Meditation is most often described as a self-help technique that will support you to improve performance, reduce stress, manage pain, and sleep better. All of this is true. Thank you, science! However, as first transmitted by the Buddha, the practice was not described in any such terms. Rather, it was offered as a way to wake up from suffering, realize true wisdom, extend compassion, and live with bravery. We in the West can still expect such outcomes without relying in any way on cultural appropriation or religious beliefs. 

Beginning with the right view, meditation as a spiritual practice can introduce you to your natural brilliance that lies just beyond conventional thought. 

Discussed in this episode:

Meditation as Self-Inquiry:

Across wisdom traditions, investigating the true nature of mind is encouraged. In Buddhism, this investigation is called meditation.

Shift in Meditation’s Popularity:

Initially, meditation was seen as a fringe or cult-like activity, but it has now become mainstream, valued for its mental and physical health benefits. However, many of its deeper spiritual aspects have been overshadowed by a Western emphasis on productivity and well-being.

Three Yanas (Vehicles) of Buddhism and Three Views of Meditation:

• Hinayana (Foundational Vehicle): Focuses on the Four Noble Truths, discipline, simplicity, and renunciation. Meditation in this tradition helps calm afflictive emotions and establish inner peace.
• Mahayana (Great Vehicle): Encourages compassion, loving-kindness, and the bodhisattva path—using meditation to open the heart and connect with others to be of benefit in this world.
• Vajrayana (Indestructible Vehicle): This is the mystical (or esoteric) branch of Buddhism and it emphasizes meditation as a path to immediate awakening and profound transformation. 

Meditation’s Transformational Potential:

Instead of approaching meditation with fixed expectations (e.g., better sleep, reduced stress)—we could allow the practice to reveal deeper insights that lie just beyond conventional thought.

Buddhism Beyond Belief invites listeners to investigate meditation for themselves and not take anyone’s words at face value (including the podcaster’s), and encourages personal exploration.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

Buddhism Beyond Belief is a podcast from Susan Piver, a 30 year student of Tibetan Buddhism and founder of the Open Heart Project, an online meditation community with close to 20000 members.

With Susan as a friend and guide, we will look at traditional teachings like the four noble truths and the six paramitas–but not from an academic standpoint. Rather, we will talk about how to make it all personal and relevant in everyday life. 

This podcast is not about Buddhist doctrine. It’s about how anyone can bring the profound wisdom of the dharma into their real life: at home, at work, and in love. The foundation for it all is meditation as a spiritual practice, not the latest life hack. Let’s go beyond the science and celebrity testimonials to discover the true power of meditation which is not based in self-improvement but in self-discovery. 

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

This episode provides a deep and practical exploration of meditation, defines meditation as something more than mindfulness, it also includes awareness. Common misconceptions are enumerated. The key takeaway is that meditation is not about achieving a specific state but about learning to be with yourself as you are, with openness and curiosity. Includes a 10-minute guided meditation.

Introduction to Meditation & Mindfulness

Many wisdom traditions emphasize examining one’s own mind as the start of a spiritual journey. In the Buddhist tradition, this is done through meditation or mindfulness practice.

What is meditation? It involves choosing an object of attention (e.g., breath, an image, or a mantra) to focus on instead of thoughts.

Mindfulness and Awareness

Meditation is often described as “mindfulness meditation,” but a more accurate term is mindfulness-awareness meditation.

Mindfulness is something that can be actively worked on and developed. Awareness, on the other hand, expands naturally when space is created by allowing thoughts to settle.

Misconceptions About Meditation

Misconception #1: Meditation Requires Stopping Thoughts

Impossible and unnecessary. Meditation is not about shutting thoughts off but about changing the relationship with them.

Misconception #2: Meditation is a form of Self-Help

While it may help in many ways, meditation is not about self-improvement—it’s a path of transformation and liberation.

It allows one to see beyond the conventional mind rather than just becoming a better version of oneself.

Misconception #3: Meditation Will Make You Peaceful

It softens inner defenses, allowing for greater emotional depth and authenticity. Instead of bringing peace, it makes one more genuine and vulnerable.

Meditation Instruction & Practice (10 minutes)

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this (embarrassing) episode, long-time Buddhist practitioner Susan Piver describes an episode of road rage (her own) and the moment her rage turned into compassion. Spoiler: it has nothing to do with remembering Buddhist principles and everything to do with simply being human. 

Discussed in this episode:

What are the Four Immeasurables?

Loving-kindness – Recognizing our shared humanity.

Compassion – Feeling others’ sorrow as our own.

Sympathetic Joy – Sharing in others’ happiness.

Equanimity – Maintaining balance amidst emotional ups and downs.

How Meditation Cultivates Compassion

Why is meditation so famously associated with compassion? How does sitting there, “doing nothing,” open your heart? 

Instead of numbing emotions, meditation deepens our ability to feel.

It helps us break habitual emotional reactions and respond with awareness.

Compassion is Organic

It is not something we can turn on or off—it is our natural state.

On Road Rage and Compassion

Susan describes losing her temper in traffic but experiencing an instant shift in a split second when she began to confront the other driver. Compassion is not about excusing bad behavior but about recognizing shared humanity.

True compassion arises when we see others not as obstacles, but as people.

This reflection highlights how meditation is not passive but an active practice that transforms how we relate to the world.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

Perhaps contrary to popular belief, meditation does not make us feel all zen. Rather, it actually makes us feel more deeply.

Discussed in this episode:

Meditation Heightens Emotions – It doesn’t numb feelings but makes them more vivid.

Trauma-Sensitivity is Important – Meditation can help with grief and sorrow but may amplify trauma. The practice should be handled with great care.

Options for Working with Strong Emotions in Meditation:

Stop meditating if it’s overwhelming.

Label emotions as “thinking” and return to the breath.

Focus on the physical sensation of the emotion without engaging in its story.

