If you've finished your day of work -- or just want to take a relaxing break -- this guided meditation is here for you!

This meditation was recorded live as part of the Mind Body Spirit Institute’s Power of Community meditation series. To learn more and register (for free!), click here: https://geni.us/mbsipoc

May you and all beings be well.

This week internationally renowned spiritual teacher and author Andrew Holececk about his new book, Reverse Meditation, in which he shares a powerful form of spiritual practice that can transform our relationship to unwanted experiences. In the process, we open more and more fully to the luminous, spacious true nature of the mind. Toward the end of the episode, he offers a guided contemplation you can use next time you feel the urge to complain. 

Andrew’s website: andrewholecek.com

Check out his new book, Reverse Meditation, that offers instruction in both foundational practices like calm abiding meditations and open awareness practice, as well as the reverse practices you’ll hear about in this conversation.

On Sound True: https://geni.us/revmedst

On Amazon: https://geni.us/revmedam

If you enjoy our conversation, please share this episode and subscribe!

To learn more about Buddhism through my free courses, click here: https://geni.us/freecourses

 Or get my book for beginners, The Buddhist Path to Joy, here: https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy

May you and all beings be well.

The biggest challenge most meditators face is finding enough time to practice -- and the Pomodoro Timer method is my favorite way to get around this. In this episode, I’ll dive into the Pomodoro Timer method and show you how it can help you get more time to meditate. So if you’re a meditator who always wishes you had more time for practice, listen now and download my free time tracking spreadsheet!

Get the free spreadsheet and future video trainings: https://geni.us/pom4meditators

Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DHxnTE11ADU

My favorite Chrome extension timer: https://geni.us/K1p1

The Pomodoro Timer method is a great way to get more time for meditation because it helps you break down your day into manageable chunks. Essentially, the Pomodoro Timer method works like this: you work for 25 minutes and then take a five minute break. After four “pomodoros” (i.e. working for 25 minutes and then taking a five minute break), you take a longer break of 15 minutes. If you use even a few of these breaks to meditate, you'll easy get 20, 30 or more minutes back from your day to nourish your spirit.

Using the Pomodoro Timer method also helps you refresh your mind and finish the workday less mentally fatigued. And you can reconnect with a positive motivation for your daily work tasks.

May you and all beings be well.

Karma is one of the most important teachings of Buddhism, but it's often misunderstood! Let's talk about what karma is (actions and their results), how mindfulness practice can help us create good karma, how hard times can help us burn off bad karma, and more.

This video was recorded from a live Insight Timer teaching. To find me there and join future teachings live -- for free -- see: http://insig.ht/clairevillarreal

Free email course on the Four Noble Truths (for beginners): https://bit.ly/4NTsBuddh

In Buddhism, the Three Jewels are the Buddha (the one who shows us the way to awakening), the Dharma (the teachings that wake us up), and the Sangha (our guides and friends on the path to awakening). Traditionally, Buddhists have taken refuge in these daily because they orient us toward the highest truth and help us remember there's more to life than the daily grind.

Whether you're Buddhist or not, you can make the Three Jewels a part of your life to keep yourself oriented toward what's ultimately meaningful.

I gave this talk live on Insight Timer. To join future live teachings there (for free), see:http://insig.ht/clairevillarreal

Meditation retreats are a wonderful way to deepen your practice -- so in this video I'll share what retreat is, how you can do retreat, and the benefits this kind of practice brings.  Whether you're curious about Buddhist retreats, interested in a 10-day vipassana retreat course, or just looking to unplug sometimes in daily life, the practice and attitude of retreat can help!  

Learn more about Elaine Aron’s research on highly sensitive people (HSPs) at her site: https://hsperson.com/ 

And find info about S.N. Goenka’s vipassana courses (retreats) or apply to join a course at his organization’s website: https://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index 

00:00 What is retreat? 

01:00 Boundaries 

03:45 Benefits of retreat 

06:15 How to do retreat 

09:15 Retreat mindset in daily life

In Tibetan Buddhism, mantras are sacred syllables that evoke the energy of a buddha. We say them to wake that divine energy up in ourselves.  Mantras are intended to protect the mind from falling asleep to our true nature by reminding us that we have buddha nature. When we say them, we're calling on the energy of the buddha whose mantra we're saying (like Green Tara with OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA, or Avalokiteshvara with OM MANI PADME HUM).  

