National Podcast Post Month is winding down here on the Enlighten Up Podcast, but I wanted to get just one more reading from 'Comfortable With Uncertainty' by Pema Chodron before we finished up.

Today's reading comes to us from a great book called 'The Tao Of Pooh' by Benjamin Hoff.  For those who don't know about it, it explains Taoism through the characters in Winnie the Pooh.  I highly recommend it.

Less than a week to go of National Podcast Post MontH.

Today we read from 'Good Life, Good Death' by Gehlek Rinpoche.

Today we have a short reading from Pema Chodron's 'Comfortable With Uncertainty'  (Yes...Again!)

Less than a week to go of National Podcast Post Month and it looks like I might actually make it.

Today we read from 'Good Life, Good Death' by  Gehlek Rinpoche. 

 Day 24 of National Podcast Post Month and we are reading from a new source:  Thich Nhat Hanh's 'The Heart Of Understanding'.  He tells us about a new term, 'Inter-being'.

It's Black Friday on the Enlighten Up Podcast and we journey back to 'The Best Buddhist Writing of 2004'.  We read a section by Phillip Moffet called 'The Hearts Intention'

Happy Thanksgiving and National Podcast Post Month Day 22!

Now that I have finally recovered from a trichtophan overdose, we're returning to 'Comfortable with Uncertainty' by Pema Chodron and talking about forgiveness.

Day 21...NaPodPoMo...and the night before the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Today we are going back to Pema Chodron and 'Comfortable With Uncertainty' and talking about being comfortable where we are.

Today we hear again from 'Johnathan Livingston Seagull' by Richard Bach.  This short reading perfectly describes the Buddhist concept of Buddha Nature, sometimes referred to as Basic Goodness.

Today on Day 19 of National Podcast Post Month, we read about impermanence from 'How to Free Your Mind: Tara the Liberator' by Thubten Chodron.

Today we read from 'The Best Buddhist Writings of 2004' from a section written by Noah Levine. 

Today I give a little update on my day.  I lost a radio contest put on by KZEP here in San Antionio.  But I had a great time and got some cool pictures from.  

I also talk a little bit about how I choose the readings I've been doing for NaPodPoMo.

For the reading today, we turn to  Pema Chodron's book 'Start Where You Are' to talk about 'abandoning hope of fruition.'

Today is short and sweet.  The reading today is from the book 'HowTo Free Yor Mind: Tara The Liberator' by Thubten Chodron.  The subject is one of my usuals,'Attachment'.

I'm finally back from Dallas.  It was a good time, but I'm glad to be home.  Unfortunately, I am behind on listening to the other NaPodPoMo podcasts so I don't have a podcast love segment tonight. 

For a short Buddhist reading, we turn to the first Buddhist book I ever owned, 'Zen Flesh Zen Bones' (and yes, I still have the original copy I bought when I was 10)  We get a little clue on the motivation to reach enlightenment.

Today's podcast is light on Spirituality and heavy on the rant.  I talk about my hotel problems today and whine at the noise when I was recording.  I also answer a question from a listener and recommend the book 'Indestructible Truth' by Reggie Ray.

In podcast love, we send a shout out to Dani Cutler at  Truth Seekers.  Check it out!

Lucky day 13 of NaPodPoMo!

I'm still in Dallas with another motel room recording.

Today's quote is again from the Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche and his book ' Turning Towards Liberation'.  This post is about Karma and intention.

In podcast love, we send a shout out to Erik Fisher of erikwrites.com and bothright.com.  Check him out!

 Still in Dallas and recording in the hotel.  Zoom H4 is doing great but my favorite, cheapy, Koss headphones are giving out.  There's a loose wire somewhere.  I think tomorrow I'll have to be recording with *cringe* ear buds.

Today's reading is again from Pema Chodron's 'Comfortable With Uncertainty' and the chapter is called 'Dharma'.  Dharma is the term Buddhists use for the teachings of the Buddha.