Feelings vs. Thoughts – Emotions are real, but the stories we tell about them create suffering. “Feel the feeling, drop the story.” –Pema Chodron

Personal Stories:

A heartbreak revealed that suffering was increased by the thoughts added to the reality of loss. The loss (a breakup) was not optional, but the additional thoughts were.

A career setback and a chance encounter with an experienced meditator taught that meditation isn’t about avoiding emotions but facing them.

Meditation’s Impact – It is rare that anything happens while meditating. It’s actually pretty hard and boring. However! Progress shows up “off the cushion” as increased wisdom, compassion, and resilience.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

The Buddha’s Early Life & Awakening

Siddhartha was a protected prince, shielded from suffering by his father.

He encountered old age, sickness, and death for the first time during a trip outside the palace.

This led him to renounce his privileged life and seek liberation from suffering.

He meditated under the Bodhi tree, seeking truth beyond suffering.

Achieved enlightenment, saw through the nature of suffering, and articulated the Four Noble Truths.

The Four Noble Truths (Overview):

1. Life is suffering (Dukkha) – More accurately, life is unsatisfying because everything is impermanent.
2. Cause of suffering – Grasping, clinging, and pretending we can make things unchanging.
3. Cessation of suffering – Let go of grasping, and suffering will cease.
4. Path to cessation – The Noble Eightfold Path (e.g., right view, right speech, right livelihood, etc.).

Three Types of Suffering:

1. Suffering of suffering – Painful experiences like illness and death; inevitable.
2. Suffering of change – Joy and success are temporary; fear of loss brings suffering.
3. All-pervasive suffering – A background unease or existential dissatisfaction, even when life is “good.”

The Middle Way:

Buddhism embraces neither eternalism (belief in eternal divine reward/punishment) nor nihilism (belief in nothing beyond material existence).

The Middle Way is not the mid-point between the two. What is it?

Direct Experience Over Belief:

Don’t take the Buddha’s word for it — verify teachings through your own lived experience.

Belief systems, even Buddhist ones, are seen as potential obstacles.

Wisdom comes from mixing teachings with direct experience, not from intellectualization.

Final Reflection:

The true spiritual path is one’s own journey of discovery.

All teachings are tools; the real teacher is your own mind, inseparable from wisdom itself.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, we discuss a teaching that is central throughout the Buddhist world: the Prajnaparamita sutra, also known as The Heart Sutra. While being utterly confounding, at the same time it is a perfect primer on the true meaning of emptiness and ultimate compassion. Turns out, these are the same thing. Who knew?!

There are many translations of this important teaching. The one discussed in this episode is here. 

In part one of this two-part episode, Susan talks a bit about the history of the text, what we can learn from it, and how best to approach a teaching that is both supremely powerful and impossible to understand. Good luck! Come back next week for part two where we break it down, line-by-line.

To learn more, check out Susan’s new (very short) book, Inexplicable Joy: On the Heart Sutra

Discussed in this episode:

Emptiness & No-Self

• These aren't nihilistic ideas — they're about interdependence.
• Nothing exists independently — everything (including “you”) arises from causes and conditions.
• Emptiness isn’t a void — it's a space of infinite potential.
• Like a womb: empty, yet full of creative possibility.

Compassion Arising from Emptiness

• Relative compassion: being kind, patient, helpful — depends on awareness.
• Absolute compassion: rooted in the deep realization that all beings are connected.
• Real compassion arises from presence, not just being “nice.”

Three Ways the Meaning Comes Through

1. The words
2. The sound of the words
3. The environment into which it is spoken

How to Approach the Heart Sutra

• Form a personal relationship with the text.
• Understanding isn't the goal — connection is.
• Heart Sutra’s wisdom is felt, not explained.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In the previous episode, we discuss a teaching that is central throughout the Buddhist world: the Prajnaparamita sutra, also known as The Heart Sutra. While being utterly confounding, at the same time it is a perfect primer on the true meaning of emptiness and ultimate compassion. Turns out, these are the same thing. Who knew?! If you missed it, just go back one episode. 

In this episode, we go through the Sutra of the Heart of Transcendent Knowledge line by line and look at the various terms (skandha? dhatu?) as well as the main characters (Avalokiteshvara and Sariputra). 

There are many translations of this important teaching. The one discussed in this episode is here. 

To learn more, check out Susan’s new (very short) book, Inexplicable Joy: On the Heart Sutra

Discussed in this episode:

Introduction to the Heart Sutra

The Heart Sutra is the “pith” or essence of transcendent wisdom.

Begins with “Thus have I heard,” inviting personal inquiry and interpretation.

Narrated by Ananda (known for memory)

The Setting

The Buddha is in deep meditative absorption (samadhi) surrounded by a full assembly:

Monks (wisdom, foundational teachings)

Bodhisattvas (compassion, Mahayana teachings)

The Core Teaching: Emptiness

Avalokiteshvara realizes the five skandhas (form, feeling, perception, formation, consciousness) are empty of inherent nature.

Famous line begins: “Form is emptiness; emptiness is form.”

Radical Negation

Even foundational teachings like the Four Noble Truths are negated:

No suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path.

Even wisdom and attainment are negated—nothing to gain or strive for.

The Power of Emptiness

Realizing emptiness removes mental obscurations and eradicates fear.

This leads to full awakening—just like all Buddhas of the past, present, and future

The Heart Sutra Mantra

The mantra:

Om gate gate pÄragate pÄrasaṃgate bodhi svÄhÄ

(Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone altogether beyond, awakening, so be it.)

Described as the mantra that calms all suffering and is to be known as truth.

Cosmological Context

Gods, jealous gods (asuras), humans, and celestial beings (gandharvas) all rejoice.

The human realm is ideal for practice: enough comfort to contemplate, enough suffering to be motivated.