In this audio from a talk I did on Insight Timer, I'll explain what mantras are and how to use them in your meditation practice, even if you're a beginner.  

You can find me on Insight Timer to participate in future live talks: http://insig.ht/clairevillarreal

Emptiness and buddha nature might sound like two different topics, but actually they're deeply interconnected, and both are vital to Mahayana Buddhism.  "Emptiness" means that everything we experience in the world -- including our selves -- is empty of existing from its own side. Our bodies, for instance, are made of DNA from our parents and molecules from food, air, etc.  

But there's more to us than our bodies and even our conventional minds. We have buddha nature, and the way we can experience it is by searching for a true self in the conventional world, not finding it, and finally landing in the spaciousness and awakeness of buddha nature.  

Questions? Post them in the comments! Want a video on a topic you've always wondered about? I'd love to hear your suggestions! Please post them in the comments.  

This talk was originally offered on Insight Timer; to follow me there and get invitations to my live talks, click here: http://insig.ht/clairevillarreal  

Want to join my Buddhist basics newsletter for thoughts, downloadable resources, and invitations to live events? Click here: https://bit.ly/3nvo3Hi

Dukkha is an important word in Buddhism. It can mean anything from subtle unease -- thinking life could somehow be better -- to outright suffering. In this guided meditation, we'll notice what brings us dukkha and what doesn't. You might be surprised at what you discover!

Buddhism’s Fourth Noble Truth contains the entire Buddhist path to awakening (enlightenment). It states that there’s a path from unawakened existence, in which we’re always subject to dissatisfaction, to full awakening, a state beyond the understanding of our ordinary mind.

We’ll talk about the eight steps along this path: skillful understanding, skillful thought, skillful speech, skillful action, skillful livelihood, skillful effort, skillful mindfulness, and skillful concentration.

Get the free mini-course for beginners on the Four Noble Truths: https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs

For a link to Ven. Henepola Gunaratana’s book on the Noble Eightfold Path and others on the Four Noble Truths, see https://bit.ly/3uYYuBB.

The Buddhist tradition teaches that everything is impermanent, but what does that mean? With this simple meditation, we'll pay attention to the flow of the breath, its pauses and its unceasing dynamism.

In this guided meditation, we'll imagine a luminous pebble dropping down through the ocean until it comes to rest at the bottom. In the process, we focus the mind and drop it deeper into the body. If you enjoy meditations that use your imagination, this is a great way to get focused and reduce stress.

We often focus on the objects of mind -- thoughts, sensations, feelings, etc. -- without noticing the mind itself. In this guided meditation, we'll settle the mind and then shift our focus to the space in which all experience happens. As we get more comfortable with space, we'll stop filling it up with thoughts, busyness, and everything else that keeps us overloaded.

In today’s episode I’ll be speaking with Nina Simons, Co-founder and Chief Relationship Officer at Bioneers, who leads its Everywoman’s Leadership program. Throughout her career, Nina has worked with nearly a thousand diverse women leaders across disciplines, race, class, age and orientation to create conditions for mutual learning, trust and leadership development. 

Today we’ll talk about her book Nature, Culture, and the Sacred: A Woman Listens for Leadership. The second edition just came out in June, 2022, with an accompanying discussion guide and embodied practices.

You can find Nina’s book and information about Bioneers programs and events here: https://bioneers.org/ncs/

Nina mentions Deborah Eden Tull’s book Luminous Darkness: https://geni.us/5cqQ

Watch The Mycelium is Listening (that Nina mentions toward the end of the episode): https://youtu.be/X56fh6MfdOw

If you enjoy our conversation, please share this episode and subscribe!

To learn more about Buddhism through my free courses, click here: https://geni.us/freecourses

 Or get my book for beginners, The Buddhist Path to Joy, here: https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy

May you and all beings be well.

Get this free mini-course that introduces you to each of the Four Noble Truths, with guided meditations, reflection questions, a reading list, and more: https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs

Following classic Buddhist teachings, in this meditation we interrogate our experience with the simple question: "Is this me?" Is each breath, each bodily sensation, each thought really me? Or is my mind constantly weaving these together into a seemingly seamless self?

