non-dual teacher and former Tibetan monk, Peter Fenner.  Peter was a monk for nearly a decade before he disrobed, realizing that the Buddhist practices he was engaged in weren't leading him to what he was looking for.  He then looked to Western psychotherapeutic technologies, and in the process developed a non-dual teaching that relates in part to Madhyamika, Advaita Vedanta, and Western psychology.  He calls this approach Radiant Mind, and in this episode we speak with him about the various aspects of his teaching, from a type of deconstructive inquiry based on dialoguing with him, to the formless "practice" of natural meditation.  Listen in to hear more about this type of "fruition or results" based spiritual path. 

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This week we speak with Gen-X Zen teacher Brad Warner, author of the newly released Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate.  We talk a little bit about his book, which leads to a critique of what we might call "Popular Buddhism."  We then ask Brad about an article he wrote called, "Satori Porn", where he argues that descriptions of enlightenment that make it sound like an experience just aren't that helpful for students.  Even so, at the end of the episode he tries his best to talk about enlightenment, while not describing it in terms of experience. 

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This week we speak with Shambhala acharya and cultural anthropologist, Gaylon Ferguson.  Gaylon speaks about the view of Natural Wakefulness, in short that innate wisdom is there from the beginning.  We also discuss the four foundations of mindfulness as they were taught by Chogyam Trungpa, and the differences between emphasizing naturalness and training on the spiritual path.  We wrap up by exploring how cultural anthropology and the study of religion fit in with being a practitioner of the dharma.  And since Gaylon has done and taught all three, he has a distinctly interdisciplinary approach that you'll probably find quite interesting.

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We're joined again by Tami Simon--founder of the spiritual media company Sounds True and senior student of Vajrayana teacher Reggie Ray.  This week we ask her about her new podcast series, Insights at the Edge, where she has been interviewing many of the best spiritual teachers in the world.  Jokingly, Tami said that she wanted to name the show, "Grill the Guru."  Even though that was a joke, there is some truth in it, and she uses her opportunity with these different teachers to ask them tough questions about their lives.  We also ask her about some of the people that have impacted her the most during her decades of being around, and working with some of the brightest spiritual teachers of our time.  She shares stories from some of her favorite luminaries, including Quaker teacher and activist Parker Palmer, Julia Butterfly Hill, Adyashanti, and finally "the living now gate," Eckhart Tolle.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, You Will Get the Dharma You Need. 

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In this episode we speak with Tami Simon--founder of the spiritual media company Sounds True and senior student of Vajrayana teacher Reggie Ray.  Tami shares us with us the intimate details of her initial meeting with Reggie, and the amazing results that followed.  She also describes what she has learned from beginning to teach the dharma to others, while also making a vow to only teach that which she truly knows.  This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Insights at the Edge. 

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This week we speak to the Buddhist-inspired musician Ravenna Michalsen.  She explains why dharma music need not sound the way we think it should (think monks chanting in Asian in a cave).  Instead, Ravenna's music crosses musical genres and stretches our notion of what dharma music is.  We also discuss the life and teachings of Machig Labdron, one of Tibet's most famous female masters and the inventor of the Chöd lineage of practice.  At the end of the interview we end with a song from Ravenna's album Dharma Song called "Ki Ki So So." 

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This week, Adam Engle, the business mastermind behind the Mind and Life Institute, joins us to discuss both the evolution of the project as well as its larger impact.  The first Mind and Life Dialogue was held in Dharamsala, India in 1987 with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  Since then, Adam says, it has done more than any other organization to help "legitimatize the scientific study of meditation."  Listen in to hear more about how they've gone about creating an active collaboration between scientists and contemplatives, and what kind of fruit that collaboration has borne.

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Alan Chapman is a Western magick practitioner, and the author of the newly released book, Advanced Magick for Beginners.  Alan found his way into the field of Chaos magick through the work of Aleister Crowley and since has worked with a powerful technique called "the Holy Guardian Angel," which very much like the guru yoga techniques of the Vajrayana schools, allows one to surrender to an external guide on the path to enlightenment.  Alan shares with us the details of the Western occult tradition, including its core purpose of enlightenment, which he calls "the great work" of magick.  He also connects some of the spiritual practices of magick with the Buddhist maps and models.  Finally, he shares with us some of the details of a project he has recently launched called Open Enlightenment, whose purpose is to promote a transparent and open discussion surrounding the nature of enlightenment throughout the world's mystical traditions.

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Dr. Susan Blackmore--a psychologist and long-time Zen practitioner--shares with us the discoveries that she made while writing her latest book, Ten Zen Questions.  Listen in to find out what she discovered after many, many hours of asking questions, such as:  "Am I conscious now?", "What was I conscious of a moment ago?", & "There is no time.  What is memory?"  Also, listen in to hear how she feels this type of exploration, often called Koan training in the Zen Buddhist tradition, can illuminate and inform the traditional scientific study of consciousness.

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Daniel Ingram, Theravada meditation teacher, joins us today to discuss the online community he and Buddhist Geeks host, Vince Horn helped create, The Dharma Overground.  Daniel shares how the Dharma Overground has been a grand experiment in discussing practical, down-to-earth, and empowering dharma out in the open and the results of that experiment thus far.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book. 

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Daniel Ingram, a Theravada meditation teacher and one of our most popular guests, joins us again to discuss his recently published book, Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha.  In discussing the book we dive into some of the more foundation distinctions he makes, including that of the three trainings.  Daniel claims that the trainings in morality (or ethics), concentration (or meditation), and insight (or wisdom) are distinct trainings, each having their own unique gold standard.  He explores each of these gold standards and pays particular attention to the gold standard of insight, which has to do with seeing the three characteristics of experience?impermanence, suffering, and not-self.  Listen in for some geeky, technical, and hard-hitting dharma from one of today's little known, yet extremely profound, American dharma teachers. This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, The Dharma Overground. 

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Lama Sarah Harding, Tibetan translator and student of the late Kalu Rinpoche, joins us again to discuss some of the major trends in Western Buddhism.  Having taught a class on "Buddhism in America" for the past several years, Sarah is uniquely positioned to share some key insights on this topic.  We cap the conversation off discussing the regular, and unfortunate, occurrence of scandal within different Buddhist communities in the West, and what some of the major causes seem to be.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, The Traditional 3-Year Retreat: Intensive Training for a Nonexistent Job

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Lama Sarah Harding, Tibetan translator and student of the late Kalu Rinpoche, joins us to discuss the experience of doing a traditional 3-year retreat in the Tibetan tradition.  She was part of a small group of people, who in the mid 70's did the first 3-year retreat held for Westerners.  Listen in to find out more about the practices one does during the traditional retreat, what the biggest challenges can be, and what the benefits are (especially when compared with shorter periods of practice).   This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Western Buddhism: Megatrends & Scandals.

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Insight Meditation teacher, Diana Winston, joins us to discuss an extremely relevant topic:  Buddhism & Money.  We explore whether or not spirituality and money are incompatible (as they are often seen) and if not how they might go together. Diana shares with us some of the original, though not so well known, teachings that the historical Buddha gave on money.  She also discusses why both Buddhist teachers and practitioners should work with money and become familiar with it, and reconts her own journey with spiritual practice and money and how she has been able to bring the two together. 

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We continue our discussion with insight meditation teacher and author, Richard Shankman.  In this episode we continue to dissect the different kinds of samadhi and their respective fruits--what in the Theravada tradition are called jhana (or "meditative absorption").  According to Shankman there are two ways of approaching the attainment of jhana, one as was taught in the original canonical texts of the Theravada, the Pali Suttas, and the other from the later commentaries on the Buddha's teachings, the Vishudimagga.  As a result we get two different forms of jhana--one called Sutta jhana and the other called Vishudimagga jhana.  This two-fold understanding, though geeky, shines light on the different methods of practicing both samadhi and vipassana meditation and offers a unitary model for understanding the two together.  We also briefly touch on a term called "vipassana jhana," which is used by notable Burmese and American insight meditation teachers, and relate the development of insight (via vipassana) to these two jhana systems.  For those folks who have experience practicing or studying in the Theravada tradition you will likely find your understanding of the tradition deeply enriched.  For those in other traditions you will almost certainly find this an interesting glimpse into the detailed intricacies of a one of the oldest Buddhist traditions of meditation.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, The Power of Samadhi.

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Richard Shankman--a teacher in the insight meditation tradition and the author of the recently released book The Experience of Samadhi--joins us to discuss the various teachings and approaches to what in the Theravada tradition is called samadhi or concentration meditation.  During this episode Richard shares some of his personal background with samadhi practice and also explains two different forms of deep samadhi, called jhana in the Theravada tradition--one from the time of the Buddha as captured by the Pali Suttas and another which arouse hundreds of years later and which is captured in the authoritative text, the Visuddhimagga.  Listen in to find out about these different forms of deep concentration and absorption, which are a hallmark of the Theravada tradition of Buddhism...  This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Different Types of Jhana: Sutta, Vishudimagga, & Vipassana.

