Buddhist Geeks

In 2007 Dr. Wallace will be leading a joint scientific project named The Shamatha Project. A battery of studies will be conducted in two 3-month meditation retreats (one retreat is a control group), and the results will be submitted to the most prestigious academic journals. In our final podcast with Alan Wallace he discusses this project, both in terms of its structure and his hypotheses.This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1, Alan Wallace on Achieving Shamatha and Part 2, Get a PhD in Contemplative Science.Episode Links:The Attention Revolution ( http://bit.ly/HIW1o )Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies ( http://www.sbinstitute.com )The Shamatha Project ( http://www.sbinstitute.com/research_Shamatha.html )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In our first interview featuring scholar-practitioner B. Alan Wallace, we asked Dr. Wallace to give us the low-down on his spiritual journey, as well as describe the stages of deepening relaxation and vividness of attention leading to the culmination of an attainment he calls shamatha. This is Part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 2, Get a PhD in Contemplative Science and Part 3, The Shamatha Project. Episode Links: The Attention Revolution ( http://bit.ly/HIW1o ) Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Consciousness Studies ( http://www.sbinstitute.com ) The Shamatha Project ( http://www.sbinstitute.com/research_Shamatha.html )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Vimalakīrti Sūtra is a Mahayana Buddhist text from the 2nd century CE that explores the nature of enlightenment and the teachings of the Buddha. In this contemporary commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, Pragmatic Dharma teacher Kenneth Folk shares his personal understanding of what he refers to as “a magical spell.”Episode Links:Watch the Video Version of this Talk on YoutubeKenneth Folk DharmaThe Vimalakīrti Sūtra, translated by Burton WatsonPragmatic Dharma TrainingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this dharma talk–taken from a Pragmatic Dharma Retreat–Kenneth Folk speaks about Bahiya, the best student in the history of the world, and about the worst student in the history of the world, none other than the Buddha himself. At the end, Kenneth leads this 4-part practice:1) Inventory - Ask yourself: is there any unpleasant tension in the body? "Yes, there's tension in my neck, forehead, arm pits, mid-back, right hip, etc."2) Release tension consciously3) Surrender fully to the experience4) Releasing & surrendering are last ditch efforts to control. Things are as they are, "in the sensed is only the sensed."Episode Links:Kenneth FolkBahiya SuttaMemorable Quotes:"Mara doesn't get to have an opinion about that." – Kenneth FolkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this dharma teaching / guided meditation–given during a Pragmatic Dharma Retreat in 2018–Kenneth Folk re-enacts the Anupada Sutta, an early Buddhist text in which the Buddha recounts a tale of Sāriputta moving through each of the 8 jhanas (meditative absorptions), completing the series with the attainment of nibanna. May you awaken while contemplating these instructions!Episode Links:👤 Kenneth Folk📜 The Anupada SuttaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this pragmatic dharma retreat talk Vince Fakhoury Horn explores Meditation Track A–the gradual track–and Meditation Track B–the sudden track. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this talk, recorded during a Pragmatic Dharma Retreat, Kenneth Folk lays out a meta-system for understanding the different understandings of deep Jhana or meditative absorption and their relationship to the Theravada Buddhist system, the progress of insight knowledges (aka Ñanas).memorable links:💬 "So we could call this olympic level, nut job jhana." – Kenneth Folk💬 "The insight knowledges are jhanic states." – Kenneth Folkepisode links:🔗 Kenneth Folk Dharma🎙 Meditating in the Goldilocks Zone, with Vince F. Horn📄 The Progress of Insight by The Venerable Mahasi SayadawSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special guided meditation, recorded during a Pragmatic Dharma Retreat, Kenneth Folk does a masterful job of pointing out the four progressive stages of meditative absorption, colloquially known as jhana. For best results, we suggest finding a place to listen to this episode, where you can remain undistracted.episode links:Kenneth FolkMindfulness Retreats Onlinememorable quotes:"Like a skilled wine taster, one day you will learn to recognize these flavors." – Kenneth FolkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this dharma talk, Vince Fakhoury Horn talks about the Goldilocks Principle as it's applied to meditation. He illustrates this Goldilocks Zone–just the right amount–by talking about a spectrum between Concentration and Investigation. How do find the middle way, i.e. the Goldilocks Zone, in our own practice?