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Barry Magid: Psychologically Minded Zen Jul 05, 2019

Show notes

For this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken speaks with Dr. Barry Magid, psychoanalyst, meditation teacher, and author of Nothing Is Hidden: The Psychology of Zen Koans. Since the 1970s, Barry has dedicated his life’s work to the integration of Western psychoanalytic psychology and Zen Buddhism.

In this fascinating conversation, Barry describes his initial encounters with Buddhist ideas and how he came to agree with some while pushing back on others. He explains how his psychoanalytic practice has allowed him to articulate his take on the project of Buddhism by making the case for “wholeness,” or acceptance of a person’s mental states as they are in any given moment, rather than “wholesomeness,” or an attempt to dispel negative emotions and “purify” the mind. Building on this distinction, Barry explains the framework of what he calls “top down” versus “bottom up” approaches to practice, and the difference between searching for singular peak experiences in meditation versus engaging in moment-to-moment vulnerability with oneself at all times, both on and off the mat.

Barry offers illuminating insights on the pitfalls of viewing zazen as a “technique” versus zazen as a religious practice, or in other words, meditation beyond the framework of means-to-end thinking. As Buddhism becomes further enmeshed within Western culture, he advocates for zazen to remain a “useless” practice to counter recent emphasis on the goal-oriented techniques of mindfulness. Furthermore, Barry points out that our worst experiences in meditation can actually become the most beneficial and that it is possible to discover the absolute in the most mundane aspects of ordinary life.

For more thoughts from Dr. Barry Magid on psychology and Zen Buddhism, be sure to check out this books, including Nothing is Hidden: The Psychology Zen Koans, Ending the Pursuit of Happiness: A Zen Guide, and Ordinary Mind: Exploring the Common Ground of Zen and Psychology. You can also view his lecture series through the Wisdom Experience.

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John Dunne: Dharmakīrti, Perception, and Cognitive Science Jun 13, 2019

Show notes

For this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken speaks with John Dunne, Distinguished Professor of Contemplative Humanities at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and author of Foundations of Dharmakīrti’s Philosophy, published by Wisdom. John’s research focuses on Buddhist philosophy in relationship to contemplative practice, religious studies, and cognitive science. In this rich conversation, John covers a wide array of fascinating topics. He talks about the innate need for physiological connection with other human beings and its relationship to both fear and anxiety within both Buddhist and cognitive science perspectives. He then delves deeply into the world of Dharmakīrti’s philosophy of perception, comparing Dharmakīrti’s views with that of other Indian Buddhist philosophers as well as Tibetan Mahāmudrā. John weaves all this together within an intriguing account of his own life story. He talks about his spiritual quest for his so-called “true identity” as a young person, his multiple paths through college including his time at Harvard University, and the great impact of his teachers such as Robert Thurman and Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche.

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Charles Hallisey: Reimagining Buddhist Scripture May 21, 2019

Show notes

In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken speaks with Charles Hallisey, scholar and beloved professor at Harvard Divinity School. Professor Hallisey’s research centers on Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, Pali language and literature, Buddhist ethics, and literature in Buddhist culture. His most recent book is Therigatha: Poems of the First Buddhist Women (Harvard University Press, 2015). In this fascinating conversation, Professor Hallisey shares his earliest encounters with the Theravada tradition in Sri Lanka and the ways in which his most revered teachers have left lasting impressions on him and his life’s philosophy. He mentions by name some of his teachers who introduced him to the human heritages of Buddhism in Sri Lanka: John Ross Carter, Mahinda Palihawadana, Kenneth Morgan, B.M. Kiribanda, P.B. Meegaskumbura, and especially G.D. Wijayawardhana. Professor Hallisey also talks about the study of Buddhism in academia as a process of calling oneself into question and how this factors into his life as both a student and teacher. Lastly, Professor Hallisey delves deeply into the world of reading Buddhist scripture and literature and suggests ways we might reimagine our engagement and interpretation of texts in radically new, inspiring, and ethically conscious ways.