 In podcast love today, we are sending a shout out to Jen at 'Mod Yogini, Modern Chica'.  For NaPodPoMo, she is presenting a mindfulness contemplation or reading and a Yoga exercise.  I'm a bit old an large to be successful with the exercise, but the contemplations hit the target.  Check her out!

Day 11 of National Podcast Post Month!  Who'd have thought we would have gotten this far?

Today, I am in Dallas on business so I am recording in the hotel room.  Not the ideal conditions, but it's what I'll be doing for the next few days.  Today I decided to forgo the normal reading and just present a short talk on a question I am asked quite often.  'What's different about being a Buddhist?'  So, let's answer that question in four minutes.  =)

 In podcast love, we send a shout out to Brad P. from NJ and the  Whole Lot Of Nonsense podcast.  Despite the title, a lot of his podcasts have really made me think.  Currentl, he's gotten me thinking very critically about the 'One Computer - One Child' program.  Go on over and have a listen.

OK...so somehow I goofed.  The file for day 10 that I uploaded wasn't complete.  I fixed it and here it is.

Sorry...

Lans

Jennifer Navarrete did a podcast on 'Change' a few days back and I decided to do a reading from the book ‘Turning Towards Liberation‘ by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche from a section about impermanence. 

 

In podcast love, I am having you check out my old friend (well...old in internet terms) Shaine Mata at shainemata.net.  We met when we were helping plan Podcamp San Antonio together.  He ALWAYS has something going on, so check him out.

Another day of National Podcast Post Month!

Today we roam through the pages of history with a passage from His Holiness The Dali Lama's Autobiography, 'Freedom In Exile' and hear about his final encounter with Chairman Mao in 1955.

In Podcast Love, we send a shout out to Laura Ross at the Coffee and Tea Show.  I had a blast listening to her conversations with her daughter, Maia,  about the anime show 'Naruto'.

Have a great day!

Day 8!  Over the first week hump!

Today's reading if from Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach.

And in podcast love, I'm sending a shout out to Jen at Inside My Head
for two main reasons:
Check her show out!

This week we finish up talking about the 3rd point of the  Lojong sayings that deal with using adversity as part of our path. As we said on previous podcasts, the Lojong are a series of 57 or so short sayings that help guide us to enlightenment. These sayings are organized into 7 categories. This gives this teaching it’s other name, ‘The 7 Points of Mind Training’.

The 7 categories are:

1. The Preliminaries
2. The Main Practice (Bodhicitta )
3. Turning the negative into paths
4. Practicing in this lifetime
5. Evaluation of mind training
6. Commitments of mind training
7. Guidelines for mind training

On this podcast we cover the next 2 slogans which are:

• Seeing Confusion as the Four kayas is Unsurpassable shunyata Protection
• Whatever You Meet Unexpectedly, Join With Meditation

A great site for information about all things Lojong is lojongmindtraining.com. It covers each of the saying with commentary from one of seven great teachers. You can even sign up to receive a random slogan and commentary e-mailed to you each day.

In keeping with what I've been doing for National Podcast Post Month, todays podcast love shout out goes to Leslie Baldwin at springanew.com .   Leslie hosts shows 5 days a week (sometimes 6!) LIVE on talkshoe.com

It's Day 6 of National Podcast Post Month.

Today, we have another reading from Pema Chodron's 'Comfortable With Uncertainty' from a section called 'Loosening Up.'

In podcast love, another new podcaster that I've been exposed to through NaPodPoMo, Will Brown.  Will has a couple of podcasts going.  The Workshop is his audio blog and he hosts the Cloudy Day Art Poetry Podcast.  Check him out!

Here we are at day 5 of National Podcast Post Month. 

This time, I give a short update on the regular version of the podcast then talk about the San Antonio New Media meetup group at Cafe Latino and it's Hookah Tents.