Personal Reflection

Susan has chanted the Heart Sutra daily for over 30 years.

While

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In Buddhism (as in most wisdom traditions), compassion is central—but it’s often misunderstood. It’s not about being nice, it’s about being awake. True compassion is wise, fierce, and rooted in awareness.

“Idiot compassion” is a term coined by Chögyam Trungpa to describe misguided kindness that stems from the three poisons:

• Grasping – trying to feel good or be liked.
  
  
• Aggression – trying to control or make something (or someone) disappear.
  
  
• Delusion – trying to avoid seeing what is really going on.

True compassion requires discernment, not people-pleasing. It might mean being sweet, but it could also mean getting angry or saying nothing. The only way to know is by paying attention.

In activism, the same principle applies: if our actions come from hate, they’ll echo hate. If they come from a broken heart longing to ease suffering, different gates will open.

There are two kinds of compassion to consider:

• Relative compassion helps others through kindness and care.
  
  
• Absolute compassion is dwelling in perfect recognition of interdependence. (To learn more about this, see previous episodes on the Heart Sutra.)

The spiritual path is just as much about courage as it is about kindness. It asks us to meet suffering not with spiritual bypassing, but with a heart shattered open and ready to serve.

SM (for Genevieve)

Not all compassion is created equal.

In Buddhism, compassion isn’t about being nice. It’s about being awake.

Sometimes it’s soft. Sometimes it’s fierce. But it’s never about avoiding discomfort.

Chögyam Trungpa called it “idiot compassion” when our desire to help is rooted in:

• Craving (to be liked)

• Aggression (to control or avoid conflict)

• Delusion (pretending everything’s fine)

Real compassion comes from clarity.

It doesn’t always look “spiritual.” Sometimes it sets boundaries. Sometimes it says no. And when rooted in heartbreak for the suffering of the world, it becomes powerful.

Let’s remember that true love can also be fierce. 🔥

#compassion #buddhism #idiotcompassion #fiercelove #spiritualpath #openheart #wakeup #chogyamtrungpa #realcompassion #awareness

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

Trusting a spiritual teacher is one of the most important—and complex—decisions on the path. This talk explores three personal experiences: one with a brilliant but inscrutable and controversial teacher, another with a teacher whose misconduct led to a break, and a third with a humble, quietly extraordinary master who became the true source of guidance.

The central lesson? Let your practice—not personality—be the guide.

Ask yourself:

• Does this deepen my path?
  
  
  
• Do I respect the community?
  
  
  
• Are the teachings centered—not the teacher?
  
  
  

Stay alert to these red flags: charisma, drama, and self-centered authority.

Be patient. Trust your intuition. Protect your mind.

In the end, the Dharma must be passed on with integrity, clarity, and humility—without replicating harmful hierarchies or watering it down into self-help.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, Susan reflects on one of the most common meditation struggles: staying consistent. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why can’t I just do the thing I know is good for me?”—this episode is for you.

The surprising truth? It’s not a discipline problem. It’s a misunderstanding of what meditation really is.

Main Topics Covered:

The Real Reason Consistency is Hard

• It’s not about willpower.
  
  
  
• Most people approach meditation as self-improvement—but it’s actually a spiritual practice.
  
  
  
• Self-help says: “Something is wrong with me.”
  
   Spiritual practice says: “I am already whole.”
  
  
  

Three Spiritual Anchors for a Deeper Practice

• Make Offerings
  
  Small rituals (light a candle, burn incense) open your heart to mystery and devotion. They move the practice from “What can I get?” to “What can I discover?”
  
  
  
• Request Blessings
  
  Call in your lineage: spiritual teachers, ancestors, artists, activists—anyone who’s shaped your path. You’re not sitting alone.
  
  
  
• Dedicate the Merit
  
   Offer the benefits of your practice to all beings (including yourself!). Whatever happens during your session—delight, frustration, sleepiness—it can be of benefit, even though we may not be able to imagine how.

Three Practical Supports for Consistency (aka The Three Jewels)

These are the classic Buddhist “refuges,” and they’re also the structure we need to stay steady:

• Buddha – Your own awakened nature. Sitting down to meditate is a reconnection with this.
  
  
  
• Dharma – Study, reflect, journal—contemplate the deeper why behind your practice.
  
  
  
• Sangha – Practice with others, even virtually. Community is often the missing key.
  
  
  

Final Takeaway:

Consistency doesn’t come from willpower—it comes from aligning with meaning.

When meditation is treated as a way to open your heart rather than a way to “fix” yourself, a deeper magic is glimpsed.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

Why do we turn to meditation when things fall apart—and what are we really supposed to do with all these overwhelming emotions? 

In this short episode, we explore three powerful ways to relate to difficult feelings like anger, fear, and anxiety: as afflictive; as bridges to compassion; and as hidden forms of wisdom. All three ways are accurate, though usually only the first is described in Buddhist writings.

In this episode, you’ll hear about how to work skillfully with emotional intensity, not necessarily by escaping it, but by uncovering the fierce clarity and deep humanity that may lie beneath. 

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

Which one are you in right now?

In this episode, I explore the six realms of Buddhist cosmology which can be understood as both literal places of rebirth and psychological states we all experience. I also mention how this might help us contextualize the chaos and cruelty of our current political situation in the US. The realms include:

The God Realm - A place of complete abundance where beings have everything they desire but no motivation to seek enlightenment

The Jealous God/Asura Realm - Beings with power and resources consumed by covetousness and aggression, always fighting for more. And more. (Sound familiar?)

The Human Realm - The most fortunate realm with the right balance of suffering and ease for spiritual development. Yay us!

