Explore every episode of the podcast Insight Hour with Joseph Goldstein

Featuring a Q&A with special guest Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein shares the beauty of having a wholesome mind rather than a mind that clings.

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This time on Insight Hour, Joseph & Sharon explore:

• How all practice is in service of non-clinging 
• Attachment to the pleasant and aversion to the unpleasant 
• Types of speech to avoid: gossip and useless talk
• Speaking in a way that unites people rather than divides them
• Shifting our focus and delighting in positive outcomes 
• Seeing the beauty of the dharma, the beauty of a wholesome mind
• Deepening our relationship with ourselves and our emotions 

About Sharon Salzberg:

Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of twelve books, including the New York Times bestseller, Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Her podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed five million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond. Learn more about Sharon and her books at www.sharonsalzberg.com and check out Insight Meditation Society.

This talk was given at the Insight Meditation Society and distributed by Dharma Seed

“I made an experiment for a period of time where I wasn’t going to speak to someone about someone else. 95% of my speech was eliminated. It was astounding to me how much of my speech was about that. It’s not to say that’s never appropriate, or that speaking about others in a certain context is always unskillful, but sometimes it is. The Buddha gave a very succinct guideline. He said: ‘Speak in a way that unites people rather than divides people.” – Joseph Goldstein

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Joseph Goldstein holds two meanings of Nibbana in equal reverence: unconditioned, unformed awareness and a transcendent state in which the mind is free from all defilements.

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This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein reveals:

• The Thai forest tradition of Buddhism 
• Nibbana: Unconditioned awareness or transcendent awareness?
• The unconditioned mind and the power of zero
• Enlightenment and a mind that is free of defilements
• The analogy of ‘seeing the moon’ rather than the finger that points to it
• Why the experience of Nibbana is so important 
• Seeing the intimate connection between wisdom and compassion
• The concept of nonself and our lives as constantly changing phenomena 
• The dance between pleasure and suffering

Check out this episode’s companion essay, Reflections on Nibbana, by Joseph Goldstein

“One meaning of Nibbana is this unconditioned, unborn, unformed reality. The other meaning of Nibbana refers to the mind that has been freed of defilements—the mind that is free of greed, hatred, and delusion. We could describe the state of a fully enlightened being in which these defilements have been uprooted as Nibbana.” –Joseph Goldstein

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Joseph Goldstein reveals how Nibbana differs from blissful meditation states and why true liberation lies beyond every conditioned experience.

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This week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

• How Nibbana has made its way into Western culture
• Expectation and striving versus having a healthy goal
• Having an aspiration and direction for our practice 
• Using equanimity to differentiate beautiful experiences from true glimpses of Nibbana
• The Abhidhamma and understanding the factors of mind which color our consciousness
• The experience of Nibbana as the experience of zero, the stilling of all formations
• How Nibbana uproots the defilements in stages 

Check out this episode’s companion essay, Reflections on Nibbana, by Joseph Goldstein

“Even exalted states of mind or great powers of mind do not imply purification of mind. That is the particular power of Nibbana.” –Joseph Goldstein

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Touching into the selfless nature of experience, Joseph Goldstein explores uprooting the defilements through the clarity that comes from practice.

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This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein provides his perspective on:

• Engaging with mindfulness
• The radical uprooting of self and identification with experience
• Seeing a glimpse of the deathless in our practice versus the transcendent moment of the unborn 
• Slowly seeing clearly over time with dedicated practice
• The emptiness within the defilements
• Taking all things as an invitation to explore rather than to believe 
• A brief guided meditation with Joseph 
• Moving our mental dialogue into a passive voice 

This episode is the 3rd and final part of a 3-part series. It was originally published on Dharmaseed and recorded at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, a non-profit organization founded by renowned meditation teachers Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg to integrate Buddhist study and practice. To start at the beginning, check out Ep. 261 – Gradual Cultivation in Buddhist Practice.

“If you put your hand in fire, do you know that it burns? Do you have any doubt about it? In the genuine experience of things being uprooted, there is that quality of certainty. It is very different than what you were saying about ‘Yeah, it looks to me that the defilements are uprooted.’ The experience that results in the uprooting, which is the experience of the unborn. It has that same immediacy and certainty as putting your hand in fire and knowing it burns.” –Joseph Goldstein

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Joseph Goldstein investigates the not-so-obvious delight of seeing our own arrogance (Māna), and the balance of knowing ultimate truth while living with a functional sense of “I.”

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Today's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

This week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

• Realizing the truth of non-self while still having an underlying feeling of ‘I am”
• The Buddhist concept of Māna, which can be translated as "pride", "arrogance", or "conceit"
• Our tendency to project the past into the future
• Recognizing Māna for what it is and letting the thoughts dissolve
• How the residue of ‘I’ and ‘self’ can fall away during practice
• Engaging the self just enough to live in the relative world 

This episode is the 2nd part of a 3-part series. It was originally published on Dharmaseed and recorded at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, a non-profit organization founded by renowned meditation teachers Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg to integrate Buddhist study and practice. To start at the beginning, check out Ep. 261 – Gradual Cultivation in Buddhist Practice 

“These days, I am totally delighted when I see Māna arise in my mind…one of the reasons I am delighted is that I would much rather see it than not see it to recognize 'that’s Māna', instead of not recognizing it and being caught up and identified with that pattern. Just the seeing of it is freeing.” –Joseph Goldstein

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Joseph Goldstein explores gradual cultivation, highlighting that even if we are suddenly awakened, we still must have an ongoing practice to work with hindrances and ingrained habits.

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This week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

• The areas of life where clinging shows up most 
• How clinging to sensory pleasures is so embedded in our culture
• Lightening up for enlightenment and not taking ourselves so seriously 
• How a sense of humor can benefit our practice 
• Unhelpful attachment to view and opinion
• The unity of clarity and emptiness (self-existing wakefulness)
• The Buddhist meaning of unborn/unformed 
• Uprooting of the view of self with the understanding that there is still more work to do
• Having an ongoing, gradual cultivation of skillful means 

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed and recorded at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, a non-profit organization founded by renowned meditation teachers Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg to integrate Buddhist study and practice.

“Very often, people can have genuine realization and have a really deep understanding, and then get attached to that as if everything is done. So very often these folks can get engaged in skillful behavior, thinking it’s all coming from their deep realization, it’s really coming from all the work that still needs to be done.” –Joseph Goldstein

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Continuing his exploration of selflessness, Joseph Goldstein helps listeners live in the balance of both relative and ultimate truth.

This episode is a continuation of a talk that started in episode 259, "Selflessness, Dukkha, and Freedom."