I read about Karma from the book 'Turning Towards Liberation' by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, a subject we've talked about many times on the Enlighten Up Podcast.

Finally, in podcast love, I send a shout out to  Lillian Angelovic at Messing Up The Averages.  She's doing daily contemplative meditation for NaPodPoMo.  Check it out!

Day 4

Today's quote is from The Best Buddhist Writings of 2004, in the section called 'Spacing Out.' 

In podcast love, I recommend checking out Jessie Jeffries at RedOnGreen.  She has just started podcasting in conjunction with NaPodPoMo.

We close it out with a little musical departure.  You'll have to have a listen to get the details (and a good laugh).

Here we go with day 3 of National Podcasting Post Month. 

Today I read a little bit from 'The Myth Of Freedom' by Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche.  I've been looking at this particular book a lot lately because I am preparing to co-teach a class called 'The Battle Of Ego' at the Shambhala Meditation Center of San Antonio.  It should be a blast!

In podcast love today, We send a shout out to San Antonio Spurs Guru and Podcamp San Antonio Co-Organizer, Michael DeLeon.  Michael runs 'Project Spurs' and produces 'The Spurscast.'  Check him out!

Day 2!

Today I talk a little about my pictures on flickr and the Utata group there.  Utata also has a website outside of flickr. 

The reading today comes from Pema Chodron's book Comfortable With Uncertainty and is about why we meditate.

Podcast Love today is to Nathan Lott who produces Lott's Thoughts, Rental Reviews, Daily TV Review Podcast and the Play and Concert Review Podcast.  He's also the President of the local Mac Users Group, so go check him out.

It's November!  That means it's National Podcast Post Month!  (It's also National Novel Writing Month and National Blog Post Month)

Last year, I was a successful participant in National Blog Post Month, where you post to your blog every day in the month of November.  This year, I've decided to take it a step further and I will be posting a podcast everyday for the month.

I'll still be producing the usual shows continuing our discussion of the Lonjong, but all the rest of the days, I'll be doing a short cast with a quote from my favorite Buddhist texts or maybe a thought for the day.

For day number one, I have decided to read a quote from 'Turning The Mind Into An Ally' by The Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.  This book is a great place to start learning meditation and is always on the top of my list of meditation book recommendations.

In addition, each day I want to spread a little 'podcast love' for the other folks who have decided to take on this challenge.  Today, I am giving a shout out to the podcaster who's brainchild this whole project was,  Jennifer Navarrete from The Morning Brewcast and jennifernavarrete.com.

This week we begin talking about the 3rd point of the  Lojong sayings that deal with using adversity as part of our path. As we said on previous podcasts, the Lojong are a series of 57 or so short sayings that help guide us to enlightenment. These sayings are organized into 7 categories. This gives this teaching it’s other name, ‘The 7 Points of Mind Training’.

The 7 categories are:

1. The Preliminaries
2. The Main Practice (Bodhicitta )
3. Turning the negative into paths
4. Practicing in this lifetime
5. Evaluation of mind training
6. Commitments of mind training
7. Guidelines for mind training

On this episode, we talk about turning the negative things that happen into positives for our spiritual path.. On this podcast we cover the next 3 slogans which are:

• When the World is Filled With Evil, Transform All Mishaps Into the Path of Bodhi
• Drive All Blames Into One
• Be Grateful to Everyone

A great site for information about all things Lojong is lojongmindtraining.com. It covers each of the saying with commentary from one of seven great teachers. You can even sign up to receive a random slogan and commentary e-mailed to you each day.

This week we begin talking about the Lojong sayings that deal with Relative Bodhicitta. As we said on previous podcasts, the Lojong are a series of 57 or so short sayings that help guide us to enlightenment. These sayings are organized into 7 categories. This gives this teaching it’s other name, ‘The 7 Points of Mind Training’.