The Hungry Ghost Realm - Represents insatiable desires and cravings that can never be fulfilled

The Animal Realm - Characterized by basic survival needs and limited spiritual capacity, yet capable of love and connection

The Hell Realm - A place of constant suffering with no relief, glimpsed through our experiences of heartbreak and witnessing suffering

Resources Mentioned:

• "A Guided Tour of Hell" by Sam Bercholz - Featuring descriptions and visual depictions of the hell realms
• Join my meditation community, the Open Heart Project Sangha, to practice together and learn how to apply these teachings to everyday life. Would be great to see you there!

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I share my personal adaptation of Buddhist principles for relationships, "The Four Noble Truths of Love." Drawing from my own 26-year marriage and moments of deep disconnection, I talk about how Buddhist wisdom helped me navigate challenges. 

Key Points include:

Love Affairs vs. Relationships: There is a fundamental difference between love affairs (characterized by romance, intensity, desire, and perhaps some drama) and relationships (characterized by intimacy, closeness, deep knowing, and sometimes irritation).

The Buddha’s Four Noble Truths

1. Life is suffering/unsatisfying
2. Grasping causes suffering
3. There is a cessation of suffering
4. The Noble Eightfold Path

The Four Noble Truths of Love (made up by me)

1. Relationships never stabilize (what?!)
2. Thinking they should stabilize creates instability
3. Meeting the instability together is love
4. Viewing all disconnects (barring abuse of any kind)  as ways to deepen intimacy helps

For more on this topic, check out my book,  The Four Noble Truths of Love 

NOTE: We'll be taking a two-week break. The Buddhism Beyond Belief Podcast will return with a new episode on June 13. Mwah!

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I take a deep dive into a topic that a lot of people (myself included) find confusing; what does it mean to be egoless? Drawing from my 30+ years of experience, I share my own issues with the call to transcend ego within the Western cultural backdrop of individualism, shame, and self-judgment.

Key Points:

"Ego as the enemy" can reinforce cultural self-shaming:  Broadly speaking, we are wired to monitor, scrutinize and “fix” our flaws and mitigate our failings. This kind of self-focus in our culture makes it easy to see so-called ego as a problem to solve and our very own self as an obstacle on the journey.

Relating to our wounds and pursuing spiritual insight are not mutually exclusive:  Both are essential and can coexist.

Meditation fosters receptivity, not self-improvement: Rather than fall into the trap of using meditation to solve your problems, allow your practice to make the space for the wisdom that’s already a part of you. It will arise naturally.

Egolessness is about openness, not self-denial: Genuine egolessness is not about prioritizing everyone else and abandoning yourself entirely. Our practice of letting go, being present; this is more helpful when it comes to realizing egolessness. It’s not about forcing yourself out; rather, it’s about being with what is (you are a part of what is) and receiving the love, wisdom, and insight that reveal rather than force egolessness. 

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this very, very crazy world, it’s easy to feel powerless. But from my decades of Buddhist practice, I've learned that it’s not just an inside job– you can actually arrange your outer world to give you strength.

1. Clean Up Your Space I know this sounds like a scold but it isn’t. When you walk into chaos, you feel chaotic. When you walk into a space that's been tended to—not perfect, just cared for—you feel elegant. Your care then perfumes the environment.

2. Wear Nice Clothes Not fancy or expensive—just clean clothes that you actually like. When you pick something off the floor (and we all do this sometimes), you're already starting your day feeling a little defeated. But when you choose something you love—the color, the fabric, how it makes you feel—you're clothing yourself with respect.

3. Eat Good Food This isn't about being vegan or gluten-free or whatever diet advice everyone's shouting about. It's about getting the best quality you can afford and eating it with kindness toward yourself. If you want smoothies, get good ingredients. If you want a cocktail, make it carefully. Appreciate the details that go into preparation and clean-up. Most important, as best you can, relax aggression (from self or others) about food.

4. Spend Time with People Who See You Clearly We all have people who make us feel small—your boss, that difficult sibling, the friend you don't know how to break up with. Minimize time spent with such people, as you are able to do so. Maximize time with people who, when you look at yourself through their eyes, you see someone lovely and smart and kind. That's very empowering.

5. Connect with the Natural World When I swim at Barton Springs here in Austin, even in the midst of Texas political insanity, I remember that there's a power at work that has its own logic, that doesn't care what I think. Being part of something larger—even feeling small in it—is actually delightful.

Friends, these aren't just good habits. They're ways to create a world that holds you, that gives you strength instead of requiring you to manufacture it from scratch every single day. And right now, when everything feels shaken, that might be exactly what we need.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I explore the tension between spiritual teachings on egolessness and the deeply personal need for self-understanding. I talk about how meditation reveals both the illusion of self and the reality of who we are. I also share how the Enneagram—a system of personality types—has been an invaluable tool for fostering compassion and clarity in myself and my relationships.

Highlights:

1. The Problem with Egolessness

• Teachings on “no self” can feel like a shaming of personal identity.
  
  
  
• Meditation helps us see both our egoless nature and our genuine self.
  
  

2. Meditation as Friendship with Self

• Encourages self-awareness and emotional honesty.
  
  

3. The Enneagram as a Spiritual Tool

• Describes 9 personality types; not limiting but illuminating.
  
  
  
• Helps identify personal patterns and build self-compassion.
  
  
  
• Integrated with Buddhist values like loving-kindness.
  
  

4. Three Enneagram Frameworks to Understand Yourself and Others

• Centers of Intelligence:
  
  
  • Mental: Thinkers → anxiety under stress.
    
    
    
  • Gut: Intuitive types → anger under stress.
    
    
    
  • Heart: Emotional types → neediness or withdrawal under stress.
    
    
• Instinctual Drives:
  
  
  • Self-preservation: Focused on safety and comfort.
    
    
    
  • Social: Motivated by group belonging.
    
    
    
  • One-to-One: Seeks deep personal connection.
    
    
• Stress Responses (Karen Horney’s model):
  
  
  • Toward: Seeks harmony.
    
    
    
  • Against: Confronts conflict.
    