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In this episode, we continue our dialogue with Shingon teacher Hokai Sobol.  We begin our conversation by dropping a difficult question on Hokai, asking him how the Vajrayana traditions (both the Japanese and Tibetan) can maintain relevance in our post-modern and rapidly changing world.  He suggests that we must develop a "Vajrayana in Plain English," one that is germane to the particularities of this time and space.    And as the 1st generation of Buddhist teachers and leaders near retirement-age, now is the only time that we have to do so.  Listen in to hear his take on making the Vajrayana not only more relevant, but on it becoming a pioneering force and cultural leader in today's world.  This includes the way that Buddhist teachings, practice, & even creative expressions are presented. It includes nothing less than a bold transformation of the tradition.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, Japanese Shingon: The True Word School.

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In this episode we are joined by one of our favorite Buddhist Geeks, Hokai Sobol.  Hokai who is a teacher in the Shingon Buddhist tradition--a form of Vajrayana found in Japan--joins us today to speak about the Shingon school.  Hokai shares with us a brief history of Shingon tradition and its main teacher Kukai, the artistic dimension of Shingon, and also begins to explain the basic teachings and practices of the lineage.  Similar to the Tibetan Vajrayana approaches Shingon harnesses things like mudras (gestures), mantras (sounds), and mandalas (visualizations)--which lines up with the three-fold Body, Speech, & Mind.  Speaking about mantras specifically Hokai brings us through the three distinct dimensions of mantra practices and shows us how we can understand and practice with the basic mantra of "om"-"ah"-"hum."This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Vajrayana in Plain English.

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"Meditation is the royal road to the unconscious." - Carl JungGerry Shishen Wick, Roshi joins us today to finish the discussion on koan training, Rinzai and Soto Zen, and on a method of training he uses to help people deal with certain psychological issues--called the Great Heart Way.  He sees all of these methods as leading toward a more genuine and embodied Zen.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, Koan Training and the Different Styles of Zen.

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Gerry Shishen Wick, Roshi is a dual-lineage holder of both the Soto and Rinzai schools of Zen.  His teacher Maezumi Roshi passed along both lineages, and so we take this unique opportunity to ask Roshi to compare these two different approaches.  He talks about shikantaza (Just Sitting) and also about koan practice--sometimes referred to as logical paradoxes.  He explains that the koan system includes many different kinds of koans, each with different purposes.  Some are meant to reveal the oneness of reality, while others are point to the multiplicity within that oneness.  He also discusses the difference between "live words" and "dead words," and why that distinction is so important in the practice of Koan training.This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Embodied Zen.  

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Joseph Goldstein--one of the primary figures in the development of the Insight Meditation movement--finishes up his conversation with us by sharing his perspective on the recent cross-pollunation of the Buddhist meditation with scientific investigation.  He shares some of the recent studies that he has contributed to--including an in-depth study at the Insight Meditation Society--and also discusses a few research possibilities that he has recommended to scientists.  Finally he shares an interesting idea he had for creating a "virtual bardo machine."  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, Joseph Goldstein on the Benefits of Long Term Practice.

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Joseph Goldstein--one of the primary figures in the development of the Insight Meditation movement--joins us today to discuss the unique benefits of long-term practice.  He touches in on the need the train the mind, and hence the need for long periods of dedicated training.  He also shares some of the background and vision behind the long-term retreat facility that he helped start called the Forest Refuge--a place where people can come and do long, self-guided retreat practice.Finally, we touch in on the future of the insight meditation tradition, and really the development of Western Buddhism in general.  This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Joseph Goldstein on the Science of Insight.

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Reginald Ray, Tibetan Buddhist scholar and teacher, is backhitw us this week to discuss some pretty big topics.  We explore the break that he made, several years ago with the Shambhala tradition, and the larger implications of becoming a Western teacher in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.  Connected with that we explore the whole issue of Westerners not being regularly empowered to be teachers, and several of the factors involved in that dynamic.  We also touch on whether or not Westeners make the best practitioners, and what seems to keep them from going deep.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, The Forest Dwelling Yogi.

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"Enlightenment is found in the Body and nowhere else." - famous Dzogchen sayingWe're joined in this interview by Reginald Ray--author of numerous books on Tibetan Buddhism and teacher in the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.  In this episode we discuss the forest dwelling meditator, a category of practitioner outside of the normal lay / monastic dichotomy.  In particular we look at the role that retreat--both group and solitary--plays for the type of practitioner that does intensive retreat but is not a full-time practitioner.  We also discuss Reggie's teaching emphasis on the shamanic aspect of Vajrayana Buddhism, particulary the role that the body plays in awakening.This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Tibetan Buddhist Lineage in the West.

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Shinzen Young joins us again to discuss the possibility of a new way to deliver classical enlightenment to the masses.  He discusses the classic delivery systems, which included monastic and lay life.  He then builds on that to show a hybrid two-fold delivery system that would incorporate his artificial intelligence system with virtually led home retreats.  This Home Practice Program is what is currently being offered at BasicMindfulness.org.  Finally Shinzen discusses the "crowning glory" of his mission to unify Western and Eastern technologies, and that is to help nurture the emergence of a "neuro-scientific paradigm for classical enlightenment."  This paradigm could help lead to the emergence of technologies which have the potential to bring classical enlightenment to the masses and hence make large-scale social and individual change.  Though Shinzen doesn't think he'll see these changes in his own lifetime, he does believe that he can do a lot to help train the future scientists who will.This is part 3 of a 3-part series.  Listen to part 1, Shinzen Young: The Hybrid Teacher & part 2, Building a Dharma Successor.

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Shinzen Young, professional meditation instructor and geek-extraordinaire, continues his discussion with us on the unique approach he has taken to combining the best of the scientific approach with the best of the contemplative modalities of the East.  The result of this combination appears to be a delivery system for enlightenment that uses an interactive and algorithmic approach to guiding a student in their practice.  In short, instead of appointing a human dharma successor, he is trying to build one.Listen in to find out more about this artificial intelligence system, which he refers to as "virtual Shinzen," and how it might revolutionize the way that dharma teaching is done!This is part 2 of a 3-part series.  Listen to part 1, Shinzen Young: The Hybrid Teacher & part 3, Enlightenment for the Rest of Us.

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Shinzen Young, professional meditation instructor and geek-extraordinaire, joins us today to share his unique journey as a contemplative.  From discontinuing his PhD studies to become a full-time shingon practitioner to taking up Japanese Zen and finally discovering the mindfulness practices originating from Theravada Buddhism, Shinzen has gone deep with several contemplative techniques.  In addition to his training in the contemplative traditions of the East, Shinzen took time to train himself to become a relatively qualified mathematician and scientist so that he could one day be poised to bring together the best of the East (contemplative practice) with the best of the West (the scientific method).  The hybrid of which, he thinks will yield a comletely unique fusion.  Listen in to hear more from this incredibly gifted and incredibly geeky meditation teacher.This is part 1 of a 3-part series.  Listen to part 2, Building a Dharma Successor.

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Jun Po Roshi, an American Zen Master in the Rinzai Zen tradition, joins us again this week to discuss the limitations of Japanese Zen as it enters contemporary American culture.  He also shares the way that his Hallow Bones Zen community has re-organized the core teachings of the Buddha in their five training elements:1. Sacred stewardship2. Philosophical re-indoctrination3. Emotional maturity & integrity4. Conscious embodiment5. Genuine insightThese five training elements are a re-working and re-presentation of the original 8-fold path, but one that was designed specifically for our time and place.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, Psychotropics and NeuroLinguistic Zen.

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Jun Po Roshi, an American Zen Master in the Rinzai Zen tradition, joins us to discuss his fascinating history with psychotropic drugs, including a form of LSD, called Clear Light, that he helped to create and distribute a long time ago.We also speak with him about his new form of Koan practice that uses NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) techniques to help anchor spiritual realization in one's linguistic structures.  This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, Hollow Bones Zen.

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Ken Wilber coined the terms "ascending" and "descending" to describe two possible orientations to spiritual practice.  The ascending path has to do with transcending the world, leaving samsara behind, and fusing with the infinite.  The descending path has to do with finding spirit in the world--in the midst of everyday life.  Both approaches are important, and both have been clearly highlighted in Stuart Davis's journey as a Zen practitioner.  Listen in to hear Davis's radical flip-flop between these two approaches.  Where Davis once found himself sitting up in his "Zen tree fort in the sky" he now finds that "the mystery" is most intimately connected with being a father & husband.  Lastly, Davis shares with us a very strange and powerful connection he has with crows (yes, the animals), who apparently are an important symbol in the Zen tradition.  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, Stuart Davis: Bodhisattva Rocker.

