Brief note mentioning just what the title says: why the podcast has been offline / not working and upcoming offline retreat time. Also, a couple episodes of the podcast are scheduled to auto-publish while I’m away/offline.
Update Nov 9: Just in time, looks like I’m able to upload again to archive.org
I initially got this from copilot image creation: ‘Whoops, looks like there was a glitch. I can’t actually pull up an image for this. But imagine a bunch of data packets being hurled at the archive.org servers like an angry mob! All trying to overload it at once. Classic DDoS attack. 😓 ‘Then I told it to create an image for this anyway and that’s what’s above then I copy and pasted its own description verbatim with a request to generate an image and that’s the image for the blog post
Audio: Update: Podcast Down And Upcoming Monthlong Offline Retreat
In this twenty-sixth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion we explore attention spans drawing from our internal and external meditative and non-meditative observations to examine how attention spans seem to be quite short these days, why this may be, and what to do about it in/with meditation practice and in everyday life. Amongst the topics mentioned are the four roads to success/power, honesty, seeing what’s really present, self-kindness and belonging.
*There’s naturally an ongoing open call for meditation (related) questions for the (roughly) monthly “Meditation Q & A” either by the various social media means listed; integratingpresence[at]protonmail.com or just showing to type/ask live.*
Background
Regular, current and past visitors to Integrating Presence may recall the monthly series “Ask Us Anything” I did with Denny K Miu from August 2020 until January 2022 — partially including and continuing on with Lydia Grace as co-host for awhile until March 2022.
For a fewmonthsthereafter I did various Insight Timer live events exploring potential new directions and/or a continuation of the Ask Us Anything format while weaving in other related teachings to these events.
Then, after chats with meditation coach Wendy Nash, it became clear to start a new collaboration similar to “Ask Us Anything” simply and clearly called “Meditation Q & A” especially due to the original intent of the Ask Us Anything’s being “discussions about meditation and related topics.”
New podcast in Danish launched from friend and fellow meditator / teacher Niels Lyngsø called Den Pragmatiske Vej (The Pragmatic Way) . . . links to various platforms to listen: https://t.co/sqtBQ4wDXB
April 13, 2026 Update: Niels is on the verge of starting a meditation community:
“Forfatteren og meditationsvejlederen Niels Lyngsø er ved at starte Den Pragmatiske Sangha. Det bliver et seriøst, men uhøjtideligt meditationsfællesskab for alle med en pragmatisk indstilling til meditation.
Den Pragmatiske Sangha får base i et såkaldt messageboard, altså et online-fællesskab, hvor man kan skrive og kommentere indlæg. En slags Facebook for meditationsinteresserede.
Håbet er at det også kunne føre til fysiske møder på kryds og tværs. Måske vil et par stykker, der bor i samme by, meditere sammen hver søndag. Måske finder nogle på at lave en studiekreds og læse noget spændende meditationslitteratur sammen.
For at det skal kunne fungere, kræver det at vi er nok. Og jeg har besluttet mig for at 150 mennesker er et minimum. Lige nu har mere 140 tilkendegivet at de er interesserede, så vi er lige ved at være i mål!
Vil du være med? Så skriv til Niels Lyngsø på niels@pragmatiskbuddhisme.dk
Hvis du har lyst til at tjekke hans meditationsrelaterede arbejde ud, kan du gøre det på pragmatiskbuddhisme.dk
Du er meget velkommen til at komme med ideer og kommentarer, men du kan også nøjes med at skrive “jeg vil gerne være med”, så kommer du på en mailingliste og får besked når Den Pragmatiske Sangha starter op.
Det er gratis og uforpligtende at komme på mailinglisten. Det er muligt at der kommer en form for beskeden betaling, fx 150 kr., når messageboardet bliver lanceret.”
These are likely the first AI assisted show notes done on this site for a podcast with Danish meditation teacher/coach, author, and translator Niels Lyngsø recorded Sept 25, 2024:
Topics Discussed:
Who is Niels Lyngsø?: Niels introduces himself and his work as a meditation coach, sharing insights into his journey and how he approaches the concept of self.
Understanding Self and Not-Self (Anatta): Niels and Josh dive deep into the Buddhist notion of anatta (not-self) and discuss how most people identify with their stories, bodies, and emotions. Niels explains how he teaches this complex concept in a relatable way, emphasizing that there is no core, stable self.
Practical Meditation Insights: The conversation transitions into meditation practices, discussing how training attention and awareness can lead to emotional regulation and greater clarity. Niels explains how these practices work together to improve emotional insight and resilience.
