Living Clarity

Welcome to Kadampa podcasts, where we explore the art of living a happier and more fulfilling life through the teachings and meditations of Kadampa Buddhism. Buddhism is a philosophy and way of life that has been practiced for centuries, and its principles can be applied to our modern world to help us navigate the challenges of daily life with greater ease and compassion. In these podcasts, we'll delve into the core concepts of Buddhist meditation, such as mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom, and explore how they can be applied to our daily lives to cultivate a greater sense of peace, clarity and happiness. Each episode is an inspiring extract taken from a teaching given by various Kadampa Buddhist meditation teachers worldwide. Whether you're new to Buddhism or have been practicing for years, these podcasts are for anyone looking to live a more peaceful and fulfilling life. So join us on this journey of self-discovery and transformation as we explore the timeless wisdom of Buddhism and its practical applications for modern living.

A simple path to optimism

This podcast discusses the relationship between allowing our minds to become distracted and developing mental disturbances that we recognize as painful. With this understanding, we can appreciate the importance of controlling our distractions. Gen Demo then explains in detail how to practice a simple breathing meditation, highlighting how it can create the space and calm we need to develop a more optimistic outlook on life. This talk is based on the book The New Meditation Handbook by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

11-11
19:37

Practicing beneficial states of mind

Controlling our delusions is of utmost importance for everyone, as no one wants to suffer, and deluded minds are often the source of suffering. Understanding this can inspire us to cultivate the beneficial thoughts that counteract these delusions. In this podcast, Gen-la Dekyong encourages us to develop positive mindsets. She emphasizes that becoming someone who consistently feels positive, happy, and peaceful is achievable for everyone with practice. This talk was given at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre, and is based on on the book How to Transform Your Life by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Available as a free download

10-21
22:09

Our longing for peace actually destroys it!

In today’s fast-paced world, we often find ourselves yearning for peace of mind. However, our attachment to achieving this calm can ironically lead to frustration and unhappiness, encounter obstacles that hinder our pursuit. In this podcast, Gen Tekchen explores how the quest for peace if not guided by wisdom can ultimately create more problems, and shows how the solution is a deep understanding of where peace comes from. Join us as we delve into a deeper understanding of where genuine peace originates and how we can cultivate it in our lives. This talk is based on on the book How to Transform Your Life by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Available as a free download

10-14
19:20

Changing our Relationships

In this discussion, Gen Rabten explores how we can train our minds and, consequently, our experiences, including how we perceive others. He emphasizes the importance of shifting our perspective to maintain a consistently positive view of those around us. Initially, this requires some effort, but with practice, it can become our natural way of seeing others. Developing this ability will empower us to cultivate beneficial relationships in all aspects of our lives. An extract from a teaching given in KMC Australia based on the book How to Solve our Huma Problems by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

10-07
19:20

Why Lasting Happiness is Possible

This simple but inspiring podcast helps us to understand and believe that the source of happiness is always within us. This potential for happiness is vast and will eventually become our natural state of being but we need to believe that finding lasting peace is possible and learn how to access this peace. This talk is from a talk given in KMC New York City by Kadam Morton Clausen and is based on the book How to Transform Your Life by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Available as a free download at howtotyl.com.

09-30
18:09

Preparing your mind for meditation

In this podcast, Gen Demo shares invaluable insights on cultivating realistic expectations and honing effective preparations for meditation. This episode is perfect for beginners just starting their meditation journey, as well as a refreshing reminder for seasoned practitioners. Tune in to discover practical tips that will enhance your meditation and mindfulness. Reference the book Joyful Path of Good Fortune by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

09-23
12:50

Making Wise Choices

In this captivating talk, Gen Zamling invites us to embark on a thought-provoking journey of self-discovery. He challenges us to reflect on the minds we identify with and inspires us to make purposeful and wise choices. By letting go of the self that leads to suffering, we can cultivate a new sense of self rooted in happiness and benefit for ourselves and those around us. This transformative path leads us towards becoming what Buddha referred to as a Bodhisattva—a person dedicated to the welfare of all. The beautiful truth is that each of us possesses the potential to step into this role and make a profound impact in our world. Join us as we explore this empowering journey together! An extract from a teaching given in KMC Chicago based on the book The New Eight Steps to Happiness by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

