Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast

Taking us on a pilgrimage through Buddhist teachings, Gil Fronsdal describes meeting the dharma in ourselves.This recording from Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on Dharmaseed.orgToday's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowThis time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal teaches on:Meeting the dharma in ourselves through direct experiencesGoing into the world with a phenomenal capacity for non-harmingLooking at what really motivates and drives usThe story of the Kalama SuttaRecognizing what brings welfare vs. what brings harmBreath as a form of assurance and how our easeful, relaxed breath can be our teacherHindrances and what keeps us removed from ourselvesComing home to our selves, our bodies, our sensationsAllowing the flow of experience to move through usReleasing all of the things we hold ontoAbout Gil Fronsdal:Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center. Gil has an undergraduate degree in agriculture from U.C. Davis where he was active in promoting the field of sustainable farming. In 1998 he received a PhD in Religious Studies from Stanford University studying the earliest developments of the bodhisattva ideal. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma.“It is so simple and so basically human, the capacity to recognize that we’re suffering or that we’re happy. In relationship to grand religious philosophies and ideas, it can seem maybe inconsequential to base one’s religious life on being able to recognize where is harm and where is welfare. But that relates at the heart to what the Buddha was pointing at. It points to something that we are able to experience and see and know for ourselves directly.” – Gil FronsdalSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JoAnna Hardy, a mindfulness and meditation teacher, delves into holding life's complexity, suffering, dominant paradigms, and discovering ultimate reality through Buddhist teachings. She discusses the struggle with control, Anatta, the Eightfold Path, and the importance of mindful speech, actions, and thoughts. JoAnna emphasizes the invitation to be free via the Four Noble Truths and the significance of surrounding oneself with wise individuals. The podcast explores the evolution of social dynamics in a Buddhist retreat, understanding dukkha, fluid identity, and the importance of stillness and self-trust.

In this recording from the Ram Dass Fellowship, Jamie Catto describes surrendering to the power of Yin in our daily lives.To learn more and sign up for the Ram Dass Fellowship, visit RamDass.org/Fellowship. To support this free offering, please consider leaving a donation at RamDass.org/Donate.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowThis time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Jamie and Jackie explore:The difference between Yin and YangSurrendering to the flow of YinThe benefits of yin parentingListening receptively in love makingDancing as an example of YinCuriosity as a quality of YinThe power of Yin in allaying our overworking imaginationsOur culture’s avoidance of negative emotionsThe emotional plumbing system of the bodyForging paths through the forest of worry and anxietyEmbodying peace for the worldA guided mindfulness meditation from JamiePracticing loving awareness and self-loveAbout Jamie Catto:Jamie’s mission is to make self-reflection hip enough to save us from ourselves. Jamie Catto is the director of the 2019 film Becoming Nobody, the quintessential portal to Ram Dass’ life and teachings (BecomingNobody.com). He is an author and musician running transformational workshops and events to reclaim all the treasure we edited away into the shadows and facilitate everyone daring to be more real, more fallible, more tender, more intimate. His mission is to create a world full of ‘walking permission slips’ where we all lighten up and enjoy the unpredictable human path together with humor, playfulness, and a healthy dose of irreverence. Jamie’s workshops and 1-1s provide a refreshing approach to inner work with the right dose of playfulness and depth. Keep up with Jamie on his website or on Instagram.“So much of the treasure, creativity, lovemaking, parenting, laughing, dancing, the flow of the life is to be experienced when we allow ourselves to be moved and practice the qualities of Yin, which are curiosity, surrender, welcomeness, listening, spaciousness, all of those kinds of things where we let life live us and we become in the flow of the greater river of life.” – Jamie CattoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meditation teacher Gil Fronsdal explores mental constructs, impermanence, mindfulness, relationship to the present moment, meditation instruction, non-reactive awareness, identity, and stories we tell about ourselves. Emphasizes on simplicity, presence, and letting go of self-imposed labels. Encourages embracing simplicity for mindfulness and being fully present in the moment.

