Buddhist Geeks

Rick Hanson, Ph. D., is a neuropsychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and New York Times best-selling author. He’s been an invited speaker at Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. In the conclusion to his 2013 Buddhist Geeks Conference keynote address, Rick answers questions from the audience and leads them through the HE...

Rick Hanson, Ph. D., is a neuropsychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and New York Times best-selling author. He’s been an invited speaker at Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. In this first part of the keynote address Rick presented at the 2013 Buddhist Geeks Conference, he explores the intersection between dharma pra...

Stephen Batchelor is a contemporary Buddhist teacher and writer, best known for his secular or agnostic approach to Buddhism. He considers Buddhism to be a constantly evolving culture of awakening rather than a religious system based on immutable dogmas and beliefs. In this episode taken from the Buddhist Geeks Conference in 2012, Stephen delivers the second part of his keynote address on the impo...

Stephen Batchelor is a contemporary Buddhist teacher and writer, best known for his secular or agnostic approach to Buddhism. He considers Buddhism to be a constantly evolving culture of awakening rather than a religious system based on immutable dogmas and beliefs. In this episode taken from the 2012 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Stephen delivers a keynote address on the importance, with Buddhist pr...

Scott Snibbe is a pioneering digital artist and entrepreneur whose work includes interactive apps, videos, and installations. He practices in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and his art is frequently informed by his spiritual practice. In this episode, Scott joins host Vincent Horn for an intimate conversation about Scott’s art & contemplative practice. As Scott describes his art infused childhood...

Jake Davis is a philosopher and Buddhist practitioner and David Vago is a Contemplative neuroscientist. Together they are at the forefront of the scientific investigation of Enlightenment. In this episode David and Jake conclude a conversation with host Vincent Horn concerning the scientific investigation of states of Enlightenment. They elaborate on the methods and motivations involved when attem...

David Vago is a contemplative neuroscientist and Jake Davis is a philosopher and Buddhist practitioner. Together they have authored an article proposing the question of whether Enlightenment can be traced to specific neural, cognitive, or behavioral correlates–and if so what those might be. In this episode David and Jake join host Vincent Horn to discuss the article titled “Can enlightenment be tr...

Shingon teacher Hokai Sobol and religious studies scholar Dr. Pamela Winfield join host Vincent Horn to continue a conversation that digs deeper into the paradigms of enlightenment presented in Japanese Buddhism. Beginning with an explanation of the two different paradigms for the experience of enlightenment presented in Zen and Mikkyō, the unitive & purgative, Pamela briefly describes the results...

Dr. Pamela Winfield and Shingon teacher Hokai Sobol join host Vincent Horn to discuss the book Icons and Iconoclasm in Japanese Buddhism: Kukai and Dogen on the Art of Enlightenment. By examining two different models of enlightenment–one from the founder of Shingon Buddhism, Kūkai (Kōbō-Daishi), and the other from the pivotal Zen figure, Dōgen Zenji, the group explores the role that art & imagery...

Matt Bieber is an author, political junkie, and practitioner in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. In this episode Matt and host Vincent Horn conclude their conversation exploring the intersection between Buddhist practice and politics. Asking whether our political and economic systems are geared towards idealized humanity or humans as they really are, Matt and Vincent discuss what the political worl...

Matt Bieber is an author, political junkie, and practitioner in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. In this episode Matt joins host Vincent Horn to explore politics through the lens of Buddhism. Matt shares insights gained as a speechwriter for Vice President Biden, how he began to consider the impact Buddhist thought could have on politics, and how Buddhist training helps him see the political world...

Jason Lange is a Los Angeles based writer and director exploring the intersections of filmmaking, technology, and transformation. In this episode Jason joins host Vincent Horn to discuss his recent article “The Coming Age of Technodelics” which explores technologies that may enable some of the same experiences that meditation and psychedelics have traditionally provided. By comparing and contrasti...