The 7 categories are:

1. The Preliminaries
2. The Main Practice (Bodhicitta )
3. Turning the negative into paths
4. Practicing in this lifetime
5. Evaluation of mind training
6. Commitments of mind training
7. Guidelines for mind training

On this episode, we talk about Relative Bodhicitta or Compassion. On this podcast we cover the next 4 slogans which are:

• Sending and Taking Should Be Practiced Alternately. These Two Should Ride the Breath
• Three Objects, Three Poisons, and Three Seeds of Virtue
• In All Activities, Train With Slogans
• Begin the Sequence of Sending and Taking With Yourself

A great site for information about all things Lojong is lojongmindtraining.com. It covers each of the saying with commentary from one of seven great teachers. You can even sign up to receive a random slogan and commentary e-mailed to you each day.

This week we finish talking about the Lojong sayings that deal with Ultimate Bodhicitta.  As we said on previous podcasts,  the Lojong are a series of 57 or so short sayings that help guide us to enlightenment. These sayings are organized into 7 categories.  This gives this teaching it's other name, 'The 7 Points of Mind Training'. 

The 7 categories are:

1. The Preliminaries
2. The Main Practice (Bodhicitta )
3. Turning the negative into paths
4. Practicing in this lifetime
5. Evaluation of mind training
6. Commitments of mind training
7. Guidelines for mind training

This week we finish up the first half of  the second point of mind training, The Main Practice. These slogans deal with Ultimate Bodhicitta, or Wisdom.  On this podcast we cover slogans 5 and 6 which are: A great site for information about all things Lojong is lojongmindtraining.com.  It covers each of the saying with commentary from one of seven great teachers.  You can even sign up to receive a random slogan and commentary e-mailed to you each day.

This week we continue talking about the Lojong.  As we said on the last podcast,  Lojong are a series of 57 or so short sayings that help guide us to enlightenment. These sayings are organized into 7 categories.  This gives this teaching it's other name, 'The 7 Points of Mind Training'. 

The 7 categories are:

1. The Preliminaries
2. The Main Practice (Bodhicitta )
3. Turning the negative into paths
4. Practicing in this lifetime
5. Evaluation of mind training
6. Commitments of mind training
7. Guidelines for mind training

This week we dive into the second point of mind training, The Main Practice. The second point deals mainly with Bodhicitta which we take a look at this week.  On this podcast we cover slogans 2, 3 and 4 which are:
A great site for information about all things Lojong is lojongmindtraining.com.  It covers each of the saying with commentary from one of seven great teachers.  You can even sign up to receive a random slogan and commentary e-mailed to you each day.

This week we start on a journey through The Lojong.  The Lojong are a series of 57 or so short sayings that help guide us to enlightenment. These sayings are organized into 7 categories.  This gives this teaching it's other name, 'The 7 Points of Mind Training'. 

The 7 categories are:

1. The Preliminaries
2. The Main Practice (Bodhicitta )
3. Turning the negative into paths
4. Practicing in this lifetime
5. Evaluation of mind training
6. Commitments of mind training
7. Guidelines for mind training

This week we cover the first category, The Preliminaries.  The preliminaries have been interpreted as both Shamatha/Vipashna meditation and The Four Reminders.  Both are incredibly valuable for this journey, but since we have dealt with meditation practice in much detail, in this podcast we review the Four Reminders.

A great site for information about all things Lojong is lojongmindtraining.com.  It covers each of the saying with commentary from one of seven great teachers.  You can even sign up to receive a random saying and commentary mailed to you each day.

After having my daughter, Taylor, in the past  couple of episodes, I got some email asking me about how to introduce kids to Buddhism, so this week, I talk about how my kids got introduced to the Buddhist path, how they reacted to it and then a couple of books that have been beneficial on Taylors path.