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This week we're joined by prolific musician, artist, writer, & comic Stuart Davis.  Davis, a long-time Zen practitioner, shares with us his background as a creative and the resulting unique understanding that he has of the Bodhisattva's path.  Specifically, we discuss his current creative projects, including a language called IS that he is in the process of developing & and a spiritual talk-show that he's hosting entitled Sex, God & Rock 'n Roll.  We also cover the topic of re-incarnation, and the spiritual tutelage he has received from his wife Marci. We hope you enjoy this interview with one of the most creative, absurd, and hilarious Zen-artists we know!  This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, The Zen Tree Fort in the Sky.

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We are joined this week by Jenny Phillips, Director and Producer of the newly released documentary, The Dhamma Brothers.  The Dhamma Brothers gives an in-depth look at how a trial program of vipassana meditation courses radically transforms the lives of inmates in a the maximum-security prison facility in Alabama.  In our interview with Jenny we explore the story behind the film, her intentions for creating it, and the potential ramifications of introducing these powerful meditation practices into an environment where genuine positive transformation is almost unheard of.  Put another way we discuss what happens when "East meets West, in the Deep South."  To find out more about the movie and to watch the trailor please visit: www.dhammabrothers.com.

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The Geeks of the Round Table are back, continuing our discussion of Judy Lief's article Glimpses of Awakening.  We speculate on the language and culture surrounding enlightenment both here in the West and in various countries in the East--including Japan, Burma, and Thailand.  We also speculate on how likely it is that people can have initial breakthroughs in their practice (the first glimpses of enlightenment) and how useful it would be to have an empirical, longitudinal study that tracked these kind of breakthroughs.  And if you make it all the way to the end of this dialogue you'll hear something that has a %99 chance of getting you enlightened, right there on the spot.  :::wink, wink:::This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, The Buzz Lightyear Model of Enlightenment: To Infinity and Beyond.

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In this episode we bring back the Geeks of the Round Table segment.  Joining us is one of our regulars Duff McDuffee, and a new geek to the lineup, Mike LaTorra.  Mike is the resident teacher of the Soto Zen Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  During this conversation we discuss an article written by Shambhala Acharaya Judy Lief entitled, Glimpses of Awakening.  We discuss the ideals surrounding awakening, and use the classic three trainings model (of ethics, concentration, & wisdom) to explore what enlightenment is about.    This is part 1 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 2, The Particularities of Awakening.

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Philosopher and long-time Buddhist practitioner, Ken Wilber, continues his discussion of the meditative terrain and of his spiritual philosophy in general.  He finishes off his discussion of the meditative maps with an exploration of what it actual takes--both in terms of time and effort--to master these various stages of consciousness.  He also explains the difference between what he is now calling "horizontal enlightenment" (which is basically everything we've explored up to this point) and "vertical enlightenment" which encompasses other areas of human development that can't been developed while on the cushion.  According to him the traditional notion of Buddhist enlightenment isn't he be-all-end-all of human development.    Finally, if you're interested in learning more about Ken's most recent work, and how it's being applied in the world visit the newly launched site, www.IntegralLife.com  This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, The Meditative Maps: Happy Mornings and Dark Nights.

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Philosopher and long-time Buddhist practitioner, Ken Wilber, shares with us a 10,000 foot view of the terrain of meditative experience. He describes several of the most common Buddhist maps and their progression, including the one presented in the Visuddhimagga (one of the most prevalent in the Theravada tradition), the 10 ox herding pictures in the Zen tradition, and the Anuttara Tantra from the Tibetan tradition. He also gives an overview of the very difficult stages of practice called the Dark Nights. These are periods where after being plunged into a whole new experience of reality we have it stripped from us and feel like we have lost what was once discovered. Another meaning of the dark night has to do with dis-identifying with previous levels of consciousness, and the difficult journey of releasing our grasping and addiction to these lower levels. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Horizontal and Vertical Enlightenment.

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Dr. Jeffrey Hopkins, one of the most important figure in the development of Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the United States, joins us to discuss the importance of academic studies. We explore what Buddhist studies are like in the West, the relationship between being a scholar and practitioner, and the broader role that Buddhist academia plays in Western Buddhism. This is part 2 of a two-part series Listen to part 1, The Practice Adventures of Dr. Jeffrey Hopkins.

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Today we speak with Dr. Jeffrey Hopkins, Professor Emeritus of Tibetan & Buddhist Studies at University of Virgina. Dr. Hopkins is a prolific translator--with 40 books translated in his career--and a committed meditation practitioner. In this episode we ask him to share some of the details of his early practice. He shares with us his experience doing sky meditations and dark retreats, all of which he did before being exposed to Tibetan Buddhism. He also shares some of the details of his meeting the Dalai Lama and working with him on translating some of his books to English, as well as being his translator. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Buddhist Studies in the West.

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Join us as we finish up our dialogue with Venerable Robina Courtin, the highly energetic Tibetan Nun, who some refer to as a "Dharma CEO". In this episode she continues to share the specific logistics behind her approach to balancing wisdom and compassion in today's world. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Venerable Robina Courtin: Bodhisattva CEO.

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Join us this week as we converse with one of the most energetic and high-powered Nuns that we know, Venerable Robina Courtin. A long-time Nun in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Robina shares with us the importance of approaching work in the world, from the "Bodhisattva perspective" while also maintaining a firm grounding in emptiness. Listen in to find out more about the work that Robina does, and more importantly, how she approaches her work. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Logistics of Being a Bodhisattva.

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We're joined again by CEO and Founder of Twine.com, and long-time Dzogchen practitioner, Nova Spivack. In this episode we discuss the short-comings of the Western traditions understanding and pursuit of consciousness, especially with regards to finding an ultimate particle in physics. We also explore the strengths and limitations of technology to aid in the process of awakening. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Does the Web have Buddha Nature?

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This week we are joined by CEO and Founder of Twine.com and long-time Dzogchen practitioner Nova Spivack. Nova has been a student of many of the world's most well-known Rinpoches while simultaneously being one of the first pioneering entrepreneurs on the web. In this episode Nova shares with us his background as a Buddhist practitioner and launches into a discussion on the intersection between Buddhist practice, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and the future of the world wide web. He shares a unique perspective on the evolution of the web and tackles the question of whether or not the web will ever become sentient. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen part 2, Technology Makes our Delusion More Functional.

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Join us this week as we speak with Dr. Peter Grossenbacher, director of the Consciousness Laboratory at Naropa University, about the difference between Eastern and Western modes of inquiry, sensory awareness practice, and of the importance of contemplative education. Peter ties together the Eastern and Western schools of thought by pointing out that they are both loosely interested in the empirical, or what is observable. He also explains the sensory awareness practice that he guides students through, and in our first guided practice here on Buddhist Geeks, leads us through a few minutes of sensory awareness practice. We finish our discussion with Peter touching briefly on the role of "contemplative education," or in an education that is attempting to bring together conceptual and non-conceptual modes of learning. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1, The Consciousness Laboratory.

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Join us this week as we speak with Dr. Peter Grossenbacher, director of the Consciousness Laboratory at Naropa University, about his research on meditation and contemplative spirituality. Along with finding out about the specific work that Dr. Grossenbacher is engaged in in the Consciousness Lab, listen in as we ask we ask such questions as: Can awareness be defined through empirical methods? And if so, what methods might those be? And finally, can the emphasis on objectivity found in much of mainstream science be applied to subjective research? This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2 How Did Descartes Die?.

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B. Alan Wallace joins to us to compare and contrast two fantastic dream practices. One comes from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, going all the way back to India, with the yogi Naropa. This practice, called Dream Yoga, is a type of insight practice which utilizes the dream state in order to wake up. The other practice, called Lucid Dreaming, comes out of the pioneering research of Dr. Stephen LaBerge. Lucid dreaming breaks down the same goals that Dream Yoga aspires to, but into smaller and more attainable goals. It is also firmly grounded in the scientific method. Listen in to hear Dr. Wallace, who is authorized to teach both of these methods, discuss the similarities and differences in these two different approaches.

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Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, an esteemed teacher in the Bon Buddhist tradition of Tibet, joins us again to continue describing the importance of dream yoga as part of the larger system of the 6 yogas of Naropa. Rinpoche guides us through the three different kinds of dreams that we can have, including samsaric dreams, dreams of clarity, and clear light dreams. He also discusses the importance of dream practice, for those that have a naturally tendency toward being active in their dreams, comments on the methodology of lucid dreaming, that Western dream research Stephen LaBerge has created, and explains the importance of dream yoga in relationship to the process of death and the bardo. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Sleep as a Spiritual Journey.

