Author: Jon Roberts

11 | 16 | 22

Season 2, Episode One: “Finding the Chanda in the Tanha.”

We’re back, baby! Now that Jess has joined Jon on his long walk down the long pier of parenting, we’ll be taking a different angle on the discussions this season: What does it mean to bring dhamma practice into parenting, and parenting into dhamma practice? Our super special guest:  Cara Lai, a dhamma teacher teetering… Continue reading Season 2, Episode One: “Finding the Chanda in the Tanha.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:03:24 — 87.1MB)

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11 | 15 | 22

Meditation: Cara Lai.

Cara leads us in a meditation on the care and feeding of the present moment. “Slowly, we develop a taste for being present for our lives. We give our attention the opportunity to see for itself what it really wants to be with. What else is happening in the real, tangible, here and now world that… Continue reading Meditation: Cara Lai.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:46 — 16.2MB)

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11 | 27 | 21

Season 1, Episode Six: “Tongue-Kissing the Void.” (Or, “I Only Date Buddhists.”)

Today’s topic: RELATIONSHIPS! As late celebrity monk Ajahn Chah once said, “The most convenient way to practice meditation is as a monastic, because monastics are celibate.” But I guess human relationships must be pretty good, because we just keep coming back for more. So if we can’t stop ourselves from such holy foolishness in this… Continue reading Season 1, Episode Six: “Tongue-Kissing the Void.” (Or, “I Only Date Buddhists.”)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:29 — 65.4MB)

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11 | 27 | 21

Meditation: non-violent communication.

The heart of the mindfulness-adjacent paradigm known as non-violent communication explores the following: how underlying needs and values cause a person to perceive another person’s behavior in a certain light, particularly during difficult exchanges. This exploration is a way to lead both parties back to a state of empathy and compassion. 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:21 — 8.6MB)

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09 | 30 | 21

Season 1, Episode Five: “A Very Advanced Practice.”

Today’s topic: NATURE! As machete-voiced beatnik philosopher Tom Waits is wont to remind us, “We’re chained to the world, and we’ve all got to pull.” Some of us our able to make the best of our embedment in the natural world, but others will never stop being freaked out by it. Jess helps Jon see… Continue reading Season 1, Episode Five: “A Very Advanced Practice.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:50 — 62.1MB)

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08 | 25 | 21

Season 1, Episode Four: “Our Children’s Children’s Clones.”

Today’s topic: PARENTING! You know what they say: raising a child is a little bit like tap-dancing, backwards, while wearing high heels, and covered in fire ants. Meanwhile, trying to achieve even a shred of enlightenment is challenging enough without, at the same time, attempting to keep an entire extra human alive. Jess tries to… Continue reading Season 1, Episode Four: “Our Children’s Children’s Clones.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:44 — 61.1MB)

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08 | 25 | 21

Meditation: loving-kindess (with a side order of equanimity).

Jess offers a meditation in which loving-kindness is interwoven with equanimity, to create a veritable brahmavihara spice mix, with which any of us might generously season our experiences.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:48 — 9.9MB)

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04 | 07 | 21

Season 1, Episode Three: “Rollercoaster Explosion.”

Today’s topic: RETREATS! Sitting a silent meditation retreat is a virtual rite of passage for mindfulness people. But let’s be frank—sitting in silence for a number of days with only your mind for company is not necessarily a bucket full of gumdrops. Jess and I will talk about all the snakes and ladders one encounters… Continue reading Season 1, Episode Three: “Rollercoaster Explosion.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:13 — 62.5MB)

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