Why smiling is a practice of compassion

Jack Kornfield and Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi explore how facing suffering with love can awaken the courage to heal our world.

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“Love is this unbelievable, inexplicable force. When there’s love it’s almost that anything is possible. It’s love that binds all things.” –Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi

In this episode, Jack and Rajiv mindfully explore:

• Living Fully in a Time of Change: Joanna Macy’s funeral as a teaching on joy, love, and the beauty of a life well-lived.
• Facing Suffering with Courage: The two kinds of suffering—what we run from and what we open to with compassion.
• Meditation as Refuge: Expanding the heart’s window of tolerance to hold fear, grief, and love all at once.
• The Sweet Way of the Dharma: Remembering peace, joy, and humor even in the midst of difficulty.
• Smiling as Practice: Softening the heart through simple, embodied gestures of kindness.
• The Great Regeneration: Redefining the pandemic as a moment to reimagine our world with wisdom and care.
• The Interbeing of All Things: Thich Nhat Hanh’s Heart Sutra and the recognition that we already hold the solutions we seek.
• Love in Action: Ram Dass’s reminder to feed people, love people, and organize from the heart.
• Sacred Reciprocity: Healing inequality and climate change through generosity, reverence, and balance.
• The Middle Way in a Polarized World: Meeting conflict with understanding, presence, and possibility.
• Inner Climate Change: Transforming the heart to transform the earth—awakening compassion as the root of renewal.

“The world is as it is—it has suffering and beauty in unbelievable measure. So the real question is: how are you going to tend your heart?” –Jack Kornfield

This Dharma Talk originally took place on 9/8/25 for Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation.

About Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi:

 Professor Joshi is the Founder of Bridging Ventures and former Associate Dean for Climate Action at Columbia University. He helped launch Columbia’s Climate School with President Obama, and has led groundbreaking work in global collaboration, climate technology, and regenerative entrepreneurship.

About Jack Kornfield:

Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.

Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack’s entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.

Stay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings.

“There are two kinds of suffering. The first is the kind you run away, and that follows you everywhere. The second is the kind you’re willing to turn, face, and go through, and that becomes our gateway to liberation.” –Jack Kornfield

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