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?Look to your experience in dreams to know how you will fare in death. Look to your experience of sleep to discover whether or not you are truly awake." - Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, an esteemed teacher in the Bon Buddhist tradition of Tibet, joins us to discuss the importance of sleep in relation to the spiritual path. Since we spend nearly a third of our lives asleep, the focus on sleep and dream practice becomes of utmost important for those practitioners that want to make the best of the time they have. Listen in to find out more about the Bon tradition, the dissolution of the sense of self during sleep, and the way that dream practices can contribute to greater awareness during both sleep and death. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Yogas of Dream and Sleep.

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Melvin McLeod, Editor-in-Chief of the Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma magazines, concludes his conversation with us, this time discussing the inevitable tensions that arise in Buddhist media. These tensions center primarily around going deep vs. spreading wide. Listen in to hear how these magazines find the middle ground between condemning Buddhism to the irrelevant on the one hand (too much depth) and selling out on the other (too much breadth). Also at the end Melvin shares the specific ways that their publications are looking to integrate new media technologies into their projects. Exciting times! This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Peering Under the Hood of Buddhist Media.

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"Buddhism offers the most profound critique or criticism of life imaginable in it's analysis of the role of ego, and of the nature of samsara, as well as in its basic doctrine of emptiness. There could hardly be a more profound critique of life then to say that neither your nor it exists." - Melvin McLeod Melvin McLeod, Editor-in-Chief of the Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma magazines, joins us to share his perspective on the differences and similarities that Buddhist media sources have with more traditional media. Listen in to find out more about the philosophical underpinnings of a publication that has at it's heart a commitment to the teachings of non-ego. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Inevitable Tension: Going Deep vs. Spreading Wide.

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"At any moment the Yellowstone caldera could blow up, wipe out %99 of the life on the surface of the planet, and probably all humans, and in our last minutes the degree of equanimity with which we face that prospect is the test of our dharmic fortitude and wisdom." - James Hughes In our final episode with professor James Hughes we tackle the less rosy side of Transhumanism, which has to do with massive existential threats and risks. Though there are many natural risks that could threaten humanity as a whole, including large asteriod collisions, gamma bursts, and super volcanoes, the Transhumanist recognize a whole host of other ways that we could threaten ourselves with advanced technologies. In addition to discussing these threats and all of the possible side traps on the way toward a more techno-utopian future, James ties these together with our understanding of the dharma. He argues that even in a techno-utopian future (assuming we make it), we will still have to deal with annica—the ever changing flow of reality. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to part 1, Transhumanism and the Authentic Self and part 2, Cyborg Buddhas & Techno-Utopian Pure Lands!

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With radical advances in science in technology would it be possible for us to turn our world into a so-called, "Buddha Realm" or would it be more likely that we create some sort of God Realm, where awakening is discouraged because the conditions are so radically pleasant? And how specifically could these advances help us develop spiritually, on the path toward Buddhahood? This week, we discuss this and other questions with professor James Hughes, author of the upcoming book Cyborg Buddha. If you want to have your views regarding technology and it's relation to the Buddhist path challenged, please listen in! This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to part 1, Transhumanism and the Authentic Self and part 3, Existential Threats and Risks: We Can't Escape Impermanence!

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"The longer our lives, the more we'll have a chance to see that there's no self living them." - James Hughes What is Transhumanism and how is it related to Buddhist practice? Will technology enable us to radically extend our lifespans, help us control our thoughts and emotions, and bring about the potential to upload our consciousness into virtual reality spaces? And if so, what are the deeper implications for our contemplative traditions. Will these advances actually support the deepening of wisdom? According to professor James Hughes, a Buddhist practitioner and leading voice in the Transhumanist movement, these advances will enable us to deconstruct the notion and experience we have of an "authentic self" and will support the development of happiness, and the cessation of suffering. Listen in to find out how... This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to part 2, Cyborg Buddhas & Techno-Utopian Pure Lands! and part 3, Existential Threats and Risks: We Can't Escape Impermanence!

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"I do not believe in an after life, although I am bringing a change of underwear." - Woody Allen The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche joins us again, this time to discuss the importance of the teachings of rebirth in the Western context. He also gives many detailed suggestions on how to work with suffering in practice, especially when your awareness of it becomes more acute--a common occurrence in practice. We finish off this fantastic dialogue with Rinpoche hearing his thoughts on transplanting Buddhism to the west to form a genuine form of western buddhism. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to part 1, Analytical Meditation: Going Beyond Coffee Table Dharma and part 2, The Best Preparation for Dying Well is Living Well.

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The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is the only Rinpoche we know who owns and uses a Blackberry! Rinpoche shares with us the different ways that he has adopted modern technology into the work that he does and into his teaching style. We also speak with Rinpoche about his most recent book, which explores the Bardo teachings, Mind Beyond Death. Rinpoche explains to us that death, one of the greatest sources of suffering, gives us a palpable opportunity to live well. He also points out that in terms of the trained mind, both death and life are but two sides of the same coin. Both can bring about enlightenment. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to part 1, Analytical Meditation: Going Beyond Coffee Table Dharma

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The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, one of the foremost teachers in the Nyingma and Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism, joins us to discuss his efforts in creating a genuinely Western form of the traditional shedra tract of Buddhist learning. This traditional scholastic training system is being translated and slightly altered for Westerners so that they can learn the full system of monastic training. In this episode we spoke with Rinpoche about the ways that these systems are being altered for Westerners, how this in-depth training is different from "coffee table dharma", and how analytic meditation—using the mind to analyze the mind—actually works. This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to part 2, The Best Preparation for Dying Well is Living Well.

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"What the teacher really offers the student is literally living proof that all this talk and the seemingly impossible goals [of Zen] can be realized in this lifetime." - Baker Roshi in the Introduction to Zen Mind, Begineer's Mind Stuart Lachs, who for many decades has studied Zen from within and from without, challenges the legitimacy and authority of the Zen Master by deconstructing the structures and invisible institutional systems that grant this authority to the Zen Master. Listen in to find out how Noam Chomsky's notion of "useful doctrinal fabrications" applies to Zen, how the story of an unbroken lineage of Zen masters going back to the Buddha himself is basically bogus, how all of the elements of Zen itself weave together to form a seamless web of nearly unquestionable power, and why it's so hard to leave these communities even if you want to. This isn't to say that the practice of Zen isn't extremely powerful, and Stuart himself is a huge fan of the practices therein, but it is to say that many of us aren't aware of the ways that the institution itself defines reality for us. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Zen Masters: Dressing the Donkey with Bells and Scarves.

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Long-time American Zen practitioner Stuart Lachs has spent some 40 years practicing Zen. First with Suzuki Roshi at the Tassajara Monastery in California and then with Eido Shimano Roshi, Walter Nowick, and finally with Ch'an Master Sheng-yen. In all of these communities Stuart ran up against strange and unfortunate dynamics playing out between the Zen Master and their communities. After getting heavily involved with the academic and sociological study of Zen, Stuart began seeing some of the cultural (and invisible) reasons that these communities would falter, whether from sexual scandals, the intense vanity of the teacher, or worse. In this episode he shares with us some of the ways that the legitimacy, authority & power of the Zen Master are spread through the Zen institution, and how these sometimes ridiculous ideals are accepted without questions from many intelligent, well-meaning, people. If you're a Buddhist practitioner of any sort, you won't want to miss this conversation! This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Darker Side of Zen: Institutions Defining Reality.

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Our conversation with Susan Piver continues this week as we wrap our discussion on the relationship between meditation and writing. We also also explore the role that intention plays in offering or marketing the dharma. Finally, we wrap up the conversation by touching in on personality theory and productivity. Find out which enneagram type the Buddha was, and why productivity systems can bring about more bliss than meditation, in one of our geekiest (and fun) conversations to date! This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Susan Piver: The Fearless Writer.

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When Susan Piver's book, The Hard Questions, hit the top of the NY Times Bestsellers list (and stayed there) she decided that she needed to deepen her practice immediately. Listen in this week as speak with Susan about her journey as a popular author and Buddhist practitioner. And if you have an interest in writing, or the creative process, you won't want to miss out on her description of the "meditation for writers" retreats that she leads, where writers of all backgrounds are able to combine their interest in writing with the power of the retreat environment. Are creativity and meditation really all that different? This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Mind Like Space.

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The Round Table Geeks continue their exploration of Whitney Joiner's article, "Dive-bar Dharma". In a flurry of paradox, perspectives, humor, and exploration they tackle questions of integrating dharma into life, the Buddhist secular movements, contemplative practices in other traditions, and the historical and sociological dimensions of Dharma's spread to the West. We hope you enjoy this dynamic and fun conversation between fellow Buddhist geeks. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Dive-bar Dharma: Making it Fresh or Sensationalizing it?.

