Awake in the World Podcast

Starting with Dogen’s Self-Portrait, Michael explores different ways of viewing self-hood and argues for a “useful” doubt in respect to the self (not the kind that leads to indecision, but the kind that opens us up to new possibilities). Recorded on September 12, 2009.

In this talk Michael unpacks Dogen’s essay on The Time Being and argues that an unhealthy relationship with time can be one of our biggest discontents. Recorded on September 11, 2009.

Micheal explores the difficulty of being immersed in a culture of desire, our tendency to want to be something other than what we are, and our notion that practice is going to get us somewhere. Recorded on September 9, 2008.

This week we're revisiting a favourite Awake in the World podcast episode. Michael explains how we can cultivate a field in which anxiety can arise and change, surrounded by spaciousness. We have forces of good inside us, we aren't fated to live out our history, and we are loveable just as we are. Recorded in London.

In this talk on the Yoga Sutra Michael highlights the fluctuations of consciousness, kaivalya, and four kinds of nirodha. Recorded on September 7, 2009.

This week we're revisiting a favourite Awake in the World podcast episode. How to not leave your body, even when it feels untrustworthy. We can always turn to the body in pain, grief, and even in altered states of consciousness. Anxiety, compassion, and equanimity always play out in your body. Victoria, B.C. Recorded January 19, 2017.

This talk explores Bernie Glassman’s guiding principles for taking practice into daily life: not knowing, bearing witness and taking loving action. Recorded on September 6, 2008.

Michael guides a meditation on the breath, with an emphasis on letting go of grasping. Recorded on September 28, 2007.

In this talk Michael describes ujjayi breathing as a meditative practice, explains that the goal of yoga is not samadhi, and argues that “realization” automatically cycles back to the yamas—and demands action in response to suffering in the world. Recorded on September 27, 2007.

Michael speaks about the eight limbs of Ashtanga and how to practice them. He argues for the importance of a sitting practice as well as asana. (Unfortunately the last half of this talk failed to record, so it ends abruptly). Recorded on September 25, 2007.

This week we're revisiting a favourite Awake in the World podcast episode. Michael Stone gives a talk during the ethics course about the precept of Aparigraha, and using our imagination. Recorded at Centre of Gravity, Toronto, on March 17, 2011.

In this talk inspired by “bowing to reality,” Michael covers impermanence, story-telling and his view of the three most common ways we try to deal with our dukkha. Recorded on September 21, 2007.

Michael talks about Patanjali, subject/object duality, and the meaning of nirodha. Recorded on September 29, 2007.

A twenty-minute guided meditation on breath-centered mindfulness. Recorded on October 31, 2009.

In this guided mindfulness-of-the-body practice Michael focuses on feeling the ground, the breath, the support of the posture and a sense of buoyancy within stability. Recorded on October 30, 2009.

Michael explains Patanjali’s take on subduing the causes of suffering in their gross and subtle forms (Pada 2, 10-12) and how this differs from our modern psychological viewpoint. Recorded on October 28, 2008.

Based on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra (1.19) and a poem by Gary Snyder Michael talks about death, self-concept, rebirth versus reincarnation, karma, abhinivesa and “aiming for the gap.” Recorded on October 27, 2009.

Michael talks about applying a lens of Western Psychology to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra and the Dharma, and how these different thought-systems can compliment and converse with one another. At the same time we must remain aware that this process is a reinterpretation and superimposition. He uses lines 1.17 and 1.18 of the Yoga Sutra as an example of a place where old and new ways of thinking about the...

Based on a koan (Case Forty-five from the Gateless Gate) this talk delves into the complex ways that we create a self and create an “other,” and how the two processes can be deeply intertwined. Recorded on October 12, 2008.

Michael explores the line from the Rig-Veda that he chose as the epigraph to The Inner Tradition of Yoga. (The recording is cut short, but we thought it was still worth a listen.) Recorded on October 9, 2008.

Beginning with a quote from Gary Snyder, Michael teaches about non-reactivity, letting go of clinging and how awareness is revealed through practice. Recorded on October 6, 2009.

Michael leads a thirty-minute guided meditation on mindfulness of breathing. Recorded on October 6, 2008.

In this talk Michael describes how practice helps us become conscious of our viewpoints and can show us where we are caught. He argues that we’re waking up from restricted, self-centered views as opposed to awakening to an elusive something other-than-this somewhere other-than-here. Recorded on October 5, 2008.

In this talk about the first pada of the Yoga Sutra (line 20), Michael considers the relationship between faith (sraddha) and doubt, as well as the importance of enthusiasm (virya), mindfulness (smrti), samadhi and wisdom (prajna) to the project of reducing our suffering. Recorded on November 17, 2009.

Michael gives a talk on silence, impermanence, the nature of mind and love. Recorded on November 17, 2009.