    
    
  • Away: Withdraws from tension.
    
    

Understanding your own wiring—how you think, feel, relate, and react—is not a detour from spiritual growth, but part of its foundation. Tools like the Enneagram, when combined with meditation, become powerful aids in cultivating compassion for yourself and others. True spiritual insight begins with self-acceptance.

For more on the enneagram from a Buddhist perspective, check out my book, The Buddhist Enneagram: Nine Paths to Warriorship.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I explore a classical teaching throughout the Buddhist world, The Four Reminders, also known as the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind to the Dharma. When I first heard them, I thought how can I forget what I just heard?! Turns out, I can’t. Warning: once you hear them, you can’t unhear them either. They are at once brutal and deeply compassionate. Much like life itself. 

Highlights:

• The Four Thoughts are uncomfortable but essential contemplations that help you see with what truly matters. They are:
  • Precious Human Birth – It's rare and valuable simply to be here. If one person in your line had done something different, you would not be you!
  • Impermanence and Death – Death is real (but only 100% of the time) and comes without warning.
  • Karma is real – Actions have results, whether or not in this lifetime.
  • Samsara is an ocean of unavoidable suffering. Sure, there are also great things, but even they come with suffering because they all eventually dissolve.
• Remembering these truths can turn your mind toward wisdom, compassion, and a life of generosity.
• Even if you don't identify as Buddhist, these reflections can offer clarity in how to live more deliberately and kindly.

With personal stories and my best insights, I hope to share how remembering these truths can shift your priorities and bring you back to what matters most.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In today’s episode, I take a deep dive into the meditation questions I’ve been asked the most over the past three decades—as a student, as a teacher, and now, as someone who teaches others to teach.

We talk about the real stuff. The messy, wonderful, confusing, luminous questions that arise when you sit down on your cushion and meet your own mind.

Highlights:

1. “Why can’t I stop thinking?”
    You’re not supposed to. That’s not a failure—it’s reality. Thoughts are not the enemy.
   
   
   
2. “Why do we keep our eyes open during practice?”
    Eyes open helps us stay here, in this life, not some special spiritual realm. We’re not retreating. We’re engaging—with softness and awareness.
   
   
   
3. “I feel like I’m hyperventilating… or I’m weirdly obsessed with my breath or eyes—what’s happening?”
    You’re just noticing more. That wide open space you’ve created isn’t empty—it’s your awareness. And yes, it’ll settle.
   
   
   
4. “What if I have a really good idea during meditation?”
    The real answer is: call it thinking, let go, return to the breath. But… I also share my (slightly quirky) workaround involving my thumbs.
   
   
   
5. “Can meditation help with depression, anxiety, or trauma?”
    This is an important and delicate topic. Meditation is not a cure-all, and it is essential to proceed gently, and ideally with guidance from a trusted healthcare provider.
   
   
   
6. “I’m overwhelmed by feelings when I meditate. Isn’t this supposed to calm me down?”
    Not always. Sometimes the most compassionate choice is to not meditate. Or to gently make your feeling—rather than your breath—the object of attention.
   
   
   
7. “How do I know if I’m doing it right?”
    Because, let’s face it, it feels boring. But the answer is not on the cushion—it’s in your life. Are you more kind? More patient? More real? Then yes, you’re doing it right.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this new episode, I explore what it actually means to become a Buddhist through the Refuge Vow. Potentially misunderstood as a formality or an unnecessary label, I discuss the spiritual and practical significance of the vow.

Refuge is taken in the Three Jewels—Buddha (awakening), Dharma (wisdom/path), and Sangha (community). What do they mean? I also share about my own journey in taking the vow in 1993, how I was trained and given permission to offer the vow myself, and the internal changes that often follow taking the vow.

Taking refuge isn't about labeling yourself—it's about recognizing a path you're already on.

Highlights:

• What the Refuge Vow actually is—and isn’t
  
  
• The meaning and power of the Three Jewels
  
  
• When (and if) you know you're ready to take the vow
  
  
• Personal stories of transformation, doubt, and commitment
  
  
• How taking the vow changes your relationship with life

“The best time to take the Refuge Vow is when it simply feels like a recognition of something that has already happened.”

Resources & Links:

• Visit Susan’s Substack & continue the conversation: Susan Piver on Substack
  
  
• Learn more or join her community: The Open Heart Project
  
  
• Mentioned in podcast: Episode 8: Who Can You Trust in the Spiritual World?

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

This episode starts off a new series on the Six Paramitas (Transcendent Actions). 

Focusing on the first paramita: generosity, I share how this quality—often misunderstood as mere niceness or material giving—is actually the foundation for waking up,  finding sanity, and increasing the sanity of this world. 

I talk about three forms of generosity:

• Ordinary generosity – Giving material things with an open heart
  
  
• The gift of dharma – Sharing wisdom in a humble, useful way
  
  
• The gift of fearlessness – Helping others feel stronger and less alone, often through the simple act of listening
  
  
  

Highlights:

• Why generosity is the gateway to all other Paramitas
  
  
• How practicing generosity transforms the way people respond to you
  
  
• What it really means to lead with offering, rather than seeking
  
  
• A beautiful, powerful definition of listening: “When you stop thinking your thoughts and start thinking mine.” –Catherine MacCoun
  
  
• Practical ways to embody generosity in daily life—emails, conversations, arguments, and more
  
  

As always, don’t take my word for any of this—reflect on these teachings yourself, and see what arises.

This is a rich and grounding episode for anyone interested in living more deeply, whether or not you identify as Buddhist.

Next week, I’ll share about the second paramita, discipline (Shila), or how to stay intentional without becoming rigid.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I explore a little-known yet profoundly practical Buddhist teaching: The Seven Riches of the Universal Monarch. I warmly invite you to look beyond the modern view of mindfulness as merely a stress-relief tool; rather, consider your practice as a transformative lens on how to live fully, wisely, and with meaning.