09-16
18:44

Inner Development

Join Gen-la Dekyong as she invites us to ponder profound questions that shape our lives. What is the true meaning of our existence? What brings us genuine happiness? How can we best serve others? And as we approach the end of our lives, what insights will guide us? Can you find the answers within yourself? Tune in to discover valuable insights and reflections that could transform your perspective. This podcast is based on a talk given by Gen-la Dekyong at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre

09-09
17:16

What is distraction?

Distractions often go unnoticed, yet they pose a significant barrier to our peace of mind, happiness, and spiritual growth. Hence, it is essential for us to learn how to minimize these distractions. In a talk given at the NKT International Summer Festival, Gen-la Jampa discusses the impact of distractions on our lives and offers guidance on cultivating a strong resolve to overcome them. By making this decision we can stop mental clutter, attain a state of inner peace, and advance on our spiritual journey. This explanation was based on the book How to Understand the Mind by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

08-26
10:18

Painful Feelings

Painful feelings are simply some bad weather in the mind. They are impermanent and will pass quickly if we don’t focus on them. In this podcast Gen Zamling shows how to use the analogy of a thunderstorm in the sky having no power to destroy us, to free our mind from painful feelings and be at peace. An extract from a teaching given in KMC Chicago based on the book How to Solve our Human Problems by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

07-08
19:44

Recognising causes of distraction and pain

In this podcast Gen Menla gives some encouragement to train in watching our mind so that we will be able to carry our calm centre with us. He goes on to focus on the delusion of self-cherishing, which constantly disturbs our mind and is the biggest obstacle to our happiness. This is an extract from a teaching given at KMC Texas based on the book The New Eight Steps to Happiness by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

07-02
18:26

I myself must make myself happy

A great introduction to why Buddhists say that happiness depends on the mind. In this podcast Gen Demo explains that we can understand from our own experience that our happiness must depend on our mind. She uses everyday examples that we can easily relate to and so come to our own conclusions on this important topic. This is an extract from a teaching based on the book How to Transform your Life by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

06-24
18:06

Bringing More Joy to Our Life

In this podcast we explore good habits of mind that help us train in being more joyful, more of the time and more reliably. We can train to improve our perception of our own life and those around us by simply giving attention to different aspects of things. This simple technique will uplift our day immediately. This is an extract from a teaching with Gen Lekma at KMC Southampton.

06-17
19:22

Love, Desire and Relationships

In this podcast learn how desirous attachment in our close relationships is almost always confused for love. Even though they have opposite effects, love giving rise to happiness in the relationship, attachment causing problems and unhappiness in the relationship, it is not easy for us to distinguish between them without receiving teachings. This is a very helpful explanation that gives real insight into why we struggle with relationships. The teaching is based on the book The New Eight Steps to Happiness by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

06-10
19:29

What is the purpose of my life?

If we ask what is happiness we find people have many different ideas and it is difficult to say clearly what the experience of happiness really is. Buddha said that our normal experience of happiness is simply a reduction of our previous suffering and that is not good enough. He encouraged us to look further and find the source of genuine happiness in the mind, especially through the mind of love. This teaching is based on the instruction given in the book How to Transform Your Life by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

05-20
17:52

Understanding real happiness?

If we ask what is happiness we find people have many different ideas and it is difficult to say clearly what the experience of happiness really is. Buddha said that our normal experience of happiness is simply a reduction of our previous suffering and that is not good enough. He encouraged us to look further and find the source of genuine happiness in the mind, especially through the mind of love. This teaching is based on the instruction given in the book How to Transform Your Life by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

05-16
18:13

What do we meditate on?

The intention we have in our heart is what we follow, so setting our positive determinations in meditation allows us to keep our mind in a positive state throughout the day. In this podcast Kadam Bridget explains the importance of learning to meditate on a determination and how to train in doing this. More information on how to meditate can be found in The New Meditation Handbook

05-13
13:36

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