Tricycle Talks

In this episode of Life As It Is, Tricycle editor-in-chief James Shaheen and co-host Sharon Salzberg are joined by journalist, professor, and Tricycle contributing editor Daisy Hernández. Daisy’s latest book, "The Kissing Bug," blends together memoir and investigative journalism to tell the story of Chagas disease, an insect-borne illness that disproportionately impacts marginalized communities. The book recently won a PEN/Jean Stein Book Award and the National Book Foundation Science + Literature Award. Today, James and Sharon catch up with Daisy to reflect on the past two years of the pandemic, her practices of equanimity, and how she finds refuge in times of war.

After giving birth to twins, playwright Sarah Ruhl was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a paralysis of the seventh cranial nerve that severely limits facial expression, even—and especially—one’s ability to smile. Though most suffering from this condition get better within a year, for Ruhl, the road to recovery has been much slower. In her new memoir, "Smile: The Story of a Face," Ruhl reflects on her journey of reoccupying her body and reclaiming her capacity for joy. In today’s episode of Tricycle Talks, Tricycle editor-in-chief James Shaheen sits down with Ruhl to discuss Zen koans, the overlooked beauty of asymmetry and imperfection, and how Tibetan Buddhism brought her back to her Catholic roots.

Born in Saigon, poet and novelist Quan Barry grew up in Danvers, Massachusetts and currently teaches creative writing at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. Her latest novel, "When I’m Gone, Look For Me in the East," follows the story of two telepathic twins as they journey across the vast Mongolian landscape in search of a tulku, or reincarnate lama. Along the way, the twins grapple with questions of desire, doubt, and the place of faith in a changing world. In today’s episode of Life As It Is, Tricycle editor-in-chief James Shaheen and co-host Sharon Salzberg sit down with Barry to discuss the joys and responsibilities of writing fiction, the tensions between monasticism and modernity, and her travels across the Mongolian steppe.

The Theravada tradition of Buddhism is typically associated with monastic purity and austerity. But according to Trent Walker, a scholar of Southeast Asian Buddhist music, this is only a half-truth, as it ignores the rich and vast traditions of Theravada liturgical music. In his article in the spring issue of Tricycle, “Dharma Songs to Stir and Settle,” Walker offers an introduction to the Cambodian dharma song tradition, with a particular emphasis on the affective states that dharma songs elicit. For Walker, dharma songs strike a balance between aesthetic expression and monastic austerity. In today’s episode of Tricycle Talks, you’ll hear Walker perform a couple of dharma songs and discuss classical South Asian theories of emotion, his hopes for the future of Buddhist studies, and how music and aesthetics fit into the Buddhist path to salvation.

On September 15, Buddhist monastic Sister Clear Grace Dayananda set out across the United States in the Great Aspiration, a Chevy van she has converted into a portable meditation hall. This mobile monastery is the centerpiece of a project she calls the Traveling Nunk, which aims to make dharma teachings accessible to marginalized communities. Through chanting in public parks, collaborating with local faith groups, and giving out meals to those in need, she aspires to act with compassion and equanimity. In today’s episode of Life As It Is, Tricycle editor-in-chief James Shaheen and co-host Sharon Salzberg sit down with Sister Clear Grace to talk about her travels through the American South, the practice of meeting people where they are, and how we can learn to love those with whom we disagree.

Psychotherapist Mark Epstein is often asked how he incorporates his Buddhist practice into his therapy sessions. His latest book offers an answer to that question. In "The Zen of Therapy: Uncovering a Hidden Kindness in Life," Epstein documents dozens of therapy sessions over the course of a year, tracing the Buddhist themes that arise. Weaving together psychoanalytic theory, Zen poetry, and the music of John Cage, Epstein presents a compelling model of therapy as spiritual friendship. In today’s episode of Tricycle Talks, Tricycle editor-in-chief James Shaheen sits down with Epstein to discuss Zen koans, the improvisational nature of therapy, and the art of listening.

We often hear meditation described in terms of mindfulness. But Buddhist teacher and writer Martin Aylward playfully offers bodyfulness as an alternative. In his latest book, "Awake Where You Are: The Art of Embodied Awareness," Aylward invites readers into their own embodied experience, offering what he calls “a guidebook for an embodied life.” In today’s episode of Life As It Is, Tricycle’s editor-in-chief James Shaheen and co-host Sharon Salzberg sit down with Aylward to discuss the power of embodied attention, how the pandemic has changed our relationship with our bodies, and how we can work with physical pain and discomfort in our practice.

In this special series of episodes of Tricycle Talks, editor-in-chief James Shaheen sits down with three contributors to the Winter issue of Tricycle. In today’s episode, he’s joined by Suzannah Showler, a writer, cultural critic, and poet. In “Bechdel’s Quest,” Showler reviews Alison Bechdel’s new graphic memoir, "The Secret to Superhuman Strength." Shaheen and Showler talk about exercise obsessions, toxic work habits, and the dangers of the American myth of self-reliance.

In this special series of episodes of Tricycle Talks, editor-in-chief James Shaheen sits down with three contributors to the winter issue of the magazine, out this month. In today’s episode, he’s joined by Zen teacher and writer Lew Richmond. Richmond’s article in the magazine, “Food Is Very Important,” offers a Buddhist approach to disagreement based on a line he heard from his teacher, Suzuki Roshi. Shaheen and Richmond discuss strategies for working with disagreement and conflict inspired by Suzuki Roshi’s example.

In this special series of episodes, editor-in-chief James Shaheen sits down with three contributors to the winter issue of the magazine, out this month. In today's episode, he's joined by Sarah Ruhl, an award-winning playwright and poet interviewed in the issue. Shaheen and Ruhl discuss the relationship between the face and the self, the role of theater in building empathy, and the power of not praying for outcomes.