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This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

• The impersonal nature of experiencing peace
• Seeing with consciousness rather than with the subjective mind
• Reframing the language of experience with a passive voice
• Being fully present in the moment without identification
• Understanding death and dying  as the natural flow of impermanence
• Having an easeful mind even when the body is afflicted
• Understanding both relative and ultimate truth
• The wonderful and joyful practice of generosity 

This episode was recorded at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and originally published on Dharmaseed

“We work to understand the dynamics of our conventional reality and all the challenges of it, even as we understand the essential selfless nature of it all. This is really the heart of a mature spiritual practice, the union of these two, not the separation." –Joseph Goldstein 

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Unpacking the Buddha’s notions of self and nonself, transience and suffering, Joseph Goldstein leads listeners into the heart of liberation. 

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This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein illuminates:

• Why the Buddha paid so much attention to the concept of self
• How a felt sense of self traps us in desire and attachment
• Seeing the term ‘self’ as a designation rather than something that exists in and of itself
• Slight adjustments to our language during practice: ‘the body breathes’ rather than ‘my breath’
• Using the template of The Five Aggregates to describe experience
• Genuine experiences of momentary peace as a peak into Nirvana
• Taking an interest into the landscapes of our own minds
• Transience and the way that things are always becoming otherwise
• The ungovernability of the mind, the body, and all aspects of reality
• How selflessness can lead to both Dukkha and freedom

This episode was recorded at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and originally published on Dharmaseed

"As long as we are caught up, identified, and entangled in the view of self, then we spend our lives defending it, gratifying it, grandiosing it, judging it; we have all these responses that come out of this felt sense of the self." –Joseph Goldstein

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Distinguishing aspiration from striving with ego, Joseph Goldstein gives listeners permission to have a sense of purpose along their spiritual path.

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This week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

• Having a sense of purpose within the impersonal nature of all things 
• Aspiration: understanding why we are practicing 
• What the Buddha said about purpose and aspiration on The Eightfold Path
• Seeing the world objectively without reference to the self
• Being a great faith follower versus a dharma follower
• Resting in our practice and letting go of unhealthy striving 
• Insight Meditation Society and its commitment to diversity 
• Maintaining the right attitude and openness to all experiences

This episode was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society Forest Refuge and originally published on Dharmaseed

"The Buddha definitely laid out a goal. The Eightfold Path leads someplace—it's not just meandering around, not going any place. The Eightfold path is leading to awakening, to enlightenment. We can have that aspiration which sets the direction for our practice, we can say that is a sense of purpose, but we're seeing it not so much in terms of an egoful striving, but a realization of our values and what leads to the accomplishment of our values." – Joseph Goldstein

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Joseph Goldstein discusses equanimity and how to remove the self from the knowing, effectively freeing ourselves from identification with awareness.

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This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein mindfully explores:

• Thoughts as passing phenomena that do not truly belong to anyone
• Seeing all experiences as the simultaneous arising of both knowing and object
• Letting go of our identification with knowing and awareness
• Shifting from active voice to passive voice as a mindfulness practice
• The near enemies of the mental qualities listed in the Brahmaviharas
• Equanimity and holding all things equally, seeing things for what they are
• The difference between impartiality and indifference, openness versus carelessness
• Navigating the complexity of our lives through the balance of compassion and equanimity
• Maintaining an interest in exploring rather than relying on our preconceptions about people and situations

This episode was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society Forest Refuge and originally published on Dharmaseed

“When you look for the mind there’s nothing to find and the not finding is the finding. It’s to see that there is nothing to find and when there is nothing to find, there is nothing to identify with.” –Joseph Goldstein

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Joseph Goldstein responds to questions on spiritual craving, mental focus, and what it truly means to become aware of awareness.

This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein mindfully explains:

• Bringing your daily life into your spiritual practice
• Mindfulness of seeing: focusing on the seeing itself rather than on what we are looking at
• Resting in open, non-reactive spaciousness
• The cognizing power of emptiness and realizing that there is nothing to know
• Keeping the mind steady and how concentration deepens insight 
• Understanding both relative and ultimate reality 
• Defining dukkha as the inevitability of unwanted experiences
• How to not waste suffering: taking an interest in the shadows of our own minds 
• Having agency over our own minds during difficult experiences
• Mindfulness of anger and other negative emotions 

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed

“How do I become aware of awareness? Where is it? How can I put my finger on it? When we realize that there’s nothing to find, and yet the knowing is happening, then we relax back into the mystery of consciousness, and you’re very aware of the capacity of the mind to know.”  –Joseph Goldstein

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Defining the nature of Bodhicitta, Joseph Goldstein explains that enlightenment is inevitable when compassion and emptiness coexist.

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This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein thoughtfully articulates:

• Bodhicitta: the heart-mind of awakening and working for the benefit of all beings
• Living in the world while still remembering the truth of non-self and impermanence
• The beauty of selflessness embodied through Dipa Ma’s life and teachings
• Regularly reflecting on impermanence as both a reality check and a spiritual practice
• The nature of the mind as intrinsically empty and naturally radiant 
• Coming out of our mind-drama and entering into the empty luminosity of the present moment 
• Compassionate responsiveness to the needs of others
• Forgiveness as one of the most profound ways to respond with open-hearted compassion

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“This responsiveness is compassion, not as a meditative stance, but rather it is the responsiveness of an open heart, of an open mind. It can show itself, this compassionate responsiveness, in so many different ways. It can manifest very beautifully as forgiveness.” –Joseph Goldstein 

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Responding to a variety of dharma questions on meditation, effort, and impermanence, Joseph Goldstein explores the mystery of consciousness.

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This week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein responds to questions on:

• The benefits of doing walking meditation versus traditional seated meditation
• Cutting through our conceptual overlay and simply having raw experiences
• Passive voice construction: removing the self as subject when narrating the world around us
• Changing “let it go” to “let it be” when we are struggling to let go
• Being in the flow of changing experiences, the natural arising and passing away of all things
• The fine line of wholesome energy/effort versus striving and struggling
• Realizing the emptiness of thoughts and the suffering they bring to us
• The first experience of nirvana, ‘the zero’, and uprooting the view of self

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“This is the mystery of consciousness. There’s nothing there tangible to find; no color, no form, it can’t be found. Yet, the knowing is happening. It’s this union of emptiness and knowing.” –Joseph Goldstein

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Illuminating different ways to free the mind, Joseph Goldstein integrates relative and ultimate truth, revealing the emptiness of thoughts.

