Buddhist Geeks

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 074: Analytical Meditation: Going Beyond Coffee Table Dharma appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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, […] The post BG 073: The Darker Side of Zen: Institutions Defining Reality appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 post BG 072: Zen Masters: Dressing the Donkey with Bells and Scarves appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 071: Mind Like Space appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 070: Susan Piver: The Fearless Writer appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 069: Every Generation Creates the Dharma Anew appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 068: Dive-bar Dharma: Making it Fresh or Sensationalizing it? appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 post BG 067: Everything Arises in the Mind of the Yogi appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 066: Zen Mountain Monastery: Zen and the Arts appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 065: The Three Faces of Spirit: Where is Awareness Locating Itself? appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 064: Discover Yourself as a Perspective Taking Being appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 063: Unwavering Samadhi: Meditative Achievement and Its Impact in the World appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 062: Reverberations from The Shamatha Project appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 061: Buddhist Magic: What is Possible with the Powers? appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.

Episode Description: 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 […] The post BG 060: Geeks of the Round Table ™ appeared first on Buddhist Geeks.