Drawing from classical Buddhist teachings, my own seminary training, and over 30 years of personal practice, I share how these "seven riches" can serve as guiding principles for cultivating intimacy, purpose, vitality, and inner wisdom in daily life. I even share a story about lying on a couch mid-conversation and realizing my ideal form of social interaction.

Highlights:

• Why mindfulness is more than just stress relief – It’s a path to living with depth, presence, and authenticity.
  
  
  
• Introduction to the obscure yet profound teaching of the Seven Riches of the Universal Monarch, possibly rooted in the indigenous Bön tradition of Tibet.
  
  
  
• The 7 Riches unpacked:
  
  
  
  1. Consort – The value of intimate connection (romantic or platonic) rooted in trust and love.
     
     
     
  2. Minister – Having a trusted source of wisdom or guidance (a person, study, or tradition).
     
     
     
  3. General – A sense of protection, whether from people, community, or even financial stability.
     
     
     
  4. Horse – The wellspring of vitality and momentum, from energy to inspiration.
     
     
     
  5. Elephant – Living with purpose and steady, grounded intention.
     
     
     
  6. Wish-Fulfilling Jewel – Deep self-knowledge and compassion as the truest wealth.
     
     
     

The Wheel – Integration of all six riches into a cohesive, supportive whole.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

This week we continue our exploration of the Six Paramitas (or Transcendent Actions)—the Buddhist teachings on how to go beyond suffering and confusion into wakefulness, compassion, and liberation. I talked about the first paramita, Generosity, in a previous episode. Now we look at the second: Discipline.

This isn’t the harsh, rigid discipline of making yourself do things you don’t want to do. Here, discipline is a joyful, courageous return to presence—a practice of continuously coming back to your intentions, your inner world, your experience, and your humanity.

Highlights:

• Why discipline must be paired with generosity to avoid self-aggression.
• The Buddhist definition of discipline as “coming back” over and over, especially in meditation.
• How thinking for yourself and not outsourcing wisdom is a powerful form of discipline.
• The three forms of discipline:
  • Binding Yourself – Committing to opening up, even when it's uncomfortable.
  • Gathering Virtuous Dharmas – Continuing to deepen your understanding through study, reflection, and practice.
  • Benefiting Sentient Beings – Shifting focus from self alone to bringing care for others into your experience
• The three-step method of learning in Buddhist tradition: Hearing, Contemplating, and Meditating. (We usually stop at hearing, regurgitating, and then forgetting.)
• How including others in your awareness brings joy, strength, and clarity, even in chaotic times.

“Discipline is synonymous with joy. Not yippy joy—but the joy of not hiding from your life.”

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I move on in our exploration of the Six Paramitas (“transcendent actions”) to the third paramita: patience.

There is a common misconception that patience means tolerating bad behavior or remaining silent in the face of harm. Instead, patience is a profound and active spiritual practice that can help us transcend aggression and stay present with reality as it unfolds.

Drawing on classical Buddhist teachings and a personal story about losing my  temper in traffic, I talk about how we can remain connected to our own and others’ humanity—even in difficult moments—and why doing so is essential for a compassionate life.

Highlights:

• What Patience Is (and Isn't):
• Not about tolerating wrongdoing or suppressing anger.
• True patience is the opposite of aggression—it’s about staying present and not shrinking the world to your anger.
• A personal story of losing patience

Two Keys to Patience:

• Staying connected to humanity—even when angry.
• Letting go of expectations.

Three Forms of Patience (from the Buddhist tradition):

• Overcoming Others’ Destructiveness – Meeting aggression without adding more.
• Realizing the Nature of Aggression – Seeing the pain behind harmful actions (in others and ourselves).
• Individual Examination – Resisting assumptions and prejudice; seeing each situation and person freshly.

War has never led to peace, and hatred has never resolved anything. We must learn to fight injustice without aggression.

Cultivating patience begins with how we relate to our own inner experiences.

What would happen if you responded to frustration or criticism without expectations—and stayed open to the humanity behind every interaction?

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I dive into the fourth of the six paramitas, or transcendent actions, from the classical Buddhist teachings: exertion. If you’ve been following along with our exploration of the first three—generosity, discipline, and patience—you’ll know these aren’t lofty ideals but practical ways to bring dharma off the cushion and into real life.

Here, we go deep into what exertion really means. Spoiler: it’s not about trying harder. I talk about what makes exertion so powerful, what gets in its way, and how to reconnect with your own life force—especially when you feel disheartened or overwhelmed.

This episode is personal, honest, and yes, maybe a little long. But I hope it offers something of use to you as we navigate life with as much wisdom, courage, and compassion as we can muster.

Highlights:

• Exertion ≠ Trying Harder:
  Most of us are already trying as hard as we can. Buddhist exertion is not about pushing more—it’s about opening more.
  
  
  
• What Exertion Is:
  A continual willingness to engage with reality, to stay with your life and your heart—even when you don’t know where it’s all going.
  
  
  
• The Three Forms of Laziness:
  
  
  
  1. Procrastination or Avoidance: Often rooted in hopelessness or shame.
     
     
     
  2. Being Too Busy: When the essential things—like you—fall to the bottom of the list.
     
     
     
  3. Losing Heart: When the state of the world or your own limits make you forget your innate goodness.
     
     
     
• The Three Forms of Exertion:
  
  
  
  1. Suit of Armor: Not armor as in closing off, but as in showing up with commitment and presence, no matter what.
     
     
     
  2. Action: You keep going. You don’t give up. You come back.
     
     
     
  3. Never Being Satisfied: Staying curious. You haven’t reached the bottom of your own wisdom yet.
     
     
     
• A Different View on Motivation:
  Exertion is fueled by generosity, discipline, and patience. These are things we receive through openness, not willpower.
  
