Integrating Presence

[Note: Wendy’s audio improves significantly after four minutes] In this forty-third installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash, we continue our inquiry into meditation practice both on and off the cushion this time with the massive topic of non-harm. Our last Q and A on the five ethical training precepts took some interesting Continue reading "Non-harm | “Meditation Q &...

My apologies for the disjointedness while my internet connection kept dropping and dropping during the live recording In this forty-second installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash, we continue our inquiry into meditation practice both on and off the cushion intending to turn attention to our ethical foundation of the five precepts: training Continue reading "Five Ethical Precepts &#1...

In this forty-first installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash, we continue our inquiry into meditation practice both on and off the cushion, turning our attention to the question of peace—especially in a time when conflict is close at hand. Rather than focusing on politics, we explore some of what can be done Continue reading "Practical Ease | “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nas...

Due to the size of this chapter this is part 1 of the eleventh chapter “Happiness” (spanning to the end of subchapter 11.8 “Review of Different Forms of Happiness”) from the book: Buddhadhamma: The Laws Of Nature And Their Benefits To Life by Bhikkhu P. A. Payutto (Somdet Phra Buddhaghosacariya) Published by Buddhadhamma FoundationCopyright © Continue reading "“Happiness” Chapter 11 (Part 1) From...

[Brief notes before the ai assisted summary that Ajahn Dhammasiha requested audio only and requested I kept my camera on so he could see me while we talked and recorded on Dec 1, 2025. I also didn’t edit out anything and there’s lots of my stammering. Apologies if any of this comes off as too Continue reading "Ethics, Joy And Insight For The Buddha’s Favorite Meditation | Ānāpānas...

Things change and I’m due back in Denmark earlier than originally planned. In this fortieth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion we delve into the areas of worship, respect and inspiration. How can some activities like pujas (easily) get attributed to worship when Continue reading "Worship, Respect, Inspiration &#124...

(Ai assist:) Saw Myint (a 52-year-old woman originally from Myanmar, now living in Sydney, Australia) shares her personal journey of healing from childhood trauma and mental health challenges through practical, non-religious insights inspired by Buddhist teachings. Saw Myint is a qualified mortgage broker with a background in accounting who has also ventured into property development. Continue rea...

March 2, 2026 Update: Things have changed and I’ve relinquished my retreat slot to a practitioner eager to return to winter retreat and take my place and am in UK for a short time until returning to Denmark If you only have a chance to listen to this podcast or meditate, please meditate

Asoka and I explore identity, self-exploration, and a 120-day Peace Walk by Buddhist monastics promoting inner peace and compassion. We emphasize themes like non-duality, ethical practice, and the importance of inner peace as a foundation for external harmony, alongside challenges in modern society, including technology and political conflicts.

[Note: There will likely be no Meditation Q and A with Wendy Nash for February 2026. Perhaps consider it a type of delayed winter holiday break] In this thirty-ninth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion we delve into Hiri and Ottappa. Hiri is Continue reading "Hiri and Ottappa | “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash”&...

(Ai assist:) Enter Laura Geller and Willie Kunert—a married couple who met at Oberlin College almost 20 years ago, began meditating together as undergrads, lived in Southeast Asian monasteries, and now combine deep Buddhist practice with psychotherapy. Laura (an assistant teacher under Beth Upton in the Pa-Auk tradition) and Willie (hospice chaplain, grief therapist) share Continue reading "Ānāpān...

This is the tenth chapter “The Buddhist Teachings On Desire” from the book: Buddhadhamma: The Laws Of Nature And Their Benefits To Life by Bhikkhu P. A. Payutto (Somdet Phra Buddhaghosacariya) Published by Buddhadhamma FoundationCopyright © Buddhadhamma Foundation 2021Translated by Robin Philip Moore Editor: Bhikkhu Kovilo, typesetting: Bhikkhu Gambhīro Download this e-book i...

In this thirty-eighth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion we to delve into the influence of language in meditation. Recently a podcast guest mentioned a turning point when a teacher described the breath as: oh so delicate. There’s also an exercise some insight Continue reading "Language | “Meditation Q & A...