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vince Fakhoury Horn is joined again by dharma teacher Trudy Goodman, founder of InsightLA, to share reflections on her beloved teacher, Kōbun Chino Otogawa. Kobun (February 1, 1938 – July 26, 2002), also known as Chino Otogawa Roshi, was a Japanese Zen priest who brought his unique and deeply compassionate teachings to America. Renowned for his unconventional approach, he emphasized practicing dharma within daily life, often blending traditional Zen wisdom with a quiet, everyday presence that resonated with many students. In this conversation, Trudy shares stories of Kobun’s compassionate presence, his devotion to helping those suffering, and his profound yet playful approach to teaching.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this Our Beloved Teachers episode Emily Horn speaks with Spring Washam about her relationship with Harriet Tubman, and the teachings she has received from her. Spring speaks about the importance of faith and courage in navigating challenging times and the connection to the unseen world, while emphasizing that Harriet Tubman is not just an ancestor for African Americans, but for everyone. She encourages people to tap into the strength and resilience that Harriet represents to better support each other in these transformative times.Episode Links:📖 The Spirit of Harriet Tubman: Awakening from the Underground by Spring Washam🎙️ Our Beloved TeachersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vince Fakhoury Horn is joined by long-time teacher, Kenneth Folk, to share about his beloved teacher, Bill Hamilton, who American dharma teacher Shinzen Young referred to as "an unsung hero of Western Mindfulness." Bill was an enigmatic dharma teacher who practiced in the Insight-Theravada tradition. He was the founder of the Dharma Seed library, did more than 7 years of silent retreat practice, and wrote an excellent contemporary dharma book called "Saints & Psychopaths."Episode Links:👤 Kenneth Folk👤 Vince Fakhoury Horn📖 Saints & Psychopaths by Bill Hamilton🔗 Dharma Seed📺 Remembering Bill Hamilton with Shinzen Young📺 Remembering Bill Hamilton Featuring Daniel IngramMemorable Quotes:📺 "Enlightenment. Highly recommended, can't tell you why." – Bill Hamilton📺 "Suffering less, noticing it more." – Bill Hamilton📺 "You don't have to go looking for suffering." – Bill Hamilton📺 "You could get enlightened rubbing that tape box." – Bill Hamilton📺 "They're doing psychology." – Bill Hamilton📺 "There's more than one objection of mindfulness." – Bill Hamilton📺 "This is the ultimate self-improvement project, even beyond one's self." – Kenneth FolkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vince Fakhoury Horn is joined by dharma teacher Trudy Goodman, founder of InsightLA, to share reflections on her beloved teacher, Seungsahn. Seungsahn Haengwon (Sungsan Haeng'weon Daeseonsa, August 1, 1927 – November 30, 2004), born Duk-In Lee, was a Korean Seon master of the Jogye Order and founder of the international Kwan Um School of Zen.Episode Links:👤 Trudy Goodman👤 Seungsahn📺 Bob Newhart Therapy: Stop It!👤 Maha Ghosananda🎧 Zen Predator📖 Sex in the Forbidden Zone by Peter RutterMemorable Quotes:"What am I?" – Seungsahn"Your Body already a corpse." – Seungsahn"That is Great Faith." – Seungsahn"This is how it happens." – Trudy GoodmanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, hosted by Vince Fakhoury Horn, we kick off a new series called Our Beloved Teachers. In this episode Vince explains how this a new kind of community podcast series, aimed at exploring the true nature of the teacher-student relationship, while preserving the oral history of BuddhaDharma, in the digital era. We call it a "community podcast series" because anyone can submit a recording to the series–all you need are the production skills to pull off the recording, and the connections to find a suitable guest. Episode Links:🔗 Our Beloved Teachers👤 Vince Fakhoury Horn🔗 Open Source Dharma📄 Creative Commons: Understanding Free Cultural Works🔗 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 International👤 Silvia BastosSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this conversation, Vince Fakhoury Horn is joined by Buddhist meditation teacher Kate Johnson, author of Radical Friendship, a newly released book which found its roots in a talk that Kate gave in 2013 at an in-person Buddhist Geeks Conference, entitled Waking Up to Power & Privilege in Our Communities. Vince & Kate speak about a variety of topics related to practicing dharma and living together in an unjust world.Episode Links:👤 Kate Johnson📖 Radical Friendship: Seven Ways to Love Yourself and Find Your People in an Unjust World by Kate Johnson🎙The Dharma of Difference, with Kate Johnson📺 Waking Up to Power & Privilege in Our Communities, with Kate JohnsonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.