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This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses

• Integrating the elements of both relative and ultimate truth in our lives
• The natural compassion that emerges when we let go of self-identification
• Why our perception of reality isn’t always reliable or accurate
• Our attachment to the pleasant and aversion to the unpleasant 
• Considering if the mind can remain unafflicted while the body is suffering
• Shifting awareness from what we want to how the wanting mind feels
• Our capability to train the mind in a way that leads to greater freedom
• Letting thoughts arise without interference or judgment 
• Developing nonreactivity through seeing how quickly thoughts arise and pass
• Realizing that the past and future are only constructs of the mind

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“Our only experience of the past and future is as a thought in the mind. This is tremendously liberating to see because most of us carry the concepts of the past and future as a huge burden in our lives. All the worries, anxieties, hopes, fears—all of those are arising because we’re not seeing that they’re just concepts.” –Joseph Goldstein

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In part 2 of this Q&A session, Joseph Goldstein explores how to reach equanimity through investigating our mental states, recognizing when to let go, and approaching suffering skillfully.

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In this episode, Joseph Goldstein offers his perspective on:

• Letting go of obsessive thoughts through insight and investigation
• How the seven factors of enlightenment work together to support awakening
• Knowing when to let go and when to investigate experiences for deeper wisdom
• Staying open to emotions while avoiding unskillful reactivity
• Social activism on the Buddhist path and engaging with the world in a skillful way
• Finding inner balance in the midst of turmoil, conflict, and suffering
• Maintaining a deep historical perspective on the rise and fall of all civilizations 
• Remembering how small our concerns are in the face of the stars and the vastness of all things
• How equanimity enables us to be peaceful, to connect with suffering, and to offer compassion 
• Considering if we can approach daily life with a motivation to help others and the world
• Going into the depths of non-self and allowing our life to be a representation of compassionate action

This talk was recorded at Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center and distributed by Dharma Seed

 “In the midst of everything that’s going on, to come back to some greater place of equanimity, one way is just a deep historical perspective on things. This stuff has been going on forever. It’s not new to this time. It’s just part of the long historical unfolding and is inevitable. It’s not an aberration, this has been happening, always.” – Joseph Goldstein

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In part 1 of this Q&A session, Joseph Goldstein gives Buddhist-flavored insight on accepting impermanence, developing our practice, and loving selflessly.

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In this episode, Joseph Goldstein offers his perspective on:

• The path from accepting impermanence to happiness
• Letting go of clinging and becoming attuned to the truth of change
• The stages we go through in Vipassana meditation practice 
• Understanding meditation experiences—why difficult moments don’t mean a “bad” practice
• How developing a regular practice helps us approach life more equanimously  
• Feeling the whole mind-body process within practice and how this helps us let go of our sense of self 
• Walking meditation as an effective tool for immediate selflessness
• The challenge of engaging with the world without getting lost in it
• Seeing the clear possibility of loving without attachment and with pure generosity of the heart

This talk was recorded at Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center and distributed by Dharma Seed

“On a conceptual level, being afraid of impermanence is like being afraid of gravity. It’s the way things are. The more we can see that and open to it, we get over that conditioned fear and we’re just in the experience and the acceptance of the flow. It’s actually quite easeful.” – Joseph Goldstein

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Renowned meditation teacher, Joseph Goldstein, shares timeless insights on the mind, suffering, and the heart of why we meditate.

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In this episode, Joseph Goldstein offers his perspective on:

• The many reasons why we meditate
• How we all filter our experiences through our own particular conditioning and background 
• Unpacking the Dhammapada’s teaching: “Mind is the forerunner of all actions”
• Using meditation to understand the patterns and nature of our own minds
• Strengthening mental stability and inner resilience through practice
• Cultivating present-moment awareness instead of being swept away by emotions
• Considering what qualities of heart and mind are being cultivated in all that we do
• A powerful reminder: Don’t waste your suffering—transform pain into wisdom
• Deepening insight into the impermanent nature of all experiences
• The difference between attachment and commitment 
• The Buddhist concept of nonself and freeing our minds from identification

This recording from Spirit Rock’s April 2025 Insight Meditation retreat was originally published on Dharmaseed.

“We meditate to come out of confusion, to come out of all our habitual reactions into a space of greater wisdom, of greater clarity. We begin to see much more clearly what actually is going on in our experience rather than being lost in it. We begin to see what it is that’s shaping our lives.” – Joseph Goldstein

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Looking into the samadhi section of the Eight-Fold Path, Joseph Goldstein clarifies how we can free the mind with right effort, mindfulness, and concentration.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the FINAL part of an in-depth lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

In this episode’s exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph Goldstein explores:

• The clearest, most practical definition of Nirvana: freedom from greed, hatred, and delusion
• Cultivating spiritual urgency as a wholesome motivator on the path to awakening
• Uprooting latent defilements that are buried in the mind
• Five methods for dispelling unwholesome thoughts and mindsets, according to the Buddha
• How restraint and delayed gratification support inner discipline and lasting success
• Right mindfulness as the key to all other factors of enlightenment 
• Suspending all judgments and interpretations; simply noticing events as they occur
• Stabilizing our attention on a single object or mindfully watching as objects change
• The three characteristics of impermanence, unreliability, and selflessness 
• Different concentration practices, such as reflecting on the Buddha-Dharma-Sangha or on peace
• Exploring the nature of all phenomena once we have achieved a clear mind

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed.

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE and check out the other mentioned book from this episode, Kinship with All Life

“It's not so much a question of doing, it's a question of undoing all the habit patterns of proliferation, judgement, evaluation, interpretation, can we undo that, and simply come back in the most simple way to be aware of whatever it is that’s arising? It's only six things, whichever arise - sight, sound, smell, taste, sensation or an object of mind. It's like we’re listening to a six-piece chamber orchestra.” – Joseph Goldstein

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Rearticulating the moral foundation that makes happiness possible and honors our kinship with all living beings, Joseph Goldstein explores Right Action and Right Livelihood.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the 45th part of an in-depth 46-part lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

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In this episode’s exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

• Navigating cultural changes with mindfulness, integrity, and personal responsibility
• Right Action: cultivating clarity and strength of mind to abstain from actions that cause harm to self or others
• The Buddha’s teachings on non-harming, non-killing, and cultivating a deep sense of kinship with all living beings
• Desiring the welfare of all sentient beings– even something as small as a mosquito or an ant  
• Facing ethical dilemmas with awareness, avoiding the trap of rationalizing harmful or selfish actions
• Understanding karma and consequences as directly linked to the intensity of our defilements
• How non-stealing and generosity foster trust, harmony, and a universal sense of safety
• Living mindfully by not consuming or taking more than we truly need, contributing to global economic and ecological balance
• Becoming mindful of the power of sexual energy, refraining from sexual misconduct, and keeping the sangha beautiful
• Seeing Right Livelihood as a crucial aspect of the path, given how much of life is devoted to work
• Applying right livelihood into any profession by infusing our role with service, ethics, and awareness
• Understanding wealth as a blessing when rightfully earned and used for the benefit of many beings

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed.