Meditation as a Path to Wisdom: Niels describes how meditation helps train attention and awareness, which ultimately leads to wisdom. He shares insights on how wisdom is not just intellectual but practical, contextual, and connected to actions in specific situations.
Attention vs. Awareness: The distinction between attention (focused, narrow) and awareness (broad, holistic) is a key theme. Niels offers metaphors such as “spotlight vs. floodlight” to explain how cultivating both is essential for clarity of mind and emotional regulation.
Daily Life Applications of Meditation: The episode concludes with a discussion on how meditation can be integrated into everyday life. Niels emphasizes that you don’t need to be a master to benefit from meditation—it’s about starting where you are and being consistent.
Key Takeaways:
Self as a Construct: The idea of “self” is a fluid construct, often identified through stories, the body, or emotions, but in Buddhist practice, the goal is to recognize that there is no permanent, core self.
Importance of Awareness: Meditation trains awareness, allowing practitioners to become more emotionally resilient by perceiving subtle emotional impulses before they develop into stronger emotions like anger or anxiety.
Balance in Meditation: A balance between attention (focused) and awareness (panoramic) is crucial for clarity and insight, leading to better emotional regulation and practical wisdom.
Quotes:
“Wisdom arises when you let go of the self and the ego, allowing clear awareness to guide actions.” — Niels Lyngsø
“The self is closely connected to attention, while awareness is more selfless and holistic.” — Niels Lyngsø
Closing Thoughts:
Niels encourages listeners to take a pragmatic approach to meditation and Buddhist teachings. Whether it’s 10 minutes a day or deeper retreat work, the key is consistency and practical application in daily life.
In this twenty-fifth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion I explored conceit — superiority conceit, inferiority conceit, equality/comparison conceit, how it is related to many ills internally and externally and what to do about it in formal mediation and in the world.
A misunderstanding about start time contributed to Wendy’s absence for this Q & A. We’ve since clarified our protocol.
Since I plan to be on retreat in South Korea from at least mid-November to mid-December we don’t plan to do a Q & A in November. Plans are uncertain about December as of now. We’ve scheduled the January Q & A time though
*There’s naturally an ongoing open call for meditation (related) questions for the (roughly) monthly “Meditation Q & A” either by the various social media means listed; integratingpresence[at]protonmail.com or just showing to type/ask live.*
Background
Regular, current and past visitors to Integrating Presence may recall the monthly series “Ask Us Anything” I did with Denny K Miu from August 2020 until January 2022 — partially including and continuing on with Lydia Grace as co-host for awhile until March 2022.
For a fewmonthsthereafter I did various Insight Timer live events exploring potential new directions and/or a continuation of the Ask Us Anything format while weaving in other related teachings to these events.
Then, after chats with meditation coach Wendy Nash, it became clear to start a new collaboration similar to “Ask Us Anything” simply and clearly called “Meditation Q & A” especially due to the original intent of the Ask Us Anything’s being “discussions about meditation and related topics.”
August 31, 2024 Update: I’ll keep this unedited for now. For the update scroll to the end of what I wrote before the long quote
Inspiration for this post came from staying overnight for extended periods as a lay resident at two UK Buddhist monasteries (and, at the time of this writing, an upcoming Norway monastery stay) in the Thai Forrest Tradition of Ajahn Chah.
While only required to undertake eight of the quite extensive monastic training guidelines (aka precepts) myself, I only knew before arrival a smidgen of these quite involved monastic “ethical sensitivities” as they’re also known by.
Many days a topic of conversation amongst the lay residency involved how to (properly) work, make offerings, practice, live and interact with the monks and nuns.
Ideally, lay residents would be (extensively) familiar with the over 200 Vinaya training guidelines in order to step on a lesser amount of toes while unfolding wider, sustained harmony at the monastery and related involvements:
There’s training involved in everything from food, to work projects, conduct, etc., and even some other things like what (perhaps ritual-like) customs, practices and behaviors are standard and when. Basically, what’s allowed, what is not, what is more often smiled upon and what is not.
While more comprehensive knowledge is usually better some (potential, past and current) lay residents could perhaps find helpful some quick start guides and resources (provided here).
There may or may not be ongoing additions to this post. Please contribute in the comments if so inspired or contact me.
Update:
It has been brought to my attention some clarification could be helpful. I’m told I’m using “precepts” and “training rules/guidelines” interchangeably when they are not, they are different.
Also, to clarify, these listings are not meant to be memorized by lay practitioners to feel responsible for carrying out their part when engaging with monastics. This information is simply for those who might be interested in understanding the practices and responsibilities involved. I noticed when the Pāṭimokkha was recited at the monastery that it is only for monastics, so I’m considering removing what’s copied and pasted below. I’m certainly open to doing so if this doesn’t seem skillful and wise.
