

Jonathan Foust
Jonathan Foust
Senior teacher at the Insight Meditation Community of Washington and co-founder of the Meditation Teacher Training Institute, Jonathan Foust share weekly talks, guided meditations and inquiries that explore how to cultivate an awakened heart and mind.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 20, 2025 • 45min
Don't Believe All Your Thoughts
Discover the art of detaching from your thoughts through mindfulness and self-observation. Explore effective strategies to foster awareness, transform negative patterns, and embrace gratitude. The journey highlights personal growth and encourages active engagement in your own mental landscape. Unlock new possibilities by shifting your mental state and achieving inner peace.

May 20, 2025 • 45min
Why Practice?
Mindfulness can sometimes feel monotonous, but reconnecting with your motivations breathes new life into your practice. Understand the resistance many face when starting meditation and explore the emotional and creative benefits it brings. Self-observation plays a crucial role in building wisdom and self-awareness. Embracing pain can lead to personal growth and compassion, strengthened by community support. Through guided meditation, listeners are encouraged to cultivate kindness and connection, enhancing their spiritual journeys.

May 10, 2025 • 41min
Skillful Effort: Maintaining Wholesome States of Presence
This talk explores how to manage your energy as you pursue your aspirations. You'll learn about four guidelines: How to prevent unwholesome states before they arise, how to let go of unwholesome states when they have arisen, how to cultivate wholesome states that have not yet arisen and how to maintain wholesome states that are already here.

Apr 30, 2025 • 52min
Conversations with Depth Practitioners: "This is the New Normal" with Ray Manyoky and Tara Cassidy
This interview with Ray and Tara explores how to work with the deepest challenges of sickness, old age and death. You'll learn how Ray and Tara are working with Ray's diagnosis of glioblastoma a year ago. They speak beautifully of how the practice deepens, how to find steadiness and how to open again and again to love.

Apr 25, 2025 • 48min
The Art of Yes: Mindfulness and the Power of Allowing
Dive into the transformative powers of mindfulness as the discussion reveals how saying 'yes' can reshape your experiences. Personal anecdotes about travel mishaps lead to humorous reflections and deeper self-examination. Discover the RAIN acronym, a tool for heightened self-awareness, while exploring the importance of letting go of attachments. The conversation also touches on the intriguing impact of psilocybin on meditation practices, all framed within a supportive community atmosphere. Engage in a meditation session that invites introspection and connection.

Apr 19, 2025 • 48min
Let Go Now: The Path of Release and Renewal
The classic teaching "Be Here Now" requires that we "Let Go Now" - of everything and anything that is not present. How do we do this? I share some guiding principles of the art of renunciation with practical examples and teachings through the ages. This is the first talk on my podcast, from the fall of 2011.

Apr 8, 2025 • 44min
Four Phrases That Heal: Loving the Unlovable
This talk explores how to consciously direct the inner process of healing and release. Drawing on the classic teachings of Ho'oponopono, it introduces four phrases that guide your attention to: • Taking responsibility for your inner experience • Attuning to the process of release • Reflecting on gratitude and the opportunity to grow • Resting in loving awareness

Mar 30, 2025 • 46min
Beyond the Witness: From Watching to Being
This talk explores the power of self-observation and what lies beyond the sense of self. You'll learn how the witness can free you from the tyranny of the mind and your reactivity as well as what can happen when you explore being aware of the witness and what lies beyond.

Mar 21, 2025 • 48min
How to Awaken the Witness: From Identification to Observation
This talk explores the liberating factor of self-observation. You'll learn about how you can cultivate the optimal environment to develop the witness, the near-enemy of the practice and what it means to be aware of the light behind the observer.

Mar 11, 2025 • 43min
Meditation, Psychedelics and the Allure of Spiritual Awakening
This talk explores the theme of 'ancient future technologies,' in particular the role of psychedelic-assisted therapy and meditation. You'll learn about research currently being done, a bit on the history of psychoactive substances in the west, what happens when we alter our consciousness and some of the very real precautions when exploring these medicines. Please note that I urge extreme caution regarding this topic. While there can be profound insights in the wise and regulated use of plant medicines under the care of professional and skilled guidance, there is no substitution for a regular meditation practice, affliction with like-minded people and having access to wise and compassionate guidance in the arena of spiritual awakening.


