Zen Bones : Ancient Wisdom For Modern Times

Marc sits down with New York Times bestselling author Thomas Moore for an exploration of the practice of emptiness and its impact on well-being and effectiveness. Tune in to discover how spaciousness can help reduce stress and anxiety while supporting your work, ambitions, and aspirations, and receive guidance on embracing emptiness as a tool for achieving daily goals as well as long-term dreams. 

This week's episode begins with a short guided meditation with an emphasis on appreciation followed by a talk about striving less, finding more, and giving thanks. This is the practice and power of more finding and less searching as a way of expressing and living with more gratitude and appreciation. And today's Zen puzzler comes from a classic Zen story or Zen koan called Wash your bowl; a classi...

This enlightening episode delves into the practical applications of self-compassion. Renowned researcher Kristen Neff shares her expertise on the power of "fierce self-compassion" and how it can benefit individuals, leaders, athletes, and healthcare workers alike. Contrary to misconceptions that self-compassion is a sign of weakness, she highlights how it can build inner strength and resilience, l...

In this practice episode, Marc guides us through a series of exercises that encourage us to be more present in the moment. He leads a brief meditation focused on releasing our expectations, then shares some insights on the expression: "If you learn to enjoy waiting, you don't have to wait to enjoy." This lighthearted and practical approach can help us let go of frustrations and anxieties, allowing...

Psychologist and New York Times best-selling author Rick Hanson joins Marc for a thought-provoking conversation about fostering radically healthy relationships as leaders. Whether it's in the workplace or in our personal lives, developing relationships that balance well-being, compassion, and accountability can be a challenge. Marc and Rick share insights on acceptance and discernment, and discuss...

In today's episode Marc leads a short guided meditation with an emphasis on cultivating warmhearted curiosity. He then gives a short talk on shifting your approach from being a victim to being a player, or as Shunryu Suzuki says, being "the boss of everything." This is the practice of taking radical responsibility for your feelings, thoughts, and actions.   Today's Zen puzzler is a simple yet prof...

Jon Kabat-Zinn is the father of modern mindfulness practice. As a professor of medicine, he founded the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts - which both popularized and added an important experiential and scientific element to the practice of mindfulness. In this episode, Jon and Marc explore ways to go beyond our thinking minds and our view of self, so tha...

In this Practice episode, Marc offers a short meditation on finding more spaciousness as a way of being. He also gives a short talk on ways to be less busy, and more open, engaged, and spacious through the practice of setting an intention, engaging in ongoing learning, and intentionally practicing spaciousness and accountability.   Today's Zen puzzler is a story about spaciousness and "finding the...

Elissa and Marc speak about health and well-being, and strategies we can embody to enhance and how we relate to challenges and stress, including embracing uncertainty, noticing what we can and can't control, and finding the positive, and even excitement, in the midst of life's challenges.

In this Practice episode, Marc leads a short guided meditation followed by a talk on Change and the 3 Stages of Transition: 1) Pausing, 2) Letting Go, and 3) Re-emerging. He also shares a poem from Naomi Shihab Nye.   Today's Zen puzzler is from a formal Zen koan: "What is Zen or what does it mean to be human?" The answer involves an exploration of what we can learn about our lives from trees.

Spencer Sherman joins Marc to talk about money, why so many people struggle with it, and why it's often the root of fear and anxiety, and a feeling that there is never enough, regardless of whether we make little or have great abundance. They discuss the power of "beginner's mind" or not knowing, and letting go of our fixed beliefs about money. Spencer leads us in a guided meditation on letting go...

In this Practice episode, Marc begins with a short guided meditation on ways to cultivate a sense of awe, wonder, and warmheartedness as the path of finding your authentic power. He then gives a short talk on power as an expression of the heart, of compassion, and as a way of being clear and effective, while also identifying ways that we give our personal power away.   Today's Zen puzzler comes fr...