I forget the applicable term but from monastery to monastery, even within the same tradition, for various reasons, rules/ guidelines/ procedures can and do vary (slightly) from time to time
There are 227 total precepts for monks and 311 for nuns. The added rules for nuns were for the protection of the nuns and for some of the biological differences. Rules or Precepts that appear to place the nuns in a less than equal rank to the monks were probably written in later times by male dominated cultures. The most important Precepts are the Ten Precepts. The 227 and 311 are mostly an elaboration and further clarification of the Ten Precepts. Today fully ordained women nuns share full equal ranking with the monks.
The 227 and 311 Precepts are organized into four incurable offenses which require expulsion from the Order, 13 very serious offenses, and the rest are minor offenses, wrong actions, and minor rules. The four incurable offenses are: intentional sexual intercourse of any kind, murder, theft, and boasting of spiritual attainments which one does not really have. Most of the rules are minor instructions, such as the maximum size of living quarters, the type of robe that is allowed for wearing, etc.
The four parajikas (defeats) are rules entailing expulsion from the monastic Order (Sangha) for life. If a monk or nun breaks any one of the rules he/she is automatically ‘defeated’ in the holy life and falls from monkhood immediately. He is not allowed to become a monk again in his/her lifetime. Intention is necessary in all these four cases to constitute an offence. The four parajikas for bhikkus are:
1. Sexual intercourse, that is, any voluntary sexual interaction between a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni and a living being.
2. Stealing, that is, the robbery of anything worth more than 1/24 troy ounce of gold (as determined by local law).
3. Intentionally bringing about the death of a human being, even if it is still an embryo — whether by killing the person, arranging for an assassin to kill the person, inciting the person to die, or describing the advantages of death.
4. Deliberately lying to another person that one has attained a superior spiritual state, such as claiming to be an Arahant when one knows one is not, or claiming to have attained one of the jhanas when one knows one hasn’t.
In this twenty-fourth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion we explore fear and courage. What are the pros and cons of fear and courage? How much is too much and how much is enough? How are these best viewed and worked with in mediation and in daily life?
Note: the quote from Martin Luther King, Jr I was trying to remember:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.” Hate cannot drive out hate and only love can drive out hate “
And the similar fifth line from the dhammpada:
‘Hatred never ends by hatred. By non-hate alone does it end. This is an ancient truth’
*There’s naturally an ongoing open call for meditation (related) questions for the (roughly) monthly “Meditation Q & A” either by the various social media means listed; integratingpresence[at]protonmail.com or just showing to type/ask live.*
Background
Regular, current and past visitors to Integrating Presence may recall the monthly series “Ask Us Anything” I did with Denny K Miu from August 2020 until January 2022 — partially including and continuing on with Lydia Grace as co-host for awhile until March 2022.
For a fewmonthsthereafter I did various Insight Timer live events exploring potential new directions and/or a continuation of the Ask Us Anything format while weaving in other related teachings to these events.
Then, after chats with meditation coach Wendy Nash, it became clear to start a new collaboration similar to “Ask Us Anything” simply and clearly called “Meditation Q & A” especially due to the original intent of the Ask Us Anything’s being “discussions about meditation and related topics.”
Sept 23, 2024 UPDATE:Much of this audio can also be used in general for how to prepare for a meditation retreat at home.
I’d also like to mention that due to the sweat pouring off my back from the sun after the last hour long sit of the retreat I didn’t manage to fill out the remaining 30 minutes of the day for formally ending the retreat, Q & A, and transitioning back to everyday life — perhaps only spending 10 minutes or so doing this. There were no questions, comments or responses at the end of the retreat even though the stats showed some 80 or 90 or so participants for each the first and third sessions and over 130 for the second.
Please reach out if you attended and I can assist with anything in anyway. The surrounding temperature wasn’t even that hot. The sun was just so seemingly intense for the last sit as it went from completely overcast the entire time until the last session where it was completely clear.
Oops. There was a bad connection for such a live event on Aug 19 so gave this one another go on 25 August for anyone to explore joining my upcoming, freely offered, donation supported, half-day Insight Timer retreat on September 20, 2024 by explaining, offering preparation suggestions and answering any questions about this mini retreat. [ You can hear the full audio I recorded locally from the botched live event https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3XQ7XkfBPw even though this redo is way better]
On July 11, 2024 Hope Fitzgerald and I get deep into many aspects of dowsing, energetic work with the planet, 10D love and compassion, how Hope came across the Infinity Wave and its continuing impact on many levels, the layers and layers of letting go, comfort zones, purity, and of course how all this relates to catalyzing change and awakening plus plenty more.