Trudy Goodman explains how we can practice compassionate presence in all moments, even those that are uncomfortable.This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Trudy Goodman delves into:How we often overlook the simple practices that will make us spiritually contentedMeditating while doing ordinary thingsRetreats and being in the presentBuddhist cosmology as representation of our own awakened qualitiesOffering compassion to ourselves and to othersTolerating the raw experience of being aliveGetting caught in the ideal of being a spiritual personNaming and recognizing negative experiences like hate, lust, etc.Treating the content of each moment as a chance for presence and awakeningForgiving ourselves when our heart runs wildAbout Trudy Goodman:Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA. For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats and workshops worldwide.Learn more about Trudy’s offerings at trudygoodman.com“It’s this loving, caring attentiveness that gives us the courage to come so close to experience, even experiences we most wish we could turn away from.” – Trudy GoodmanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Renowned Buddhist teacher, Frank Ostaseski, discusses death, impermanence, and the principle of non-waiting.Today’s episode was recorded as part of the Ram Dass Fellowship’s regular online gatherings. To learn more about the Ram Dass Fellowship and sign up to join a fellowship gathering near you, visit RamDass.org/Fellowship.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenow Hosted by Jackie Dobrinska, this recording from the Ram Dass Fellowship features Frank Ostaseski discussing:Creation stories and the shaping of humansWhy the breath is so important (Including a guided breath meditation!)The five invitations and how these principles are designed to help you embrace life to the fullestNavigating life transitions, coping with loss, facing serious illness, or personal crisesHeartfelt real-life stories combined with ancient wisdomHow an awareness of mortality can be a supportive companion on the journey to living wellRegarding death as a final stage of growthNot waiting as an antidote to regretThe beauty of life when we recognize and accept impermanenceAbout Frank Ostaseski:Frank Ostaseski, an internationally respected Buddhist teacher and pioneer in end-of-life care, has accompanied over 1,000 people through their dying process. Acclaimed author of The Five Invitations, Frank co-founded the first Buddhist hospice in America—The Zen Hospice Project. In 2005, he founded the Metta Institute, through which he has trained countless clinicians and caregivers, building a national network of educators, advocates, and guides for those facing a life-threatening illness.About Jackie Dobrinska:Jackie Dobrinska is the Director of Education, Community & Inclusion for Ram Dass’ Love, Serve, Remember Foundation and the current host of Ram Dass’ Here & Now podcast. She is also a teacher, coach, and spiritual director with the privilege of marrying two decades of mystical studies with 15 years of expertise in holistic wellness. As an interspiritual minister, Jackie was ordained in Creation Spirituality in 2016 and has also studied extensively in several other lineages – the plant-medicine-based Pachakuti Mesa Tradition, Sri Vidya Tantra, Western European Shamanism, Christian Mysticism, the Wise Woman Tradition, and others. Today, in addition to building courses and community for LSRF, she leads workshops and coaches individuals to discover, nourish and live from their most authentic selves. Learn more about Jackie’s work at asimplevibrantlife.com.“I think when we embrace impermanence a certain grace can enter into our lives. We can treasure experiences, we can feel deeply, all without clinging. We’re free to savor and touch the texture of every passing moment.” – Frank OstaseskiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a reflection on absorbing the power of compassion, Matthieu Ricard shares his meditative story with Rohan Gunatillake.This episode was originally aired on Meditative Story, a podcast that combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with the immediate, science-backed benefits of mindfulness practice – all surrounded by breathtaking and cinematic music. You can find Meditative Story on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenow Matthieu Ricard takes us on a meditative journey through:Exposure to extraordinary peopleThe correlation between intelligence, creativity, and human goodnessHow documentary images of Tibet inspired Matthieu to experience the far east for himselfThe smells, sounds, and sensations of entering India for the first timeMeeting Kangyur Rinpoche and experiencing an aura of peaceLeaving after his PhD to study full time with Kangyur Rinpoche in IndiaAllowing presence to permeate our mindsActualizing the Buddha natureAbout Matthieu Ricard:Matthieu Ricard is a Nepalese-French