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Join the Geeks of the Round Table as we discuss an article published on Salon.com entitled, Dive-bar Dharma. The geeks explore several questions, sparked by this article, including whether or not we should update ancient metaphors with more contemporary metaphors? Also of interest is how far teachers should go in adapting the teachings of the Buddha to the culture and counter-cultures that they teach within? How do we discover the fine between making the dharma more fresh and relevant and of sensationalizing it? This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Every Generation Creates the Dharma Anew.

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Real creative expression, to me, is a process of discovery ... It's entering the mystery - Daido Roshi John Daido Loori, Roshi continues his discussion with Robert Spellman on the intersection between contemporary art and contemplative awareness. The two teachers share revealing stories about their understanding of the importance of meditative awareness in the creative process, and of specific exercises that one can do to tap into deeper ways of seeing, participating, and merging with the creative process. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Zen Mountain Monastery: Zen and the Arts.

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John Daido Loori, Roshi abbot of the Zen Mountain Monastery in NY and well-known Buddhist author, joins us to discuss the history and development of his teaching, especially with regards to the key role that Art plays in Zen practice. Naropa University teacher Robert Spellman joins us as guest host to ask Daido Roshi about the 8 gates of zen, Roshi's training with Minor White, the difference between Western and Eastern forms of art, how the wildness of nature relates to Buddha-Nature, and ethical issues of taking responsibility for one's state of mind and their art work. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Everything Arises in the Mind of the Yogi.

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Where does awareness tend to locate itself? And how is this important in our experience and understanding of the Buddhist path of awakening? This week Diane Musho Hamilton—Zen sensei and Big Mind lineage holder—joins us again to discuss the importance of what Ken Wilber calls the three faces of spirit. Using this powerful notion as a lens we explore questions about how and why lineage is passed down, the way that Buddhism adapts to new cultures and why it is particularly vulnerable to being destroyed, how cultural development impacts the tradition, issues surrounding the master-disciple relationship, and finally whether or not one can regulate the erotic impulse. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1: Discover Yourself as a Perspective-Taking Being.

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Diane Musho Hamilton, Zen sensei and Big Mind lineage holder, joins us to discuss her personal story on the path of awakening. From experiencing the death of several friends at a young age, to studying with Chogyam Trunpga in the mid-80s, to becoming the first lineage holder of a unique new spiritual process called Big Mind, join us as Diane shares the intimate details of her life as a seeker (and non-seeker). In this dialogue we also touch in on the importance that the work of integral philosopher Ken Wilber has had on her teaching, especially with regards to what Wilber calls the three primordial perspectives. These three perspectives can be summarized by the pronouns, "I" (first-person), "we" (second-person), and "it" (third-person). Find out why these perspectives are so important to someone who is trying to bring together the spiritual quest with all of their other endeavors. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2, The Three Faces of Spirit: Where is Awareness Locating Itself?

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We continue our discussion with Buddhist teacher and author, B. Alan Wallace, on the impact of the recently completed Shamatha Project. Dr. Wallace shares the astounding levels of concentration that were achieved during the 3-month retreats he led and tells us more about the achievement of shamatha. Find out how deep the students on this retreat went, and why nearly %20 of them decided to continue on with intensive retreat practice after it was over! Dr. Wallace also discusses the potential impact that a study of this magnitude could have on the scientific community as well as the culture-at-large. Questions that the study aimed to answer included, "Is it possible to train attention?" & "Does meditation have an effect on ethics?". While the answers may be obvious to meditators, having them scientifically validated could have a major impact on the fields of education, mental health, and psychology. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1: Reverberations from The Shamatha Project.

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B Alan Wallace, author of "The Attention Revolution" and "Embracing Mind", joins us to discuss the initial results from The Shamatha Project—one of the most extensive studies on the long-term benefits of meditation practice ever conducted. The terabytes of data that were collected during the course of the retreat-study included physiological and psychological measurements, thousands of entries from student journals, and the ongoing evaluations from Dr. Wallace as he interviewed with the students. Find out what his evaluations were, and how deeply the yogi's progressed over the course of their 3-month retreats. Also listen is in to hear Dr. Wallace's perspective on the relationship between shamatha and vipassana, and whether deep states of shamatha are necessary pre-requisites for the advanced practices of insight found in the Buddhist tradition. This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2: Unwavering Samadhi: Meditative Achievement and Its Impact in the World.

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Have you ever considered what it would be like to cultivate, what in the Buddhist tradition are called the siddhis or magical powers? Buddhist magic is an endlessly fascinating topic, and in this episode we speak with Daniel Ingram, one of our favorite guests here on Buddhist Geeks, about the powers. We cover their historical treatment by some of the major traditions, including the Zen, Tibetan, and Theravada. Daniel also gives us his first-hand experience having explored the powers, and considers the implications of doing public magic, and whether or not this kind of magic is "objectively real". We also discuss the ethical issues involved in using magic and issues of reproducibility. Finally, we take a look at the ancient text, The Fruits of the Homeless Life, and explore what was said in that text about the powers, especially about the greatest power of all, the power of insight.

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The Geeks of the Round Table™ continue their discussion on the Big Mind process and the criticisms from Zen teacher Brad Warner, in his article Big Mind™ is a Big Load™ of Horse Shit (link goes to SuicideGirls, an alt porn site). The geeks focus on these criticisms which include charging for the dharma, the nature of an authentic transmission, trademarking Dharma practice, ethical issues with marketing the dharma, and issues of confusing personal psychology with transpersonal states and stages. Hold on to your seat and be prepared to be whisked into a world of geeky and fun banter between these young (and foolhardy) practitioners. This is Part two of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1: McZen: A Double Satori with Cheese.

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This is an experimental dialogue called Geeks of the Round Table. In this session we speak with two young Buddhist practitioners in a round-table format about Brad Warner's criticisms of the Big Mind process, in an article he wrote called, Big Mind™ is a Big Load™ of Horse Shit (link goes to SuicideGirls, an alt porn site). We are joined by a student of Genpo Roshi's as well as someone who has a more skeptical view of the Big Mind process. This quick-paced dialogue covers a number of interesting topics including the difference between altered states and permanent traits, issues of marketing the Dharma, the nature of skillful means, transmission and practice, the important dialectic between tradition and innovation, and the recipe for a sensational new sandwich, the double satori with cheese. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2: Geeks of the Round Table™.

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Crazy Wisdom, a phrase coined by the late Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, is used to describe uncommon, unique, and even wild ways of sharing wisdom. Wes Nisker, insight meditation teacher, shares with us his connection to the crazy wisdom teachers of the past, including such spiritual teachers as Jesus, Rumi, Kabir, and Benkei as well as philosophers, scientists, and artists from the Western tradition. We discuss the importance of crazy wisdom, especially with regards to it's ability to pave the way for new ways of thinking. Quoting Oscar Wilde, Wes explains that, "all great truths begin as blasphemy." At the end of the talk we share an except from Wes Nisker's comic monologue album, with a track entitled Meeting the Buddha on the Road. With his own unique brand of Crazy Wisdom, Wes shares his initial exposure to the dharma and to the difficult, albeit funny, truth of how the mind works. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Atto, Zepto, and Yacto: The Buddhist Marx Brothers and Part 2: Science as the Western Wisdom Tradition.

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"The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained to liberation from the self." - Einstein One would think that the above quote would come from one of the East's great sages, but instead it comes from one of the last centuries most celebrated physicists. In this episode Wes Nisker shares with us his understanding of the similarities and differences amongst the Eastern and Western approaches to knowledge. He uses the human brain and it's two hemispheres as a metaphor for understanding these two different, and yet intimately related perspectives, and explores whether or not science is actually be a valid wisdom tradition. We also discuss issues of intelligent design and evolution, as well as what it's like to look at the history of humanity through a "deep time" perspective. Enjoy this fast-paced and intellectually stimulating dialogue. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Atto, Zepto, and Yacto: The Buddhist Marx Brothers, and Part 3: Crazy Wisdom Saves the Day!

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What would it be like if we were able to extend the silence & clarity of the meditative mind into our relationships? Would this impact how we listen, what we say, and even how we perceive reality? Gregory Kramer, teacher of a unique interpersonal meditation called Insight Dialogue, claims that it does this and much more. In this dialogue we find out about the specifics of the Insight Dialogue practice, covering each of the six steps of this practice (see below), as well as exploring what it's like to be on a retreat where both individual and interpersonal contemplation takes place. The six steps of Insight Dialogue: 1. Pause 2. Relax 3. Open 4. Trust Emergence 5. Listen Deeply 6. Speak the Truth This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1, Interpersonal Meditation - Awakening as Relational Beings.