For a free mini-course on the Four Noble Truths and how they can help us live more fulfilling lives, visit https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs.

The third Noble Truth presents the goal of Buddhist practice and the ultimate Buddhist belief: the mind is luminous and fully aware by nature, and when that's uncovered, we've finally cut the root of ignorance. We've woken up. Called the truth of cessation, the Third Noble Truth teaches that it's possible for all dissatisfaction and unhappiness to cease, leaving us in a state of ongoing bliss.

For a free mini-course on the Four Noble Truths and how they can help us live more fulfilling lives, visit https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs.

In the first Noble Truth (see previous episode), the Buddha describes the human predicament: we keep chasing after things (or people or accomplishments) we think will satisfy our sense that there's something more, something better for us. But external things or relationships will never bring us lasting happiness; only connecting with our true nature can do that.

In the second Noble Truth, the Buddha "diagnoses" the cause of our unhappiness: we misunderstand the nature of reality, and based on that we try to grab onto what we want and keep it, while we try to push away what we don't want. Spoiler alert, though: that never works for long.

For a free mini-course on the Four Noble Truths and how they can help us live more fulfilling lives, visit https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs.

The first of the Four Noble Truths is the one most people think they know, but it's also the most misunderstood. Often it's translated as "Life is suffering," which isn't very accurate. Instead, the Buddha taught that as long as we don't understand the nature of reality -- as long as we unconsciously think of ourselves as permanent, as external factors as bringing lasting happiness -- we'll chase the kinds of pleasure that never quite satisfy us.

These teachings are the foundations of Buddhist beliefs around the world, and in this episode you'll hear the story behind the Four Noble Truths: of the Buddha's spiritual quest for enlightenment. That quest is one that each of us can still make, and it's easier now that we have a guide to the path! 

Get this free mini-course that introduces you to each of the Four Noble Truths, with guided meditations, reflection questions, a reading list, and more: https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs

This meditation is for fans of the improvised comedy sci-fi podcast Mission to Zyxx, in which there are Jedi-like "mystical warriors" called the Zima knights. But the Zimas are more like stoner hippies who train in the Space rather than the Force, so this track is pretty silly. 😜 

Tibetan Buddhism offers powerful tools for cleansing our minds and bodies of stress and anxiety -- or anything else that's obscuring our luminous buddha nature.  In this short teaching and 15-ish minute guided cleansing meditation, we imagine a figure who represents groundedness and peace to us, then imagine them blessing us to release our mental detritus.  

This episode is the audio from a video you can find in this playlist on YouTube, with other videos on what the Tibetan teachings offer us in 2020: http://bit.ly/TibBuddh.

Meditation music is by Music of Wisdom; check out their work here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNIOO-STue044Dc7RM7OXSA

Tong-len (meditation on taking and giving) has deep roots in Tibetan Buddhism.  For this practice, we imagine a version of ourselves -- or you could imagine someone else who's difficult to deal with -- and imagine relieving their suffering and offering them happiness instead.  For a deeper dive on this type of meditation and its capacity to help us cultivate compassion, see Pema Chodron's wonderful book The Places That Scare You.

In these stressful times, it's tempting to "seek refuge" in quick fixes that distract us from uncomfortable feelings of deficiency and vulnerability (like binging social media, losing ourselves reading or watching TV, doomscrolling, etc.).  But if we can remember that we contain a sacred, luminous core, that's our true refuge from life's uncertainties.

This audio comes from a video you can find here: https://youtu.be/Enh8pWuBvds.

Want to move your body and meditate at the same time?  This short, guided walking meditation track takes you through a timeless practice -- that makes a great break if you typically sit at a desk all day!

This is a meditation I led for the Power of Community program hosted by the Houston Jung Center’s Mind Body Spirit Institute. It was recorded live, so you might hear background noises.

If you’d like to join the Power of Community for free weekly meditation sessions (in English and Spanish), you can register here: https://geni.us/mbsipoc

Free courses on Buddhist basics: https://geni.us/freecourses

My book for beginners on the Four Noble Truths: https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy

May you and all beings be well.