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE and check out the other mentioned book from this episode, Kinship with All Life

"It’s possible to develop an attitude of service in whatever work we do. Are we simply doing a job to support ourselves, or, are we watching the attitudes in our mind as we do our work? Do we work with care, attentiveness, and a genuine desire to be helpful? It’s not only what we do, but how we do it.” – Joseph Goldstein

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Honing in on Right Speech and maintaining harmony, Joseph Goldstein encourages listeners to develop a commitment to telling the truth and refraining from slander.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the 44th part of an in-depth 46-part lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self

In this episode’s exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph Goldstein reviews:

• Practicing Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood with the same dedication as meditation
• The influence of our speech on our lives (our relationships, minds, karmic outcomes)
• Truthfulness as the most basic concept of right speech in Buddhist ethics
• Investigating the deeper motivations behind what we say and how we say it
• The harmful ripple effects of lying on trust, connection, and societal cohesion
• Insights from the Buddha: why truth must be spoken at all times, regardless of a perceived advantage
• Lies of omission and the subtle ways we distort or avoid truth
• Cultivating the courage and mindfulness required to speak honestly in daily life
• Refraining from gossip and slander in order to avoid disharmony 
• Examining the emotional tone of speech—choosing words that are gentle, compassionate, and unifying
• How harsh language does not serve good communication 
• Transforming the divisive world we live in through right speech 
• How we listen as an equally important component of right speech

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

"This doesn't mean that there should be a suppression of what we're feeling. It's not a papering over of the truth of our emotions, but rather, it's to be mindful enough that we can communicate what we're feeling in a way that promotes connection rather than promotes divisiveness. This is a practice. Right speech is a practice." – Joseph Goldstein

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Joseph Goldstein explores how we can make compassionate responsiveness our default state through the clear dichotomy of skillful and unskillful actions. 

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the 43rd part of an in-depth 46-part lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self

In this episode’s exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

• The mass madness and destruction caused by cruelty—on both global and personal levels
• How subtle, unnoticed moments of cruelty can live within us without our awareness
• The spiritual and emotional challenge of keeping our hearts open in the face of immense suffering
• Transforming consciousness to make compassion and empathy our natural, default response
• The gift of mindfulness: seeing things as they truly are
• Empathy as a foundational practice and the essential first step toward compassionate action
• Releasing anger by opening ourselves to the suffering behind it
• Two paths of compassion: compassionate action and compassion as a motivation to awaken
• Planting seeds of compassion for the benefit of all beings 
• Naturally flowing compassion from a heart free of ego and self-reference

"The more we practice and grow in our wisdom, the wisdom of understanding selflessness, the more compassion manifests spontaneously—compassion is the activity of emptiness." – Joseph Goldstein

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

“Our practice is really about the transformation of consciousness in such a way that makes compassionate responsiveness the default setting of our lives. Can we really open in such a way and understand things in such a way that it simply becomes the way we are—it becomes our natural response.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Goldstein explores the simplicity of lovingkindness (metta), reminding us that this innate quality within each person requires patience and steady practice to truly cultivate.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the 42nd part of an in-depth 48-part lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

In this week’s exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta, Buddhist teacher Joseph Goldstein discusses:

• The cultivation of goodwill and lovingkindness as a foundation of mindfulness practice
• Beings who radiate a powerful field of love, like the Dalai Lama and Dipa Ma
• Offering unconditional love without expecting anything in return
• Metta as the gateway to an open and compassionate heart toward self and others
• Realizing that our emotional state is shaped by our own perceptions
• Understanding the confusion between genuine love and personal desire
• Pausing during practice to reconnect with the felt sense of lovingkindness
• Integrating metta into everyday life by extending kindness to strangers
• How societal conditioning influences our understanding and expression of love
• Reconnecting with our natural capacity for altruism and spontaneous kindness
• Focusing on the good in others as a powerful metta meditation
• Reflecting on whether we are still holding grudges deep in the heart
• The patience and resilience required to train the heart and mind over time

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

“I can simply start doing metta for everyone that I pass, for everybody on the street. May everyone here be happy. May everyone here be peaceful. It's amazing the change that happens in a moment. Instead of walking down the street being disconnected, all of a sudden, our hearts and our minds have expanded and become inclusive. It's like we gather everyone up in our field of goodwill.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Goldstein explores the Buddha’s teachings on renunciation from the Satipatthāna Sutta, showing how the practice of letting go of craving, ill will, and cruelty leads to deep inner freedom, clarity, and lasting peace.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the 41st part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

In this lecture from Buddhist teacher Joseph Goldstein:

• Consciously reflecting on if our thoughts are for harm or for good
• How desire is more difficult to uproot than ill will and aversion 
• The dangerous disguise of sense-desires as pleasurable and seductive
• How to practice the “wisdom of no” 
• Renunciation as mental freedom, not repression
• How right thought conditions right action
• The Buddha’s own practice as a model for ourselves
• Accepting that desire is addictive because it momentarily feels good
• Renunciation as freedom from addiction, not deprivation
• How the joy of letting go must be experienced, not just believed    
• The power of both small and large acts of renunciation 
• The mental habit of our addiction to wanting
• How mindfulness reveals freedom in transition moments
• The progressive act of letting go

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

Join Buddhist Teacher David Nichtern and Duncan Trussell for a conversation about finding our own voice, our own expression, and our own way of connecting with people. Learn more about this FREE online gathering - AUTHENTIC PRESENCE: FINDING YOUR OWN VOICE

“Renunciation is not about deprivation. It’s about non-addiction. It’s about freedom.” - Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Goldstein explores the importance of Right View and how it illuminates our lives through an openness to wisdom from many unexpected sources.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the 40th part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This time on Insight Hour, Joseph discusses:

• Not being attached to blind belief or blind disbelief 
• Realizing the truth through direct experience 
• Remaining open to wisdom from unexpected sources 
• The possibility of a full awakening and we can develop our wisdom over time
• Recognizing that there truly are many awakened beings in the world
• The aspects of Right View that may not be immediately apparent
• Considering what wisdom can discover when it illuminates our experience
• Promoting the good of living beings through right view 
• How Right View is both the beginning and the ending 
• Wrong view as the most blame-worthy of all things, according to the Buddha
• How Wrong View makes us obsess over the self (gratifying it, defending it, etc.)
• The great power of delusion in our minds 
• Refining our awareness of the impermanent changing nature of the 5 aggregates (everything we experience) 

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

"We could see Right View as both the beginning and end of the path. We start with Right View—it sets the direction for us. Our practice is leading us in the right direction and then the whole path culminates in these understandings."  – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Through the Buddha’s teachings, Joseph Goldstein explains how developing right view allows one to become the artist of one's own life. 

