Ep. 250 – The Practice of Meditation with Jeffrey Mishlove
Aug 6, 2024
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In this insightful conversation, renowned meditation teacher Jack Kornfield shares his wisdom on the intersection of Western psychology and Eastern spirituality. He discusses the purpose of meditation for happiness and self-acceptance, emphasizing mindfulness in daily life. Kornfield delves into the core principles of Buddhist practice—generosity, ethics, and heart training—while addressing spiritual bypassing. The talk also covers overcoming fears and the healing power of meditative awareness, making this a treasure trove for those seeking deeper inner life.
Jack Kornfield emphasizes that meditation fosters self-acceptance by encouraging individuals to confront both joyful and painful experiences in their lives.
The podcast highlights the importance of meditation as a practice for enhancing awareness and engagement with life's full spectrum rather than an escape from reality.
Deep dives
The Inner Academy and Its Offerings
The Inner Academy provides a comprehensive resource featuring over 200 hours of teachings, meditations, and practices aimed at helping individuals find balance and presence in their daily lives. It serves as a platform where renowned teachers, including Ram Dass and Jack Kornfield, share insights that connect ancient wisdom with modern challenges. Membership options unlock access to past and future courses, community interactions, and retreat replays, all designed to guide seekers on their spiritual journeys. By subscribing, individuals not only benefit from these teachings but also contribute to the foundation's mission of providing accessible offerings to all.
Jeffrey Mishlove's Pioneering Role in Spiritual Conversations
Dr. Jeffrey Mishlove played a significant role in bringing spiritual discussions to mainstream television during a time when such topics were often marginalized. His show 'Thinking Allowed' provided a platform for in-depth dialogues on subjects like spirituality and meditation, showcasing figures such as Ram Dass and delving into the insights of various wisdom traditions. This format allowed audiences to engage with complex spiritual concepts in an accessible manner, fostering greater public interest in these ideas. The reverberations of his work continue to influence spiritual discourse today, exemplifying the potential of media to open avenues for deeper understanding.
The Intersection of Eastern Spirituality and Western Psychology
Dr. Jack Kornfield shares his experience of integrating Eastern practices with Western psychology, highlighting the valuable lessons gained from his time spent as a monk in Buddhist monasteries. He discusses the overlapping goals of both realms, particularly in their quests for human happiness and the alleviation of suffering. Kornfield emphasizes that meditation acts as a tool for self-acceptance, helping individuals confront both joyful and painful experiences in their lives. This blend of disciplines not only enriches personal practice but also encourages a holistic approach to mental health and well-being.
Understanding Meditation Beyond Escape
Meditation is often misconceived as an escape from reality, yet it is a practice designed to foster awareness and engagement with life. Within Buddhist meditation, techniques such as Vipassana encourage individuals to cultivate stillness and clarity amid the chaos of daily existence rather than retreating from it. Kornfield highlights the importance of being present and open to both comfort and discomfort in meditation, which leads to deeper self-acceptance and healing. By understanding meditation as a means of engaging with the full spectrum of life's experiences, practitioners can achieve greater balance and understanding within themselves.
In this special episode originally airing on television’s Thinking Allowed series, Jeffrey Mishlove interviews Jack Kornfield about meditation, mindfulness, and self-acceptance.
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“The purpose of meditation is to make people happy.” – Jack Kornfield
In this special television episode, Jeffrey Mishlove interviews Jack about:
How western psychology and science fits together with eastern spirituality and meditation
Whether Jack preferred getting his Ph.D. or his time at the Buddhist monastery
The three aspects of Buddhist practice: generosity, ethics/virtue, training of heart/mind
How what we practice, positive or negative, grows in our life
Spiritual bypass and mediation as an escape
Vipassana meditation and seeing clearly
Overcoming the “near enemies” in Buddhism
Equanimity, balance, centering, and fearlessness
Meditation in action and engaging mindfully with the world
Facing our fears and confronting ourselves in meditation practice
Self-acceptance and learning to care for oneself
Not being so afraid of what’s painful
Uncovering the basic mechanics of meditation
Releasing tensions, unskillful concepts, and our limited sense of self
Psychic abilities and intuition
Awareness and moving past our thoughts
Using meditation to relate deeper to your inner life
“Meditative awareness has a healing quality to it.” – Jeffrey Mishlove
“One of the tenets of Buddhism is that the heart, body, and mind can all be trained. That is, if you practice something, it will gradually grow in your life.” – Jack Kornfield
About Jeffrey Mishlove:
Jeffrey Mishlove, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist, an accomplished radio and television interviewer, and one of the most erudite and articulate personalities on television. Jeffrey holds the only doctoral diploma in parapsychology to be awarded by an accredited American university. Learn more about Dr. Mishlove and his ongoing offerings and interviews at newthinkingallowed.com