Tricycle Talks

Kimberly Brown, a meditation teacher and author based in NYC, shares insights from her book 'Happy Relationships.' She discusses how mindfulness can resolve conflicts and emphasizes the importance of accepting imperfections in relationships. Brown highlights the transformative power of loving kindness and suggests that practicingself-kindness can deepen connections. Listeners are also guided through a meditation focusing on love and presence, helping to cultivate compassion and happiness in their relationships.

Jay L. Garfield, a scholar of Buddhist philosophy and professor at Smith College, shares compelling insights on the concept of no-self. He explores how our fixation on individuality fosters suffering and moral dilemmas. Garfield emphasizes the importance of interdependence and compassion in human connections. The conversation delves into Buddhist teachings on selflessness, advocating for the dismantling of ego to cultivate deeper relationships. He also discusses the philosophical arguments against nihilism, championing a view of reality rooted in interconnectedness.

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, a writer and longtime contributing editor, shares her journey of examining what it means to let go of belongings while contemplating mortality. She discusses the emotional ties we have with objects, like a quirky rubber zebra, and how these can reflect our identities. Inspired by Suzuki Roshi, she delves into balancing control with acceptance of life's messiness. Oxenhandler also explores the notion of object autonomy, leading to deeper connections with our possessions beyond mere ownership.

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.