We’re joined today by Vidyuddeva, a young Zen teacher who spent 5 years in monastic training with Zen Master Steve Hagen. Vid is now a teacher in his own right, and teaches with both the iEvolve Practice Community as well as with the Integral Spiritual Center (founded by Ken Wilber). In this episode, Vid shares with us how he came to the dharma, and how it eventually led to his time as a Zen monastic. He also turns the table on the Geeks and begins questioning us as to what the significance is between meditation and life. Listen in to hear more from this young & dynamic voice of wisdom. Episode Links: Dharma Field Zen Center ( http://www.dharmafield.org ) Buddhism Plain and Simple ( http://bit.ly/ZjJFK ) iEvolve: Global Practice Community ( http://www.ievolve.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Erik Curren is a business leader, community activist, author, Buddhist meditator, and politician—who is running for state legislature in Virginia during the 2010 election period. We were contacted by Erik’s campaign manager, who told us that Erik’s Buddhist background was causing a backlash of religious intolerance from some camps, including his fellow Democrats. We spoke with Erik about the importance of religious freedom in American politics, as well as about the way that the Bodhisattva ideal impacts his work as a politician. Finally, we speak with Erik about his first book, Buddha’s Not Smiling, which explored some of the issues behind the current controversy between the two young men who both claim to be reincarnations of the 16th Karmapa–the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu school. It turns out that there is corruption and misunderstanding in Tibetan politics, just as there are in American politics. Episode Links: OnBeing: Liberating the Founders ( http://www.onbeing.org/program/liberating-founders/122 ) Buddha’s Not Smiling : Uncovering Corruption at the Heart of Tibetan Buddhism Today ( http://bit.ly/UnLD6 ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we’re joined by Reverend Danny Fisher–a Buddhist Chaplain and author. Danny shares with us his reasons for becoming chaplain, where the notion of chaplaincy or service to others comes from in the Buddhist tradition, and what it’s like to undertake a Buddhist-based divinity program. In the 2nd half of our conversation we ask him about his take on the challenges and opportunities that young Buddhists encounter. Being an emerging voice for young Buddhists, and a popular Buddhist blogger, Danny shares with us some of his thoughts on what it’s like being a young Buddhist today. Episode Links: Girimananda Sutta ( http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.than.html ) University of the West – Buddhist Chaplaincy Program ( http://bit.ly/1TOH8yZ ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we speak with esteemed scholar, and the former professor of Buddhist Studies at UC Berkely, Dr. Lewis Lancaster. Lewis shares with us the important history of the Buddhist tradition, focusing in particular on the unique attributes of Buddhism that made it the first “world religion,” a religion that is able to detach from it’s original homeland and language and travel wide and far. We also discuss the recent history of Buddhism transitioning to the West, and how Buddhism continues to morph and change through time. Listen in for a great dose of geeky history! Episode Links: Buddhism in a Global Age of Technology ( https://youtu.be/cX2f6QHkU-I ) Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative ( http://www.ecai.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zen teacher Norman Fischer—a teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi—joins us again to speak about the religion, evolution, and Buddhism’s unique role in both. The conversation begins with an overview of American sociologist Robert Bellah’s schema on the evolution of religion throughout the ages. We then discuss the important role that Buddhism can play in the evolution of religion in the West. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 1, Buddhism May Need a Plan B. Episode Links: Robert Bellah ( http://www.robertbellah.com ) Everyday Zen ( http://www.everydayzen.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Buddhism transitions to the West, we see that it is doing so in a couple different ways. Some forms look more like their original Asian roots, while others are secular and non-Religious in their presentation. Zen teacher Norman Fischer, an early 2nd generation teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, calls the more traditional forms part of “Plan A” and the more secular forms, “Plan B.” In this interview we discuss with Norman the importance of Plan B approaches, like Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction. We also discuss his personal experience teaching Plan B at places like Google. Finally, we explore how the livelihood of trained and competent meditation teachers may rely heavily on Plan B approaches. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Buddhism and the Evolution of Religion. Episode Links: Why We Need a Plan B ( http://bit.ly/1TOGMs0 ) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction ( http://www.mindfullivingprograms.com/whatMBSR.php ) Everyday Zen ( http://www.everydayzen.org ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, I speak with non-dual teacher and former Tibetan monk, Peter Fenner. Peter was a monk for nearly a decade before he disrobed, realizing that the Buddhist practices he was engaged in weren’t leading him to what he was looking for. He then looked to Western psychotherapeutic technologies, and in the process developed a non-dual teaching that relates in part to Madhyamika, Advaita Vedanta, and Western psychology. He calls this approach Radiant Mind, and in this episode we speak with him about the various aspects of his teaching, from a type of deconstructive inquiry based on dialoguing with him, to the formless “practice” of natural meditation. Listen in to hear more about this type of “fruition or results” based spiritual path. Episode Links: radiantmind.net Landmark Forum ( http://www.landmarkeducation.com ) Radiant Mind: Awakening Unconditioned Awareness ( http://bit.ly/4a8bZQ ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we speak with Shambhala acharya and cultural anthropologist, Gaylon Ferguson. Gaylon speaks about the view of Natural Wakefulness, in short that innate wisdom is there from the beginning. We also discuss the four foundations of mindfulness as they were taught by Chogyam Trungpa, and the differences between emphasizing naturalness and training on the spiritual path. We wrap up by exploring how cultural anthropology and the study of religion fit in with being a practitioner of the dharma. And since Gaylon has done and taught all three, he has a distinctly interdisciplinary approach that you’ll probably find quite interesting. Episode Links: Turning the Mind Into an Ally ( http://bit.ly/19BJgj ) The Insider/Outsider Problem in the Study of Religion ( http://bit.ly/11SuEG ) Natural Wakefulness: Discovering the Wisdom We Were Born With ( http://bit.ly/MbrIM ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we speak with Gen-X Zen teacher Brad Warner, author of the newly released Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate. We talk a little bit about his book, which leads to a critique of what we might call “Popular Buddhism.” We then ask Brad about an article he wrote called, “Satori Porn”, where he argues that descriptions of enlightenment that make it sound like an experience just aren’t that helpful for students. Even so, at the end of the episode he tries his best to talk about enlightenment, while not describing it in terms of experience. Episode Links: Zen Wrapped In Karma Dipped in Chocolate ( http://bit.ly/ZZOxS ) Hardcore Zen ( http://amzn.to/1TOGnG7 ) Sit Down and Shut Up ( http://amzn.to/1TOGotw ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re joined again by Tami Simon–founder of the spiritual media company Sounds True and senior student of Vajrayana teacher Reggie Ray. This week we ask her about her new podcast series, Insights at the Edge, where she has been interviewing many of the best spiritual teachers in the world. Jokingly, Tami said that she wanted to name the show, “Grill the Guru.” Even though that was a joke, there is some truth in it, and she uses her opportunity with these different teachers to ask them tough questions about their lives. We also ask her about some of the people that have impacted her the most during her decades of being around, and working with some of the brightest spiritual teachers of our time. She shares stories from some of her favorite luminaries, including Quaker teacher and activist Parker Palmer, Julia Butterfly Hill, Adyashanti, and finally “the living now gate,” Eckhart Tolle. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, You Will Get the Dharma You Need. Episode Links: Eckhart Tolle TV ( http://www.eckharttolletv.com ) Geneen Roth: No Situation is Unworkable ( http://bit.ly/1TOG2TT ) Insights at the Edge Podcast ( apple.co/1TOFNrL ) Sounds True ( www.soundstrue.com ) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.