[ original unedited version: https://youtu.be/rJlxn1OZkms ] (Ai assisted:) In this fourth episode of the anapanasati series Integrating Presence welcomes meditation teacher Jacques Rutzky for a deep, personal conversation on mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati) and its role in daily life. Jacques shares his 50+ year journey into meditation—starting at age 16 in Detroit, discovering the Pali Cont...

(Ai assist:) A short, unscripted solo reflection on some subtle patterns showing up at the intersection of Western Dhamma practice, language, and politics — especially in the California scene. Topics touched on: No finger-pointing, no conclusions forced — just honest observations offered with metta Ai cleaned transcript with some extra edits by me: I’d been Continue reading "(A)Political Notes Mos...

(Ai assist:) Executive coach and deep Dharma practitioner Brian Newman shares his journey into the Pa-Auk Sayadaw meditation lineage and the transformative power of strong samatha (concentration) practice. Brian explains how the need for unwavering presence in his coaching work led him to meditation, quitting alcohol, and eventually discovering that the ancient maps of the Continue reading "Faith,...

This is the thirty-seventh installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion. I recently witnessed a reoccurrence of various perplexing sentiments from the (USA) West Coast Dharma scene (which even parallel general society). After running this by Wendy she rightly pointed out tinges of self-righteousness Continue reading "(Losing) Bala...

(Ai Assist:) Richard Shankman, author of the seminal book The Experience of Samādhi, gives a deep exploration of mindfulness of breathing (anapana), samadhi, jhana, and the fluid, often misunderstood nature of deep meditative states. Key Themes Discussed: Tone & Takeaway Warm, humble, and boldly honest, Richard dismantles dogmatic barriers while honoring tradition. The conversation is Continue...

In this thirty-sixth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion we delve into trust: its aspects in and outside of formal meditation and how these interrelate and feed into each other as well as the importance of trust for so many things. To name Continue reading "Trust | “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #36"

This is the ninth chapter “The Supernatural and the Divine” from the book: Buddhadhamma: The Laws Of Nature And Their Benefits To Life by Bhikkhu P. A. Payutto (Somdet Phra Buddhaghosacariya) Published by Buddhadhamma FoundationCopyright © Buddhadhamma Foundation 2021Translated by Robin Philip Moore Editor: Bhikkhu Kovilo, typesetting: Bhikkhu Gambhīro Download this e-book in...

Global prayer for peace echoes across Bhutan: Event festivities highlight compassion, harmony, and cultural heritage, writes Jitsiree Thongnoi in Bhutan — https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/3134848/global-prayer-for-peace-echoes-across-bhutan (Ai assist:) In this swapcast episode I speak with Asoka from “Echoes and Story of Dharma” about the inaugural Global Peace Prayer Festival...

In this thirty-fifth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion we delve into this question from user “xXHishamXx” we received at the end of last month’s session: “Is There An Objective Purpose In Life?” including relevance to meditation practice. My short answer is answering Continue reading "Is Th...

This is the eighth chapter “Calm And Insight” from the book: Buddhadhamma: The Laws Of Nature And Their Benefits To Life by Bhikkhu P. A. Payutto (Somdet Phra Buddhaghosacariya) Published by Buddhadhamma FoundationCopyright © Buddhadhamma Foundation 2021Translated by Robin Philip Moore Editor: Bhikkhu Kovilo, typesetting: Bhikkhu Gambhīro Download this e-book in PDF, EPUB and...

(Ai helps sum up nicely thus:) Zen and yoga teacher Frank Jude Boccio and I chat about the intersections of mindfulness, yoga, and Buddhist practice. Frank shares his journey from the punk scene in New York to decades of teaching meditation and yoga, influenced by Thích Nhất Hạnh and Zen traditions. We explore mindfulness of Continue reading "Death, Breath, and Awakening: From Punk To Zen And Mind...

In the 34th live session with Wendy Nash, the discussion revolves around Metta, or Loving-kindness meditation. The session explores its various dimensions, practicality in daily life, and the significance of boundaries in relationships. Observations about community gestures and personal stories enhance understanding. Participants are encouraged to share experiences and strengthen their meditation...