  
  
• How Beliefs Can Block Exertion:
  Our belief systems—especially those we don't even realize we have—can narrow our perception and prevent us from experiencing what's real.
  
  
  
• Restoring Exertion Through Humor:
   When we lose our sense of humor, it can be a red flag. Humor often signals a return of energy and perspective.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

I'm away this week, so we're revisiting the very first episode of the podcast. Originally titled “On Meditation: An Uncommon View,” it now becomes episode 25.

Meditation is often framed as a self-help tool—to reduce stress, manage pain, improve sleep, or boost performance. And yes, science supports all of that. But the original intention, as taught by the Buddha, was something much deeper: a path to wake up from suffering, discover wisdom, cultivate compassion, and live with courage.

This episode explores meditation as a spiritual practice—a way to move beyond conventional thinking and connect with your natural clarity, without relying on religious belief or cultural appropriation.

Topics discussed:

• Meditation as Self-Inquiry: In many wisdom traditions, the core aim is to understand the nature of mind. In Buddhism, this process is meditation.
• How Meditation Went Mainstream: Once seen as fringe, meditation is now widely accepted for its health benefits—though its deeper spiritual dimensions often get lost.
• Three Yanas (Vehicles) in Buddhism and Three Views of Meditation:
  • Hinayana (Foundational Vehicle): Focuses on personal liberation, calming the mind, and cultivating simplicity and discipline.
  • Mahayana (Great Vehicle): Emphasizes compassion, the bodhisattva path, and using meditation to benefit others.
  • Vajrayana (Indestructible Vehicle): A mystical path where meditation serves as a direct means to awakening and transformation.

Instead of approaching meditation only for outcomes like stress relief, what happens if we let it reveal something deeper?

As always, Buddhism Beyond Belief invites you to explore for yourself—don’t take my word for it.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I explore the fifth of the six paramitas, or transcendent actions of the bodhisattva path: Meditative Absorption—sometimes just called meditation.

But this isn’t your typical “sit on the cushion and follow your breath” kind of conversation. We go deeper into what it means to live meditation—to carry the practice off the cushion and into our everyday experience.

Highlights from this episode:

• Why the Buddhist path is so much more than stress relief
   Meditation isn’t just about calming down or feeling better—though it may help with that. It’s a path of waking up, and of learning to live more fully and meaningfully.
  
  
  
• What meditative absorption really means
   On the cushion, we train our attention by returning again and again to an object—often the breath.

Off the cushion, meditative absorption means being fully present in our lives, moment to moment—absorbed in experience rather than just our thoughts about it.

• A deep inquiry into thought itself
  Where do thoughts come from? Where do they go? Can we remain absorbed in what lies beyond them?
  
  
  
• An exquisite (and challenging) passage from a traditional Buddhist text
  I read a short but powerful teaching on the nature of thought, mind, and perception—and how they are ultimately without a fixed basis.
  
  
  
• What is a Bodhisattva, really?
  Someone who vows to be of benefit to all beings—not because they’re a “good person,” but because, eventually, you realize… what else is there to do?
  
  
  
• My personal story of taking the Bodhisattva Vow
  Including what I gave up (and immediately wanted back), and why that experience still teaches me something today.
  
  
  
• The cloud and sky metaphor for meditation
  Your thoughts are the clouds. You are the sky. That sky-like awareness is what meditative absorption connects you to.
  
  
  

As always, you don’t have to be a Buddhist to find value in these teachings. The dharma is vast, pragmatic, and endlessly nuanced. I share what I’ve learned through 30+ years of practice, not because I have the answers—but because these teachings continue to challenge and change me.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

Thinking about working with a meditation teacher? It’s a powerful step—but how do you choose the right one?

In this episode, I offer a framework based on the three Yanas (vehicles) of Buddhist practice. Each path reflects a different view of meditation—and can help you clarify the kind of guidance you need.

Three Yanas, Three Teaching Styles

1. Hinayana – The Foundational Path
Best if you're starting out and need structure. Look for a teacher who emphasizes:

• Simplicity and discipline
• Ethical foundation
• Building a consistent practice
  
  
  

2. Mahayana – The Compassionate Path
Ideal if you're feeling more open to others and want your practice to reflect that. Seek a teacher who guides:

• The Four Immeasurables: love, compassion, joy, equanimity
• How to connect practice with service and daily life
  
  
  

3. Vajrayana – The Transformational Path
For those ready to work with everything—including chaos—as part of the path. A Vajrayana teacher will focus on:

• Sudden awakening
• Meeting life directly, without avoidance
• Transforming emotions into insight

Vajrayana is my home. I teach meditation not to calm down, but to wake up—to all of it: beauty, difficulty, uncertainty, and joy.

If you’re looking for a teacher, ask yourself:

• Do I need grounding and structure?
• Am I drawn to compassion and connection?
• Do I want to use every part of life as practice?

Clarity about your needs will help you find the right guide.

A previous episode of this podcast (about the Four Noble Truths) was mentioned. You can listen to Episode 13 here. 

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I share something very personal and deeply resonant for the times we’re living in: how we vacillate between hope and fear, and how the Buddhist path invites us to wake up beyond either one. Also, drugs. Just gotta say that right up front. 

We often think of mindfulness or meditation practice as a way to feel better, to reduce stress or calm down—and while those benefits are real and important, this path is so much more. It’s about learning how to live fully awake, moment to moment, even in a world that feels increasingly chaotic, confusing, and difficult to make sense of.

I talk about:

• Why hope and fear, despite being opposites, are really two sides of the same coin—and how both can pull us away from the present.
  
  
  
• A wild (and yes, drug-fueled!) story from my younger years in a legendary Austin blues club that showed me this truth in vivid, unforgettable  ( and weird) detail.
  
  
  
• How beliefs, including those we cling to in hope or hide from in fear, can become obstacles. .
  