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We speak to insight meditation teacher and comedian Wes Nisker about humor, enlightenment, and the way that the scientific vision has impacted and informed the teachings of the Buddha. Quoting Wavy Gravy, Wes comments that, "If you don't have a sense of humor, it just isn't that funny." Wes, who also has a passion for science, shares the Buddha's teachings on karma and impermanence and how those teachings relate to the current state of science. Find out how much happens in a yactosecond, and what science and the Buddhist teachings in karma have in common. This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2: Science as the Western Wisdom Tradition & Part 3: Crazy Wisdom Saves the Day!

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Gregory Kramer, teacher of an interpersonal meditation practice called Insight Dialogue (and author of a book with the same title) joins us to explore the question of, "What is the path of awakening, when we realize that we are essentially relational beings?" We discuss his early path as a meditator and the later work that contributed to the co-creation of the dialogic meditation practice, insight dialogue. We also delve into the interpersonal truths behind the 4 noble truths, especially as they relate to interpersonal suffering and hunger, and see how interpersonal meditation is one way to become free both personally and relationally. This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Check out Part 2, Insight Dialogue: Extending Meditation into Mutuality to hear the rest of this dialouge.

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Jundo Cohen, student of Gudo Wafu Nishijima Roshi, and abbot of the almost completely virtual Treeleaf Zendo joined us to discuss his virtual sangha. Jundo formed the community to meet the needs of those people who were living in highly isolated situations, or were too sick or elderly to continue to sit with a local Sangha. Using technological tools such as Skype, U-Stream, and Operator 11 Jundo has found a way to do daily sittings, ceremonies, and even retreats online. Listen in and find out more about this ground-breaking endeavor.

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We continue our discussion with spiritual teacher and dharma punk Noah Levine, and cover several more areas of interest, including the traditional Theravada ideal of enlightenment. We also discuss what it looks like to live as a Spiritual Rebel, Revolutionary, and finally a Spiritual Radical. Finally, Noah shares some of his thoughts on ways to engage environmental and political issues from a Buddhist perspective. Far from trying to escape samsara, Noah finds himself more and more interested in taking on the ideals of the Bodhisattva. We finish the dialogue asking Noah whether he thinks the Buddha was a boxers or briefs kind of guy. Be prepared to fall out of your chair (or cushion) in laughter when you hear his reply. This is the 2nd part of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1: Being Human and Suffering Less Along the Way.

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Finishing up our discussion with scholar-practitioner, and Shambhala Acharaya, Judith Simmer-Brown we explore two very important issues for Western Buddhists: lineage and gender. Judith shares her take on the importance of lineage for new teachers, explaining the role of an Acharaya, and discussing the need to connect strongly to the roots of the tradition. She also warns that if as Western Buddhists we aren't properly educated in our traditions we can't make intelligent adaptations, however important those adaptations might be. We also discuss the role of gender in the West, acknowledging first and foremost that Western Buddhism has a very different relationship to gender then our Asian forefathers. A large percentage of Buddhist practitioners and teachers in the West are women, and as a result there have been interesting changes afoot. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1: The Scholar-Practitioner: Joining Theory and Practice

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Noah Levine, Buddhist teacher and dharma punk, shares the intimate details of his early lifestyle of punk rock, drugs, and jail and his climb out of a harmful way of living that was facilitated in part by meditation practice. For more details about his journey check out his spiritual memoir, Dharma Punx. He also shares with us his experience of becoming a Buddhist teacher under the tutelage of Jack Kornfield. We go on to talk about Noah's most recent writing Against the Stream, and his unique way of expression the dharma. We also discuss the difference in how 1st generation & 2nd or 3rd generation teachers might express the Dharma in the West. He claims that there is a difference in emphasis, but that they are expressing the same fundamental teachings. We finish our conversation discussing the ideas of karma and grace, and their inter-relation, as well as the true aim of the path, which for Noah is about "being human and suffering less along the way." This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2: The Spiritual Radical.

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Judith Simmer-Brown, a professor of Religious Studies at Naropa University and authorized teacher in the Shambhala tradition speaks with us about the coming together of theoretical study and meditation practice in the context of academia—what professor Charles Prebish calls the "scholar-practitioner". She shares with us the historical precedents for this movement in America, and how it is changing now. When asked about the benefits of doing both study and practice together, Judith shares much of what she sees are the benefits of using a "contemplative pedagogy" (or contemplative education approach) in the classroom. She also relates the danger of not bringing these two forms of practice together, in that one could become either a "stupid practitioner" or "arrogant scholar" without the grounding of the opposite discipline. We finish the conversation with Judith sharing some of resources she suggests for those people who want to deepen their theoretical understanding of the Buddhist tradition. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2: Becoming Whole: Lineage and Gender in American Buddhism.

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We continue our discussion with the Venerable Thubten Chodron, a long time Western Buddhist Nun, and founder of Sravasti Abbey in Washington State. In this dialogue she shares with us the vision behind Sravasti Abbey, discussing the benefits of living the monastic life and using community life as a means to continue to deepen practice. She also discusses the importance of monasteries in western culture, and maintains that monastics can serve as the conscience of the society, citing the recent events in Burma as an example. She also holds that monasteries are a place of hope and optimism, and that many people feel inspired and challenged by the monastic lifestyle. Before closing off the conversation she also touches on the importance of the dharma being offered freely to all people, especially with regards to gender.  We hope you enjoy this conversation with one of the West's most beloved Tibetan Nuns.This is part 2 of a two-part series.  Listen to part 1, Reformatting the Hard Disk of the Mind.

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In the second half of our conversation with Buddhist teacher Diana Winston we go on to discuss the various ways that Buddhism and more secular mindfulness practices are being marketed to youth. The mindfulness movement itself seems to be one of the most promising of these different methods, as does the promulgation of Buddhist teachings via the internet. We finish off our discussion exploring the promises and perils of starting a serious practice when one is in their teens, and explore how serious, young practitioners end up often missing out on some other important areas of development. Listen to the 1st part of this conversation if you haven't already.

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Thubten Chodron, a long time Western Buddhist Nun, and founder of Sravasti Abbey in Washington State, took time with us to discuss her work as a teacher, including all of the work she has done with students online. She shared with us the potential down-sides of having a purely digital relationship with a teacher, as one doesn't have the opportunity to see experience teacher as a living example. Chodron also commented on an issue she sees our society having with spiritual practice, in that we tend to want things to be easy and quick. Her, and other teachers, have observed a tendency to want a kind of "push-button enlightenment". The truth, she says, is that there aren't any shortcuts when it comes to transforming the mind and realizing suffering and it's cessation.We finish off our conversation with Chodron exploring what has changed as Buddhism has come to the West. She mentions that much of the packaging has changed, but that it's always a tricky process differentiating the packaging from the teachings of liberation. What is culture and what is the dharma? She gives her opinions on the subject, and shares some of the ways in which her community is trying to change with the times. We hope you enjoy this conversation with one of the West's most beloved Tibetan Nuns. Listen to Part 2: Monasteries as the Conscience of Society to hear more.

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Diana Winston, insight meditation teacher and author, took a break from a busy day of work from the UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center to join us in a discussion on Buddhism and youth. After sharing some insight into what her most recent work at UCLA is aiming to accomplish, Diana explored the question of whether or not youth are flocking to Buddhism today, as they did in the 60s and 70s. In her experience, the number of people under age 30 has actually increased since she was a young meditator in the early 90s, but it is still remains a small percentage of the overall demographic of Western Buddhists. We discuss why that might be the case, touching in on both historical and financial factors. We also hear from Diana about efforts that are being made at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, including teen and young-adult retreats as well as youth scholarships. She then asks the three younger participants (all of us in our 20s) what brought us to the teachings of the dharma. We finish the conversation sharing the personal reasons that we were drawn to the dharma in our late-teens and early 20s. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2: Marketing Mindfulness to the Youth.

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In our final segment with Buddhist teacher and author Sharon Salzberg, she starts off by describing what it's is like doing a retreat in the Insight Meditation tradition. She includes information about the daily structure of the retreat and also discusses what it is like to be in a silent retreat environment. Gwen and she also discuss the common experience of boredom in meditation practice, especially with regards to the conditioning that comes from living in a "culture of stimulation". Sharon goes on to describe her experience of seeing the Bodhi Tree while in Bodh Gaya in the 70s, and about the importance of that place?what she calls "The City". She also gives her telling of the Buddha's experience of enlightenment under the tree. This conversation ends with Gwen asking Sharon what she sees her next steps are as a student of Buddhist practice. We hope you've enjoyed this wonderful series with one of America's most well-respected Buddhist teachers. We also want to thank Gwen Bell for the interview, of which it will be her last here on Buddhist Geeks. You can find out more about Gwen and the other fantastic work she is doing at www.gwenbell.comThis is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Sharon Salzberg on Now and Then & Part 2: From the Point of View of Insight Meditation.

