Buddhability

Today we have a short announcement about Buddhability’s upcoming 7 Day Refresh, starting Monday, May 17. Sign up at www.buddhability.org.

Today we are covering one of our most highly requested topics: boundaries and self-care. Our guest is Jessica Riley, a mental health specialist in Florida, who most recently was a military psychologist. After struggling deeply with setting boundaries, an overwhelming workload and an inability to really take care of herself, she started chanting about her situation and came to a major realization a...

Today we're talking about careers, a topic that we plan to cover from many different perspectives on future episodes.  Our guest is Louise Ocasion, who started practicing Buddhism when she was in college and struggling with a deep sense of confusion about what to do with her life. Today, she’s a corporate executive who has worked at some of the biggest entertainment companies in the world, but the...

Instead of an episode this week, we have an announcement! Based on your requests, we just published a video explainer on enlightenment. Find it on Buddhability's YouTube or Instagram , or at this link .

Today’s episode is about a key Buddhist concept, which teaches that where you are right now is exactly the place you need to be to fulfill your purpose, as long as you're willing to dig deep into your heart and let the courage out. We speak with Dori Colly, a young mother in North Carolina. On the surface, hers is a story about the challenges she went through to buy a house. But what's most incred...

Today we are discussing a question that comes up a lot: How do I stop comparing myself to other people? It can be a real struggle, especially if you feel like the people around you are better or farther ahead than you in some way. Here’s an article we did on the subject, called Feel like you're falling behind?   Our guest today is Harrison Tsao, who started practicing Buddhism in high school becau...

Appreciate the Buddhability content but want to hear from people actually practicing Buddhism? We teamed up with members of our Buddhist community to present a new online series hosted by Buddhability. The first one is this Friday and we're talking about how to refresh yourself when you feel burned out. Join us Friday, March 26 at 9 a.m. PT, 11 a.m. CT, 12 p.m. ET. Register here: https://buddhabil...

On this episode, we discuss living with chronic health challenges, be it physical or mental health. Jenny Ohrstrom, who has been seeking treatment for Lyme disease for nearly 8 years, shares her story of learning how to find happiness despite living with painful, unpredictable symptoms. While everyone's experience with illness is different, for chronic illness, the battle is as much about managing...

Today we are talking about being new parents, which is a topic that's been requested by many listeners. Savini and Piper, college sweethearts from India who moved to New York City in their 20’s, share the story of having their first child in September 2019, just 6 months before the pandemic began. They've had to navigate a lot: not only grappling with a new identity and sense of responsibility, bu...

We are back with part 2 of last week’s episode , which is all about the Buddhist community . In the SGI we meet in local neighborhood groups (these days over Zoom) to figure out how to apply Buddhism to our daily lives, together. In part 2, we share Karina’s story of facing and transforming her past with support from her Buddhist friends, as well as advice for anyone who has just finished the 28 D...

We have a two-part episode for you today, all about the Buddhist community. In the SGI we meet in local neighborhood groups (these days over zoom) to figure out how to apply Buddhism to our daily lives, together.  After all, research shows that giving help to others by listening and providing empathy and encouragement, gives us positive emotional and cognitive benefits in return.  On this episode,...

This week, we wanted to check in with everyone who is currently doing the 28 Day Buddhability Journey . (Remember, it’s not too late to jump in. Even a week of chanting can feel amazing!) Tell us how it’s going! If you’ve been chanting this month, send us a brief voice memo to podcast@sgi-usa.org sharing 1 thing you have learned or noticed so far during the chanting challenge. If you want to share...

Today we’re answering listener questions about love and relationships. We called up 3 people from our Buddhist community who have been chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for a while now—Abby from Oakland, Rah'mad from Washington, D.C., and Erika from New Jersey—and asked them their honest answers to your questions. The episode covers everything from what it takes to leave a bad relationship and how to m...

Today we are covering some of the basics of Buddhism for anyone who might be new to chanting or simply wants a refresher. We speak with Ryan Hayashi, who starting chanting in high school, when he was going through some pretty serious challenges. Now, over 10 years later, he’s an amazing high school math teacher in Arizona and also really active in the local Buddhist community there. If you’re new,...

We are excited to announce something special today—the 28 Day Buddhability Journey—which we’re kicking off on February 1. It’s a monthlong challenge to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo every day for however long you'd like, and it’s open to anyone, whether you’re brand new to chanting or just want a reason to refresh your practice. Sign up at buddhability.org/journey for all the details! Before we start...

Feeling like you fit in is hard, especially when you have many different identities. If you’ve ever felt like you put on a different mask every place you go, this episode is for you. We speak with Falcon Sang, a young artist from L.A., about how practicing Buddhism helped him find himself. Key takeaway: If you’re willing to dig deeper, you’ll find that Buddhability is universal, and it can help yo...

In our first conversation of 2021, we speak with designer and architect James Ludwig, VP of Global Design and Product Engineering for Steelcase Inc., the world’s leading designer of office furniture. He’s also been practicing SGI Nichiren Buddhism for a very long time. We discussed what design and Buddhism have in common, which is a lot, and how, at the beginning of a new year and new decade, we c...

Happy New Year from the team at Buddhability! As promised, today we are answering 3 listener questions about your Buddhability, which were submitted to us by voicemail over the last couple of weeks. Cheatsheet: 2:20 How to get over the guilt of chanting for things you want 8:12 How to help your loved ones become happy 13:25 What if I don’t chant everyday?

We’re taking a short break for the holidays but our year-end episode will feature answers to a few listener-submitted questions about anything you want to ask about your own Buddhability. All you have to do is email a voice memo to podcast@sgi-usa.org of no more than two minutes, sharing your name, where you’re located, what your question is and any context you want to share. A few selected voice...

As we enter into a most unusual holiday season, we’re thinking a lot about what family means and how tapping into your Buddhability can impact your loved ones. If you’ve ever felt unsure of your place in your family, or like you wish you could connect with them better, this story is worth a listen. Priya Gunaseharan shares the story of how she found her own voice by helping her grandmother find he...

This week’s episode is about how to build the confidence to pursue a big dream. Seon Yeop Jung shares how he using chanting and goal-setting to rebuild the confidence he lost due to bullying. By pursuing one small goal after another, he discovered his dream of being a scientist and educator. Key takeaway: If you don’t believe in yourself right now because of whatever you may have faced in the past...

This week, we’re talking about love. Well, specifically what it takes to be in a committed relationship for the long haul. Ian and Audrey McIlraith, who are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this year, tell us the story of how they overcame their own fears of being alone and of being good enough, to create a happy family. Here are their secrets: if you want to find a life partner and stay...

This week, we speak with Rory Arnaud about what a daily Buddhist practice in the morning can do for you. The fact is, most of us haven’t even scratched the surface of what we are capable of accomplishing, learning and giving in this lifetime. Today’s key lesson is that if you can consistently win over yourself in the morning through chanting, you can unearth a treasure trove of wisdom, energy and...

This week, we speak with Abe Uccello about working for change in Florida’s prison system, even when he couldn’t see any forward movement. He explains how chanting can help you build trust and respect with anyone, and what unity actually means. Hint: You have to unlock your own wisdom and compassion first.   Cheatsheet:   1:50 What we’re trying to understand today  4:02 Introduction to Abe 5:02 How...

Great artists are authentic. It’s how they are able to connect to enormous audiences, yet each person experiencing the music, or art, feels directly spoken to. What would you do if you could go through life with this kind of genuine, inspiring power?   Being yourself, truly yourself, is hard. Today, we speak with legendary Grammy-winning jazz musicians Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding about ho...