  
  
• Why anxiety is often a symptom of mind and body splitting apart, and how we can work with that.
  
  
  
• And most importantly, how meditation is the simplest, most profound practice I know for returning to presence and synchronizing body and mind.
  
  
  

Highlights:

• The Buddhist view of beliefs: Why even “positive” ones can be a trap
  
  
  
• What Stevie Ray Vaughan and meditation have in common (sort of!)
  
  
  
• What happened  to me when they suddenly dropped away (this is the drugs part)
  
  
  
• How anxiety may simply be a case of your mind and body being out of sync
  
  
  
• Practical ways to come back to the moment, even when the world feels like it's falling apart
  
  
  

Learn to Teach Meditation

The Open Heart Project Meditation Teacher Training returns this January.
We begin January 17th, 2026.
I teach every session. It’s intimate, rigorous, supportive—and it’s for anyone who wants to help others work with their own minds and hearts.

Click here to learn more & sign up.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I share why I wrote The Buddhist Enneagram and how two life-changing systems—the Buddha Dharma and the Enneagram—can support your journey toward wisdom, compassion, and self-understanding.

Contrary to common views of Buddhism as merely stress relief, I explore its deeper invitation: to live more fully, to wake up, and to meet life with an open heart. The Enneagram, in turn, becomes a powerful upaya—a skillful means—for making compassion real.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why Buddhist teachings go far beyond “calming down”
• How I first encountered the Enneagram—and why it changed everything
• The connection between your “flaws” and your true nature
• Real-life stories of how understanding Enneagram types transformed relationships
• The Buddhist view that our poisons are our wisdom
• How each Enneagram type maps onto a path of transformation
  
  
  

Plus:
At the end, I share a beautiful bluegrass song that has moved me deeply—“Christine Leroy” by the Johnson Mountain Boys. It’s our new “after-party” segment to celebrate the power of music and storytelling. Listen to the whole song here: https://open.spotify.com/track/0obAxxHy2PoTA7BM2aadDt?si=d51c970c363e4c05 

Have a question for me?

Send a voice message via DM on Instagram (@susanpiver)—I’d love to hear from you. *Please note: Your recording might be included in a future podcast episode and answered on the show.

 Learn to Teach Meditation

The Open Heart Project Meditation Teacher Training returns this January.
We begin January 17th, 2026.
I teach every session. It’s intimate, rigorous, supportive—and it’s for anyone who wants to help others work with their own minds and hearts.

Click here to learn more & sign up.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I talk about something that’s been making me a little grumpy: how meditation is often reduced to stress relief. While that’s a real benefit, it misses the deeper purpose — waking up to reality itself in order to be of benefit to others.

Meditation isn’t a self-improvement plan. It’s a path of presence — one that begins with self-awareness but is meant to open outward, toward others and the world. When practice stops at “me,” it can harden into self-absorption. When we remember its spiritual heart, it becomes a way to connect — energetically, compassionately, courageously. This has nothing to do with religion.

To see meditation as a spiritual practice, it helps to examine (to a very small degree) the nature of mind itself. After all, mind is what we work with during practice and this is different than mere thought.  I also share how the enneagram offers a roadmap for seeing ourselves and others more clearly. We explore:

• The three centers of intelligence — gut, heart, and head
• The three instinctual drives — self-preservation, social, and sexual/intimate
• The three responses to pain — toward, against, and away (known in Buddhism as the three poisons)

These perspectives remind us that our differences are not barriers but gateways to understanding and that the point of practice is to blend with animate energies rather than wall ourselves off from them.

And finally, I share a bit of music. I talk about Peter Green, the brilliant early member of Fleetwood Mac, whose songs “Tribal Dance” and “Albatross” embody the powerful qualities of spaciousness, warmth, and directness. His playing reminds me that true artistry, like true practice, is about attunement rather than control.

Highlights:

• Why meditation is more than stress reduction
• Using the enneagram to deepen compassion
• The true nature of mind
• The “three poisons” in Buddhist teachings and how they obscure clarity

Mentioned:

• The Buddhist Enneagram by Susan Piver
• “Tribal Dance” by Peter Green 
• “Albatross” by Peter Green

Watch this episode on video
 If you’d like to see me share my reflections, the video version is available here.

Ask me a question
You can send your questions via Instagram DM or through our

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode, I explore the sixth and final pāramitā—prajna, or wisdom—the one beyond words and concepts. True wisdom isn’t about knowledge but about recognizing the interdependence of all things and walking the Middle Way between eternalism (“something lasts forever”) and nihilism (“nothing matters”).

We revisit the first five pāramitās—generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, and meditative absorption—and see how they lead us to the spacious awareness that meditation reveals. Mindfulness is only half the path; the other half, awareness, brings love, creativity, and compassion.

We also look at the three forms of wisdom—worldly, beyond worldliness, and beyond even dharma—and the essence of the Heart Sutra: “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.”

I close with a piece of music I love, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman’s “My One and Only Love,” a perfect expression of what I call undone and refined.

Highlights:

• Prajna as direct, wordless knowing
• The Middle Way between extremes
• Emptiness as fullness and interconnection
• Mindfulness vs. awareness in meditation
• The three forms of wisdom
• The Heart Sutra’s simple truth
• Closing reflection: Coltrane and Hartman’s timeless duet
  
  
  

Watch this episode on video
 If you’d like to see me share my reflections, the video version is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdpt80EJvOc

Ask me a question
You can send your questions via Instagram DM or through our form — I’d love to include them in future episodes.

Learn to Teach Meditation

The Open Heart Project Meditation Teacher Training returns this January.
We begin January 17th, 2026. 
I teach every session. It’s intimate, rigorous, supportive—and it’s for anyone who wants to help others work with their own minds and hearts.

Click here to learn more & sign up.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project