Pico Iyer, a celebrated writer and contributing editor based in Japan, opens up about his transformative experiences at a Benedictine hermitage after a devastating wildfire. He delves into the power of silence in fostering deeper self-awareness and compassion. Discussing the intersection of monastic life and spirituality, Iyer reveals how stillness serves as a countercultural practice that cultivates inner peace. He reflects on finding hope amidst chaos and the quest for emotional clarity while balancing personal aspirations with family life.

Oliver Burkeman, an author and journalist from Northern England, discusses themes from his book, "Meditations for Mortals." He highlights the importance of embracing imperfections and the freedom that comes from accepting life's limitations. The conversation reveals how clinging to outcomes can lead to suffering and why letting go can foster peace. Burkeman advocates for immediate action driven by generosity over overthinking, and stresses the value of being present and engaged, transforming life's challenges into opportunities for personal growth.

Noelle Oxenhandler is a writer and longtime Tricycle contributing editor based in northern California. Recently, she has been thinking a lot about what it means to be ready to die—and what will happen to all her belongings when she does. In her article in the November issue of Tricycle called “Everything Is Buddha,” she explores the sense of obligation she has toward the objects she has accumulated over the years, including a rubber zebra in a sailor suit and an intricately carved moose donning flannel trousers. Using the teachings of Suzuki Roshi as her guide, she asks what it means to treat everything around us as Buddha.In this episode of Tricycle Talks, Tricycle’s editor-in-chief, James Shaheen, sits down with Oxenhandler to discuss how to let go of an object without devaluing it, what we can learn from Suzuki Roshi’s notion of everything existing in the right place, and what it means for things to be more than just things.

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, a renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher and author, dives into the essence of joy and aspiration in his enlightening discussion. He emphasizes the balance of diligence and taking breaks for mental restoration. The conversation explores overcoming laziness and self-doubt through motivation and resilience. Rinpoche sheds light on the importance of patience in spiritual pursuits and how mindfulness can cultivate joy amidst challenges. Listeners are encouraged to embrace their goals wholeheartedly, fostering a deeper connection to joy in every endeavor.

Roger R. Jackson, a scholar and professor emeritus of Asian Studies and Religion at Carleton College, delves into the captivating life of Saraha, a 10th-century mystic and a foundational figure in Vajrayana Buddhism. They explore Saraha's fierce critiques of delusion, his legacy in Tibetan Buddhism, and the significance of his poetic form, the Doha. Jackson emphasizes the transformative role of the body in tantric awakening and discusses Saraha's radical insights on compassion and emptiness, making ancient wisdom accessible for contemporary audiences.

Sameet Kumar is a clinical psychologist at the Memorial Cancer Institute and Moffitt Hematology and Cellular Therapy program. His work focuses on mindfulness-based approaches to grief and loss. In his new book, How to Grieve What We’ve Lost: Evidence-Based Skills to Process Grief and Reconnect with What Matters, which he co-wrote with four other therapists, he lays out concrete strategies for finding meaning and cultivating resilience in the face of loss.In this episode of Life As It Is, Tricycle’s editor-in-chief, James Shaheen, and meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg sit down with Kumar to discuss how we can work with the embodied experience of grief, what feelings of powerlessness can teach us about equanimity, and how distress can motivate us to examine what really matters.

When journalist Katy Butler first committed to the Buddhist precepts, it didn’t occur to her to consider her two abortions in their light. Now, fifty years later, she has come to understand abortion in the context of harm reduction and the alleviation of suffering. In her article in the November issue of Tricycle called “Abortion and the First Precept,” she discusses the Buddhist ethics of abortion and why she believes abortion can be a wrenching, sacred, and even morally necessary act.In this episode of Tricycle Talks, Tricycle’s editor-in-chief, James Shaheen, sits down with Butler to discuss the stigmas and hurdles she encountered in her experience of abortion, how the realities of women’s lives have long been overlooked by Buddhist teachers and communities, and how she thinks about Buddhist ethics in terms of harm reduction.

Vajra Chandrasekera is a novelist based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. His new novel, Rakesfall, follows two characters as they're reincarnated across histories and worlds from the mythic past to modern Sri Lanka to the far future Earth through endless epicycles of love, violence, and betrayal.In this episode of Tricycle Talks, Tricycle’s editor-in-chief, James Shaheen, sits down with Chandrasekera to discuss the weaponization of religious myths in Sri Lankan Buddhism, why he describes himself as an “unbuddhist,” how rituals anchor and retell history, and the role of haunting and possession in his work.

BJ Miller, a palliative care physician and co-founder of Mettle Health, shares his profound journey after a tragic incident left him disabled. He discusses viewing recovery as a creative act and how art transformed his understanding of disability. Miller emphasizes the importance of a compassionate approach in palliative care and reflects on the interplay between suffering and identity. His experiences with dying patients have reshaped his appreciation for life, highlighting the value of interdependence and community in navigating mortality.

Thich Nhat Hanh was one of the most influential figures in contemporary Buddhism, from his founding of the Order of Interbeing and the Plum Village Tradition to his popularization of Engaged Buddhism. Yet his background is often overlooked.Adrienne Minh-Châu Lê, a Columbia University PhD candidate in international history, is one of the first scholars to examine Thich Nhat Hanh in the context of the global Cold War and Vietnam’s anticolonial movement. In an interview in the August issue of Tricycle, Lê discusses Thich Nhat Hanh’s background and the religious and political landscapes that shaped him.In this episode of Tricycle Talks, Tricycle’s editor-in-chief, James Shaheen, sits down with Lê to discuss the role that Buddhism played in building and promoting Vietnamese cultural identity in the face of colonial rule, the origins of Engaged Buddhism, how exile shaped Thich Nhat Hanh’s approach to teaching, and why he chose to return to Vietnam at the end of his life.