This short practice is intended to help turn down your amygdala (the part of the brain responsible for the fear and stress response), helping you find a calm center in the middle of life's storms.  It's guided, with the sounds of rain on the roof of a cabin and a cozy fire inside to help turn our attention from the stresses of the world -- the rain -- to our internal resources -- the fire.

f you practice the Buddhist path (Buddhadharma), it can be easy to fall into a rut and forget the real reasons we practice: to see into the nature of reality, to benefit all living beings, to throw the weight of our being against the systems that perpetuate suffering.  But times like we're living through now (Oct. 2020) remind us that spiritual practice isn't a hobby but a mission.  

If you've been meditating for years but find yourself sometimes overwhelmed by what we're all living through, I'm with you!  I made this video to remind myself (and invite other folks like me) that while I sometimes need to hide and practice self-care, my practice provides tools for coping with the kinds of crazy times we're experiencing now.  For guided meditations, to join my newsletter list, read my blog, and more, please visit clairevillarreal.com.  

🙏 Be well and stay safe out there, y'all.

This meditation helps you unplug from thoughts with a simple set of labels.  This one is great for a time when you're having trouble settling into meditation.

For a free meditation mini-course, see: https://clairevillarreal.teachable.com/p/essential-tools-for-meditation

Or visit my website: clairevillarreal.com

In today’s episode I’ll be speaking with Cynthia Kane, the Founder and CEO of the Kane Intentional Communication Institute, which provides services to help individuals and companies improve their communication skills and show up authentically in their most important relationships. She actually has an entire book on the topic of today’s conversation: How to Communicate Like a Buddhist.  Cynthia will share tips to help us all connect more authentically, plus she puts communication in the context of skillful speech, a vital part of Buddha’s teachings.  

You can find more about Cynthia and her team and the training services they offer here: https://kanecommunicate.com/ 

If you enjoy our conversation, please share this episode and subscribe!  

To learn more about Buddhism through my free courses, click here: https://geni.us/freecourses  

Or get my book for beginners, The Buddhist Path to Joy, here: https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy 

May all beings be well.

Welcome, friends, in today’s episode I’ll speak a bit about meditating to benefit those who have died, and then I’ll guide a short practice using the mantra of Amitabha Buddha: OM AMI DEVA HRI.

(See below for a short summary.)

More on Amitabha: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha

If you enjoy this practice, please share this episode and subscribe!

To learn more about Buddhism through my free courses, click here: https://geni.us/freecourses

Or get my book for beginners, The Buddhist Path to Joy, here: https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy

May you and all beings be well.

_________________________________________________

With recent news about the deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria (and so many other news events in which we hear about people dying suddenly), we have an opportunity to practice meditating for those who have died. You don’t have to be an expert meditator or know secret meditation practices to benefit folks in the state between death and rebirth, known in Tibetan Buddhism as the bardo state.

Beings in the bardo state are said to be very sensitive to any thoughts directed toward them, which means that we can help them by directing love and compassion to them through meditation practice.

In addition, the more we’re able to contemplate death and what comes after – which in Tibetan Buddhism is described as a time when our buddha nature naturally shines through since our ordinary self has been tripped away. So practicing for the dead helps them, and it helps us, too.

There are many different ways to meditate for the dead, but one of the simplest is to use the mantra of Amitabha Buddha, whose name means “Infinite Light.” This mantra is a prayer for the departed to be reborn in the Pure Land, a paradise realm.

The mantra is: OM AMI DEVA HRI.

To use this mantra, simply sit in a comfortable position and repeat the Amitabha mantra either aloud or silently to yourself, picturing the infinite light of this buddha wrapping those who’ve passed in comfort, love, and peace. You can do this for as long as you like.

You may find it helpful to practice this meditation regularly, especially if you are struggling with grief. It can be a very comforting practice, and it can bring you some peace of mind knowing that you are supporting the deceased on their journey.