Books for teens:

Buddha In Your Backpack by Franz Metcalf
Blue Jean Buddha by Sumi Loundon and Jack Kornfield

Unfortunately, the series of books for young children that I mentioned 'Jakarta Tales', I can't seem to find in print on the internet.  This was a series of books that was in the library at our local center.  They are paper back, 8.5 X 11, and there was a book for each folk tale.  If anyone out there knows where to get these, please pass it on.

This week I have my co-host, Taylor again!  We talk about our experience at the mala making class at the Shambhala Center as well as what malas are. 

Since malas are used for counting mantras, we talk about the Compassion Mantra, 'Om Mani Padme Hum' and what it means.

This week we take a twist and have the first ever interview on the Enlighten Up Podcast!  So this week I talk to my daughter Taylor, age 14.  She's been practicing meditation and studying Buddhism for about 3 years now.  We talk about her first experience at a meditation center, how she learned to meditate, what Buddhism means to her and a couple of other fun things. 

We had a blast and I think she's going to join me on our next podcast as well.

After a short break, we are back!  This week we're talking about meditation off the cushion.  Driving meditation and meditating while washing dishes.  We explore the concept that any activity allows us a platform for meditation practice.

We are sending a great big Get Well Soon to Michael De Leon of the Spurscast!  He's just gotten out of the hospital and is on the mend.  Hope to see ya soon, Mike!

Today I depart slightly from the use of completely classic Buddhist teachings to discuss the taking of life.  When or is it ever justice?  How do we separate justice from revenge?  How do concepts like justice and revenge effect karma? 

If you frequent the Enlighten Up Blog I have had a few friends and family pass away in the last year.  This has left me in a pretty groundless place, so what  better topic than groundlessness.  From a Buddhist perspective, groundlessness is not a bad thing.  Take a listen and find out why.

This is the final installment in the series on the 6 Paramitas.  We double up on this podcast and talk about both Meditation and Prajna.  We talk about meditation so much that I decided to just do a quick review of how it relates as a paramita and then hit Wisdom (Prajna). 

Prajna is the Paramita that guides us in relation to all the others.  It's said to be like the Emperor where the other 5 paramitas are like Generals.  The Emperor must give direction or the Generals can't accomplish the ultimate goal.

This week we are continuing our discussion of the 6 Paramitas.  This week is the paramita of Exertion.

Questions or comments? 

1. Email me at lans (at) enlighten-up.org
2. Post a comment here
3. Post a comment on the blog site - www.enlighten-up.org

I always love hearing from people!

Continuing with our series on the 6 Paramitas by delving into the paramita of Patience.

One thing that may need clarification is an expression that I used in the talk, 'idiot compassion.'  I defer to Pema Chodron for a great explanation:  Idiot compassion is a great expression, which was actually coined by Trungpa Rinpoche. It refers to something we all do a lot of and call it compassion. In some ways, it's whats called enabling. It's the general tendency to give people what they want because you can't bear to see them suffering. Basically, you're not giving them what they need. You're trying to get away from your feeling of I can't bear to see them suffering. In other words, you're doing it for yourself. You're not really doing it for them.

This week we tackle the second Paramita, Discipline. 

Please stop by the blog enlighten-up.org.

Feel free to contact me at lans(at)enlighten-up.org

After a missed week due to the my internet connection being down, the Enlighten Up Podcast returns this week to continue the series on the 6 Paramitas.  This week we focus on the first Paramita, Generosity. 

In addition, we answer a couple of Karma questions from a listener, Abbey.  Get your science cap out for these.


Please stop by the blog enlighten-up.org.

Feel free to contact me at lans(at)enlighten-up.org

Unfortunately, due to some problems with my ISP (Internet America) the 14th episode of the podcast is going to have to be delayed for a few days.  I am definitely NOT podfading.  Please stay tuned because the Enlighten Up Podcast WILL be back as soon as these technical problems are solved.

Metta,

Lans, the Meditator Man

This week we're talking the Six Paramitas or Transcendental Virtues.  These are the practices of a Boddhisattva or one who vows to put the needs of others above himself. 

