Buddhist Wisdom, Modern Life

Happy Saturday, friends, and keep an eye on your feed this Monday (March 28) for a link to grab my first book, The Buddhist Path to Joy, for free! May you and all beings be well.

Taking refuge is how you become a Buddhist and commit to waking up out of samsara (the endless cycle of deaths and rebirths). You can meditate and get lots of benefit from Buddhist practices without taking refuge, but deciding to walk the dharma path is a significant moment in the spiritual path. If you’ve ever wondered how to become a Buddhist, this episode is for you! My friend and colleague Lop...

What does it mean to take refuge in the three jewels (Buddha, dharma, and sangha), and what’s the benefit of taking refuge? Do you have to be Buddhist to practice meditation?   If you’ve ever wondered how to become a Buddhist, this episode is for you! My friend and colleague Loppon Yudron Wangmo shares her insights on what refuge means – and if you want to take refuge with her, live on Zoom,...

In the third part of my conversation with my dharma friend Loppon Yudron Wangmo, she explains how to request teachings and make a good connection with a spiritual teacher. Did you know that it’s traditional to ask a teacher for instructions on a certain topic? And Loppon-la shares why it’s good not just to learn from famous teachers (like the Dalai Lama, Pema Chodron, and so many others) but also...

In the second part of my conversation with my dharma friend Loppon Yudron Wangmo, she explains the lineage she teaches in, the Dudjom Tersar, and her approach to teaching at Mayum Mountain, her foundation. Plus she shares the benefits of ngondro or the foundational/preliminary practices students of Tibetan Buddhism do before engaging in Vajrayana practices, Dzogchen, or Mahamudra.    I h...

In this meditation, we start with connecting to the earth to cool down excessive fire, then use the breath to fan the embers of deficient fire. Finally, we rest in a warm heart.

Y’all, I’m so pleased to introduce you to a dharma teacher I follow and admire, Loppon Yudron Wangmo. She’s a Western-born teacher who’s now based in California, and in this conversation she shares how she became a Buddhist in the first place, how her practice deepened, what it’s like to do long retreat in the Tibetan tradition, and what it’s been like becoming a teacher (Loppon) in the Nyingma li...

This past Thursday I offered an afternoon meditation for the Mind Body Spirit Institute of the Jung Center Houston. It was all about using earth energy at the end of a workday, and I want to offer it to you now! If you'd like to sign up for the live weekly meditations the MBSI offers, click here: https://bit.ly/3KF1gmK And to register for my free Four Noble Truths course, click here: https://bit.l...

For the next two weeks, it's Losar (Tibetan New Year), a special time to reflect on who we want to "grow up" to be this year. In this quick talk and meditation (starting at 6:08), I'll explain why it's not just spiritual narcissism to aspire to become a fully awakened being. Instead, a vast aspiration like that points us in the direction of our true selves. Then I guide a meditation to lead you th...

Happy Losar (Tibean New Year)! May this new year bring you and yours safety, growth, wisdom, and all auspicious things. ⁠ ⁠ These next two weeks are a perfect time to reconnect with your own sacred energy and cultivate positive qualities as much as possible. If you're making a donation to support Ukraine, take a moment to rejoice in the difference it can make in someone's life. If you're sitting d...

Tomorrow Losar begins, so let's shed some negativities to start the year right!  This guided meditation uses imagery of luminous blessings flowing down through the body, energy system, and mind to cleanse our entire system. It's also an opportunity to open to our deep wisdom. Happy Water Tiger Year! May you be well, safe, and planting the seeds of happiness.

#TibetanNewYear ( #Losar ) is a time for reflection and for setting new intentions. A great way to start the New Year is by purifying any negativities from the old year, and you can do this by writing out all of the negativities from the old year on a piece of paper, then burning the paper in a ritual fire.⁠ ⁠ This ritual can help to clear out any negative energy, and it can also help to set the t...

Probably the question I get asked the most is: “How did you end up Buddhist?” And I get it! Coming from a Christian family in small-town Texas, Tibetan Buddhism isn’t where you might think I’d end up finding my spiritual home. But here we are!    And Kyohei (whose channel is great! link below) grew up Japanese but wasn’t seriously drawn to practice until he was in college, too. We were b...