Welcome, friends, in today’s episode I’ll be speaking with author, Zen monk, and founder of the Ithaca Zen Center Yoshin David Radin. Sylvia Boorstein (co-founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center) described his new book, A Temporary Affair, like this: “These short discourses by an old Zen priest facing his possible imminent death are relaxed and friendly in tone. They speak directly to the heart of human suffering, the confusion that comes from not understanding what is clearly available for us to feel directly and be liberated. It is a book I keep on my bedside table, at close hand when I need a dose of encouragement.”

I hope you enjoy this conversation with Yoshin David Radin. You can read an excerpt from A Temporary Affair on Tricycle’s website here: https://tricycle.org/article/zazen-relaxing-mind

Visit Yoshin David Radin’s center: https://ithacazencenter.org/

Find A Temporary Affair here: https://geni.us/tempaffair

May you and all beings be well.

If you enjoy our conversation, please share this episode and subscribe!

To learn more about Buddhism through my free courses, click here: https://geni.us/freecourses

Or get my book for beginners, The Buddhist Path to Joy, here: https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy

May you and all beings be well.

New year, new you? Come get support and connect with fellow seekers at these live online events!

Impermanence and buddha nature with my lamas (and sometimes me) at Dawn Mountain's virtual temple: https://www.dawnmountain.org/teaching-tuesdays-2/

Bring your spirituality to work -- and de-stress your brain while you're at it: https://junghouston.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/junghouston/event.jsp?event=9873

Join me and other Mind Body Spirit Institute faculty members for short (free) meditations each Tuesday and Thursday: https://junghouston.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/junghouston/event.jsp?event=9816

The first two options are paid, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

May you and all beings be well.

We've probably all wished we had more time for spiritual practice, and you might have made a resolution to meditate (or journal, pray, etc.) more this year.   

But what do we have to give up to make space for what's most important?  

In this video, I share a big lesson from grad school that helps me prioritize what's most important... with some help from Marie Kondo!  

Happy New Year.  :)  

If you enjoyed these reflections, please share this episode and subscribe!  

To learn more about Buddhism through my free courses, click here: https://geni.us/freecourses   

Or get my book for beginners, The Buddhist Path to Joy, here: https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy  

May you and all beings be well.

This meditation uses the imagery of descending into a sacred pool inside a sacred cave to offer an opportunity for renewal: letting the ego self dissolve to light, then emerging again and deciding which parts of our ordinary sense of self we want to keep carrying.

Inspired by Deborah Eden Tull's beautiful book Luminous Darkness, here are some reflections on the beauty of this darkest day of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere). Happy holidays. :)

In this guided meditation, we'll start with cultivating focus with an object by imagining light flowing down through the body. But then we switch to "object-less" meditation, which is less well known. As you practice, see if you can notice what it feels like to cultivate each type of focus. May you and all beings be well.

My friend Dent Gitchell, PhD, an educator, author, and meditation teacher in Arkansas, joins me today to bring a different perspective on reincarnation cases. After a childhood of being open to the unseen aspects of reality, Dent trained with Roger Woolger, a pioneer in past life regression therapy, which helps people recover from previous life traumas that are holding them back from healing and freedom in this life. Now, I’m not sure that all memories that come up in this form of therapy refer to actual previous lives, but many people find tremendous healing from it, and as you’ll hear, Dent found it helpful. This conversation also makes some connections between Buddhist teachings on karma and the previous lives Dent experienced.

To learn more about Dent, to find his book, and to learn more about the psychotherapy he offers, check out his website: http://www.dentgitchel.com

To find all my free courses on Buddhism, click here: https://geni.us/freecourses

May you and all beings be well.

Dent Gitchel is a therapist, educator and meditation instructor. He is a long-term meditator, primarily in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and has a strong interest in the intersection of traditional contemplative practices and modernity. He has formally trained in and been certified several meditation teacher training programs including Mindfulness Based Emotional Balance (MBEB) , Stanford's Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) and Dharma Moon's Mindfulness Meditation Teacher program. He is the author of Pursuing Purpose: Finding meaning Through Meditation.

I first met my guest today, Jake Loveland, when we recorded an interview for his podcast, Tenaciously Human, about the connections between Buddhism and success in life. (You can find that episode here: https://geni.us/mPbVnik.)

One thing Jake mentioned in that first conversation was that he’s a big fan of the Jewish and Christian idea of the Sabbath, and as I took time off this summer, I found myself thinking again and again about how rest and relaxation open more space for creativity. So why are these practices often so difficult?

