Awake in the World Podcast
Michael Stone
Awake in the World Podcast is a library of talks on a wide-range of topics, including bringing mindfulness and meditation practice into daily life; personal and community issues regarding mental health; and social change. The podcasts were recorded at live events so you might hear coughing, airplanes, cars, sirens, laughter, and peoples’ questions—all part of the intimate experience. Michael Stone (1974-2017) was a Buddhist teacher, author, and mental health advocate. His legacy is stewarded by Carina Stone. Podcast funded by Patreon (patreon.com/michaelstone).
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 14, 2019 • 56min
How to Sit is How to Act (Beginner’s Mind 5)
People who practice Zen are always asking: what is this all about? Whatever you do, Buddha is in that activity. Becoming the breath. Hitting the pillow. Occupy the wall. Suck your thumb. Recorded on June 5, 2012.
Apr 7, 2019 • 1h 1min
Mountains & Rivers, Part 7
Don't ignore what your life actually is. Practice tattoos us. Life stains us. Your life carves your face all the time. Michael reads section 17 - every action you do carves your life. So, how do you carve what's true into your life? Recorded on March 20, 2012.
Apr 1, 2019 • 48min
Mountains & Rivers, Part 6
Water has its own integrity, like you. Every event is interconnected and empty, and yet, everything has its own integrity. You can't say exactly what a river is, and yet, it's not the same as every river. Recorded on February 28, 2012.
Mar 25, 2019 • 1h 6min
Betrayal, Awakening, and Living in a Burning House
Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara talks about the Lotus Sutra and the parable of the burning house. Even in the world of the dharma we can get caught up with playthings and forget that we're living in a burning house. It looks like we’re living in a comfortable place, but half the world is starving. It can be hard to see the suffering that is all around us.
Read the notes and transcription: https://michaelstoneteaching.com/2014/10/23/burning-house-betrayal-as-innovation-by-roshi-pat-enkyo-ohara/
Mar 17, 2019 • 59min
Mountains & Rivers, Part 5: A Love Letter to Meditators
Can we express with language what is most true for us? Maybe all philosophy is heading towards poetry. Michael Stone tells a story about finding the nectar of compassion in the centre of practice. Recorded on February 14, 2012.
Mar 10, 2019 • 56min
Mountains & Rivers, Part 4
How do we use words to say something meaningful about our lives? This is what Dogen tries to do. There is no "outside" or "inside. There is just "this." Being is the ongoingness of "this." This is all our lives have ever been. Recorded on February 7, 2012.
Mar 4, 2019 • 1h 24min
Pranayama
Pranayama is a practice of settling your attention on your breath. As attention becomes balanced, so too does the nervous system. Michael Stone and Grant Hutchinson teach the ways yogic breathing returns the nervous system to "factory settings." Topics include ujjayii pranayama, the palette, the spine and viola pranayama. Recorded on February 6, 2012.
Feb 24, 2019 • 52min
Mountains & Rivers, Part 3
Mountains are actually walking. If you can understand that mountains walk, you can understand impermanence. Nothing is as solid as you think. What, in your life, do you think is solid? Your body is like a mountain and it's also like water. Recorded on January 31, 2012.
Feb 17, 2019 • 58min
Mountains & Rivers, Part 2
Michael Stone describes the way mountains and rivers influenced Dogen and the way they can teach us about our lives. Mountains and water teach us about time, flow, and solidity. Everything is nothing but a moment in time. Recorded on January 24, 2012.
Feb 10, 2019 • 1h 1min
Mountains & Rivers, Part 1
Who Was Dogen? What were his main teachings? Michael Stone introduces the teachings of 13th century Japanese Zen master Dogen and his essay, Mountains and Rivers. Dogen loses both his parents and wants to understand impermanence. Recorded on January 18, 2012.
