The Modern Buddhism Podcast 30 YEARS OF BUDDHISM IN NYC - HERE'S WHAT THE CITY TAUGHT ME
Jun 16, 2025
Kadam Morten Clausen, a Buddhist teacher with 30 years of experience in New York City, shares invaluable insights from his journey. He discusses how navigating the city's challenges has led to personal growth and spiritual development. Morten reflects on the evolution of meditation, emphasizing its deeper spiritual essence beyond mainstream popularity. He candidly recounts a pivotal moment during 9/11 that shifted his focus to inner peace, highlighting the importance of community in practicing Buddhism amidst the hectic urban life.
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City Challenges Foster Mental Training
- City life provides constant challenges that require practicing acceptance and patience.
- Difficulties act like weights in a gym, strengthening peacefulness and kindness through mental training.
Mainstream Meditation Loses Depth
- Meditation has gone mainstream but can lose its spiritual depth.
- True transformation comes from understanding meditation connects to lasting inner happiness, not just stress relief.
City Life Reveals True Happiness Source
- City entertainments provide short-term happiness but not lasting fulfillment.
- Persistent seeking in a city reflects the universal quest for lasting peace inside, beyond external distractions.