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H. H. Karmapa: Vegetarianism, Online Education and Nuns’ Ordination Apr 13, 2019

Show notes

Since this is our official 75th episode of the Wisdom Podcast, we thought we would rebroadcast our very first episode in commemoration of this meaningful milestone here at Wisdom. For this special conversation, host Daniel Aitken traveled to Dharamsala, India, to meet with His Holiness the Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, leader of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. His Holiness talks about many topics, including the efficacy of listening to Dharma classes, receiving empowerments, and taking ordination vows online. He touches on the differences between Tibetan and traditional Western education and how each benefits from dialogue with the other. He further shares some thoughts on how Western Dharma centers could be improved. He speaks on vegetarianism, including anecdotes from his own and his previous emanations’ experiences with vegetarianism. He also discusses his recent involvement planning to re-establish the tradition of full ordination for Tibetan Buddhist nuns. You can also read H. H. the Karmapa’s book, Interconnected, with a Plus or All Access membership to the Wisdom Experience. Start reading here. You can purchase the hardcover version of Interconnected here and the paperback version here.

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Graham Coleman: Preserving Tibetan Culture in the Digital Age Mar 22, 2019

Show notes

In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken speaks with Graham Coleman, editor and critically acclaimed filmmaker in the Tibetan Buddhist world. In this lively conversation, Graham shares fascinating stories from the making of his feature-length documentary, Tibet: A Buddhist Trilogy. An invaluable exploration of the sacred in Tibetan Buddhist culture, this extraordinary film includes rare and historic footage shot in Dharamsala, Ladakh, and Bouda, Nepal. Graham also shares what it was like working closely with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, H. H. the Sakya Trichen, H. H. Dudjom Rinpoche, and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche among many others as part of his film. Additionally, Graham is the founder of Gompa Tibetan Monastery Services, a new online platform bringing together teachings and practices from multiple Tibetan monasteries and nunneries throughout India and Nepal. Graham also discusses his multiple online resources for the preservation of Tibetan culture, including the Classical Tibetan Knowledge Archive and Multimedia Study Resource, which includes thousands of hours of oral commentaries, video and audio documentation of ritual arts, and texts and images.

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Narayan Helen Liebenson: The Immediacy of Freedom Feb 26, 2019

Show notes

On this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken speaks with Narayan Helen Liebenson, revered meditation teacher and author of The Magnanimous Heart, published by Wisdom. Narayan is a guiding teacher at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, as well as at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center where she has taught since its inception in 1985. Her training over the past forty years includes study and practice with meditation masters in the Theravada, Zen, and Tibetan traditions.

In this truly fascinating conversation, Narayan shares the intricacies of her development as a meditator over the course of her lifetime. Beginning with the experiences of her childhood in East Haven, Connecticut, she talks about her method of integrating multiple styles of meditation and how she prefers meditation as a creative exploration rather than a mere adherence to discipline. Narayan also shares her experiences with both the faith and doubt that many practitioners have, and the deeper sense of inner dignity she has encountered as a result of her practice.

With humor and gentleness, Narayan takes us through her path to becoming an insight meditation teacher and how, through the practice of teaching, she is able to live a fully spiritual life while remaining in relationship with others and the world at large. Throughout the years, community has been an integral part of Narayan’s continued development; the conversation culminates in an account of her visits with Buddhist practitioners in Cuba and her work connecting with communities eager for wisdom outside of the Massachusetts area.

Interested in hearing further thoughts from Narayan? Watch this interview with Mingyur Rinpoche and Narayan hosted at the Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, MA, which touches on topics ranging from monastic life to meditation on awareness. You can also listen to Narayan’s featured talk at the Insight Meditation Society.

Copies of Narayan’s book The Magnanimous Heart are available for purchase through Wisdom in both digital and paperback formats.

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Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche: Prioritizing Aspirations Along the Path Feb 05, 2019

Show notes

On this special Losar episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken travels to Kathmandu to speak with Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, world-renowned teacher in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and founder of the Rangjung Yeshe Institute in Nepal. In this special teaching, Rinpoche shares his past life memories and talks about his own experiences with the continuity of consciousness. He then speaks about consciousness itself as well as delusion—how we perceive what is not real as real, what is unclean as clean, and what is impermanent as permanent. Rinpoche teaches how to properly prioritize our aspirations along the path and the wisdom of placing virtue and wholesome living before the realization of the nature of mind. He teaches on the building of a proper foundation and how compassion and loving-kindness are essential ingredients to the highest of practices.