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In this episode we spoke with neuroscientist and Buddhist meditator Daniel Rizzuto. Vince and he discussed a number of topics including the link between contemplative and scientific methodologies, some of the potential technologies that could emerge for the neuroscientific research, including Daniel's favorite, an empathic training device. Daniel also shared some of the meditation research he was aware of, including Dr. Sara Lazar's research out of harvard where she found that meditation actually affected the structural basis of the brain (check out the study here) as well as some of the recent meditation research that was conducted using EEG devices. We then discussed the possibility of constructing a neural map that describes a practitioners evolution, and the potential that such a map could be used to help create a device—a so called "enlightenment machine"—that could actually accelerate that process. The question soon emerged, how might this machine impact one's ethical understanding? Can someone actually go through the process without a revolution in their ethical understanding? The Buddhist tradition often describes the inseparability of insight and ethical understanding or the unity of Emptiness and Compassion. Daniel proposed that a sub-field of neuroscience, neuroethics is an attempt at understanding the neural correlates of one's ethical choices, such that this information could be built into a device even if it weren't a by-product of the process of spiritual maturation.

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In the 2nd part of our conversation with Sharon Salzberg, Gwen Bell speaks to her about a number of fascinating subjects. They begin with Sharon?s experience writing for secular publications, such as Oprah?s O Magazine and her experience writing her most recent book, Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience. They also discuss some periods of Sharon's practice where she was confronting the "banality of her own mind" and a large amount of suffering and despair. The conversation ends with Sharon's account of the early days of the Insight Meditation Society. She also touches on how the organization has evolved over time, from it's early disorganized beginning to it?s current condition as a well established center. She also discusses in detail what it's like to do a retreat at the Retreat Center and at the newer long-term retreat facility, the Forest Refuge. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Sharon Salzberg on Now and Then & Part 3: Bodh Gaya is "The City".

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Sharon Salzberg co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Mass., when she was twenty-three. In this episode Salzberg shares some of the insights that she?s discovered along the way, telling stories in a way that will make them accessible to new and seasoned practitioners alike. May they illuminate your day, your car ride or your walk to work as you listen. This is part one of a three part series. Listen to Part 2: From the Point of View of Insight Meditation & Part 3: Bodh Gaya is "The City".

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In our final segment with meditation instructor Ethan Nichtern, he shares his perspective on selling the dharma, transforming culture, the Shambhala tradition, and the need for more dharma teachers who aren?t necessarily enlightened. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: What Did Jessica Alba Eat for Breakfast? & Part 2: Buddhism & Money - Does Priceless Mean it?s Free?

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In this episode, Ryan continues his conversation with Troy Omafray and Cory Leistikow, two of his fellow classmates in Naropa University?s MA Indo-Tibetan Studies program. They discuss requirements of the program including Nitartha Institute, dathun, and Tibetan language. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1: Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Naropa University.

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In the 2nd part of our conversation with author, artist, and meditation instructor Ethan Nichtern we deal with the slightly off-limits topic of spirituality and money. Ethan shares his perspective on what Right Livelihood ought to look like in a market economy, where the Buddhist teachings are as valuable as many other services. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: What Did Jessica Alba Eat for Breakfast? & Part 3: How Do You Sell the Dharma?

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In this episode, Ryan chats with Troy Omafray and Cory Leistikow, two of his fellow classmates in Naropa University?s MA Indo-Tibetan Studies program. They discuss the nature of the courses, their personal experience, and what to expect if you decide to pursue the program. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2: More on Tibetan Studies at Naropa.

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Ethan Nichtern, recently published author, meditation teacher and founder of the ID Project, met with Gwen Bell in Manhattan at the Om Yoga Studio. He talks in this podcast about how, in the 21st century, we're coming to Buddhism because we?re already very "hooked in" to the world and want to work more on discovering our own minds. This is part one of a three part series. Listen to Part 2: Buddhism & Money - Does Priceless Mean it?s Free? & Part 3: How Do You Sell the Dharma?

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In our last segment with art and meditation professor Robert Spellman he shares with us a key distinction between the theoretical and the yogic and how that important distinction relates to artistic practice. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Dharmic Throw Up & Part 2: An Antidote to Seriousness.

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In this episode Robert Spellman delves into the liberating nature of humor and laughter. He also touches on the question of whether a genuine spiritual practice leads to a diminishing of one's personality. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Dharmic Throw Up & Part 3: Theory, Yoga, & Art.

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In our final segment, speaking with Hokai Sobol and Daniel Ingram the conversation wraps up with a criticism of what is missing from some of the Buddhist leadership in the West, as well as the issues surrounding conceptuality and non-conceptuality. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Croatia, Alabama, and Colorado Collide! & Part 2: Are you Stuck? Get Unstuck!

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This week, we had the great pleasure of speaking with teacher and artist Robert Spellman, who was a long-time student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. In the first part of the series Robert shares several personal vignettes and also introduces a somewhat (w)retched metaphor for understanding the development of the path. Sounds tasty huh!? This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2: An Antidote to Seriousness & Part 3: Theory, Yoga, & Art.

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In the 2nd part of this interview Vince, Daniel, and Hokai continue to explore the territory of meditation and psychology, discusses the mastery of meditation techniques, and touch on how people can get unstuck if they are lost in the content and stories of their minds. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Croatia, Alabama, and Colorado Collide! & Part 3: Lacking Leadership, Lacking Conceptuality.

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In this episode Vince Horn speaks with two of Buddhist Geeks most active users: Daniel Ingram and Hokai Sobol. They discuss the reasons that people get into Buddhist practice, what really inspires one to ?go for it?, and what hinders one from doing so. They finish off their conversation touching on the differences between Western Psychology, and the territory that contemplative practice covers. This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2: Are you Stuck? Get Unstuck! & Part 3: Lacking Leadership, Lacking Conceptuality.

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In this episode Vince talks with Theo Horesh and Duff McDuffee, two S.N. Goenka practitioners. They discuss the effects of what can be called the mass production of meditators. They also explore the differences in using a single technique or multiple techniques for realization. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1: Entrepregurus and the Meditation Factory.

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In this episode Vince interviews Theo Horesh and Duff McDuffee, two S.N. Goenka practitioners. They discuss the techniques of the Goenka tradition and how one might see it as a meditation factory. In the next episode, they discuss the power of the Goenka approach and possible criticisms of the practice. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2: Mass Producing Meditators.

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In this episode, the three geeks process listener feedback about podcasts and blog posts. They also discuss the future of podcasts on Buddhist Geeks and creating more dynamic conversations.

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In this episode, the three geeks gather at the Falling Fruit studio and reminisce about the first six months of Buddhist Geeks. Each discuss their favorite podcasts and posts. They also plug the new hot and sexy Buddhist Geeks t-shirts. In the next episode the geeks will discuss feedback from the sangha and the future of Buddhist Geeks.

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At 87, Nishijima Sensei, Brad Warner's teacher, loves the fact that he can blog. In this episode, Gwen and Brad discuss the pros and cons of using the "tech factor" to spread the Dharma. In the comment section, a few possible questions for further exploration: How important is the accumulation of "Information" in your Buddhist practice? Why can?t we have all the things we desire? Does sex equal evil?The last few minutes are questions from the Buddhist Geeks sangha members, thanks BGeeks!This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Buddhism is Something that Old Folks Do & Part 2: Feeding the Beast.

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In our final podcast with insight meditation teacher John Travis, he describes the training that new teachers are going through in his tradition. He also touches on the subject of enlightenment, the shadow, and our tendency to try and bypass the human condition. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: On Being a Dharma Bum & Part 2: Insight Meditation and Primordial Awareness.

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In this episode, Warner talks about excited states like anger, the trouble with online community, and our attachment to ego. How do we "reinforce the Self" and how do we begin to work with our anger (trigger work? just noticing?)? Two questions Brad and Gwen talk about that we invite you to discuss in the comment section at Buddhist Geeks.This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Buddhism is Something that Old Folks Do & Part 3: It's Like Phil Donahue!

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In the next episode with Insight Meditation teacher John Travis, he discusses how both the gradual and sudden schools of enlightenment fit in with the practice of vipassana meditation. Find out how this teacher has resolved this paradox in his own teaching and practice. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: On Being a Dharma Bum & Part 3: With the Light Comes the Dark.

