Buddhability

Feeling like you fit in is hard, especially when you have many different identities. If you’ve ever felt like you put on a different mask every place you go, this episode is for you. We speak with Falcon Sang, a young artist from L.A., about how practicing Buddhism helped him find himself.Key takeaway: If you’re willing to dig deeper, you’ll find that Buddhability is universal, and it can help you connect with anyone.Cheat sheet:00:30 Announcement: Send us your questions about love1:13 Introduction to the episode2:02 A little bit about Falcon’s childhood6:26 Why it’s important to know who you are7:26 How his childhood made him feel9:58 Where he went looking for answers18:07 Why Buddhism clicked for him22:38 How loneliness can be turned into a source of strength23:27 How Falcon’s anger started changing27:28 How he found a sense of purpose32:16 The passage that changed his life37:32 His dream for the future

In our first conversation of 2021, we speak with designer and architect James Ludwig, VP of Global Design and Product Engineering for Steelcase Inc., the world’s leading designer of office furniture. He’s also been practicing SGI Nichiren Buddhism for a very long time.We discussed what design and Buddhism have in common, which is a lot, and how, at the beginning of a new year and new decade, we can think about designing our lives and solving big problems.Cheatsheet1:52 The design he's most proud of3:42 What he does day to day5:46 Growing up in a farm town 7:41 How he started practicing Buddhism8:53 How he found a path to industrial design10:03 What industrial design is11:22 Uncovering problems to solve through design13:46 Design example: reducing medical error15:35 How pain points can become opportunities16:27 What design and Buddhism have in common18:01 Iterating your way toward big goals19:09 How to work with other people better20:29 What "human revolution" means in Buddhism21:10 The three keys to breaking through in life and design23:24 How to think about "the now, the near and the far" 25:58 Designing for the future when the present is stressful29:11 James' experience developing a team through care35:35 Curiosity is more valuable than knowledge in approaching life37:40 How to generate options in your life through your own transformation38:49 Advice for anyone who feels like they haven't tapped into their full potential yet40:48 The difference between being bold and courageous42:22 How to set intentions or goals at the beginning of a year43:50 Envisioning yourself as one part of an ecosystem45:57 Advice for anyone who is ready to design their life47:10 A final thought on creating what's never been created before

Happy New Year from the team at Buddhability! As promised, today we are answering 3 listener questions about your Buddhability, which were submitted to us by voicemail over the last couple of weeks.Cheatsheet:2:20 How to get over the guilt of chanting for things you want8:12 How to help your loved ones become happy13:25 What if I don’t chant everyday?

We’re taking a short break for the holidays but our year-end episode will feature answers to a few listener-submitted questions about anything you want to ask about your own Buddhability. All you have to do is email a voice memo to podcast@sgi-usa.org of no more than two minutes, sharing your name, where you’re located, what your question is and any context you want to share. A few selected voice memos will be included in the podcast, so please only submit if you’re comfortable having it shared! Deadline: December 27.

As we enter into a most unusual holiday season, we’re thinking a lot about what family means and how tapping into your Buddhability can impact your loved ones. If you’ve ever felt unsure of your place in your family, or like you wish you could connect with them better, this story is worth a listen. Priya Gunaseharan shares the story of how she found her own voice by helping her grandmother find hers, entirely through a series of phone calls. Key takeaway: If you try your best to accept others the way they are, you’ll find you can finally do the same for yourself.Cheat sheet:00:35 Introduction to the episode3:25 How Priya started chanting5:17 Why she struggled to express herself within her family9:18 How she decided to start calling her grandma14:47 What to do when you love someone who can be also hurtful18:03 What Priya chanted about24:46 What her dream for her family is28:04 What she learned about her grandmother29:58 How Priya feels in her family now 