Jake and I will discuss the Sabbath – and how we can work some Sabbath attitude into the rest of the week – as well as the Buddhist idea of retreat. I hope you enjoy and feel empowered to take time to rejuvenate in your own life. Here’s a link to Jake’s site: tenaciouslyhuman.com. Or find him on social media: @loveland_jake.

And you can find my free intro to Buddhism courses here: https://geni.us/freecourses

Jake Loveland is a business coach and the Host of Tenaciously Human Podcast. As a husband, father of 5, and former executive of a multimillion dollar company, he is primed to help leaders get out of the day-to-day so they can maximize the year-over-year - all while prioritizing faith and family.

May you and all beings be well.

Hi, friends, I’m excited to introduce you to Dr. Dent Gitchell, an educator, author, and meditation teacher – a guy with a lot of credentials and a lot of expertise. But what I recently learned about him is that he’s been a fan of The Grateful Dead since he was young, and along with that came a lot of consciousness-expanding experiences with psychedelics.

In this conversation with Dent, we’ll dive into those early experiences and how they’ve shaped the wise and kind teacher he’s become. To learn more about Dent, who’s a psychotherapist living in Little Rock, Arkansas, check out his website: http://www.dentgitchel.com

For a list of all my free courses on Buddhism, click here: https://geni.us/freecourses

I hope you enjoy this conversation with Dent.

May you and all beings be well.

Dent Gitchel is a therapist, educator and meditation instructor. He is a long-term meditator, primarily in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and has a strong interest in the intersection of traditional contemplative practices and modernity. He has formally trained in and been certified several meditation teacher training programs including Mindfulness Based Emotional Balance (MBEB) , Stanford's Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) and Dharma Moon's Mindfulness Meditation Teacher program. He is the author of Pursuing Purpose: Finding meaning Through Meditation.

If you've heard of the three types of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana), you might wonder: What are the origins of Vajrayana Buddhism? How is it similar to and different from Mahayana and Theravada? What are the practices and beliefs of Vajrayana Buddhists?

In this video, I'll cover the historical origins of the Vajrayana forms of Buddhism and talk about the one region where this type of Buddhism is dominant: Tibet and the Himalayan regions. If you’ve ever wondered what Buddhist tantra is, you’re in the right place because it’s Vajrayana Buddhism. But there’s no sex involved, lol!

I recorded this video from a live Insight Timer teaching; you can find me there and get notified of future talks: http://insig.ht/clairevillarreal

To get the resources associated with this teaching series on types of Buddhism and get notified of upcoming live events, join this mailing list: https://bit.ly/typesBuddh

May all beings be well.

We’ve all heard of “enlightenment” in the context of spiritual practices like Buddhism. But in this episode, my colleague Deborah Eden Tull walks us through the equally important practice of “endarkenment” and other wonderful explorations from her new book, Luminous Darkness: An Engaged Buddhist Approach to Embracing the Unknown. I very much enjoyed reading this book and appreciated her invitation to explore the realms of mind outside of our “daytime” consciousness as we practice receptivity and learn to be more comfortable as we encounter what’s unknown to us.  

Buy the book today on Shambhala’s site: https://www.shambhala.com/hello-darkness.html 

Or find it on Amazon: https://geni.us/5cqQ 

Read the transcript here: https://www.clairevillarreal.com/post/luminous_darkness

May you and all beings be well.

Y'all, get ready to meet a good friend and dharma sister of mine, Pam Stockton, as we discuss psychedelics and how they can be helpful on the spiritual path—in the right context, with the right preparation, for folks who can benefit from them, which isn't everyone. You can learn more about Pam at her website, which is linked below. And if you'd like to learn more about the basic teachings of Buddhism, there's a link to my free courses, too.

Pam Stockton is licensed as a professional counselor in Texas and New Mexico, and is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner in private practice. Formerly a business lawyer, she was certified by Grof Transpersonal Training as a practitioner of Holotropic Breathwork in 2009 and is now a Grof Breathwork practitioner. In addition to degrees in law and counseling, she holds a Master of Theological Studies degree and Certificate in Women’s Studies from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University.