Washing away the old is a great way to get ready for the Tibetan New Year (Losar). Whether you're purifying yourself spiritually, mentally, or emotionally, water can help you wash away the old and make way for the new. You can take a bath, go for a swim, or even wash your car. Whatever helps you feel refreshed and ready to start anew is the right way for you.⁠ ⁠  Join me for a live Losar medi...

As we approach Losar this year (March 3), there's so much gunk from the old year to clear out! Between political division and now the invasion of Ukraine, the world needs cleansing now more than ever. In this short episode, I talk about the magic of clearing out what's no longer serving us well, then holding space for our innate positive qualities to emerge instead. What do you want to clear from...

Kyohei and I continued our conversation about Buddhism, pop culture, and philosophy. In this episode, he asks me about my earlier video on the 1999 Keanu Reeves film The Matrix, and I get nerdy about Tibetan epistemology (the study of how we know what we know).   Check out Kyohei’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Wagenai5   Start learning about Buddhism with my free mini-course on...

Everyone knows meditation is good for you, but how do you make time to meditate in daily life? In this video, I’ll share how to meditate with the pomodoro timer to get regular 5-minute breaks you can use for meditation, mindful breathing and stretching, prayer, or any other contemplative exercise.   Listen to the full talk on organizing your meditation practice: https://bit.ly/3LH23VL Check o...

Mindfulness, compassion, insight: there are so many kinds of meditation and often it feels like there’s not enough time in our busy lives to fit them all in!    Too often, people feel like they have to meditate for hours every day in order to start reaping the benefits of mindfulness. But that's not the case!    In this video, we explore how to structure your meditation practic...

In Tibetan Buddhism, the space element is understood as emptiness or the nature of mind, and it is this emptiness that allows for everything to manifest in its own unique way. Space is an essential part of our existence, the field in which all things exist. Because space is empty, anything can manifest in it. In meditation, practitioners may focus on the space around them as a way of becoming awar...

Maybe you've heard that Buddhism teaches that attachment is the root of suffering. In that case, how can you love someone or be in a relationship? Don't worry, you can still love the important people in your life, and with this short Buddhist meditation on loving-kindness (metta) you can cultivate true love and caring for yourself and others. Buddhist Practice on Western Ground by Harvey Aronson:...

Intellect, curiosity, change, and transformation: these are all important qualities on the spiritual path, and in Tibetan Buddhism they’re related to the air element. The air element can help us to move with greater flexibility and grace through life, making changes in our lives when we need to and releasing that which is no longer serving us. Too much air energy can lead to constantly swirling th...

My new friend and PhD student in the University of Chicago's Divinity School Kyohei Mikawa explains the ideas of the immanent and transcendent in the philosophy of religion and how they apply to Buddhism. Then we use those terms to talk about our two fields of interest and expertise… and how they relate to The Matrix! Along the way, Kyohei will also explain the Lotus Sutra (which is very famous an...

Tibetan Buddhism describes five elements and their qualities as a way of understanding ourselves and the world around us. Fire drives our creativity and enthusiasm, and when it's balanced we naturally find an energized, blissful joy. We'll talk about cultivating balanced fire in our lives. In meditation, if the fire element is too strong we'll have thoughts and ideas popping up constantly. There a...

We all want to flow more easily through life, with grace and ease. Did you know that flow in Tibetan Buddhism is associated with the water element? In this talk, I'll explain the basic qualities of the water element in Tibetan Buddhism (ease, flow, and emotional connection), what happens when this element is imbalanced, and how we can balance our water in daily life and meditation practice. Just l...

The "heaviest" of the elements, earth symbolizes stability, equanimity, and rootedness. Love and acceptance are fundamental elements of earth energy. By connecting with this energy, you can access a deep sense of stillness and peace. You can connect with the earth element in daily life by immersing yourself in a natural environment, such as a forest, field, desert, or mountain. Try walking barefoo...