Buddhist Geeks

Latest Episodes:

The Practice of Contemplative Photography Jul 25, 2015

Show notes

“Photography and Buddhism share essential interests: both are concerned with clear seeing.” – Andy Karr & Michael Wood
We’re joined this week by Buddhist teacher and photography Andy Karr. We explore some of the principles and practices behind the practice of contemplative photography, a unique method developed by Michael Wood. We also look into the overlaps between Buddhism and photography, with a special emphasis on the distinction of perception vs. conception.
Finally we discuss the broader topic of art and creativity, exploring some of the ways that Chogyam Trunpa taught on this subject, the differences between Western and Eastern art, and the way that “basic nature” serves as the very source of creativity.
Episode Links:
The Practice of Contemplative Photography: Seeing the World with Fresh Eyes ( http://amzn.to/fPJWQc )
Contemplating Reality for the 21st Century ( http://contemplatingreality.blogspot.com )
The Miksang Institute for Contemplative Photography ( http://www.miksang.com )
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

Resolving the Questions that Drive Us Jul 24, 2015

Show notes

We finish up our discussion with meditation teacher Ken McLeod, touching on a number of fascinating and challenging topics. Ken speaks about the distinction between answering the questions that drive us, as opposed to simply understanding “what the Buddha taught.” He gets into where he thinks these questions originate from, and also what meaning evolution might have on our personal stories.
Ken also explores the dichotomy of lay vs. monastic practice, and uses several analogies to illustrate the differences, including from both music and sports. Vincent and Ken get into a spirited and philosophical discussion as to how far one can take these analogies and how accurate they might be when applied to Buddhist theory and practice.
This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Pragmatic Buddhism.
Episode Links:
Unfettered Mind ( http://www.unfetteredmind.org )
Buddhism Without Beliefs ( http://amzn.to/ednqVh )
Malcolm Gladwell ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Gladwell )
Khyungpo Naljor ( http://www.tibetanlineages.org/biographies/view/151/6285 )
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

Pragmatic Buddhism Jul 24, 2015

Show notes

We’re joined this week by Buddhist teacher, Ken McLeod, to explore an approach he has coined “Pragmatic Buddhism.” We explore his early Buddhist training, which included 2 back-to-back 3-year retreats, completed under the guidance of Ven. Kalu Rinpoche. He describes this period as part boarding school, prison, and seminary. He shares why it was such a huge culture shock coming out of that traditional training, and ties that in with the way Buddhism has evolved in various cultures up to this point. Ken goes on to share 4 ways that he has adapted his own teaching style to reflect our culture, touching on issues of translation, power, questioning, and the meaning of practice itself.
This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Resolving the Questions that Drive Us.
Episode Links:
Unfettered Mind ( http://www.unfetteredmind.org )
Dr. James Carse ( http://www.jamescarse.com )
Kumbh Mela ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbh_Mela )
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

Emerging Trends in Western Buddhist Communities Jul 22, 2015

Show notes

We’re joined this week by Ph.D Candidate and Buddhist blogger Brooke Schedneck, to explore her research into several emerging patterns in Western Buddhist communities. We begin with how, as a training academic, she got into Buddhism and how she ended up combining both 1st and 3rd person observation into her research. We also explore her current research at International meditation centers in Thailand, and how this research highlights larger trends in how Buddhism is interacting with modernity.
She goes into several broad trends that she is tracking including 1) The ongoing relationship between lay and monastic forms 2) the pragmatic dharma movement 3) practitioners having a strong interest in the future of Western Buddhism & 4) an overall sense of a movement toward greater balance in Buddhist communities.
Episode Links:
Wandering Dhamma ( http://wanderingdhamma.wordpress.com/ )
Cambridge Insight Meditation Center ( http://www.cimc.info/ )
The Hardcore Dharma Movement ( http://wanderingdhamma.wordpress.com/2010/07/16/the-hardcore-dharma-movement/ )
The Blogisattva Awards ( http://www.blogisattva.org )
Turning the Wheel of Truth: Commentary on the Buddha’s First Teaching ( http://amzn.to/hk7G65 )
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

The Timeless Tradition of Spiritual Apprenticeship Jul 22, 2015

Show notes

In the last part of our discussion with Buddhist teacher and scholar Hokai Sobol, we wrap up our exploration on some of the important influences and forces that shape Western Buddhism. As part of that we discuss the fluid nature of his consumer-client-colleague model. We also talk about the deep problems that have arisen from adopting traditional models, instead of current ones, and how this has generated a multitude of scandals—including scandals of power, sex, and also of the generational problem of their being so few young practitioners today. Finally, we talk about how to reinvigorate “the timeless tradition of spiritual apprenticeship.” Hokai speaks about what he calls “essential apprenticeship,” and also brings up a couple of questions related to the way that spiritual apprenticeship relates to current cultural forms.

This is part 4 of a multi-part series.

