Down with the Dharma

John talks about the teachings from the Buddha and Sariputta about not identifying with the five aggregates of form, sensation, perception, mental formation, and the six consciousnesses. SN 22:1 Nakulapitusutta (Nakula's Father Discourse) https://suttacentral.net/sn22.1/en/sujato?layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin SN 22:2 Devadahasutta (At Devad...

Rev Dhammabodhi (John Freese) provides a brief introduction to the Samyutta Nikaya (Connected Discourses) from the Pali Canon. Topics include how early Buddhism arose in Greater Magadha in northeast India separate from the Vedic culture or northwest India, how the Samyutta Nikaya may be the oldest collection of teachings in the Pali Canon, and how those teachings are an interconnected system of te...

John and Dat interview Jem (Chan Pháp Hô) about his experience becoming a monk with Thich Nhat Hanh, training as a novice in Plum Village, and training as a Bhikkshu in Deear Park Monastery where he also served as acting abbot. Jem was a monk for 18 years. He is now a lay Dharma teacher living in Sweden with his wife Emma Dinmali Holmund. Jem's website Hjärtats Glädje for his teachings in Sweden&n...

John and Dat share stories about being mentored by Thay Doji and Thay Giac Than when they were monks in Thich Nhat Hanh's Sangha.

John interviews Daoist teacher and coach Spring Cheng MS, PhD, LAc. Spring is cofounder with Joe Shirley of the Resonance Path Institute based in Bellingham Washington. Spring’s work focuses on restoring ancient Daoist teachings by rebalancing the masculine and feminine energies in Daoist theory and practice. Spring shares about integrating feeling/emotion perception into the teachings on life ess...

John and Dat tell stories about their experiences as monks being with Thich Nhat Hanh and Thay Giac Thanh.

John and Dat talk about how early Buddhist teachings on mindfulness of breathing and Goenka Vipassana teachings are very similar to Somatic Experiencing (SE), the somatic trauma therapy developed by Peter Levine. They argue that Buddhism already has theory and practice that can be used by Buddhist ministers within the context of Buddhist counseling to recognize and respond to trauma. Topics includ...

John and Dat discuss the origins of the Yogacara teachings in India, present an overview of the eight consciousnesses, and how those teachings are being applied to recognize and respond to small, medium, big, and deep T trauma by members (including Dat) of Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing. 

John and Dat talk about the interest in Integral Theory by the late Buddhist socialist Michael Brooks, Ken Wilber's Integral theory itself, secular mindfulness, and traditional Buddhism. Dat presents his own integral framework to Buddhist practice called the Path of the Indestructible Heart. John presents his integral framework of the Four Modes of Knowledge Production.  Topics include Thien...

John and Dat discuss the literature review of John's dissertation on Buddhism and trauma therapy. Topics include how trauma therapy has integrated Western Vipassana Movement (WVM) theory and practice, how the WVM has integrated somatic trauma therapy theory and practice, how the dialogue between Buddhism and trauma therapy has left out the early Buddhist yogic theory and practice of Goenka Vipassa...

Lopon Dorje Khandro moderates a panel on end of life ministry with longtime nurse and hospice worker Debra Rodgers, prison chaplain Abhaya (Kyira Korrigan), end of life veterinarian Ken Gorczyca, and death doula Taylor Bell.

John and fellow former monk from the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition Dat Phan discuss the first chapter of John's dissertation in practical theology on Buddhist meditation and trauma therapy. Dat is a cofounder of the Les Cedres Bleus (The Blue Cedars) mindfulness community in the mountains near Haute Loire outside of Lyon France.   https://maisonauxcedresbleus.com/

Lopon Dorje Khandro (Lourdes Arguelles) moderates a panel on anti-war activism, non-violence, and pacifism. Panelists include Yurii Sheliazhenko from World Beyond War, Phill Gittins from World Beyond War, Jon Geller from Street Dog Coalition, Paul R.Fleischman from the Goenka Vipassana tradition, and Zen peace activist Hozan Alan Senauke

Rev Bodhipala (Chris Johnson) moderates a panel on prison ministry with formerly incarcerated Buddhist practitioner Anthony Coleman and Canadian prison chaplain Rev Abhaya (Kyira Korrigan)

Lopon Dorje Khandro (Lourdes Arguelles) moderates a panel on non-human ministry. Panelists include Ella Bittel from Spirits in Transition,  Paul Moss from the Plant Initiative, and Bob Isaacson from Dharma Voices for Animals. YouTube Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFle0ZSb5m8&list=PLPpXKWCVpo9yP-NNyFF3KucOJiam6RrJF&index=7&ab_channel=DhammaSilaParisa

Rev Corey Swartsel moderates a panel on Buddhist recovery. Panelists include Gary Sanders, Jessica Lipman, Tom Moritz, Joseph Rogers, and John Freese.

Embryologist Dr Stephanie Mines leads a somatic exercise and then gives a presentation on regenerative health and climate justice followed by discussion with the audience.

Rev Dhammabodhi presents his prototype model of Buddhist spiritual care and counseling that combines early Buddhist yogic and later Yogacara teachings correlated with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Panelists include Order of Interbeing member Renee Burgard, Vajrayana practitioner Richard Owings, Vajrayana practitioner Elaine Dove, and Vajrayana practitioner David Lewis. Lecture Slides

Rev Dhammabodhi (John Freese) gives the opening talk for the Association of Buddhist Care and Counseling Conference.

John interviews embryologist Dr Stephanie Mines, developer of Jin Shin TARA and founder of Climate Change and Consciousness, about her collective grassroots model of regenerative health in response to the climate crisis. Topics include how we have been bamboozled by the medical industrial complex from knowing how to create collective health and the key roles that food and awareness of body sensati...

Chris and John interview longtime lay Vajrayana practitioner David Lewis about Vajrayana Buddhism. Topics include an historical overview of how Vajrayana Buddhism spread to Tibet, the main traditions that developed there, the spread of Vajrayana Buddhism outside of the Tibetan cultural sphere since the Chinese communist invasion of Tibet, and the clash in worldviews between traditional Vajray...

Chris and John present a history of the self-styled "Western Vipassana Movement." They discuss its origins in Burmese, Thai, and Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhism; its transmission to Western monastic and lay practitioners in Asia; its establishment in the U.S. via IMS, Spirit Rock, and its secular spinoffs such as MBSR; and its codependent origination with the field of interpersonal neurobiology in t...

Chris and John discuss the final eight of the sixteen exercises of mindfulness of breathing.

Chris and John talk about how the links of dependent origination describe the sixteen exercises of mindfulness of breathing via the four jhanas and mindfulness of impermanence. 

Chris and John discuss Bezos shooting himself up into space while the planet burns.