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Anyone that's had the chance to study with Brad Warner knows he?s young(ish), funny and knowledgeable about the Dharma. Warner?s new book, Sit Down & Shut Up, chronicles the life and times of Dogen, author of the Shobogenzo. The book simultaneously tracks Warner?s own career as a punk rock bassist and Zen teacher, weaving Dogen's story seamlessly with his own. With warmth and humor coming through in both the book and the interview, we get a chance to hear Warner talk about the book, the four points of zazen, being bored and innate perfection.This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2: Feeding the Beast & Part 3: It's Like Phil Donahue!

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In this final episode with Vince Horn, he continues to share his reflections and experiences of a two-month meditation retreat he recently completed. In this podcast, he discusses the relationship between dharma study and mindfulness practice. Vince also describes his experience of leaving retreat and transitioning back into the relative world. Finally, he leaves listeners with some parting words of encouragement for those aspiring to do long-term retreats. We hope you enjoy this conversation with this insightful Buddhist Geek. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Vince Horn on Taking the Two Month Plunge & Part 2: The Vipassana Vendetta.

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In our first podcast with Insight Meditation teacher John Travis, he shares the story of his many years of practice and seeking in India, as well as the time after that in which he had to bring what he had learned back to America. We hope you enjoy this personal account of one "dharma bums" adventures in Asia. This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2: Insight Meditation and Primordial Awareness & Part 3: With the Light Comes the Dark.

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In this episode, Vincent Horn continues to share his reflections and experiences of a two-month meditation retreat he recently completed. In this podcast, he discusses doing karma yoga during long-term retreats, state chasing in meditation and suffering and death in practice. We hope you enjoy this conversation with this insightful Buddhist Geek. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Vince Horn on Taking the Two Month Plunge & Part 3: Leave the Pot on the Stove.

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In this final segment with Genpo Roshi, Gwen Bell is guided through the Big Mind process. This final portion of the interview gives listeners a rare opportunity to listen to the Big Mind experience happen unscripted and raw. An intimate conversation and a glimpse into one Geek?s practice, beliefs and experience. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Genpo Roshi on Big Mind & Part 2: Is Zen Enough?

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In this episode Ryan Oelke interviews fellow resident geek, Vince Horn, who shares his reflections and experiences of a two-month mediation retreat he recently completed. In this first podcast, Vince talks about the role of extended retreat in his personal practice, the nuts and bolts of preparing for a long retreat, and the basics of a two-month insight meditation retreat. Whether you?re a long-time yogi or considering your first extended retreat, we think you?ll enjoy these series of podcasts with this Buddhist Geek. This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2: The Vipassana Vendetta & Part 3: Leave the Pot on the Stove.

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In this segment, Genpo Roshi goes into an eloquent description of the role that Big Mind process, zazen, and koan practice can play in a more whole and integrated Zen training. He also touches on the develop of the spiritual practitioner, and his understanding of how one can progress through this developmental territory. This is an exciting conversation with one of the most controversial, and perhaps most brilliant, Zen Master alive today.

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In this episode Gwen Bell interviews Anne McQuade, a current student of Genpo Roshi and regular reader of our site. A large part of their conversation focuses on a controversial article that Brad Warner—who will be one of our future guests—published on suicidegirls.com (an alt porn site), criticizing Genpo Roshi and the Big Mind process.* * - Please be warned that this is a highly controversial episode, and the publishers here at Buddhist Geeks are not trying to take sides for or against Genpo Roshi and the Big Mind process or Brad Warner and his approach. We simply want to probe into this very real issue of Western Buddhist teachers having strongly opposing opinions, even within the same tradition.

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In this episode Gwen Bell interviews Genpo Roshi, a Western Zen teacher and lineage holder of both the Soto and Rinzai traditions. He is also the author of four books, as well as an upcoming release, Big Mind, Big Heart. In this podcast Genpo Roshi discusses Big Mind, his unique method of introducing practitioners to their true nature. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Genpo Roshi and be sure to share your thoughts, insights, and experiences in the comment section. This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2: Is Zen Enough? & Part 3: Genpo ?Big Mind?s? Gwen.

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Fleet Maull talks about how we work with the boundaries of the self and of the heart in the maitri, bodhichitta and tonglen practices. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1: Fleet Maull on Plunge Experiences.

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In our final conversation with Daniel Ingram he goes on to explore various "models of enlightenment" and weighs the relative value of these different models, which we carry around with us unconsciously. Daniel also tries to answer the all-important question of, "How does one practically go about becoming enlightened?" Dive in and enjoy this dynamic conversation that pushes the very boundaries of what we normally consider "socially appropriate" Buddhism. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: You Can Do It! & Part 2: Enlightened Teachers.

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In this episode, Gwen Bell interviews Buddhist teacher Sensei Fleet Maull. Fleet recently spent a month on retreat with Roshi Bernie Glassman and the Zen Peacemakers in Massuchusetts, where he became a fully empowered Zen teacher. Fleet teaches at Naropa University and leads weekly meditation sessions there. His teachings are accessible to a wide audience and his authenticity is a breath of fresh air in the world of Buddhist teachers. In this podcast Fleet shares his practice background and discusses the value of plunge experiences. Listen to Part 2: The Importance of Boundaries in Practice to hear the conclusion of this conversation.

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In our latest podcast with Theravada teacher Daniel Ingram he breaches the taboo of enlightenment by discussing the enlightenment of other teachers. Not only that but he argues for a more transparent approach to enlightenment within certain teaching circles, in hopes that enlightenment can become more attainable. Listen and see why he thinks this will help. This is Part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: You Can Do It! & Part 3: Models of Enlightenment.

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In this podcast, Phil Stanley discusses lineage in Western Buddhism, the lack of western teachers, what it will take to develop more qualified individuals. Phil notes that we are in an awkward phase in Western Buddhism, where we have several intermediary teachers and few fully empowered and authorized lineage holders. He discusses the development of such teachers in terms of training and cultural and economic resources. Phil also discusses the development of Western translators. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Phil Stanley on the Development of Western Buddhism & Part 2: We're Not the Cheerleaders of Buddhism.

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In 2007 Dr. Wallace will be leading a joint scientific project named The Shamatha Project. A battery of studies will be conducted in two 3-month meditation retreats (one retreat is a control group), and the results will be submitted to the most prestigious academic journals. In our final podcast with Alan Wallace he discusses this project, both in terms of its structure and his hypotheses. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Alan Wallace on Achieving Shamatha & Part 2: Get a PhD in Contemplative Science.

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This is our first podcast with Daniel Ingram, MD, an authorized teacher in the Theravada tradition and an avid fan of out-right honesty with regards to the spiritual path. In this episode Daniel (aka "Dharma Dan") shares some of his more formative experiences as a meditator, touches on some of the Buddhist maps of awakening, and shares a powerful message, namely that enlightenment is possible. This is Part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2: Enlightened Teachers & Part 3: Models of Enlightenment.

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In our second podcast with professor Phil Stanley, Phil discusses Buddhist lifestyles in the West and how our approach to practice differs from traditional Eastern practitioners. He addresses our relationship to retreats and monasticism, as well as the difficulties Westerners face in finding a livelihood that supports practice. Phil also discusses controversy over what constitutes a legitimate lineage and teacher. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Phil Stanley on the Development of Western Buddhism & Part 3: Where are all the Western Rinpoches?

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In our second podcast with Alan Wallace, he presents a new model for "professional" contemplatives. Instead of trying to transplant the monastic model to the West, Dr. Wallace suggests that contemplation become an actual profession. Just as a neuroscientist would go to school to get a PhD and then spend 40+ hour a week working in their field, so too could we have "contemplative scientists" who devote their time to the exploration and investigation of subjective experience. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Alan Wallace on Achieving Shamatha & Part 3: The Shamatha Project.

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In our first podcast with scholar-practitioner Phil Stanley, professor at Naropa University, he chats with us about how he became a practitioner and his passion for Buddhist study. Phil shares his thoughts on the importance of intellectual study, as well as what changes he sees Buddhism experiencing as it takes root in the West. This is Part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2: We're Not the Cheerleaders of Buddhism & Part 3: Where are all the Western Rinpoches?

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In our first podcast featuring scholar-practitioner B. Alan Wallace we asked Dr. Wallace to give us the low-down on his spiritual journey, as well as describe the stages of deepening relaxation and vividness of attention leading to the culmination of an attainment he calls shamatha. This is Part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2: Get a PhD in Contemplative Science & Part 3: The Shamatha Project.

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In our 1st podcast, "Meet the Geeks" you'll hear the three founding members of Buddhist Geeks discussing the vision behind this project. By weaving together snippets of a larger conversation this podcast should give you a sense of what this project is about and how you can contribute to it. The following podcasts will be interviews with Buddhist teachers, scholars, and advanced practitioners who we feel have provocative perspectives to offer. We hope you enjoy!

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