Buddhist Boot Camp Podcast

If we don’t say YES authentically, we say yes resentfully. And whenever we say we "have to" do something, we identify as victims, instead of saying we CHOOSE to or, better yet, we GET to! 

Are we only compassionate to an extent and then turn cold? Do we have a sense of compassion for wounds we can see but not others? Where do we draw the line? Is there a line?  I believe compassion has no contingencies. The invitation is for us to open our hearts to understand why ALL people behave the way they do, and even empathize if they lack certain emotional capacities.

In times of despair, it is important to remember that our current situation is not our final destination. To get through the darkness, I have often had to use the mantra "This is a bruise, not a tattoo." If you find value in these videos, please show your support at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support — Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

What is the meaning of Integrity? How do you define it? And do you have the courage to build your life around your answer?

Once we understand the difference between Judgment and Discernment, we understand the difference between Equity and Equality. Whenever I find myself thinking something is unfair, I urge myself to think again using a wider lens that doesn't place me at the center of universe.

We claim to fully understand what we have only partially experienced, and we dismiss other people's reality as invalid if it contradicts our own. That's our ego playing tricks on us until we argue and fight to prove that we are right by making someone else wrong. Yogananda called it "Feeling tall by cutting of the heads of other men." The entire concept that you are somehow separate from others is an illusion. We are here to snap out of our self-importance.

Understand your feelings and keep track of patterns that influence your emotional responses in life. Over time, you will learn to regulate your feelings in healthier ways, and stop blaming others for your state of mind. 

As long as I think there is a war inside of me, the battle will continue, but struggle is not a requirement. We can call a truce, enter a peace agreement, and stop fighting. If we want inner-peace, we must be peaceful.

What would life look like if we stopped beating ourselves up with guilt and shame, and started loving ourselves unconditionally?

Spiritual practice is not what happens at church or on the meditation cushion (that’s spiritual ritual), Spiritual Practice is how you behave throughout the day. Here’s a 6-minute episode kick-in-the-🍑 :) Enjoy and share with others.

Don't believe everything you think because the mind can play tricks on you. Familiarize yourself with some of the mind's shenanigans, and you'll stop believing everything you think.

When you can't understand why people do what they do (whether it's someone you know or atrocities on the news), try this shift in outlook, and I bet you'll immediately see yourself in everyone else. Don't try to use your logic, use your heart instead!

Your home and your friendships, relationships, or marriage, are to be your safe haven and happy place, not another battle you have to fight. May we all Live In Peace.

My nose was congested when recording this on the first day I finally felt well enough to tape this episode. If you don't make time for your wellness, you will be forced to take time for your illness. Case in point! Life is not a race. People say they want a life of leisure but rarely do anything leisurely... slow down!

Can Buddhists be activists? How? And to what end? 

This is a coping skill when we are overwhelmed by a strong feeling that overshadows everything else. My takeaway: if it's not time to hit the Panic Button, don't hit the Panic Button! :)

We are all wounded in ways we don't always understand or even know about. You sometimes can't even see the wound, but you still experience its symptoms: your reactions, aversions, opinions, preferences, and biases, are often indicators of trauma, so don't ignore, escape, deny, or try to numb the symptoms, pay attention to them; awareness is the first step to healing.

Everything is in a constant state of change, and sometimes it can be very difficult for many of us to keep up. Resistance creates suffering, so acceptance is the only way forward, but some learning curves are steeper than others. Be gentle with yourself and with everyone else. 

Some people will like you, others will hate you, and neither would have anything to do with you. All Buddhist Boot Camp Podcast episodes are available with captions on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4J225QZyF0o

A worry that comes up in your mind is like getting a phone call from an unknown number. When you don't have all the information, you can just hit the red button to make it go away. They will either leave a voicemail and you will deal with it later, or they will hang up. Either way, there is nothing to worry about.