I hope you enjoy our conversation.

More about Pam: https://www.pamelastocktonlpc.com

Check out my free courses on Buddhist basics: https://geni.us/freecourses

May you and all beings be well.

Y'all, I'm so happy to share a conversation I had with Emily Anchia, the Digital Manager at my home sangha, Dawn Mountain. Her degree is in personal finance, so we talked money stuff, and she comes at the topic from a more spiritual angle that reminds me of Marie Kondo more than the finance bros on YouTube.  

If you'd like to learn more about the basics of Buddhism, please see the links below to my free courses for beginners and to my favorite comprehensive intro courses on Buddhism and Buddhist meditation.  

Emily is the manager of all things digital and broadcast at Dawn Mountain Buddhist Temple. She facilitates spreading the dharma as a profession, but she also has a passion for spreading financial literacy! She loves the art of storytelling in every form and especially all things spooky.  

You can find her on a Dawn Mountain livestream: dawnmountain.org  

Free mini-courses on Buddhist basics: https://geni.us/freecourses 

Great intro to the Buddhist traditions: https://geni.us/BSO101 

Similarly great intro to Buddhist meditation: https://geni.us/BSO102 

May you and all beings be well.

Hello, friends, and welcome to this interview with Moriah Williams, who's going to share with us some of their wisdom about the world we can see and how it connects to the unseen. If you've ever felt like there's more to the human experience than what our senses show us, you'll probably enjoy getting to meet this remarkable healer.

If you'd like to learn more about the basics of Buddhism, please check out the links below to my book, The Buddhist Path to Joy, and my free online courses for beginners.

Moriah Williams is a holistic practitioner who offers somatic and spirit-based online sessions education. They support people in making friends with themselves, deepening their connection to their bodies and their intuition, reclaiming their energy from old wounds and ongoing structural oppression, and trusting their own power. Moriah believes that the more we trust our capacities for healing, the more we can live lives of joy, wonder, and kindness.

Check out Moriah's website: moriahjwilliams.com

And connect with them on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter: @mjwintuitive

The Buddhist Path to Joy (a practical guide to the Four Noble Truths): https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy

My free online courses & resources: https://geni.us/freecourses

May you and all beings be well.

A bodhisattva is one who has vowed to train to become fully awakened (enlightened) in order to benefit all beings. This spiritual aspiration has inspired countless people to devote their lives to developing their capacities for wisdom and compassion.

The starting assumption for Mahayana Buddhism is that all living beings have the same potential for awakening. Thus, we are all capable of becoming bodhisattvas.

In Mahayana Buddhism, the quality the bodhisattva cultivates is "bodhicitta": 'the mind (citta) of awakening (bodhi)'. The more common translation is 'enlightenment mind' or 'awakening mind'.

The awakening being's experience leads to the end of all suffering or dukkha whatsoever; hence, the bodhisattva's ultimate goal is to eliminate all suffering, the most profoundly compassionate motivation.

In this podcast episode, I’ll talk about one of the bodhisattva’s most important qualities: generosity. That doesn’t just meaning giving money or resources but also time and protection from danger. And I’ll share some verses from the Bodhicaryavatara, the classic guide to walking the path of the spiritual hero.

Curious about the basics of Buddhism? Please check out my book The Buddhist Path to Joy (https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy) and my free courses for beginners: https://geni.us/freecourses

May you and all beings be well.

Hello, friends. If you're interested in the basics of Buddhism and want a fun introduction to the history, beliefs, and practices of the various Buddhist lineages, I have a great new learning platform to share with you: Buddhist Studies Online or BSO.

Today I'm talking with Dr. Kate Hartmann, a Harvard PhD in Religious Studies and one of the folks behind Buddhist Studies Online and the instructor for BSO 101 about the history, philosophy, and practice of Buddhism.

Kate is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Wyoming. She received a PhD in Religious Studies, focused on Tibetan Buddhism, from Harvard University in May 2020. Her research focuses on the history of pilgrimage to holy mountains in Tibet. She also helped develop and launch Buddhist Studies Online, an educational platform aimed at making academic courses on Buddhism more accessible to the public.

