Way of Compassion Dharma Center

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives clear and practical guidance on obstacles to our spiritual practice by focusing on the 5 hinderances. He then approaches a variety of antidotes and mind states that will help us overcome these stumbling blocks on the journey to Enlightenment. This episode was recorded on June 17th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Lo...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna speaks about the importance of ethical conduct when engaging in a spiritual path. He shows the inter-relationship between ethics and cultivating concentration illustrating how what we do off the cushion impacts our time on the cushion. This episode was recorded on June 10th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carb...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues to focus on the deep roots of wisdom within the Buddha’s teachings. He guides us to more clearly see our experiences through the lens of dependent origination, thus clearing away the obscuring ignorance that veils our mind’s potential. This episode was recorded on June 3rd, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Locate...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna discusses the Mind’s potential and a variety of obstructions in our minds that prevent us from experiencing our Buddha nature.  He also gives helpful and practical advice on how we can cultivate our minds to more and more reveal the deepest potential of our Buddha nature. This episode was recorded on May 27th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dh...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna begins his commentary on the text “Following in the Buddha’s Footsteps,” written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chödron. John covers a section in the text that is focused on taking refuge and gives clarifying guidance on this aspect of the path to Enlightenment. This episode was recorded on May 20th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of C...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives his last dharma talk from the text, “How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path”. In this final session he continues to offer commentary on the wisdom aspect of Buddhism that aims to eliminate the roots of suffering. This episode was recorded on May 13th, 2026.  Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colora...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna guides us deeper into Buddhist wisdom. He helps us deepen our understanding and practices for cultivating the deeper states of wisdom that alleviate suffering in our lives. This episode was recorded on May 6th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colorado, the Way of Compassion Dharma center's prim...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers guidance regarding the wisdom aspect of Buddhism. He describes how the sense of self that we have is a dependently originated phenomenon that is actually empty of any inherent existence. Importantly, John helps us understand how we need to engage in cultivating a healthy sense of self first before we can be successful in realizing these deeper...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna hosts a discussion and offers commentary about how we can engage with the perfection of wisdom in our daily lives. He encourages us to explore how dependent origination and emptiness impact our experience and then gives guidance on ultimate and conventional reality which are known as the two truths. This episode was recorded on April 22nd, 2026. Welco...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna dives deeper into the perfection of wisdom within the Mahayana path of Tibetan Buddhism. He skillfully presents how our misperception of reality is the root of our suffering and then offers a variety of practices as methods for slowly clarifying our view of reality and thus relieving suffering from our experience. This episode was recorded on April 15...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues last week’s discussion on the Perfection of Wisdom in the text “How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path”. He introduces and gives guidance on three different types of wisdom that are presented in the text, while also more broadly discussing various wisdoms that we will encounter on the Path to Awakening. This episode was recorded on April...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna begins his commentary on the topic of the perfection of wisdom. He gives us some practical steps to take that can help us to experience the positive shifts that wisdom can have in our lives while keeping in touch with the depth of wisdom that will eventually free us from all suffering. This episode was recorded on April 1st, 2026. Welcome to the Way o...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers a clarifying talk about the practice of shamatha meditation, also known as calm abiding. He gives useful guidance on how to encourage this meditation practice in our lives, describes its many benefits, and uncovers some obstacles we will face when seeking to cultivate shamatha. This episode was recorded on March 25th, 2026. Welcome to the Way o...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna focuses on the topic of training the mind in attention by giving clear guidance on the practice of shamatha and its benefits. He also describes how concentration and the other 5 perfections weave together and support one another on the path to enlightenment. This episode was recorded on March 18th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna discusses one of the main obstacles to our Dharma Practice called the Laziness of Busyness. He gives us many examples of how this obstacle shows up in our lives and encourages a shift in our motivation which can transform the busyness of daily life into a path to awakening. This episode was recorded on March 11th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassio...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers a commentary on The Perfection of Joyous Effort. He speaks about the benefits of this practice and some obstacles that prevent us from engaging in meaningful dharma practice. This episode was recorded on March 4th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colorado, the Way of Compassion Dharma center&...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers an overview of the path through a brief description of the Noble Eightfold Path. He then specifically focuses on the importance of ethics by expanding on the truth that all happiness comes from virtue. This episode was recorded on February 25th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colorado, the W...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna teaches on Losar, welcoming in the year of the Fire Horse with a teaching about the 3 higher trainings of ethics, wisdom, and concentration. He follows these foundational and transformative teachings with a Chenrezig purification practice focused on the 4 opponent powers. This episode was recorded on February 18th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassi...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna offers a talk on patience and renunciation. He offers a modern interpretation of these two important aspects of living a meaningful life based in wisdom which will lead us to an experience of genuine happiness. This episode was recorded on February 11th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colorado, the...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna teaches on the perfection of generosity within the context of the 6 perfections of Tibetan Buddhism. He describes how generosity counteracts our attachment and self-centeredness, which are the roots of our suffering, and offers practical guidance on how to engage in generosity in our daily lives. This episode was recorded on February 4th, 2026. Welcom...

In this session, spiritual director John Bruna clarifies the powerfully transformative practice of tonglen. He speaks about this practice of giving and taking as an antidote to the root of our suffering, self-centeredness, and also guides us in a tonglen meditation practice. This episode was recorded on January 28th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbonda...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna continues his commentary on “How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path”. This week he gives practical guidance on how we can engage with practices to slowly transform cherishing ourselves to cherishing others, while still maintaining a healthy sense of self-worth. This episode was recorded on January 21st, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives in-depth commentary and guidance on the benefits of cherishing others. He speaks about how we can engage with cherishing others in wise and compassionate ways that encourage a recognition of the reality of interdependence while maintaining healthy self-care that will keep us fueled up for the journey to Enlightenment. This episode was recorded o...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives commentary and guidance on how self-centeredness is at the core of our suffering. He offers advice on how we can balance our need for self-care while slowly eliminating self-centeredness from our actions. This episode was recorded on January 7th, 2026. Welcome to the Way of Compassion Dharma Center Podcast. Located in Carbondale, Colorado, the W...

In this episode, spiritual director John Bruna gives his commentary on the disadvantages of self-centeredness. He gives a variety of practical techniques to slowly overcome this habitual pattern through recognizing more accurately how we exist in the world. John also mentions that the more we can come to know our Buddha Nature and be guided by our primordial wisdom, the less we will suffer. This e...