Buddhist Wisdom, Modern Life

Today’s episode is all about the most famous part of the death and rebirth cycle in Tibetan Buddhism: the bardo between death and rebirth, also called the bardo of becoming. We start with a summary o…

The bardo of clear light is the one moment in our life-death-and-rebirth cycle when we naturally have a direct experience of our true nature. It’s a moment we can prepare for during this lifetime by …

Tibetan teachings on the death process are profoundly inspiring. Yes, it’s a sad and possibly scary time of letting go of our ordinary sense of self – but what really dies is everything except our tr…

Transitions often take us through loss and darkness, but we come out the other side transformed and more in touch with our light.  In this episode, I briefly outline the four bardo (in-between) state…

If you've ever tried to overcome anxiety through mindfulness alone, you might know it's not so easy. But according to Tibetan Buddhism, all emotions are expressions of the elements -- earth, water, f…

In this introduction to the origins and basic beliefs of Buddhism, Karim Ali interviews monk Ajahn Punnadhammo and me (Claire Villarreal). Listen for his take on the Buddha’s life story, the Four Nob…

If you've ever tried -- and failed -- to "let go" of anxiety, anger, or sadness, you might know it's not so easy. Buddhism offers a different way to deal with these emotions. First we need to recogni…

Many people try to avoid sadness and even judge ourselves when we feel sad. But it's an important emotion, and when we feel it with full attention, it may offer us unexpected wisdom.  

In Tibetan Bud…

How does Zen Buddhism connect emptiness and buddha nature? What is Pure Land Buddhism, and how do its followers practice?  

Zen and Pure Land Buddhism (like all other branches of Mahayana Buddhism) t…

If you've ever tried -- and failed -- to "let go" of anxiety, anger, or sadness, you might know it's not so easy. Buddhism offers a different way to deal with these emotions. First we need to recogni…

Mahayana Buddhism has a lot in common with earlier forms of Buddhism (like belief in samsara and nirvana, lack of inherently existent self, dukkha, impermanence, etc.). But in this episode I'll explo…

Welcome to this introduction to the origins and history of the Mahayana schools of Buddhism! I’ll discuss how the Mahayana grew organically from earlier Buddhist teachings and the connections it shar…

If you've heard of the three types of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana), you might wonder: What are the origins of Mayahana Buddhism? How is it similar to and different from Theravada? Wh…

Being gentle with yourself as you begin to practice meditation, then staying curious as your mind shows you what's really going on in your head -- these two qualities together can keep meditation fun…

Often folks new to meditation feel as though they have to do it "right" from the get-go, which can be super frustrating. In this episode, I'll share some tips for relaxing into practice.

To support m…

What is Theravada Buddhism? It's the oldest surviving school of Early Buddhism, and it's still centered on the earliest teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha.  But now it's spread throughout South and South…

What are the origins of mindfulness meditation? The mindfulness movement has become so ubiquitous that it seems as though it's always been around!

But actually the roots of mindfulness meditation are…

The Theravada Buddhist tradition has wonderful resources on meditation, like the Four Foundations of Mindfulness in the Satipatthana Sutta. But put simply, what makes meditation Buddhist? Or Theravad…

The core teachings of Buddhism are all here! Samsara is the Buddhist term describing the cycle longing for something or someone we think will make us happy, getting what we want, and being dissatisfi…