The Lion’s Roar Podcast

Life has a way of throwing us a curveball when we least expect it, and when we think we can’t withstand any more, something else happens. Author and mindfulness teacher Dr. Valerie (Vimalasara) Mason-John shares the parable of the "second arrow" – a metaphor for the extra suffering we cause ourselves – and five ways to work with habitual thoughts so we can start rolling with the punches, and stop kicking ourselves.

Author and activist bell hooks shares a simple formula for a healthy romantic relationships, starting with the myth that love is a feeling – a noun. In fact she says, “love is what to do.” Jungian psychoanalyst and Zen Buddhist Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath lays out the pitfalls of romantic love that lead us to idealization, delusion, disappointment and depression, and how to avoid them. Then an introductory tonglen meditation to refresh and expand your heart, from the online course Flight of the Swans: Dharma Comes West, by Lion's Roar and Naropa University. 

How does personal experience shape how we understand the dharma? How does that understanding shape how we take social action? Buddhist leaders Kamilah Majied, Willie Mukei Smith, and DaRa Williams explore how their experiences as black Americans shaped their understanding of the dharma, interacting with other faith traditions to inform how they understand Buddhist teachings like collective karma, liberation, and the Bodhisattva vow to alleviate suffering. 

The simplest practice of all is the ability to "just stop," says Chief Editor Melvin McLeod, but it's not easy. In this brief editorial he sheds light on why we struggle to slow down, and why we should do so anyway. Then, a guided meditation to help you embody your best qualities even when you’re deep in "the heart of your darkness,” with Zen teacher Koshin Paley Ellison.  

Claire Gesshin Greenwood discovered Oryoki in the monasteries of Japan, where monks in training practice a ritualized eating ceremony with bells and chanting. There’s a right way to use the bowls, a right way to clean them, a right way to hold them, and a right way to eat what’s in them – all to help them experience greater clarity and gratitude for their lives. Greenwood says we can experience this same stillness and sense of interconnectedness in our homes. She explains why, even after she left the cloistered monastic life, she was inspired to bring this practice back to her San Francisco home. 

One of the core teachings of Ram Dass is on conscious aging and dying, so even after he passed away, followers of his work turned to him to make sense of their grief. On the internet they would find a vast archive of recorded talks from the past - sometimes clear and sometimes not - as well as a new album of the most recent, and most vivid audio recording of Ram Dass talking about death shortly before his own death. Musician East Forest talks about meeting Ram Dass, recording with him, and making sense of his passing.

Two senior dharma teachers ordained by peace activist and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh share a poetic dharma talk and guided meditation to reconnect with yourself, with nature, and with each other. 

Buddhist teacher and author Sylvia Boorstein finds herself asking a prominent teacher, Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, for advice she hoped would open the way to profound enlightenment. What she discovered instead was one of the simplest and most understated practices in Buddhism, yet one of the most difficult disciplines to master. In this talk and practice Boorstein guides us in the discipline of goodwill. 

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood deeply affected children growing up from 1968 to 2001 and long after. He stood up for public television that helped kids deal with real life emotions, every day sending a message that they were loved, and today the feature film about Fred Rogers reminds us how relevant his message continues to be. The kids are all grown up now but author, psychotherapist and Buddhist teacher Sylvia Boorstein talks about how we can all practice more compassion and equanimity to cultivate a mind like Mr. Rogers.  

Compassionate action goes hand-in-hand with social and racial justice, but it also has a lot to do with how we show up in the world as neighbours, loved ones, or even as fellow strangers. JoAnna Hardy talks about how metta helps us know ourselves, what holds us back, and how loving-kindness can manifest itself in us. Then, a meditation for your practice.