JoAnna Harper is a Buddhist teacher with Against the Stream and Spirit Rock Meditation Center. In this episode JoAnna joins host Emily Horn to explore inclusivity and diversity in the Buddhist community, starting with an examination of how the Buddha taught inclusivity in the first sanghas. The conversation expands to highlight teachings and strategies that help foster open communication in diverse groups, how to build environments where it’s safe to make mistakes when learning to communicate compassionately, and the importance of holding our opinions and views lightly. Episode Links: Against the Stream ( http://www.againstthestream.org ) Spirit Rock ( http://www.spiritrock.org ) JoAnna Harper on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/joannaharper65 ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Soryu Forall is a teacher and leader at the Center for Mindful Learning. The second part of Soryu’s conversation with host Vincent Horn delves into the spaces between tradition and innovation. Soryu shares his gratitude for the traditional teachings he learned in Asia, and explains how useful those teachings are today. This leads to an exchange of ideas on rebirth and karma, teaching secular mindfulness in schools, and exploring the feedback loops that lead to the end of feedback loops. This is part two of a two part series. Listen to part one BG 349: Awakening is the End of All Feedback Loops. Episode Links: Center for Mindful Learning ( http://www.centerformindfullearning.org ) Modern Mindfulness ( http://www.modmind.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Soryu Forall is the Director of Mindfulness Education at the Center for Mindful Learning. He also leads a unique “modern monastery” training program for those who want to integrate awakening and responsibility. In this conversation with host Vincent Horn, Soryu describes life within the CML Residential program, what it means to come to an end of all feedback loops, and how awakening is directly linked to personal discipline and responsibility. This is part one of a two part series. Listen to part two: Conserve & Adapt. Episode Links: Center for Mindful Learning ( http://www.centerformindfullearning.org ) Sanskara ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskara ) Autocatalysis ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autocatalysis ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mikey Siegel is a meditator, technologist, and pioneer in the field of “Enlightenment Engineering”. In this talk from the 2014 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Mikey explores the idea that enlightenment can be engineered through the use of applied contemplative science. Presenting various examples of technology applicable to a contemplative path, he states enlightenment is real, science can quantify it, and technology can facilitate it. Therefore, Mikey asks, what better use of technology in the service of humanity than the end of suffering? Episode Links: www.MikeySiegel.com BioFluent Technologies ( http://www.biofluent.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Robin Arnott is an indie game designer and interactive artist. In this presentation from the 2014 Buddhist Geeks Conference, he speaks about applying game design to meditation. Robin first explains how a state of trance is central to both the experience of meditation and the experience of game play. He then shows how game mechanics might be utilized in meditation practice to support a trance, and how these ideas are already being explored in the video game industry. Episode Links: SOUNDSELF ( http://soundselfgame.com ) Robin on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/VideoDreaming ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bodhipaksa is a Buddhist meditation teacher, author, and founder of Wildmind.org, an online meditation resource. In this talk from the 2014 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Bodhipaksa explores ways to identify and correct “bugs” in traditional Buddhist teachings. Providing specific examples of bugs and solutions, he encourages the audience to personally use scholarship and experiential practice to verify teachings and stop clinging to incorrect understandings of Buddhist teachings. Episode Links: www.Wildmind.org Bodhipaksa on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/Bodhipaksa ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hokai Sobol is a teacher in the Shingon tradition of Japanese Vajrayana and a long time mentor to the Buddhist Geeks team. In this talk from the 2014 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Hokai speaks about the relationship between imagination and Buddhism. He explains why imagination is important to spiritual practice, he gives examples of the creative process found in Buddhist tradition, and he presents an examination of the state of contemporary Buddhist Art. Episode Links: www.Hokai.info Hokai on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/hokaisobol ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John F. Simon is a visual artist and software programmer. In this talk from the 2014 Buddhist Geeks Conference, John shares how he uses the simple act of drawing as a powerful contemplative practice. Detailing the process and growth he’s experienced from daily drawing, he examines how his artistic practice has led to a spiritual practice that in turn feeds back into his creative process. Episode Links: www.iclock.com Every Icon Project ( http://www.numeral.com/eicon.html ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Katherine MacLean, PhD. is an academically trained research scientist and meditation practitioner with a long-standing interest in the brain, consciousness and the science of well-being. As a postdoctoral research fellow and faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, she worked on the largest study to date combining psychedelics and meditation. Her research on psilocybin and personality change suggests that psychedelic medicines may play an important role in enhancing mental health and promoting openness and creativity throughout the lifespan. In this talk from the 2014 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Katherine presents her experience of studying psychedelics. She shares personal travel stories of mystical experiences in the Himalayas, research results from facilities around the world, and potential therapies for the injured and dying using psilocybin, MDMA, and other psychedelics. A proponent of psychedelic use for therapy and mental health, Katherine encourages the audience to rethink whatever preconceived ideas they might have about the skillful use of psychedelics. Episode Links: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineThe Secular Buddhist Episode 84: Psilocybin and OpennessC-Realm Episode 411: The Strange, Fuzzy, Fat Brick of EverythingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lama Karma (Justin Wall) graduated from Columbia University with degrees in Religious Studies and Literature and has been practicing Buddhism for over 12 years. He completed two traditional three-year retreats under the direction of Lama Norlha Rinpoche at Kagyu Thubten Choling Monastery in New York, studying and practicing in the Karma Kagyu, Shangpa Kagyu and Nyingma Traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. In this talk from the 2014 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Lama Karma describes the gap between the modern mindfulness movement and the Mahamudra tradition. He argues that the presentation of secular mindfulness teachings without the context of Buddhist tradition can lead practitioners to mistakes resulting in harmful dualistic perception. He then presents a framework in which these mistakes of secular mindfulness can be addressed through the Mahamudra teachings. Episode Links: Milarepa Dzong Retreat Center ( http://www.mocd.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.