Buddhability

Today we’re unpacking the question: what does it mean to win every day when sometimes things take time to resolve? Our guest is Yoko Ambulo, of Chicago, who shares her journey learning Buddhist lessons about what happiness actually is, what a winning daily rhythm looks like, and why it's so important to create an arena in which you give yourself a chance to win. CHEAT SHEAT 1:11 Why Yoko started c...

“Tips & Insights” is a miniseries in which we’ll introduce one Buddhist concept each month and how it can be applied to your life. Today’s is: winning in the present. References: True Cause: The Spirit of Always Moving Forward From the Present Moment 4 Points to Master Time The Power to Win Each Day

Today we’re talking about family and what to do if you just can’t reconcile differences with them. Our guests are sisters Lauren and Molly Leebove from Michigan, whose intertwined stories of beginning their Buddhist practice and transforming their relationship with their parents are rich with lessons on what Buddhability looks like in a family setting. CHEAT SHEET 1:22 Quote from Daisaku Ikeda in...

Today we're addressing how Buddhism can help us tackle family dynamics. Our guest is Brian Angulo, of New York, who shares how, in just a few years, his Buddhist practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enabled him to transform a family dynamic that seemed impossible to change. Based on finding his own agency, courage and wisdom, he learned to lead with his heart and take responsibility for streng...

Today we’re talking about navigating job challenges, an aspect of life that be universal difficult, whether you are facing job loss, trying to find a job, navigating a tough industry or having a hard time believing in yourself at work. Our guest is Mehul Anand, of Georgia, who shares the ups and downs of her career in tech, and the profound lessons her Buddhist practice helped her learn along the...

“Tips & Insights” is a miniseries in which we’ll introduce one Buddhist concept each month and how it can be applied to your life. Today’s is: human revolution. References: Human Revolution What Does Human Revolution Look Like? Can my human revolution really change the world? How can I be sure that I’m progressing in my human revolution? The Wisdom of Buddhist Humanism

Today we’re talking about how to do it all when you have a full plate. Whether you are an overwhelmed parent or caregiver aspiring to build a career you love, or lacking the support you wish you had to care for yourself and everything else in your life, doing it all can be tough. And amid the chaos, we tend to be hardest on ourselves. Dr. Gitima Sharma, of California State University, talks us thr...

Today we're talking about appreciation, which is central to Buddhism in so many ways and yet, easier to talk about than truly practice, especially when it comes to the tougher circumstances in our lives. Our guest is Doris Edwards, of Philadelphia, who has been chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for many years. We discuss the Buddhist perspective on appreciation and her own journey toward it. CHEAT SHEE...

Today we're talking about how to stop seeking the approval of other people, which, on the one hand, is a normal human desire, and on the other, can cause us the deepest suffering when we don't receive it. It can be especially worse when the approval or praise we seek is from our loved ones.  Our guest is Dave Drake, who practices Buddhism in New York City, and shares his journey with this very str...

“Tips & Insights” is a miniseries in which we’ll introduce one Buddhist concept each month and how it can be applied to your life. Today’s is: earthly desires are enlightenment. References: The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part one, revised edition, pp. 170–71 My Dear Friends in America , p. 92

Today we're talking about unlocking our own agency when it comes to peace-building efforts and protecting our planet. Our guest is Emma Pike, of Boston, who is an activist in the field of nuclear abolition, an issue that is key to SGI Nichiren Buddhists because nuclear war represents the exact opposite of what Buddhism strives to protect: the dignity of all life.  Emma shares her own inspiring jou...

Today’s episode is for beginners, though the takeaways are refreshing and valuable for even seasoned chanters. Our guest is Crystal Fraser, of Colorado, who shares some basics about SGI Nichiren Buddhism and its core practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as well as her own journey with it. We then dig into a popular question: What should we chant about and why do people talk so much about turn...