The Six Paramitas:

1. Generosity
2. Discipline
   
3. Patience
4. Exertion
5. Meditation
6. Prajna (Transcendental Wisdom)

We take a broad look at each of these and how they relate to our Buddhist path.

This week, we're deep in the middle of emptiness again! 

This week we reinforce the idea that nothing has intrinsic existence by examining how all things are interrelated.  Then we examine exactly how we end up with this mistaken idea that things are independent by seeing how our minds override what is with it's own concepts.  Finally, we take a look at  the difference between understanding emptiness and realizing emptiness.

Please stop by the blog enlighten-up.org.

Feel free to contact me at lans(at)enlighten-up.org

In this episode, we dive deep into the Buddhist concepts of Emptiness.  We look at misinterpretations of the term 'emptiness' in a Buddhist context and how this effects practitioners understandings of reality.  We begin to focus on two of the main points of the Heart Sutra, "Form is Emptiness.  Emptiness also is Form." and two extreme points of view.

1. Everything is exactly as we see it.
2. Everything is simply in our minds and doesn't really exist
   

There are some great books out on the subject of Emptiness and the Heart Sutra, but my favorite has to be:

The Essence Of The Heart Sutra - The Dali Lama's Heart Of Wisdom Teachings

This is a really great book and is one of the easiest for Westerners to understand.  (It's still not simple, but easier than most).

Please stop by the blog enlighten-up.org.

Feel free to contact me at lans(at)enlighten-up.org

This is the first in a series of podcasts dealing with the concept of Emptiness as it relates to Buddhism.  In this show, we discuss the history of teaching in Buddhism by talking about The Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma that were taught by the Buddha. 

We also discuss the elements of a Buddhist teaching, both what is required and how one should view it. 

We also briefly touch on The Heart Sutra which will be much of the basis of this series. 

This weeks podcast is about impermanence.  We explore how our lives pass by like a movie, but everything is made of small moments that are never the same as the previous or the future.

In this episode, I talk about the classic Buddhist teaching of 'The Four Reminders'.  This teaching is to help remind us why we meditate and why it should be with such urgency.

The Tibetan commentary we use is from the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje from "The Chariot For Traveling The Noble Path", in which he says:

First, contemplate the preciousness of being free and well favored. This is difficult to gain and easy to lose. Now I must do something meaningful.

Second, the whole world and it's inhabitants are impermanent. In particular, the life of beings is like a bubble. Death comes without warning. This body will be a corpse. At that time, the dharma will be my only help. I must practice it with exertion.

Third, when death comes, I will be helpless. Because I create karma, I must abandon evil deeds and always devote my time to virtuous actions. Thinking this, every day I will examine myself.

Fourth, the homes, friends wealth and comforts of samsara are the constant torment of the three sufferings, just like a feast before the executioner leads you to your death. I must cut desire and attachment and attain enlightenment through exertion

I discuss what is being said here from two different perspectives.  The first is somewhat of a bridge between the Eastern and Western.  In the second, I try to explain this from a completely Western perspective.

If you want to read more, there is a wonderful, pocket sized book on the subject called Turning Toward Liberation:  The Four Reminders by The Dzochen Ponlop Rinpoche

Today we examine Mindfulness, which in this context is noticing and paying attention to what is going on in our own minds.  We talk about the commentary that inevitably arises from this when we begin to categorize our thoughts as good or bad, etc... 

Finally we talk about Maitri,  which is often translated as 'unconditional friendliness'.  However we look at it from Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche's translation of 'unconditional friendliness to one's self'.  This is also the translation that is used by Pema Chodron.  We discuss how to effectively use this when looking at the darker places in our minds without using it as an excuse for negative patterns.

Comments and questions can be addressed to any of the following:

1. lans@enlighten-up.org
2. Leave comments on the podcast sight (where you are right now)
3. The comment line (206) 200-LANS (5267)

So feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or suggestions.

