What are the common misconceptions about Buddhism and meditation? How can meditation help you to dive into the complexities of emotion without getting lost in them? Why is vulnerability the secret ingredient to personal transformation? 

In this podcast episode, Joe Sanok discusses mindfulness, unlocking liberation, and the spiritual side of meditation, as well as ending suffering, with Susan Piver.

Podcast Sponsor: Motivo















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Meet Susan Piver







Susan Piver is a New York Times bestselling author, meditation teacher, and founder of the Open Heart Project, an online mindfulness community. Rooted in Tibetan Buddhism, she makes ancient wisdom accessible through her books (The Four Noble Truths of Love, The Buddhist Enneagram) and teachings. Susan leads workshops worldwide and has been featured in Oprah, The New York Times, and CNN.

Visit Susan’s website and connect on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.





















In This Podcast



* Misconceptions about Buddhism 

* Susan’s tips on meditation 

* It will be hard, but that means you’re doing it right!

* How to embrace suffering for change 

* Susan’s advice to private practitioners



Misconceptions about Buddhism



If you were a good Buddhist, you would be good at meditation, or really calm all the time [is a common misconception] … There are a lot of ideas that if you could do it, whatever the “it” is, you would not have an ego or be attached … That’s what most people get wrong. (Susan Piver)



The goal is not to completely shed your ego, be totally calm, and never be attached to anyone or anything. Some people do that in that direction, but it is not a matter of doing it “right”. 

You can practice Buddhism and Buddhist principles while still feeling moments of anger or having an ego reaction – it does not mean your practice is for nothing. 

It’s the opposite: being more aware of the inner depths of yourself, the helpful and the unhelpful, or the socially “pleasant” and “unpleasant” aspects are part of the journey. 

Susan’s tips on meditation



In the classic sense, there is only one answer to the question, “What is successful meditation?” and that answer is, “Liberation from suffering” … That is the aim,