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the 39th part of an in-depth 46-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

In this episode, Joseph dives into:

• The way of practice that leads to the cessation of suffering 
• The elements of the eightfold path (right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration)
• How each step on the eightfold path leads to the next
• The critical importance of right view as the precursor to all other teachings
• What is given, what is offered, and what is sacrificed 
• How all of our volitional actions produce a result 
• Examining our minds and motivations 
• The practice of acting on moments of generous impulse 
• Becoming the artist and creator of our own lives 
• The ways we can be attached to both our beliefs and disbeliefs 
• Acknowledging our karmic debt for this great gift of human life  

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

“Right view is an important and essential first step on the path because it sets the direction. If we're on a journey, no matter how long or difficult the journey might be - if we're heading in the right direction and we keep on going, we will inevitably reach our destination.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shepherding us towards the possibility of ending the suffering of dukkha, Joseph Goldstein offers practical guidance on how to weaken the bonds of compulsive craving and attachment by understanding their root cause.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the thirty-eighth part of an in-depth 46-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

This week on Insight Hour, Joseph explores:

• The noble truth of the cessation of dukkha
• Letting go of everything despite our conditioned habits to cling
• Growing and refining our understanding of the three characteristics 
• Taking in the impermanence of all things beyond the conceptual level
• Weakening the force of compulsive craving and desire 
• Reaching a place of equanimity through mindfulness of the rapidity of change
• Finding satisfaction in neutrality versus pleasant feelings 
• The destruction of lust, hatred, and delusion
• Nirvana as an unconditioned awareness 
• Having a consciousness which is unsupported, unconstructed, not manifest
• The Buddha’s own description of his process of awakening 
• The arising force of latent defilements throughout the day 
• Deconstructing the sense of self until we reach a pure mind 
• The practice of looking for the mind and finding that there is nothing to find

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

“In the strengthening of mindfulness and concentration, we do come to experience the flow of change very, very rapidly. This is one of the meditative insights that opens to us. When we first begin to experience the rapid changing of everything that’s arising, it’s exhilarating…but as we continue to watch the rapidity of change, we then go through phases of fear and despair because we’re seeing the constant disillusion of things.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Exploring the origin of dukkha, Joseph delves into how craving can shape our lives, fuel unwholesome karma, and keep us trapped in expectation.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the thirty-seventh part of an in-depth 46-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

 This time on Insight Hour, Joseph mindfully explains:

• Craving and how we experience it in our lives and practice
• The compelling power of craving as the opposite of peace
• How our culture fosters and values desire/craving 
• Obsessive desires and considering what pleasures drive our choices in life
• The danger of craving and having an unquenchable thirst 
• How unwholesome karma can be the result of desire
• 9 Things rooted in craving according to the Buddha
• The expectation of pleasant experiences to remain 
• Aspirations versus expectations (inspiration vs. the endless cycle of hope and fear)
• The basic urge to exist continuously 
• Getting trapped by the ‘in order to’ mind
• The magic show of consciousness

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

“What is the gratification that we find in our lives? What sense experiences are we enamored by? We should look carefully at this. This is a question that led to the Buddha’s awakening, and maybe, would lead to our own.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this exploration of dukkha, Joseph Goldstein describes the noble truth of suffering and how we can heal our relationship to all phenomena.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the thirty-sixth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

Continuing his look at the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph describes:

• Contemplating the dhammas in terms of the Four Noble Truths 
• The way of the cessation of dukkha (suffering)
• All conditioned phenomena as dukkha
• The meaning of the word dukkha and its etymology
• The unsatisfactory and unreliable nature of all things
• Setting the wheel of the dharma in motion
• Stepping back and reflecting on the nature of our minds
• Naturally painful/unavoidable experiences versus optional mental suffering
• The suffering that comes from living in anticipation of what comes next
• Suffering from daily tasks we do for survival and personal upkeep (aka the dukkha of life as work)
• Not regarding form as self and finding relief in the truth of dukkha

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed

“Surprisingly, reflecting in this way on the truth of dukkha, simply seeing how things are, free of hope and free of fear, brings a great lightness of heart. When we reflect in this way, it’s a great relief to be out of the grip of diluted enchantment.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Offering deeper insight into equanimity, Joseph Goldstein explains the benefit of maintaining mental equilibrium at all times.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the thirty-fifth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

In this episode, Joseph elucidates:

• The universal beautiful factors of mind
• Equanimity as total neutrality of mind
• Maintaining equilibrium and being unaffected by events and emotions
• How equanimity is born out of concentration and secluding the mind from hindrances
• The ups and downs of life that we all face
• Treating others with impartiality whether they praise us or blame us
• Abiding compassionately for the welfare of all people
• Recognizing the dissolution of all things in reality
• Relating to all things as if they have already changed
• Developing equanimity through inclining our mind towards neutrality

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“The characteristic of equanimity is evenness of mind. When it is highly developed, it manifests as an unshakable balance. It is a mind that’s not moved. It serves to prevent either excess or deficiency of the other factors of awakening.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Focusing on awareness of the breath, Joseph Goldstein explores what the Buddha said about continuous attention.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the thirty-fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This week on Insight Hour, Joseph elucidates:

• The Buddha’s instructions for concentration
• Not judging ourselves or our practice
• Why morality is the basis of concentration
• Good and bad memories that arise during practice
• Simple awareness of our inward and outward breath
• Learning the patterns and tendencies of the mind
• The natural arising of concentration out of tranquility of mind
• Lessons from Upasika Kee Nanayon, a renowned Thai Buddhist teacher and laywoman
• How the knowing of the breath can open us up to the whole range of changing experiences
• Thought as a vehicle for deepening our wisdom

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

“It’s mindfulness which actually notices that a thought is present. Without mindfulness, we don’t know. It’s continuity of mindfulness, many moments of mindfulness in a row, that strengthens the steadiness of mind and the factor of concentration. Concentration arises from continuity of mindfulness.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph explores Samadhi, the Buddhist quality of concentration, and explains how we all have the capacity to develop a well-trained mind.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the thirty-third part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This time on Insight Hour, Joseph dives into:

• Why Samadhi, aka concentration, is so important
• The quality of a non-wavering mind
• Fixed object concentration and training our minds to focus on a singular object
• Momentary concentration as a continual focus on changing objects
• Jhana and the many levels of Samadhi
• Concentration which leads to meditative insights
• Understanding concentration as a pleasant abiding here and now
• The attainment of knowledge and vision / using the divine eye
• How concentration is a necessary precursor to wisdom
• The easefulness that comes as we strengthen Samadhi

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

This episode is brought to you by Dharma Moon. Join Buddhist teachers David Nichtern and Professor Robert Thurman for a free online event on Tuesday, March 4th at 6pm ET. Together, they'll explore the power of lineage, tradition, and the evolution of mindfulness practices. They’ll also discuss Dharma Moon’s renowned mindfulness meditation teacher training program. Visit dharmamoon.com/lineage for more info and to reserve your spot for the free online event with David Nichtern and Professor Robert Thurman!

“This is the first development of concentration: understanding that it is a pleasant, abiding, here and now. This is not something to be avoided or feared; it’s a skillful state. It’s a wholesome state.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharing the crucial role of tranquility on the path of liberation, Joseph Goldstein explains how calmness leads to sincerity and happiness.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the thirty-second part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

Continuing the discussion on the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph shares:

• A clear path towards awakening and cessation of suffering
• Understanding the factors that cause suffering
• Moving from book knowledge to direct experience
• Actively following the Buddhist precepts
• Living out the practice rather than just doing it
• Calmness as a central factor on the path of liberation
• How tranquility brings about sincerity
• Remaining unattached to the factor or tranquility
• Being mindful of when calmness is present vs. not present
• Tranquility and insight as elements of clear knowing
• What happens when the mind is calm and free of desire

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

This episode is also brought to you by Dharma Moon. Join Buddhist teachers David Nichtern and Professor Robert Thurman for a free online event on Tuesday, March 4th at 6pm ET. Together, they'll explore the power of lineage, tradition, and the evolution of mindfulness practices. They’ll also discuss Dharma Moon’s renowned mindfulness meditation teacher training program. Visit dharmamoon.com/lineage for more info and to reserve your spot for the free online event with David Nichtern and Professor Robert Thurman!

“This is the enlightenment factor of calm…it’s the soothing factor of mind that quiets down disturbances. It manifests in the mind as peacefulness or coolness; it manifests that way both in the mind and in the body. It’s like sitting down in the shade of a cool tree on a hot sweltering day.” ” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Distinguishing merit that leads to mundane happiness from merit aimed at liberation, Joseph Goldstein describes sources of dharmic joy.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the thirty-first part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

Continuing his lessons on the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph discusses:

• Making a heart connection with the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
• Reflecting on our commitment to non-harming
• Contemplating what it feels like to give and receive generosity
• Celestial happiness and beings in higher realms of existence
• Merit aimed at mundane happiness vs. merit aimed at liberation
• The karmic results to our volitional actions
• Cultivating faith, generosity, and wisdom for a source of dharma joy
• Reflecting on peace and freedom from the defilements
• Tasting momentary freedom and knowing what peace of mind means

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“Aș we cultivate faith, sila, generosity, and wisdom, the merit of those wholesome actions in the mind cannot be measured. Just reflecting on this becomes a tremendous source of dharma joy, of rapture in the mind.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Priming the pump of mindfulness, Joseph Goldstein explains rapture, the joyous fourth factor of awakening.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the thirtieth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This week, Joseph brings to our attention:

• Rapture, aka joy, delight, and pleasurable interest
• The arousing, anticipatory energy of rapture
• The positive feedback loop of the factors of awakening
• Five grades of rapture according to the Buddha
• Luminosity of mind and the sensory experiences of joy
• Bringing in right view and investigative wisdom
• Recalling the impermanence of all delightful states
• Putting teachings into practice and putting full effort into each moment
• Not overly concerning ourselves with progress
• Boredom as a lack of attention and arousing interest in our current state
• What the Buddha, dharma, sangha means for each of us

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“The energy that arises from continual mindfulness and investigation leads to rapture. We could call it a dharma joy or a dharma happiness. This happiness inspires us to investigate further and as we investigate further the mindfulness and the energy gets stronger and there’s more rapture. It’s just a wonderful spiral leading towards awakening, leading towards liberation.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Considering how right effort drives our achievements and potential for happiness, Joseph Goldstein teaches us more about the dhamma.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twenty-ninth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

In this episode, Joseph lectures listeners on:

• Energy as the root of all achievement
• How energy can be associated with both unwholesome and wholesome states
• Putting our energy to wise use
• Taking the opportunity to challenge ourselves and extend our limits
• Getting caught in efforting and in the result of an action
• Investigating our own minds
• Reflection on death and using our time wisely
• The possibilities of every happiness

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“Right effort is not an ambitious striving. Skillful effort is the effort to be present for what is already here.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Goldstein shares how unremitting mindfulness and continuous investigation of our mental states will lead us to liberation.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twenty-eighth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This time on Insight Hour, Joseph pursues these topics:

• Establishing unremitting mindfulness
• Investigating and examining our mental states
• How truth discerning wisdom liberates the mind
• The three universal characteristics of experience
• Cultivating wisdom through investigation of the dhamma
• Looking at the motivation behind our actions of body, speech, or mind
• The two kinds of happiness according to the Buddha
• Investigating ourselves when we are in a storm of emotions
• How clear recognition can be enough to help us let go
• Discerning the difference between the knowing and the object
• How a single moment of truth-discerning wisdom can change us

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“By understanding that it is wisdom that illuminates what is true, and that we cultivate wisdom through investigation of the dhamma, we can begin to appreciate the very broad range of skillful means and methods that are in different Buddhist traditions for accomplishing this inquiry.“– Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Outlining the crucial importance of the Buddha’s seven awakening factors, Joseph explains the promise of our practice.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twenty-seventh part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This week on Insight Hour, Joseph provides wisdom on:

• The seven treasures, or factors of awakening, of the Buddha
• How the factors of awakening act as anti-hindrances
• Mindfulness, wisdom, energy, rapture, calm, concentration, and equanimity
• The promise and purpose of our practice
• Priming the pump of the enlightened mind
• A deeper dive into the first factor of awakening: mindfulness
• Calling to mind what is skillful and what is not
• Bare attention and clear comprehension
• Knowing the purpose behind an action, and if it is beneficial

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“The Buddha called these factors anti-hindrances because they counteract those forces in the mind that keep us in delusion. It’s sort of like anti-freeze; anti-hindrances, they keep our minds from getting congealed or frozen.“– Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Teaching listeners to become masters over their perceptions, Joseph Goldstein describes the four great hallucinations of the mind.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twenty-sixth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

In this episode, Joseph helps listeners understand:

• The latent tendencies of the mind which condition our perceptions
• How basic sense impressions can be mistaken
• The four great hallucinations of perceptions as outlined by the Buddha
• Taking what is impermanent to be permanent
• The root of suffering
• Taking what is not self to be self
• Having mastery over our perceptions
• Ways of perceiving that lead to liberation
• How moods deceive the mind

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“A good feedback for us for when we’re lost in this hallucination of perception, taking what’s impermanent to be permanent, is whenever we notice clinging or attachment. When there’s clinging or attachment what that means is that in those moments we are not seeing clearly and we are not experiencing deeply the truth of change, the truth of impermanence. We are diluted into thinking that a particular experience in some way is worth holding onto.“– Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cutting the chain of dependent origination, Joseph Goldstein teaches wise attention and freedom from defilement as the antidote to suffering.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twenty-fifth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

This time on Insight Hour, Joseph continues exploring:

• The timelessness of the dhamma
• How fetters of the mind arise and how to remove them
• Preventing the future arising of mental fetters
• The coming together of sense base, object, and consciousness
• Desire as the automatic response to pleasant feelings
• Aversion as our conditioned response to aversion
• Neutrality and how it can lead to delusion
• The necessity of wise attention to avoid suffering
• Cutting the chain of dependent origination
• Being mindful of what is actually arising moment to moment
• Reinforcing our understanding of the impermanence of desire
• Taking responsibility for our own minds

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“Coming to the end of suffering means that we learn how to work with and understand and free ourselves from the force of the fetters in the mind. What’s amazing about this teaching is that it’s ultimately, completely empowering because it’s all up to us. Our suffering is not due to other people. We can take responsibility for our own minds.”– Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Goldstein explores the six internal and external sense bases of consciousness, explaining its selfless and contingent nature.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twenty-fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This week, Joseph offers wisdom on:

• Mindfulness of the patterns of experience
• Internal and external sense spheres
• The mind as a sixth sense
• The way we attach the self to all we experience
• Seeing objects as being conditioned and selfless
• Our sense organs and paying attention to how we experience senses
• The contingent nature of consciousness
• Freeing the mind by becoming disenchanted
• Recognizing defilements when they arise, and letting them go
• How we often push the river of experience rather than allowing it to flow
• Maintaining openness of the mind without preferences

“What’s difficult is to see all of these sense objects and the sense bases, to see and understand them as being conditioned, selfless, not I, not mine, not belonging to anyone. Not only seeing the sense object and sense base as selfless, but seeing the knowing of them as selfless.”– Joseph Goldstein

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Goldstein explains the value in recognizing the body and self as impermanent, man-made concepts rather than something fixed and solid.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twenty-third part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.This week, Joseph explains to listeners:

• Noticing the changing nature of all phenomena
• The flow of changing sensations and thoughts
• The superficial perception we have of the body
• How attachment to the body contributes to a fear of death
• What creates the felt sense of self
• Noticing the difference between being lost in a thought and noticing thinking
• Seeing the empty selfless nature of thoughts
• Practicing seeing impermanence through mindfulness of the five aggregates
• Regarding our body, feelings, perception, and consciousness as non-self

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

“It is so freeing to realize that the only power that thoughts have is the power that we give them. The thought itself is little more than nothing. It is just this little blip in the mind, arising and passing away. But, when they’re unnoticed and we’re identified with them, taking them to be self, we’re giving them an enormous power in our lives.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Concluding a segment on the five aggregates, Joseph Goldstein explains how mindfulness of mental formations refines our consciousness.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twenty-second part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

In this episode, Joseph thoughtfully outlines:

• The mental factor of intention / volition as the chief of the mind
• How the seeds we plant have tremendous potential
• Considering the motivations of our intentions
• Sorting out what is wholesome versus unwholesome
• The three roots of all unwholesome actions: greed, hatred, and delusion
• The three wholesome roots: generosity, loving-kindness, and wisdom
• Pausing before we act so we can make wiser choices in our lives
• How mindfulness attracts all of the fruits of wholesome action
• The unchanging nature of bare knowing
• The four causes of seeing consciousness
• Consciousness as a conditioned phenomena
• Focusing on what is arising through a passive voice and non-subject
• Cultivating the open sky of the mind

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

“The Buddha is saying that consciousness itself is a conditioned phenomena. It’s impersonal, arising out of causes, arising out of conditions moment to moment. Here we see that consciousness is not something that’s permanent. It’s not something that’s always present waiting for an object to appear, to be known. But rather consciousness itself is a process continually arising and passing away moment after moment.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Continuing his discussion of the five aggregates, Joseph Goldstein dives deeper into perception and how we can get lost in mental formations.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twenty-first part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

In another exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph discusses:

• Balancing perception with mindfulness
• Using the frame of our perception to enter more deeply into experience
• Our tendency to solidify the world through superficial concepts
• The seduction of being lost in the future and past
• Reality and the concept of the present moment
• Created concepts of self-image
• The delineation of mental factors; universal, occasional, and unwholesome
• Considering the understanding of karma
• Having interest in our mental formations and taking time to investigate them
• How mindfulness of mental formations helps us see how impersonal everything is

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“We also create concepts about things that may seem even more fundamental like age, gender or race. But when we look more deeply, we see that these are concepts too. How old is your breath? It doesn’t make sense. Is the pain in your back male or female? What color is your mind? It’s not to say that the concepts don’t point to some differences of experience, but we often become so identified with and attached to the concept." – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this profound investigation of subjective experience and direct reality, Joseph Goldstein looks at the first three of the five aggregates in Buddhism.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twentieth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

In this episode, Joseph analyzes:

• The five aggregates of clinging and deconstructing subjective experience
• Opening the stainless dharma vision eye
• How the Buddha shows the way to those who are lost
• The direct realities underlying the surface appearance of being
• All of the elements which give rise to the experience of self / the aggregate of Rūpa
• The nature of material elements and the four great essentials
• Our experiences as a flow of changing vibrations
• The second aggregate, Vedanā, aka the feeling qualities of experiences
• Feelings as the conditioning factor of our reactions
• Collapsing into the identification with pleasant vs. unpleasant
• Saññā, the aggregate of perception
• Recognizing, naming, and remembering each arising object
• The function of mental noting and focusing on mindfulness

