Jay Michaelson on Enlightenment by Trial and Error

Jun 8, 2021

Jay Michaelson, a columnist for The Daily Beast and a thought leader in contemplative practices, delves into his book, exploring the journey of self-discovery through trial and error. He discusses the myth of meditation as merely achieving Zen, revealing deeper truths of Jewish spirituality and postmodern Buddhism. The conversation highlights the intertwined nature of activism and meditation, the significance of grounding in reality during spiritual highs, and how letting go can foster deeper connections. Michaelson also shares insights on integrating mindfulness into daily life.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Feeding the Right Wolf

Spiritual practice involves nourishing positive qualities, not eliminating negative ones.
We have agency in choosing which "wolf" to feed, influencing our overall well-being.

INSIGHT

10% Happier vs. Enlightenment

While profound spiritual experiences exist, daily practice focuses on incremental improvements, like 10% increased happiness.
This approach acknowledges the demands of everyday life and makes spiritual growth accessible to a wider audience.

INSIGHT

Realization and Responsibility

True spiritual growth combines realization with responsibility.
The Jewish mystical path emphasizes balancing profound divine experiences with ethical obligations to others.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Jay Michaelson is a columnist for The Daily Beast and a frequent commentator on MSNBC and NPR. Jay is also a teacher and an editor at Ten-Percent Happier, a leading meditation platform. He has written several books on contemplative practice.

In this episode, Eric and Jay discuss his book, Enlightenment by Trial and Error: Ten Years on the Slippery Slopes of Jewish Spirituality, Postmodern Buddhism, and Other Mystical Heresies

But wait – there’s more! The episode is not quite over!! We continue the conversation and you can access this exclusive content right in your podcast player feed. Head over to our Patreon page and pledge to donate just $10 a month. It’s that simple and we’ll give you good stuff as a thank you!

In This Interview, Jay Michaelson and I Discuss Enlightenment by Trial and Error and …

His book, Enlightenment by Trial and Error: Ten Years on the Slippery Slopes of Jewish Spirituality, Postmodern Buddhism, and Other Mystical Heresies
The goal of becoming 10% happier by meditating
The myth that meditation is about finding your Zen
Realization and responsibility in the Jewish mystical path
His review of Leonard Cohen’s song “The Goal”
His short story “The Beard”
How letting go allows for more opening
Living aspects of the middle way
How his LGBT activist work and meditation work enriched each other
The commonality between his Buddhist and Jewish spiritual practices
Remembering to remember – how the mind eventually learns to remember with practice

Jay Michaelson Links:

Peloton: Of course the bike is an incredible workout, but did you know that on the Peloton app, you can also take yoga, strength training, stretching classes, and so much more? Learn all about it at www.onepeloton.com

ID Tech is the world’s number one STEM program for kids and teens ages 7-17. Visit www.idtech.com/wolf and enter promo code WOLF to get $100 off ID Tech’s virtual tech camp.

If you enjoyed this conversation with Jay Michaelson on Enlightenment by Trial and Error, you might also enjoy these other episodes:

Dan Harris

Eli Jaxon-Bear on Your True Self

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.