Joseph Goldstein, a leading meditation teacher and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, shares deep insights on balancing effort in meditation. He tackles the perils of over-exertion and encourages a lighthearted approach to practice. Goldstein emphasizes that mindfulness not only enhances meditation but also transforms daily challenges into growth opportunities. He also discusses the importance of humor in understanding the mind, illustrating how recognizing our own ridiculousness is essential for personal development.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Right Effort in Meditation
Balance effort in meditation, avoiding tension and looseness.
Continuously monitor and adjust your energy level like tuning a lute.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Allowing vs. Letting Go
Instead of "letting go," consider "allowing" or "letting be" in meditation.
This acknowledges impermanence and avoids implying an action is required.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Mindful Seeing
Joseph Goldstein realized his dining room judgments stemmed from not being mindful of seeing.
By noting "seeing" constantly, he eliminated judgments during mealtimes.
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This book provides a clear and detailed analysis of the Noble Eightfold Path, a central teaching of Buddhism aimed at ending suffering. Bhikkhu Bodhi examines each factor of the path, offering practical insights and relating them to modern life. The book serves as a valuable reference for meditators and those interested in Buddhist teachings.
The experience of insight
Joseph Goldstein
One Dharma
The Emerging Western Buddhism
Joseph Goldstein
In 'One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism', Joseph Goldstein explores the creation of an integrated framework for various Buddhist traditions. The book provides a brief historical overview of early Buddhism and delves into the mind-changing reflections that bring one to the Dharma path. Goldstein emphasizes that all Buddhist teachings are skillful means for liberating the mind, rather than statements of absolute truth. He concludes that the method of mindfulness, the expression of compassion, and the essence of wisdom are the core elements of the emerging Western Buddhism. The book covers topics such as non-clinging, selflessness, and Nirvana, and suggests that the various traditions of Buddhism are all paths leading to the cessation of suffering through the attainment of wisdom[2][3][5].
Mindfulness
How To Live Well By Paying Attention
Louise L. Hay
Ed Halliwell
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It's always a big deal when we get the maestro Joseph Goldstein on the show. He's one of the greatest living meditation teachers—and we cover a lot of ground in this conversation both related to meditation and to life.
This is the third installment in a series we've been running this month on the Eightfold Path. If you missed the first two episodes, don't worry. Joseph starts our conversation with a brief description and explanation of this pivotal Buddhist list. The list is basically a recipe for living a good life.
In this episode we talk about:
How to strike a balance between trying too hard and trying too little in meditation
How to handle your doubts about whether you're meditating correctly
What the Buddhists really mean when they say “let it go”
What Joseph means when he says, don't waste your suffering
Why he uses the word ridiculous so much to describe the way our minds work
How the eightfold path encompasses both daily life and formal meditation
The simplest possible definition of mindfulness
How mindfulness can prevent unwholesome or unhealthy states of mind from arising
What to do when unwholesome states have already arisen
Being mindful of seeing, which is an often overlooked
A simple explanation of the tricky Buddhist concept of not self
The Buddhist concept of wisdom
And the importance of having a sense of humor about your own mind
A note that we initially conducted this conversation live via Zoom as part of a benefit in support of an organization called the New York Insight Meditation Center, which is an offshoot of IMS.
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