Today we’re speaking with Yuri Yamashita, of New York, about her career as a percussionist and how her Buddhist practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped her beat the odds and her own self-doubt to pave her own path in the industry. She was most recently the percussionist for the Tina Turner musical on Broadway, a remarkable coincidence because during moments of her own personal struggles, T...

Today we’re talking about effective activism and how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can allow us to tap into the internal resources we need to truly help other people. Our guest is Alex Boling, of Los Angeles, who honestly shares the insights he has gained by applying his Buddhist practice to his experiences as an activist and volunteer.  Key takeaway: Sometimes we have to do the internal work to be...

“Tips & Insights” new episode series in which we’ll introduce one Buddhist concept each month and how it can be applied to your life! Today’s is: the oneness of life and its environment. References: Winning Over Ourselves Brings Victory in All Other Realms Video: Oneness of Life and Environment Explained

Today we’re talking about what it takes to believe that you can be happy, even when you’re facing the most difficult circumstances. Our guest is Christina Moran, of El Paso, Texas, who shares her own journey of pursuing happiness after experiencing a series of very challenging events that made her feel like she had hit rock bottom.  CHEAT SHEET 2:29 How Christina encountered Buddhism 7:30 The grie...

Today we're talking about what wellness really means from a Buddhist perspective. Our guest is Erica Stein, L.A.-based co-host of the podcast Courageous Wellness , and Buddhist practitioner. We cover everything from the powerful experiences that led to Erica beginning her own practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, to what she’s learned about wellness through producing her podcast. CHEAT SHEET 1...

Today we're talking with Bobby Eppsteiner, a surgeon in Massachusetts, who shares the story of how he used his Buddhist practice to beat the odds and become a doctor, even when he was told he wouldn't make it. Key takeaway: Never give up. CHEAT SHEET 1:31 How Bobby started chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo 2:15 What inspired his dream of going into medicine 3:53 The challenges he faced getting into med...

“Tips & Insights” new episode series in which we’ll introduce one Buddhist concept each month and how it can be applied to your life!  Today’s is: the oneness of body and mind. References: We Are Connected to Everyone, Everything Our Resolve is Everything Is the Mind-Body Connection Real? Mindfulness and Buddhism

Today we're talking about what it takes to live your life as the main character or protagonist. Our guest is Nadia Ullah Morin, of Texas, who shares her journey practicing Buddhism after an unexpected series of events took her off the life path she had envisioned for herself. Through consistently chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, she found the courage to create a new path for herself. CHEAT SHEET 1:10...

Today's episode is a conversation with psychologist Elizabeth Merrick about anxiety, therapy, Buddhism, and how they all connect. Sometimes it helps to examine what Buddhability looks like from different perspectives, identifying  parallels between the work of experts in different fields and how Buddhism views the potential of human beings.   Elizabeth's insights are unique because she has experie...

During the month of July, we're on short break and playing re-runs of our most popular episodes from the archives. We'll be back with brand new episodes the first Wednesday in August. This episode originally aired May 2021. 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 wa...

During the month of July, we're on short break and playing re-runs of our most popular episodes from the archives. We'll be back with brand new episodes the first Wednesday in August. This episode originally aired November 2021. Today we speak with Los Angeles-based actor Luca Manganaro, who shares his intertwined journey with acting and Buddhism and the lessons he learned along the way.  Key take...

During the month of July, we're on short break and playing re-runs of our most popular episodes from the archives. We'll be back with brand new episodes the first Wednesday in August. This episode originally aired August 2021. Today we’re talking about work and more specifically, how to deal with feeling stuck. If you’re feeling trapped by your job or routine, or if you have a secret dream that yo...

During the month of July, we're on short break and playing re-runs of our most popular episodes from the archives. We'll be back with brand new episodes the first Wednesday in August. Today we’re playing an episode that originally aired November 2020 but feels more relevant than ever.  We speak with Abe Uccello about working for change in Florida’s prison system, even when he couldn’t see any forw...