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Science and Spirituality

269 | Zen Buddhist Wisdom on Love, Self-Awareness & Fulfillment with Peter Coyote

Jan 20, 2025
Peter Coyote, an actor, author, and Zen Buddhist teacher, shares his compelling journey from heroin addiction to Zen enlightenment. He discusses the transformative power of self-awareness and love, revealing how embracing impermanence can lead to fulfillment. Coyote emphasizes interconnectedness and challenges listeners to shift their perceptions of reality. He offers practical meditation techniques, highlighting the importance of dissolving boundaries that separate us and exploring the depth of love in living a meaningful life.
53:54

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Peter Coyote's journey from heroin addiction to Zen Buddhism highlights the transformative power of self-awareness and the fluid nature of identity.
  • Emphasizing interconnectedness, Coyote discusses how understanding duality and compassion can heal personal and societal divisions.

Deep dives

Peter Coyote's Journey to Zen Buddhism

Peter Coyote shares his transformative journey from a chaotic life marked by addiction in the 1960s to becoming an ordained Zen Buddhist priest. His initial exposure to Buddhism came through a romantic relationship, which led him to seek mindfulness in stark contrast to the hedonistic counterculture he inhabited. Although he initially struggled with the rigid structure of Zen practice, he eventually found clarity and peace through regular meditation, which helped him gain a deeper understanding of his thoughts and impulses. This deepened practice led him to train as a priest and ultimately attain the status of a transmitted teacher, allowing him to further his teachings and share the wisdom and insight he has gleaned over decades.

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