Judith Simmer-Brown, a professor of Religious Studies at Naropa University and authorized teacher in the Shambhala tradition speaks with us about the coming together of theoretical study and meditation practice in the context of academia—what professor Charles Prebish calls the “scholar-practitioner”. She shares with us the historical precedents for this movement in America, and how it is changing now. When asked about the benefits of doing both study and practice together, Judith shares much of what she sees are the benefits of using a “contemplative pedagogy” (or contemplative education approach) in the classroom. She also relates the danger of not bringing these two forms of practice together, in that one could become either a “stupid practitioner” or “arrogant scholar” without the grounding of the opposite discipline. We finish the conversation with Judith sharing some of resources she suggests for those people who want to deepen their theoretical understanding of the Buddhist tradition. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2: Becoming Whole: Lineage and Gender in American Buddhism. Episode Links: Master Dogen’s Shobogenzo ( http://bit.ly/1zYRW )The New Panditas ( http://www.thebuddhadharma.com/issues/2006/spring/scholar-practitioners.html ) Dakini’s Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism ( http://bit.ly/Euzrb ) The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga ( http://bit.ly/f68Cm )Swallowing the River Ganges : A Practice Guide to the Path of Purification ( http://bit.ly/Mbntv )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We continue our discussion with the Venerable Thubten Chodron, a long time Western Buddhist Nun, and founder of Sravasti Abbey in Washington State. In this dialogue she shares with us the vision behind Sravasti Abbey, discussing the benefits of living the monastic life and using community life as a means to continue to deepen practice. She also discusses the importance of monasteries in western culture, and maintains that monastics can serve as the conscience of the society, citing the recent events in Burma as an example. She also holds that monasteries are a place of hope and optimism, and that many people feel inspired and challenged by the monastic lifestyle. Before closing off the conversation she also touches on the importance of the dharma being offered freely to all people, especially with regards to gender. We hope you enjoy this conversation with one of the West’s most beloved Tibetan Nuns. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Reformatting the Hard Disk of the Mind. Episode Links: Sravasti Abbey ( http://www.sravastiabbey.org )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the second half of our conversation with Buddhist teacher Diana Winston we go on to discuss the various ways that Buddhism and more secular mindfulness practices are being marketed to youth. The mindfulness movement itself seems to be one of the most promising of these different methods, as does the promulgation of Buddhist teachings via the internet. We finish off our discussion exploring the promises and perils of starting a serious practice when one is in their teens, and explore how serious, young practitioners end up often missing out on some other important areas of development. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, What Happens to the Dharma when the Boomers Die Out? Episode Links: Wide Awake: Buddhism for the New Generation ( http://bit.ly/RHZXx ) UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center ( http://www.marc.ucla.edu )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thubten Chodron, a long time Western Buddhist Nun, and founder of Sravasti Abbey in Washington State, took time with us to discuss her work as a teacher, including all of the work she has done with students online. She shared with us the potential down-sides of having a purely digital relationship with a teacher, as one doesn’t have the opportunity to see experience teacher as a living example. Chodron also commented on an issue she sees our society having with spiritual practice, in that we tend to want things to be easy and quick. Her, and other teachers, have observed a tendency to want a kind of “push-button enlightenment”. The truth, she says, is that there aren’t any shortcuts when it comes to transforming the mind and realizing suffering and it’s cessation. We finish off our conversation with Chodron exploring what has changed as Buddhism has come to the West. She mentions that much of the packaging has changed, but that it’s always a tricky process differentiating the packaging from the teachings of liberation. What is culture and what is the dharma? She gives her opinions on the subject, and shares some of the ways in which her community is trying to change with the times. We hope you enjoy this conversation with one of the West’s most beloved Tibetan Nuns. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2: Monasteries as the Conscience of Society.Episode Links: Sravasti Abbey ( http://www.sravastiabbey.org )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Diana Winston, insight meditation teacher and author, took a break from a busy day of work from the UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center to join us in a discussion on Buddhism and youth. After sharing some insight into what her most recent work at UCLA is aiming to accomplish, Diana explored the question of whether or not youth are flocking to Buddhism today, as they did in the 60s and 70s. In her experience, the number of people under age 30 has actually increased since she was a young meditator in the early 90s, but it is still remains a small percentage of the overall demographic of Western Buddhists. We discuss why that might be the case, touching in on both historical and financial factors. We also hear from Diana about efforts that are being made at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, including teen and young-adult retreats as well as youth scholarships. She then asks the three younger participants (all of us in our 20s) what brought us to the teachings of the dharma. We finish the conversation sharing the personal reasons that we were drawn to the dharma in our late-teens and early 20s. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2: Marketing Mindfulness to the Youth. Episode Links: Wide Awake: Buddhism for the New Generation ( http://bit.ly/RHZXx ) UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center ( http://www.marc.ucla.edu )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In our final segment with Buddhist teacher and author Sharon Salzberg, she starts off by describing what it is like doing a retreat in the Insight Meditation tradition. She includes information about the daily structure of the retreat and also discusses what it is like to be in a silent retreat environment. Gwen and she also discuss the common experience of boredom in meditation practice, especially with regards to the conditioning that comes from living in a “culture of stimulation”. Sharon goes on to describe her experience of seeing the Bodhi Tree while in Bodh Gaya in the 70s, and about the importance of that place—what she calls “The City”. She also gives her telling of the Buddha’s experience of enlightenment under the tree. This conversation ends with Gwen asking Sharon what she sees her next steps are as a student of Buddhist practice. We hope you’ve enjoyed this wonderful series with one of America’s most well-respected Buddhist teachers. We also want to thank Gwen Bell for the interview, of which it will be her last here on Buddhist Geeks. You can find out more about Gwen and the other fantastic work she is doing at www.gwenbell.com. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Sharon Salzberg on Now and Then & Part 2: From the Point of View of Insight Meditation. Episode Links: Insight Meditation Society ( http://dharma.org )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we spoke with neuroscientist and Buddhist meditator Daniel Rizzuto. Vince and he discussed a number of topics including the link between contemplative and scientific methodologies, some of the potential technologies that could emerge for the neuroscientific research, including Daniel’s favorite, an empathic training device. Daniel also shared some of the meditation research he was aware of, including Dr. Sara Lazar’s research out of Harvard where she found that meditation actually affected the structural basis of the brain, as well as some of the recent meditation research that was conducted using EEG devices. We then discussed the possibility of constructing a neural map that describes a practitioners evolution, and the potential that such a map could be used to help create a device—a so called “enlightenment machine”—that could actually accelerate that process. The question soon emerged, how might this machine impact one’s ethical understanding? Can someone actually go through the process without a revolution in their ethical understanding? The Buddhist tradition often describes the inseparability of insight and ethical understanding or the unity of Emptiness and Compassion. Daniel proposed that a sub-field of neuroscience, neuroethics is an attempt at understanding the neural correlates of one’s ethical choices, such that this information could be built into a device even if it weren’t a by-product of the process of spiritual maturation. Episode Links: Cyborg Buddha Project Dr. Sara LazarSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the 2nd part of our conversation with Sharon Salzberg, Gwen Bell speaks to her about a number of fascinating subjects. They begin with Sharon’s experience writing for secular publications, such as Oprah’s O Magazine and her experience writing her most recent book, Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience. They also discuss some periods of Sharon’s practice where she was confronting the “banality of her own mind” and a large amount of suffering and despair. The conversation ends with Sharon’s account of the early days of the Insight Meditation Society. She also touches on how the organization has evolved over time, from it’s early disorganized beginning to it’s current condition as a well established center. She also discusses in detail what it’s like to do a retreat at the Retreat Center and at the newer long-term retreat facility, the Forest Refuge. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: Sharon Salzberg on Now and Then & Part 3: Bodh Gaya is “The City." Episode Links: Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience ( http://bit.ly/a9qSHL ) Insight Meditation Society ( www.dharma.org )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharon Salzberg co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Mass., when she was twenty-three. In this episode Salzberg shares some of the insights that she’s discovered along the way, telling stories in a way that will make them accessible to new and seasoned practitioners alike. May they illuminate your day, your car ride or your walk to work as you listen. This is part one of a three part series. Listen to Part 2: From the Point of View of Insight Meditation & Part 3: Bodh Gaya is “The City”. Episode Links: Insight Meditation Society ( www.dharma.org )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In our final segment with meditation instructor Ethan Nichtern, he shares his perspective on selling the dharma, transforming culture, the Shambhala tradition, and the need for more dharma teachers who aren’t necessarily enlightened. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to Part 1: What Did Jessica Alba Eat for Breakfast? & Part 2: Buddhism & Money – Does Priceless Mean it’s Free? Episode Links: The Interdependence Project ( http://www.theidproject.com ) One City: A Declaration of Interdependence ( http://bit.ly/pw6lx )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.