37 Factors Of Awakening | “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #46

In this forty-sixth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash, we continue our inquiry into meditation practice both on and off the cushion this time keeping on with a kind of 37 theme from last month’s “The 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva” and now to the 37 Factors of Awakening from the TheravadaContinue reading “37 Factors Of Awakening | “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #46”

A Watch In The Ocean: From Silicon Valley To Ordination In Myanmar & Sri Lanka With Bhante Subhūti Bhikkhu

In a swapcast featuring Bhante Bhikkhu Subhuti, an American Buddhist monastic, he shares his journey from layperson to monk in Sri Lanka over 20 years. The discussion covers meditation practices, the integration of Dhamma into daily life, and advice for lay practitioners on spiritual development, emphasizing both traditional and practical aspects of Buddhism.

Spiritual Friendship | “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #44

In this forty-fourth installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash, we continue our inquiry into meditation practice both on and off the cushion this time with Spiritual Friendship or Kalyāṇa-mitta basically meaning “friend of moral beauty” or a “companion on the path of goodness.” What qualifies as this? What are pseudopartners? What isContinue reading “Spiritual Friendship | “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #44”

Peace Walks Inward: Peace Pilgrimage, Resolving Inner Conflict, (Authentic) Dharma Lineages, Brahma Viharas and Navigating Duality with Asoka

Asoka and I explore identity, self-exploration, and a 120-day Peace Walk by Buddhist monastics promoting inner peace and compassion. We emphasize themes like non-duality, ethical practice, and the importance of inner peace as a foundation for external harmony, alongside challenges in modern society, including technology and political conflicts.

(A)Political Notes Mostly Reflected In The California Dhamma Scene

(Ai assist:) A short, unscripted solo reflection on some subtle patterns showing up at the intersection of Western Dhamma practice, language, and politics — especially in the California scene. Topics touched on: How maybe sometimes “not taking practice too seriously” can quietly become a new form of spiritual conceit or complacency The strange silence aroundContinue reading “(A)Political Notes Mostly Reflected In The California Dhamma Scene”

Faith, Persistence, Nimitta, Waiting For Jhana And The Four Elements | Anapanasati Series With Brian Newman

(Ai assist:) Executive coach and deep Dharma practitioner Brian Newman shares his journey into the Pa-Auk Sayadaw meditation lineage and the transformative power of strong samatha (concentration) practice. Brian explains how the need for unwavering presence in his coaching work led him to meditation, quitting alcohol, and eventually discovering that the ancient maps of theContinue reading “Faith, Persistence, Nimitta, Waiting For Jhana And The Four Elements | Anapanasati Series With Brian Newman”

Breath, Light, The Inner Teacher And The Vastness Of Samadhi | Anapanasati Series With Richard Shankman

(Ai Assist:) Richard Shankman, author of the seminal book The Experience of Samādhi, gives a deep exploration of mindfulness of breathing (anapana), samadhi, jhana, and the fluid, often misunderstood nature of deep meditative states. Key Themes Discussed: Anapana as a Universal Doorway: Richard shares his 55-year practice rooted in breath meditation, emphasizing its accessibility andContinue reading “Breath, Light, The Inner Teacher And The Vastness Of Samadhi | Anapanasati Series With Richard Shankman”

Depth, Integration, and Navigating Spiritual Terrain: In Conversation With Tina Rasmussen

Before I toss this over to AI to summarize / describe our conversation I want to take back that I said Tina “completed the grueling Samatha phase” which of course is anything but grueling. In fact, it is actually beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle and beautiful in the end. I was reachingContinue reading “Depth, Integration, and Navigating Spiritual Terrain: In Conversation With Tina Rasmussen”

Awareness Itself | July 25/26, 2024 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #23

In this twenty-third installment of the ongoing live series with Wendy Nash inquiring into meditation practice on and off the cushion we explore awareness itself, particularly in light of just having audited a retreat on it. Retreat Notes Disclaimers: not too many specifics about the retreat may be able to listen to some of theContinue reading “Awareness Itself | July 25/26, 2024 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #23”

Multi-month Pāramitā (Perfections) Challenge For March 2022

[4/29/2022 UPDATE: Zero Pāramitā Challenge provided (to me) for Month 8 / April 2022 yet and 5/23/2022 UPDATE: same thing for the month of May and presumably ongoing unless — barring other possibilities — readers and listeners see a new Pāramitā Challenge from the source and/or a new post/podcast published on IntegratingPresence.com] Expediency, supreme enlightenment,Continue reading “Multi-month Pāramitā (Perfections) Challenge For March 2022”