This week’s episode is about how to build the confidence to pursue a big dream. Seon Yeop Jung shares how he using chanting and goal-setting to rebuild the confidence he lost due to bullying. By pursuing one small goal after another, he discovered his dream of being a scientist and educator. Key takeaway: If you don’t believe in yourself right now because of whatever you may have faced in the past, it’s OK. Just start wherever you are with one small goal and you’ll discover your purpose along the way.Cheatsheet:0:35 Introduction to Seon4:30 How bullying affected his childhood8:29 What he realized when he started chanting11:59 Why he set a goal of studying for 10 hours13:50 How achieving minor goals can build your confidence 16:58 How to apply chanting to specific goals19:08 What if you get stuck?23:16 How having supportive friends can help24:53 What Seon’s dream is now27:24 3 keys to never giving up29:46 Seon’s advice to anyone pursuing a dream30:44 Today’s key takeaway

This week, we’re talking about love. Well, specifically what it takes to be in a committed relationship for the long haul. Ian and Audrey McIlraith, who are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this year, tell us the story of how they overcame their own fears of being alone and of being good enough, to create a happy family. Here are their secrets: if you want to find a life partner and stay together through life’s storms, you need to be willing to confront your fears, see yourself honestly and strive for a shared goal.0:39 Introduction to today’s topic2:01 Introduction to Ian, Audrey and how they met4:15 How they each starting practicing Buddhism6:30 What their mindsets toward relationships were before they met16:23 How they challenged fears of being alone, and being good enough18:30 How chanting helped them overcome an accident and a long journey to have kids 21:56 Why self-transformation and respect are so key to relationships27:11 Their advice to anyone struggling with a relationship (or finding a partner)

This week, we speak with Rory Arnaud about what a daily Buddhist practice in the morning can do for you. The fact is, most of us haven’t even scratched the surface of what we are capable of accomplishing, learning and giving in this lifetime. Today’s key lesson is that if you can consistently win over yourself in the morning through chanting, you can unearth a treasure trove of wisdom, energy and courage and completely transform how you see yourself and the world.0:37 Introduction to today’s topic 1:52 Rory’s story 7:00 What losing a friend taught him about life 8:50 What his mornings used to feel like 10:00 How they changed after he started chanting 11:57 How he decided to start a company 17:12 What winning in the morning means 19:20 What he’s up against each morning 22:56 The question that keeps him motivated every single day 27:04 Advice for Rory’s younger self (or anyone listening) 

This week, we speak with Abe Uccello about working for change in Florida’s prison system, even when he couldn’t see any forward movement. He explains how chanting can help you build trust and respect with anyone, and what unity actually means. Hint: You have to unlock your own wisdom and compassion first. Cheatsheet: 1:50 What we’re trying to understand today 4:02 Introduction to Abe5:02 How chanting helped him feel like he had control over his life again10:54 His experiences working with the prison system16:20 How chanting helped him figure out what to do17:20 What a tenacious effort to build trust helped him achieve25:10 Why he didn’t give up28:32 How to maintain hope even when you see the darkest parts of humanity32:33 What the end goal in Buddhism is35:46 Advice to anyone feeling stuck or overwhelmed by uncertainty38:02 What “happiness for self and others” means45:39 What else to read on Buddhability about feeling stuck and making change 

Great artists are authentic. It’s how they are able to connect to enormous audiences, yet each person experiencing the music, or art, feels directly spoken to. What would you do if you could go through life with this kind of genuine, inspiring power? Being yourself, truly yourself, is hard. Today, we speak with legendary Grammy-winning jazz musicians Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding about how Buddhism has helped them become their most authentic selves. P.S. The book mentioned in the episode is called Reaching Beyond: Improvisations on Jazz, Buddhism, and a Joyful Life. Cheatsheet: 1:25 Introduction to Wayne & Esperanza2:41 How Esperanza discovered Buddhism5:22 Why Wayne started chanting7:11 How Wayne discovered a deeper purpose to playing music8:10 How chanting helped Wayne see himself more clearly12:23 Esperanza on authenticity as a musician17:35 Wayne on how Buddhism can help you check yourself19:25 Esperanza on how to unlock your own capacity20:34 Some notes on Esperanza’s “life force”21:48 On Wayne & Esperanza’s friendship23:33 Wayne’s advice to anyone who feels stuck with their art or work24:57 A key lesson from today’s conversation