Episode Links:

Hokai Sobol ( www.hokai.info )

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

Exchanging Dharma: Client and Colleague Mindsets Jul 22, 2015

Show notes

We’re joined by Buddhist teacher and scholar Hokai Sobol, as we continue exploring the different mindsets that we often take, while exchanging Dharma here in the West. In the last episode he described the Consumer mindset, and in this one goes on to speak about the Client and Colleague mindsets. He explores the healthy and unhealthy versions of each, as well as how each of the three mindsets differ from one another.
This is part 3 of a multi-part series. Listen to part 1, The Invisible Forces that Shape Western Buddhism and part 2, Exchanging Dharma:The Consumer Mindset.
Episode Links:
Hokai Sobol ( www.hokai.info )
Herbert V. Günther ( http://bit.ly/1CQHrVP )
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

Exchanging Dharma: The Consumer Mindset Jul 22, 2015

Show notes

We’re joined again this week by Buddhist teacher and scholar Hokai Sobol, to continue our exploration of the hidden mindsets and cultural forces that shape Western Buddhism. In this episode Hokai explores a tradition of exchanging knowledge, which is at least 1,000 years old in Europe, that of the “master & apprentice.” Hokai describes the process by which Europeans used to, and in some cases still do, learn a particular trade, by first becoming a novice apprentice, eventually striking out on one’s own as a journeyman, and then finally coming back to become part of the local guild, as a full master of one’s craft. This model, he explains, has striking similarities to the traditional model found in the Asian countries where Buddhism thrived.
He then presents a new model for how we might look at exchanging Dharma. This model includes three mindsets, or roles that we take on as Dharma practitioners and teachers, with the first one being the “consumer mindset.” We look at both the immature and mature versions of this consumer mindset, and how as a consumer we tend to approach the exchange of Dharma. In the next episode Hokai completes his contemporary model by describing the client mindset and colleague mindset.
This is part 2 of a multi-part series. Listen to part 1, The Invisible Forces that Shape Western Buddhism.
Episode Links:
Hokai Sobol ( www.hokai.info )
Internet access is ‘a fundamental right’ ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8548190.stm )
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

The Invisible Forces that Shape Western Buddhism Jul 22, 2015

Show notes

In the first part of a multi-part discussion with Buddhist teacher and scholar Hokai Sobol, we explore the invisible, and rarely discussed, forces that shape Western Buddhism. In particular what we call “culture” shapes our institutions and communities in ways that we rarely see with clarity.
Hokai spends a good bit of this initial discussion exploring the traditional story that has been handed down to us. This story includes the various cultural assumptions surrounding the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhist traditions, in the different countries and time periods in which they existed. These norms include the what it means to have a “healthy attitude” (or “right attitude” as it’s often formulated), what the proper teacher-student relationship is, and what hierarchy looks like in these cultures.
This is part 1 of a multi-part series. Listen to part 2, Exchanging Dharma – The Consumer Mindset.
Episode Links:
Hokai Sobol ( www.hokai.info )
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

An Evidence-Based Spirituality for the 21st Century Jul 22, 2015

Show notes

We’re joined by Charles Tart, one of the founders of the branch of psychology known as transpersonal psychology. Dr. Tart’s life work has to do with putting forward an “evidence-based spirituality for the 21st century.” In this conversation we explore the evidence that he explored for phenomena like reincarnation, as well as the “big five” of telepathy, clairvoyance, pre-cognition, psychokinesis, and psychic healing. With all of these phenomena Charles warns about adopting a “scientistic”—as opposed to scientific—view of reality, which says that none of those things can be real, simply because they don’t fit into the mainstream view of materialism. Instead, he suggests, we should be looking at the evidence and letting it shape our understanding of reality.
Episode Links:
Charles T. Tart’s Official Website ( http://www.paradigm-sys.com )
The End of Materialism: How Evidence of the Paranormal Is Bringing Science and Spirit Together ( http://amzn.to/9VA93n )
Ian Stevenson ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Stevenson )
The Division of Perceptual Studies at The University of Virginia Medical School ( http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/psychiatry/sections/cspp/dops )
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

The Core of Wisdom Jul 22, 2015

Show notes

We’re joined again this week by professor and meditation teacher Roger Walsh. This week we dive into his study of the common practices seen in all of the world’s wisdom traditions. He shares each of these practices, and then also explores with us the ancient tradition of Shamanism, which is estimated to be tens of thousands of years old. We explore how ancient Shamanism relates to the neo-shamanism and core shamanism practices being taught in the West today, how Shamanism might have been repressed during recent times, and also the difference between meditation, mental disorders, and shamanistic states.
Roger wraps up the conversation by expressing how he sees Buddhism having a unique role in helping us face the unique challenges and opportunities of our day. In this stirring topic he emphasizes the need to harness relevant technological mediums, to understand the difference between Buddhism crossing cultures and crossing eras, and the crucial link between the extraordinary challenges in the world today and the states of mind that Buddhism helps to cultivate.
This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, A Technology of Transcendence.
Episode Links:
Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind ( http://amzn.to/dt8mGz )
The World of Shamanism: New Views of an Ancient Tradition ( http://amzn.to/buqPaU )
The Foundation for Shamnic Studies ( http://www.shamanism.org )
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected