The Zen Studies Podcast
Dharma Talks (a bit more personal take on Dharma topics)
198 – Renunciation as an Act of Love
Buddhism is a path of renunciation. Many people assume this means we aim to separate ourselves from the things and beings of the world and work ourselves into a state where we no longer care about them – at least not to the point where it might hurt or upset us. Fortunately, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Renunciation leaves us much more capable of sincere and open-handed love.
read more197 – Ni Evitación ni Identificación: Estar con la Realidad de las Situaciones Dolorosas
Category: Budismo hoy, Práctica Budista ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 197 A veces no hay manera de evitar situaciones dolorosas, ya sea que la...
read more197 – Neither Avoidance nor Identification: Being with the Reality of Painful Situations
Sometimes there is no avoiding painful situations, whether the difficulty is arising in our own life or from witnessing suffering in the world around us. How can we respond to troubling conditions with generosity and compassion, but also without being overwhelmed? I discuss the Zen approach of being with the reality of situations – neither avoiding the pain, nor identifying with it.
read more196 – La muerte y el vacío del yo: ¿cuál es el significado de la vida si no tienes alma?
Category: Enseñanzas Zen ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 196 ¿Creemos que hay vida después de la muerte en el Zen Soto? Discuto la perspectiva Soto...
read more196 – Death and the Emptiness of Self: What’s the Meaning of Life If You’ve Got No Soul?
Do we think there's life after death in Soto Zen? I discuss the Soto Zen perspective on consciousness and whether some kind of consciousness continues after our physical death, and where we find meaning if the self is empty of any inherent essence.
read more195 – “Pasea por el centro del círculo del asombro” de Hongzhi
Category: Textos Budistas, Enseñanzas Zen ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 195 En este episodio, exploro una enseñanza del maestro Chan Hongzhi del...
read more195 – Hongzhi’s “Wander into the Center of the Circle of Wonder”
In this episode I explore a teaching from 12th-century Chan master Hongzhi, in which he instructs us to “wander into the center of the circle of wonder.” I propose that the whole of the Dharma can be found by exploring the nature of wonder, and what it is that obstructs wonder.
read more194 – Dolor en la meditación 2: Ajustes a la postura y cuándo tolerar la incomodidad
Category: Meditación ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 194 Este es el episodio 2 de mi discusión sobre la incomodidad física en la meditación sentada....
read more194 – Pain in Meditation 2: Adjustments to Posture and When to Tolerate Discomfort
This is episode 2 in my discussion of physical discomfort in seated meditation. I discuss how to do it with a minimum of discomfort, including tips on spinal position and different kinds of meditation equipment. I try to call attention to specific practices that lead to discomfort or pain, and what the alternatives are. Because it’s rare to be able to meditate entirely without pain, I talk about when to tolerate pain, and when to adjust your meditation posture instead. Finally, I’ll share some options for you if seated meditation is not possible.
read more193 – Dolor en la Meditación 1: ¿Por qué la Postura Sentada?
Category: Meditación ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 193 Muchos, si no la mayoría, de los meditadores experimentan molestias físicas durante la...
read more193 – Pain in Meditation 1: Why the Seated Posture?
Many – if not most – meditators experience physical discomfort during seated meditation. This discomfort ranges from restlessness to severe pain. It’s worth exploring how to sit more comfortably, because otherwise you might be inclined to fidget when you sit, to sit less, or even to stop doing seated meditation entirely. In this episode I talk about why the seated meditation posture is so important, despite its tendency to cause some measure of discomfort. I also discuss the idea that mind and body are not separate, and in what way our discomfort always has both a physical and a psychological component.
read more192 – Los Ocho Vientos Mundanos: Ganancia, Pérdida, Estatus, Desgracia, Elogio, Desaprobación, Placer, Dolor
Category: Enseñanzas Budistas ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 192 De acuerdo con una de las enseñanzas Budistas fundamentales, estamos condenados a...
read more192 – The Eight Worldly Winds: Gain, Loss, Status, Disgrace, Praise, Censure, Pleasure, Pain
According to one of the foundational Buddhist teachings, we are doomed to be “blown about” by Eight Worldly Winds unless we engage in spiritual practice: Gain and loss, success and failure, praise and blame, pleasure and pain. Personally, I find this a vivid and useful metaphor for the human experience. I share an excerpt from a Pali sutta about the Eight Worldly Winds, and then explore what it means to be “blown about” by them, and what we can do about it.
read more191- Contemplando el Futuro: el Camino Intermedio Entre el Temor y la Esperanza
Category: Práctica Budista ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 191 Cuando contemplamos el futuro, puede parecer que solo tenemos dos opciones: pavor o...
read more191 – Contemplating the Future: The Middle Way Between Dread and Hope
When we contemplate the future, it may seem like we have only two options: dread, or hope. If we can’t summon hope, we may avoid thinking about the future at all in order to escape dread. Fortunately, the Buddhist Middle Way offers an alternative. Instead of getting stuck in dread or clinging desperately to hope, we refuse to get caught in either extreme. We can walk a dynamic path of practice, facing the future with eyes open while remaining responsive and free.
read more190 – Yendo Más Allá del Miedo al Rechazo: Brindar el Don de Uno Mismo
Category: Práctica Budista ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 190 El don de uno mismo, nuestro tiempo, atención, energía, entusiasmo, perspectiva,...
read more190 – Leaping Beyond Fear of Rejection: Giving the Gift of Self
The gift of self - such as our time, attention, energy, enthusiasm, perspective, sympathy, and creativity brightens the lives of everyone around us. Although the self is "empty" of inherent, enduring self-essence, it is all we have to offer the world. Unfortunately, many of us are very inhibited when it comes to sharing ourselves. We fear rejection, judgment, disinterest, and embarrassment. We figure no one particularly appreciates or needs our contribution. Fortunately, we can make a practice of offering ourselves open-handedly, setting aside the need for affirmation as we do so.
read more189 – Recolectando el Corazón-Mente: La Celebración de Una Sesshin – Parte 1
Category: Práctica Budista ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 189 La Sesshin, un retiro de meditación Zen silencioso y residencial que incluye un horario...
read more189 – Collecting the Heart-Mind: A Celebration of Sesshin
Sesshin - a silent, residential, Zen meditation retreat involving a 24-hour communal schedule - is an extremely valuable way to deepen your Zen practice. I discuss why I strongly encourage you to participate in sesshin, but also why - if you can't do so - it isn't necessary. Then I talk about several of the benefits and Dharma lessons of sesshin. I have many more such benefits and lessons to share, but I'll cover them in Celebration of Sesshin Part 2.
read more188 – ¿Cómo Se Desarrola la Práctica Cuando su País está Destrozado?
Category: Budismo hoy, Práctica Budista ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 188 Cuando nuestro país, o nuestra comunidad global, se rompe, ¿cómo...
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