writer, photographer, translator and Buddhist monk who resides at Shechen Tennyi Dargyeling Monastery in Nepal. He is also the author of Notebooks Of A Wandering Monk. He has spent years of his life in the presence of some of the world’s greatest mindfulness practitioners and felt the weight of their powerful compassion. Learn more about Matthieu and his work HERE.About Rohan Gunatillake:Rohan Gunatillake is a writer, entrepreneur, and host of the podcast Meditative Story. By artfully crafting meditations to compliment each guest’s story, Rohan blends mindfulness with narrative to create a unique listening experience, encouraging listeners to use someone else’s transformative moment as the basis for their own. He’s also the founder of the best-selling app Buddhify, and author of Modern Mindfulness: How to Be More Relaxed, Focused, and Kind While Living in a Fast, Digital, Always-On World.“We do not need words. We do not need to analyze or even comprehend. The quality of the presence is self-evident. It is best to just experience it, let it permeate your mind and become a part of you. Ultimately, it is up to each practitioner to actualize the Buddha nature dwelling within each of us.” – Matthieu RicardSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Focusing on the ways that Buddhism points us inward, Gil Fronsdal explains the dharma in a brief and accessible way.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowIn this guest episode, Gil lectures on:Emptiness within Theravada BuddhismWhat happens after our basic necessities are metHow we are versus what we doBecoming free from doctrinesThe importance of practice and heightened sensitivitySuffering and the cessation of sufferingSkillful actions and improving the quality of inner lifeThe portability of inner wealthThe limitations of obsessing over the selfCraving and how we can hold sensations without clinging“You can experience suffering in all of many forms and you can experience the liberation and freedom from it, the absence of it. The guideline here is what you can know for yourself. The inner life, the quality of your life, what you can know for yourself, that’s really what this tradition is pointing to.” – Gil FronsdalSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In an entire episode of guided practice, JoAnna Hardy leads listeners deeper into the sensations of the body.This dharma talk was recorded at Insight Meditation Society – Retreat Center and originally published on Dharmaseed.org. In this episode, JoAnna guides listeners towards:Stabilizing the mind and slowing downPaying attention to the sensations of our bodiesNoticing the things our bodies come into contact withRecognizing pain, being with it, and redirecting our attention if necessaryUnderstanding our choice in how we have experiencesA walking meditation practiceRemaining connected to the bodies we inhabit About JoAnna Hardy: JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher; she is on faculty at the University of Southern California, a meditation trainer at Apple Fitness+, a founding member of the Meditation Coalition, a teacher’s council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society, and a collaborator on many online meditation Apps and programs.Her greatest passion is to teach meditation in communities that are dedicated to seeing the truth of how racism, gender inequality and oppression go hand in hand with the compassionate action teachings in Buddhism and related perspectives to social and racial justice. “In this flesh suit of muscle and bone, we can get to know the sensations. What do those sensations feel like without the mind telling us what they feel like? What are the sensations of pain in our body? Tingling, prickly pressure, tension, being curious to knowing it. One of the options can be that we redirect our attention somewhere else in the body.” – JoAnna HardySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Explaining loving kindness as the antidote to fear and aggression, Trudy Goodman guides us in two meditative practices.This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed.orgIn this 2017 recording from the Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Trudy Goodman leads a talk on:Loving kindness as the antidote to fearTaming our inner aggressionStrengthening the BrahmaviharasOffering Metta to ourselves and othersThe miracle of connecting to each otherThe jellyroll practiceA traditional loving-kindness practice“You are the source of life, and the mystery, and the magic of life itself manifesting as this body and everything it knows how to do and this mind and all the capacities and intelligence that it has and this ability to connect with each other in ways that are so, sometimes miraculous, sometimes painful too. But, all the abilities that we have, this is really what we’re treasuring and offering our respect and reverence to.” – Trudy GoodmanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.