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“The Buddha uses this contemplation of the aggregates to analyze our subjective experience and, through this analysis, to deconstruct the very deeply held construct and belief in self.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Highlighting the danger of indecision, Joseph Goldstein examines the nature of doubt as taught by the Buddha.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the nineteenth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This week on Insight Hour, Joseph explains to listeners:

• How elements of mind and body function
• What the Buddha said about working with and overcoming doubt
• Recognizing whether or not doubt is present within ourselves
• The nature and character of the doubting mind
• The danger of being paralyzed by indecision
• Doubt within our meditation practice / Doubting parts of the dhamma
• Contemplating the unattractive elements of the body
• Doubting the value of practice in a world of suffering
• The deep pattern of self-doubt
• How doubt masquerades as wisdom
• Paying attention to what triggers doubt
• Understanding what is wholesome and unwholesome
• Investigation and the wisdom mind as the cure to doubt

Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“When doubt is strong, and we’re paralyzed by indecision, this mental force doesn’t even allow us the opportunity to take a wrong turn and to learn from our mistakes; rather, we’re always checking ourselves, we’re vacillating, we’re trying to decide.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Diving into restlessness and worry, Joseph Goldstein outlines how to use the eye of wisdom to examine mental agitation.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the eighteenth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This time on Insight Hour, Joseph lectures on:

• The obvious and subtle expressions of restlessness and worry
• How we can easily become over-concerned with our practice
• Falling into spiritual self-absorption
• The conditions which cause the arising of restlessness and worry
• Examining all situations with the eye of wisdom
• The physical energies of restlessness and worry
• Making the mind wind and open or focusing the mind more microscopically
• Reflecting on the purpose of our practice
• Excessive striving and our tendency to self-judge
• Letting go of the past, future, and present

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“When you feel that the mind is not settled, when it’s not at rest, become mindful of what’s going on. Let the unease that you’re feeling be the mindfulness bell.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Employing the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph Goldstein shows us how to overcome the mental states of sloth and torpor.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the seventeenth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

In this episode, Joseph instructs listeners on:

• The mind states of sloth and torpor
• Defining sloth as a sluggishness of mind which dispels energy
• Noticing when sloth and torpor are present in us
• How sloth and torpor can spread via unwise attention to boredom and depression
• Watching the thinking patterns we have around slothful mind-states
• How sloth and torpor can signal us to other hidden emotions
• Over-consumption and being attentive to what we put into our bodies
• The benefit and value of the eight precepts
• Having a balance of both concentration and energy
• Deepening our insight into the impermanence of the hindrances
• Mindfulness as the most basic strategy for overcoming laziness
• Adding in more objects to our meditation as an antidote to the sinking mind
• Being alert even in times of low energy as practice for conscious dying
• Finding inspiration in reading the dhamma, listening to a recording, or chanting

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“Mindfulness, here, is deepening our insight into the impermanence of the hindrances. If we can stay with it, we see that they come and go by themselves. We don’t have to fulfill the desire, we don’t have to act on the anger, we don’t have to indulge the sleepiness, in order for them to go, we just need to stay with it and we’ll see their changing nature simply through the awareness of them.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Illuminating the shadows of our minds, Joseph Goldstein explains how to notice and investigate the emotions hiding underneath aversions.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the sixteenth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

In this episode, Joseph offers a discussion on:

• What aversion is and how to recognize when it’s present
• The powerful underground force of hatred
• Looking clearly and deeply into our own minds through mindfulness
• Weakening and uprooting the very deepest tendencies of mind
• How even words themselves contain both desire and aversion
• The rising of aversion with respect to physical and emotional pain
• The nine thoughts that can stir up malice according to the Buddha
• Why we personalize situations which are impersonal
• Opening up to aversion as simply a noted mind-state
• Arousing the investigative aspect of the mind
• Reflecting on what purpose (or lack their of) our emotions serve
• Taking responsibility for our aversions
• The development of loving-kindness and wishing-well to all beings

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“Really what we’re doing here is illuminating the shadow side of our mind, the aspects that we don’t usually see, the underground, the latent tendencies in which the milder forms of aversion are rooted.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Goldstein describes the causes of sensual desire and how to be aware of the wanting-mind rather than suppressing it.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the fifteenth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

This time on Insight Hour, Joseph reveals to listeners:

• Dhamma as categories of phenomena
• The mental turbulence of anger and aversion
• Stagnation of mind, restlessness of mind
• How hindrances alter and condition our perceptions
• Paying particular attention to times of transition
• Abandoning hindrances without aversion, self-judgment, and suppression
• Recognizing when sensual desire is present
• Obsessive passion, expectations, addictive cravings, and other manifestations of the wanting-mind
• How what we frequently ponder upon becomes our inclination of mind
• The misconception that our desires will bring us happiness
• Seeing the insubstantial nature of desire through mindfulness
• Reflecting on the Buddha’s teachings in the very moment that they are applicable
• The prevention of craving through awareness of the cause of desire and non-clinging

“The question is: how can we practice working to abandon the hindrances without suppression, without aversion, and without self-judgment? In the sutta, the Buddha outlines five basic steps in working with the hindrances and finding the middle way between indulging in them and suppressing them. He charts the course for us.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Simplifying our daily practice into bare knowing, Joseph Goldstein instructs us on external mindfulness and noticing our reactions.

The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the foureenth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!

In this episode, Joseph Goldstein mindfully explains:

• The comprehensive nature of mindfulness practice
• Going beyond the division of self and other
• Insight from inference and inductive reasoning
• Contemplating the feelings and mind-states of others
• Being mindful of our reactions to other people's positive and negative feelings
• Keeping our lives in balance by not being overly self-absorbed
• Contemplating both internal and external mindfulness so that we can see phenomena objectively
• The impermanent nature of all feelings
• Thoughts as the trigger for emotions to arise
• Staying free in the flow of changing experience
• The storytelling the mind does versus the Buddha's instruction on bare knowledge
• The mantra 'it's already here' for awareness of bare knowing

Don’t forget to grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE

This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed

“Contemplating externally not only keeps us in balance so we don’t have this total self-absorption, but we’re paying attention in some way, we’re enlarging the context of our practice. It also helps keep us attuned to how our actions are affecting others so we aren’t just lost in what we’re doing. We’re mindful of the feelings and mind states externally so we see, we’re attuned, we’re aware, in a mindful, non-reactive, non-judgmental way of these states as they arise in other people. We’re paying attention.” – Joseph Goldstein

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.