This week we take our talk of Compassion from last week to the next level and talk about Forgiveness.  Not how do we get people to forgive us, or how we forgive other people, but how can we use our feelings and emotions about forgiveness to further our practice. 

We ask the question "Is forgiveness really necessary for a Buddhist?" 

On this episode of the podcast, I talk about Compassion and how to generate it within ourselves.  I give a short practice to help with this.  In addition, I talk about the opposite of Compassion, which is Cruelty and I also cover Pity which is a 'False Compassion'.

As I discussed in Episode 1, I encourage everyone to get formal Meditation Instruction from a local Sangha (Buddhist Group) or Meditation Center.  If this just isn't possible, I am reposting  the online instructions from the that podcast.

Meditation Instructions
The podcast has been around for a month now so I am making a few changes to make it feel a bit more like home.  I scoured the podsafe music network for just the right theme music and I think I found it.  It's called 'Monkey Chips' by Van Davis.  I will be buying their album 'Have You Seen This Band' in the very near future.  They are definitely worth a listen!

Secondly, I've added a comment line.  So now there are at least three different ways to contact me.

1. lans@enlighten-up.org
2. Leave comments on the podcast sight (where you are right now)
3. The comment line (206) 200-LANS (5267)

So feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or suggestions.  Also digg me at digg.com. 
 

Episode 4:  Basic Goodness

This week, I talk about Basic Goodness, which is sometimes known as Buddha Nature.  I discuss what Basic Goodness is, and how we can manifest it more effectively in our daily lives.

Karma:  What It Is And What It Isn't

In this episode, we define what Karma is and dispel some of the popular misconceptions.  We talk about how Karma affects situations and what other forces effect them also.  We also take a look at Karma's role in reincarnation.

When I listened back to this, there were a few terms I thought might need defining if you haven't studied much Buddhism, so here we go.

Bardo Teachings:  Used somewhat loosely, the term "bardo" refers to the state of existence intermediate between two lives on earth.  These are the main teachings of the 'Tibetan Book of the Dead'.

Nirvana:  Being free from the cycle of suffering. 

'Will of the Mind':  Karma is based on an action performed, where as 'Will of the Mind' is the intent or thought behind the action, or an intent or thought without action.
_____________
If you want to learn more about the Six Realms, here is a quick overview.

NOTE:  If you tried to listen to this pod cast in the site player, apparently I sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks.  I apparently encoded at a rate that was not good for flash players.  Anyway, sorry for the problem.  I have re-encoded and it seems to be working fine now.

In this episode I talk about what it is that a Buddhist believes.  This talk was sparked by a wonderful article by Dzongsar Jamyang Khentse, Rinpoche in the January issue of Shambhala Sun.  He had a similar article several years ago in the Sun.  We briefly touch on impermanence, emotions, emptiness, nirvana and karma.

The Heart Sutra Text

The Heart Sutra Explanation part 1
The Heart Sutra Explanation part 2
The Heart Sutra Explanation part 3
The Heart Sutra Explanation part 4
The Heart Sutra Explanation part 5
The Heart Sutra Explanation part 6


Dzongsar Jamyang Khentse, Rinpoche
Wikipedia entry about the Rinpoche
Rinpoche's article in Shambhala Sun called "Buddhism In A Nutshell"
His new book is called "What Makes You Not A Buddhist"

Please stop by the blog enlighten-up.org.

Feel free to contact Lans at lans(at)enlighten-up.org

Episode 1 - Meditation:  It's Not Just For Buddhists

In the very first episode of the Enlighten Up Podcast, Lans, The Meditator Man talks about what the podcast is all about. He also talks a little bit about himself and then talks about the benefits of the practice of meditation for anyone, Buddhist or not.

Please stop by the blog enlighten-up.org.

Feel free to contact Lans at lans(at)enlighten-up.org

Meditation Instructions