10% Happier with Dan Harris Is It Possible to Uproot All Anxiety and Anger? Steve Armstrong Says Yes.
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Dec 14, 2025 
In this enlightening discussion, Steve Armstrong, a longtime dharma teacher and former Buddhist monk, shares insights from his deep meditation practice. He explains the emotional turbulence that can arise during meditation and how understanding the 'stages' of insight can help us navigate challenges. Steve highlights the significance of equanimity as a powerful tool and discusses the pitfalls of mistaking transient bliss for true liberation. His compassionate guidance offers hope and clarity for anyone facing the complexities of meditation.
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From Commune To Meditation
- Steve Armstrong recounts dropping out of law school and joining a commune before discovering meditation at a nearby retreat.
- That two-week retreat shifted his perspective and led him eventually to the Insight Meditation Center and years of committed practice.
Enlightenment As Ordinary Seeing
- Steve defines enlightenment as waking up to moment-to-moment experience free of delusion and entanglement.
- He frames liberation as ordinary: seeing mind and body as they are, not a mystical special state.
Use Retreats To Accelerate Practice
- Do attend retreats for intensive, guided practice because they speed up learning the terrain of your mind.
- Use retreat conditions to practice hour after hour with instruction and feedback rather than expecting the same progress in daily life.