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Alejandro Chaoul: The Bön Tradition and the Art of Tibetan Yoga Jan 12, 2019

Show notes

In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken speaks with Alejandro Chaoul, scholar and practitioner in the Bön tradition of Tibet and teacher of tsa lung trul khor, the art of Tibetan yantra yoga. In Tibetan, tsa lung means “channels and winds” while trul khor translates as “magical movements.” Alejandro is a professor at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he researches Tibetan mind-body techniques for cancer patients. In this fascinating conversation, you’ll hear Alejandro share his lifelong spiritual journey—from studying with Hindu masters in India, to practicing Dzogchen with Yeshe Dorje Rinpoche and Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. Alejandro talks about what initially drew him to the Bön tradition, and how his primary teachers, H. E. Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche and Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, have profoundly shaped his life and career. Alejandro also shares insights on what distinguishes Bön from other Tibetan traditions, as well as the differences between Tibetan yoga and Indian yogic traditions.

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Mark Van Buren: Actual Happiness Dec 21, 2018

Show notes

In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken speaks with Mark Van Buren, author of A Fool’s Guide to Actual Happiness, published by Wisdom. Mark is a specialist in mindful living, yoga, and meditation, and has been promoting health and wellness for over a decade. Beginning with a meditation class in high school, Mark has found himself encountering Buddhist teachings and practices with increasing frequency throughout his life.

In this episode, you’ll hear Mark share anecdotal stories from his early years as a practitioner in the Chan tradition, including a humorous retelling of one of his first experiences at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center. He speaks candidly about various pitfalls along the way—like feeling the need to impress his teacher and being preoccupied with spiritual breakthrough in his practice—and explains his growth as a practitioner over the years, shifting from attempts to erase his problems to allowing himself to sit with discomfort instead. He shares his experiences with transformative practices in the Chan tradition, such as koan and hua tou practice, silent illumination practice, and his favorite, the practice of asking “who am I?”

You will also hear Mark flesh out the concept of “actual happiness” as a kind of joy or equanimity separate from the constant striving to fulfill one’s desires. Mark and Daniel discuss this subtle tension between goal-driven progress in meditation and the practice of letting go, and how to think about this tension both on the cushion and in daily life. Using stories drawn from his work, he illustrates how he uses techniques from these practices to coach patients, encouraging them to invite unpleasant feelings in rather than struggling against them. Finally, Mark explains his hopes for expanding his teaching into a full-time pursuit in order to reach more people and eliminate suffering at a larger scale.

To hear more from Mark, you can connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. He also runs a Mental Hygiene Movement Facebook Group to assist people in staying connected and consistent with their meditation practice.

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Sharon Salzberg: Loving-Kindness: More than Just a Concentration Practice Dec 01, 2018

Show notes

In this episode of the Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken speaks with Sharon Salzberg, world-renowned meditation teacher and practitioner, and New York Times bestselling author. Sharon is also cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre Massachusetts, the first ever western meditation center established in the United States. In this episode, you’ll hear Sharon discuss one of her all-time favorite topics: the practice of metta, or loving-kindness. Sharon talks about what initially drew her to the practice and its transformational effects over the course of her lifetime. In her down-to-earth style, Sharon explains the practical application of loving-kindness in daily life. As more than just a concentration practice, loving-kindness can function as an antidote to fear, anxiety, and emotional withdrawal. It can heighten a sense of connection with others, help us be more assertive, and even transform the most difficult of relationships. She compares it to what the Buddha taught as “gladdening the mind,” or ways of cultivating a loving mental environment in which to navigate the more difficult aspects of life and practice. If you’re interested in hearing more from Sharon, be sure to check out our first podcast with her, Sharon Salzberg: Faith and Doubt.

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