Podcast Episodes

November 5, 2021

In this episode, Wendy speaks with author, Zen priest and Buddhist teacher, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel. Zenju’s work highlights how the various facets of our identity can become “fertilizer” for growth on the path of spiritual and personal development. This conversation covers many topics, including:

• growing up in the Christian church, and the questions it raised for her;
• her unusual path into Buddhism;
• how to work with your identity while moving beyond the self;
• the truth of interdependence and cause & effect;
• two truths (relative vs. absolute) in relation to identity;
• bringing together spirituality and social justice;
• the central importance of embodiment;
• integration with nature;
• how contemplative science should proceed;
• and the dance between delusion and enlightenment.

[ More… ]

October 22, 2021

In this episode, Wendy speaks with clinical psychologist and meditation researcher, Willoughby Britton. Willoughby is a pioneer in contemplative research and one of the only people dedicated to understanding the possible negative outcomes from meditation (so called meditation-related adverse experiences). This conversation covers many topics, including:

• how she came to study the negative side of meditation;
• support and resources for those struggling with meditation-related difficulties (Cheetah House);
• scientific research on meditation-related adverse experiences;
• changes in perception and anxiety that can happen with meditation;
• how the same experience can be positive or negative depending on context;
• how the causes of adverse effects may be the same as the causes of benefits;
• the science of measuring harms in meditation research;
• what we know (and don’t know) about these effects—who’s at risk, how frequent they are, and how they show up for people;
• whether or not these difficulties are “part of the path” of transformation;
• grounding care in compassion and inclusion;
• and aligning practices with the outcomes you want.

[ More… ]

October 8, 2021

In this episode, Wendy speaks with meditation researcher and clinical psychologist Nicholas Van Dam. Nicholas is the Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre at the University of Melbourne—the first such center in Australia. His work explores how meditation and mindfulness can support well-being, and help with conditions like anxiety and depression. This conversation covers many topics, including:

• how an existential crisis led him to meditation practice;
• bringing loving critique to contemplative science;
• the complicated realities of mindfulness, how we measure it, and its impact on the brain;
• looking at effects beyond just the individual who is meditating;
• insights from a year of daily practice;
• balancing personal interest vs. research objectivity;
• the freedom that comes from letting go;
• how skills learned on the cushion transfer to daily life;
• deconstructing the self;
• mindfulness and meditation for anxiety and depression;
• getting out of your head and into your body;
• connecting with Indigenous and other non-Buddhist contemplative traditions;
• and advancing evidence-based research on meditation.

[ More… ]

September 24, 2021

In this episode, Wendy speaks with law professor, author, and meditation teacher, Rhonda Magee. Rhonda’s work has focused on bringing contemplative approaches into the practice of law, and the fight for social justice. This conversation covers many topics, including:

• her path to contemplative practice from roots in the American South;
• mindfulness in the fight for racial justice;
• embracing equanimity when you really want a certain outcome;
• contemplative approaches in law;
• awakening to our interconnectedness;
• challenging the idea of one winner/one loser (the adversarial model in law);
• balancing individual rights with a connected whole;
• restorative justice and collaborative divorce;
• how racism harms us all (including white folks);
• bias, fear and safety in the body;
• how dominator culture cuts us off from our bodies;
• racial capitalism;
• ColorInsight vs. color blindness;
• and the joy that comes from embracing our shared humanity.

[ More… ]

September 10, 2021

We’re back with Season 3 of the show, starting with renowned meditation teacher, author, and creator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Jon Kabat-Zinn. This spacious and personal conversation is full of insights on a wide range of topics, including:

• what drew him to meditation;
• his development of and vision for MBSR;
• the mystery of the line between the inside and outside of any system;
• adapting Buddhist practices for Western audiences;
• how mindfulness has been taken up in society, and science as a main driver;
• self and other—moving from “me” to “we”;
• the challenges of repeatability in scientific studies of meditation;
• weaving together art and science;
• and how 50+ years of meditation has changed him.

[ More… ]