Norman and Marc talk about work as a spiritual practice, and as a Zen practice. They discuss how to shift from fear, anxiety, and burnout to approaching work as a means to make an offering, and to help and benefit others.   They address the practice of confidence and humility, and the lack of distinction between benefitting others and our own wellbeing. And they touch on meditation as a way of not...

In this practice episode, Marc begins with a short guided meditation with the theme of impermanence and appreciation, followed by a short talk on the practice of cultivating appreciation. The Zen puzzler is based on a short dialogue from Dogen, the 13th century founder of Zen in Japan, in which Dogen refers to his years of study in China as a lesson in how to appreciate everything life has to offe...

Joan Halifax is known as one of today's most important Zen teachers, especially through her activism or what she refers to as "engaged Buddhism" and from her work in prisons, her programs on grief, death and dying, and much more.   Joan and Marc explore the way of the modern Bodhisattva, someone who maintains presence with compassion in the face of extraordinary challenges. Joan shares how her com...

There is no shortage of frustration in our daily lives. In this episode, we begin with a short meditation, followed by a short talk about effective ways to shift from frustration to acceptance and appreciation. Marc shares one of his favorite poems by Tony Hoagland. Today's Zen puzzler comes from the teachings of Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki. Marc helps the listener unpack various ways to consider a...

Joel Makower is a world leader in the field of sustainable business and its relation to climate change. Marc and Joel share a heartening conversation about how sustainability gives Joel hope, and how to shift from overwhelm and despair to committed and engaged activism. Joel invites young leaders and entrepreneurs to not settle for vague answers and to truly believe and work toward a better future...

This episode begins with a short guided meditation, then Marc gives a short talk based on a famous Zen dialogue in which a student asks, "Why must it be this way?" referring to a crow eating a dead frog. The Zen teacher responds "It's for your benefit. And you caused it." Marc addresses and unpacks this mysterious and practical dialogue that is meant to open our hearts and minds. For this episode'...

Parker J. Palmer is a writer, speaker, and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality, and social change. In this episode of the Zen Bones Podcast, Marc and Parker explore the creative tension between what is and what is possible, the art of perspective taking, and how to find wholeness in a challenging world. Parker shares how his hard experience with depress...

How are you designing, and living your life? In this episode Marc begins with a short guided meditation. Then he unpacks the teachings of Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki who says "The more you practice meditation, the more you will be interested in your everyday life." and "You will discover what is necessary and what is not; what part to correct and what part to emphasize more." Marc reads and comment...

Jane Hirshfield is one of the world's most celebrated poets. The New York Times describes her as "among the modern masters." Jane and Marc have been friends since their days as young Zen students living at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. During this intimate and enlightening conversation, Jane describes what brought her to Zen practice and her life-long ourney to poetry. They discuss and Jane reads...

Working skillfully and effectively with difficulties and challenges. Training ourselves to meet and transform difficulty. Marc begins with a short guided meditation followed by a talk on the topic of meeting challenge. This session's Zen puzzler is "Can you step from the top of a one hundered foot pole?" - a traditional Zen teaching about doing what looks impossible.

Sharon Salzberg has become America's meditation teacher. In this episode Sharon talks about places of resistance as "tight spots" and methods of transforming resistance to more openness and freedom. Marc and Sharon discuss the practice of loving kindness as well as shame, an emotion that has positive and negative qualities. They discuss the power of presence and the role of meditation. Sharon Salz...

We are all ordinary human beings living in an ordinary world. And yet...we are also sacred, extraordinary beings, living in an extraordinary, sacred world. Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki describes that we usually only see one side and ignore what is sacred and mysterious. During this session we have a short guided meditation, follwed by a talk on living in both the ordinary and sacred world. Today's Z...

MaryAnne Howland, storyteller, entrepreneur and social change agent, talks about the game-changing work that she is doing for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. Mary and Marc talk about the power of belonging and mindful listening and about the importance of dreaming. MaryAnne Howland is the founder and CEO of Ibis Communications, a branding marketing solutions firm in Nashville, Tennessee....