Hope’s Intro:
Join Hope, a visionary speaker and author, as she shares insights on the Infinity Wave, a powerful 10th dimensional energetic tool revealed to her through life-altering visions in 2010.
Discover how the Infinity Wave can swiftly and effortlessly transform suffering into freedom, especially in today’s challenging times.
Hope has dedicated her life to developing individuals, communities, and the Earth, to become beacons of wisdom and inspiration.
With numerous appearances on global Internet and radio shows, Hope continues her mission of encouraging planetary awakening.
As an intuitive, spiritual teacher, dowser, and leader of international trips, Hope brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her audience.
Dive into Hope’s new book, The Infinity Wave—an illuminating account of the Infinity Wave’s arrival and a practical guide for personal and collective growth.
I’m a Spiritual Teacher, Intuitive Dowser, Coach and Author. I am also a healer, an End-of-Life Midwife, and a Certified Neurofeedback Practitioner.
Between us, I’ve always pushed back when people have asked me to use my name in marketing because it’s really not about me. I was blessed with this name and have done my best to live up to it, and now I encourage everyone to spread hope, infinitely.
The topics I speak about are:
Infinity Wave:
The Infinity Wave, pioneered by Hope Fitzgerald, is a transformative energy modality that empowers individuals to break free from limitations, expand their consciousness, and embody higher states of being. By using this practice, individuals embark on a journey of self-discovery by tapping into the infinite potential within themselves to alter reality, fostering profound healing and personal growth.
Dowsing:
Dowsing is an ancient practice that serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness between the physical and spiritual realms as it harnesses the intuition to detect unseen energies and information. Whether using L-rods or pendulums, dowsers can tap into a higher level of consciousness to access knowledge beyond the physical realm. This practice is not bound by traditional scientific explanations but has been utilized for centuries for various purposes, including locating water sources, minerals, and lost objects as well as determining most advantageous choices for an individual. Hope has been a dowser for over 30 years, using it to guide clients through difficult decisions, road blocks and deeper understanding of their lives.
Spiritual Evolution:
Spiritual evolution is the ongoing process of personal and collective growth towards higher states of consciousness and awareness. It encompasses the journey of self-discovery, inner transformation, and the expansion of one’s understanding of the universe and their place within it. As individuals awaken to their true nature and purpose, they undergo profound shifts in perspective, values, and behaviors. This evolution is not confined to any particular belief system but is universal in nature, transcending cultural and religious boundaries. Through introspection, mindfulness practices, and connection with the divine, individuals contribute to the collective evolution of humanity towards a more harmonious and enlightened existence.
Change Dynamics & You, Awake:
“Change Dynamics” refers to the process of navigating change of any kind. Many people’s response to change is to freeze up, becoming rigid and out of touch with their full human capacities. You, Awake: Mastering the Art of Change is a workshop designed to provide a step-by-step process of returning to fluidity and joy. Why is this important? When individuals awaken to their inherent power and potential, they become catalysts for transformation on both personal and societal levels. By embodying principles of compassion, authenticity, forgiveness and gratitude, they inspire others to awaken to their own inner light and take proactive steps towards positive change. This dynamic process involves a continuous cycle of self-reflection, growth, and action, fueled by the understanding that every individual has the capacity to contribute to the collective awakening of humanity.
Water:
Beyond its physical properties, which are still not entirely understood by science, water is a symbol of purification, healing, and renewal across cultures and traditions. While water is the source of all life on Earth, sustaining ecosystems and facilitating biochemical processes essential for survival, it is also revered for its ability to cleanse and purify the body, mind, and soul. In more recent years, experiments by Dr Emoto and others have shown water to have memory and consciousness – the mysteries are still unfolding. As a practice, wise individuals connect regularly with the elemental power and wisdom of this essential resource, honoring its sacred role in sustaining life and promoting well-being.
Death:
Though I prefer the term Midwife to the Afterlife over Death Doula, they mean the same thing. For much of my life, I’ve been drawn to the topic of death but not in a morbid way. Even before I stumbled into becoming a medium, I was fascinated with communication from the other side, and read countless books on the subject. Now, I’m honored to work in the field as a coach for both the transitioning person as well as their families and loved ones. I also help those left behind to recover from grief.
No matter where someone is in their development, either a beginner or a recognized Starseed, everyone is on a trajectory of their own evolution – it’s the exciting work we came here to do! Let’s work together to make it as joyful as possible.
Audio: Catalysts For Awakening and Change Series: Infinite Waves Of Heightened Love And Compassion With Hope Fitzgerald
Integrating Presence