If you'd like to hear more about her story of connecting with Buddhism as an undergrad, then traveling around Asia in the course of her studies, you can find a link in the show notes to an interview she did with Seth Powell who helped found BSO.

I hope you enjoy the conversation, and if you'd like to learn more about BSO 101 or 102, Buddhist Meditation in Theory and Practice, you can find links to both those courses in the show notes.

BSO 101 (intro to Buddhist history, philosophy, & practice): https://geni.us/BSO101

BSO 102 (Buddhist meditation in theory and practice): https://geni.us/BSO102

(Those are affiliate links. There's no cost to you when you click them, but you do support this channel/podcast.)

Listen to Kate's story: https://geni.us/katehstory

May you and all beings be well.

Barbie might be the last character you'd expect to be similar to the Buddha... but consider this:

The beginning of Barbie's journey into the "real world" comes when she begins to reflect on death and impermanence. Sounds a lot like the story of Buddha's life to me!

This episode offers a few thoughts for anyone about to see the hottest movie of the summer or who's just seen it and wants to reflect on its hidden spiritual meaning.

Want to learn more about Buddha's life story and basic teachings? Check out my free email course on the Four Noble Truths: https://geni.us/4NobleTruths

If you’ve ever wondered how to “get serious” about practicing Tibetan Buddhism, you might be relieved to know that you don’t have to become a monk or nun, and you don’t have to spend the rest of your life in a cave.

In this episode, I’ll talk with Aaron of the organization Dharma Gates on what’s involved when you want to become a serious student of Tibetan Buddhism, including how to connect with a teacher and community.

We’ll have a live conversation about this on June 30, and you can find registration info in the show notes. Plus if you’re new to Buddhism, I have some free mini-courses you might be interested in. There’s a link to them, too. I hope this conversation answers some of the questions you might have about getting started in this wonderful tradition.

Register for the live call on June 30 (donations welcome): https://www.dharma-gates.org/upcomingevents

Check out my free mini-courses & resources: https://geni.us/freecourses

Recommended dharma centers and teachers in Tibetan traditions:

Dawn Mountain (dawnmountain.org)

Tara Mandala (taramandala.org)

Natural Dharma Fellowship (naturaldharma.org)

Mayum Mountain (mayummountain.org)

Lama Rod Owens (lamarod.com)

May you and all beings be well.

A bodhisattva is one who has vowed to train to become fully awakened (enlightened) in order to benefit all beings. This spiritual aspiration has inspired countless people to devote their lives to developing their capacities for wisdom and compassion.

The starting assumption for Mahayana Buddhism is that all living beings have the same potential for awakening. Thus, we are all capable of becoming bodhisattvas.

In Mahayana Buddhism, the quality the bodhisattva cultivates is "bodhicitta": 'the mind (citta) of awakening (bodhi)'. The more common translation is 'enlightenment mind' or 'awakening mind'.

The awakening being's experience leads to the end of all suffering or dukkha whatsoever; hence, the bodhisattva's ultimate goal is to eliminate all suffering, the most profoundly compassionate motivation.

In this podcast episode, I explain the terms bodhisattva and bodhichitta, and I'll share some inspiring verses from the Bodhicaryavatara, or Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, a famous text on how to become a bodhisattva by the great Indian saint Shantideva in the 8th century CE. The Bodhicaryavatara is one of the best introductions to the subjects of bodhicitta and compassion in Mahayana Buddhism.

Curious about the basics of Buddhism? Please check out my book The Buddhist Path to Joy (https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy) and my free courses for beginners: https://geni.us/freecourses

May you and all beings be well.

The previous episode was a live talk I offered on Insight Timer with some ideas for doing meditation practice for those who have died. Here's the guided meditation from the end of that talk so you can come back to it easily.

My free mini-course on the Tibetan teachings on death and rebirth: https://geni.us/bardoscourse

Amitabha’s mantra: OM AMI DEVA HRI

Watch this on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DwTaIWqwvtY

More on Amitabha: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha

More mantras: https://youtu.be/PuyE_S1UZhs

Check out my book on Buddhist basics: https://geni.us/buddhistpathtojoy

Write me: claire@clairevillarreal.com

May all beings be well.