Lama Willa Miller, David Loy, and host Vincent Horn conclude a Geeks of the Round Table discussion on the intersection of Buddhism with ecological activism. They explore the idea that the Buddha was a social and political activist, what it means to acknowledge ecology as an ethical issue, and how these larger issues affect the teaching of Buddhism today. This is part two of a two part series. List...

Ann Gleig is an Assistant Professor of Religious and Cultural Studies at the University of Central Florida. She is currently working on projects on the North American revisioning of Asian liberation traditions, and Buddhism in Postmodernity. In this episode taken from the 2013 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Ann presents the findings of her academic article on Buddhist Geeks, which was published in the...

Lama Willa Miller and David Loy join host Vincent Horn for Geeks of the Round Table to discuss how Buddhist concerns intersect with ecological & activist concerns. The trio talk about the upcoming Eco-Dharma Conference, examine some ways Buddhist philosophy can contribute to the global ecology discussion, and then discuss the supposed disparities between Buddhism and ecological activism. This is p...

Martin Aylward is a vipassana teacher and founder of Le Moulin Meditation Centre. He has been leading retreats worldwide, teaching meditation, and supporting groups and individuals since 1999. In this episode taken from the 2013 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Martin speaks on the relationship between the dharma and sex. He examines the general lack of dharma teachings concerning sex, the results of hi...

Erik Braun is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at University of Oklahoma. He is the author of The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw. In this episode, Erik joins host Vincent Horn to discuss his book and the legacy of Burmese monk Ledi Sayadaw. By connecting the dots between changes in Burmese Buddhism with the political disruption caused by...

Erik Braun is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at University of Oklahoma. He is the author of The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw. In this episode Erik and host Vincent Horn continue a discussion on Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw and his role in bringing insight meditation to the world. The conversation digs deeper into the connections between...

Marianne Elliott is an attorney, human rights advocate, and the author of Zen Under Fire, a memoir about her work in Afghanistan. In this episode taken from the 2013 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Marianne shares her belief that mindfulness practice alone isn’t enough to put an end to the suffering of the world. By first unpacking a few areas of social suffering that have deeply touched her, Marianne...

Jerry Colonna was a venture capitalist in New York City and played a prominent part in the early development of Silicon Alley–he is known by some as the “Yoda of Silicon Alley.” He is currently a life and business coach and serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Naropa University. Jerry is an investor and close mentor to the Buddhist Geeks team. In this episode taken from the 2013 Budd...

Alexander Bard is a cyber philosopher and the co-founder of the Syntheist Movement. He is the co-author of The Futurica Trilogy, a series of books concerning Internet philosophy and futurist studies. In this episode, Alexander joins host Vincent Horn to discuss the origins and concepts of the Syntheist Movement and it’s intersection with Buddhist practice & thought. Using the setting of the annual...

David Chapman is a writer, computer scientist, engineer and Buddhist practitioner. He blogs on several sites including Meaningness, Approaching Aro, and Buddhism for Vampires. In this episode, David joins host Vincent Horn for the second part of their discussion on the challenges facing the reinvention of Buddhist Tantra. David first compares “zombie ritual” with “living ritual”, pointing out the...

David Chapman is a writer, computer scientist, engineer and Buddhist practitioner. He blogs on several sites including Meaningness, Approaching Aro, and Buddhism for Vampires. In this episode, David joins host Vincent Horn for a discussion on the topic of Buddhist Tantra. Beginning by stating his interest and intentions with recent writing on Buddhist Tantra, David gives a quick definition of Tant...

Shinzen Young is a Vipassana meditation teacher and was ordained in Japan as a monk in the Shingon tradition. He has studied and practiced extensively in other traditions, including Zen and Lakota Sioux Shamanism. Shinzen leads meditation retreats throughout North America and has helped establish numerous mindfulness centers and programs. He also consults widely on meditation-related research, in...

Kate Johnson is a yogi and meditation teacher in NYC where she teaches yoga and mindfulness meditation to high school students in public schools. A student in the Vipassana meditation tradition, Kate completed the year-long Training Immersion Program at The Interdependence Project, graduated from the Mindfulness Yoga and Meditation teacher training at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and returned fr...