In this two part podcast, Professor Thurman and Dr. Mark Epstein discuss the Buddhist and Western perspective on the value of meditation and how understanding altered states of consciousness like “flow states” can help shift our relationships to our thoughts, habits and the world around us.

Opening with an introduction to the Buddhist concept of pure negation when creating philosophical meaning, Robert A.F. Thurman highlights the pitfalls of absolutism, nihilism and mindfulness mediation before exploring Mihály Csíkszentmihályi’s theory of “flow states” used in positive psychology and as popularized in fitness and creative communities with Mark Epstein M.D..

Podcast includes: a discussion of the relationship of the Buddha’s discovery of the blissful nature of reality to non-dual experiences of “being in the flow”, how to avoid post-flow state interpretation of inexpressible states of consciousness and place of transitional objects in meditation and in early childhood development as posited by D.W. Winnicott.

Podcast concludes with a reading of Wallace Steven’s poem “13 Ways of looking at a Blackbird” by Gary Gach.

Flow States : Buddhism and Psychotherapy – Ep. 207 of the Bob Thurman Podcast Photo Created with love by Ryan McGuire via www.gratisography.com.

The song ‘Dancing Ling’ by Tenzin Choegyal from the album ‘Heart Sutra‘ (2004) by Ethno Super Lounge is used on the Bob Thurman Podcast with artist’s permission, all rights reserved.