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The joke used to be that every time Michael opened his mouth what he said was archived here. We couldn’t be more grateful for that now because it is one of the best ways Michael’s teachings will live on.
The Awake in the World Podcast is the heart of the Community Library. Talks are on a wide-range of topics, including: bringing mindfulness and meditation practice into daily life; personal and community issues regarding mental health; and social change.
This podcast has been created so that anyone can have instant access to Michael’s teachings. It has been made possible due to generous donations from members of the community. In the six years that the podcast has been available, over half a million people have pressed play as a way to be more—like the name says—awake in the world.
Each podcast is between 30-60 minutes long. As always, you’re encouraged to follow along weekly as part of your practice. The podcasts were recorded at live events so you might hear coughing, airplanes, cars, sirens, laughter, and peoples’ questions—all part of the intimate experience.
Best of Awake in the World: Mindfulness & Situational Ethics
In this episode, Michael explores the intersection of mindfulness and situational ethics, unpacking how awareness can guide us through the complex moral landscapes of everyday life. Drawing from a 2015 lecture in an earlier version of his online course, Embodying
Consent, Connection & Ethics: A Modern Guide to Brahmacharya with Jessy Wollen
In this week’s episode, we continue our deep dive into The Five Ethics with a modern exploration of brahmacharya, often translated as the wise use of energy.
Best of Awake in the World: Generosity & Not Being Possessive
Michael interviews Simone Moir, Registered Psychotherapist, on the precept of aparigraha (non-greed) and the practice of generosity. They discuss what comes up around possessiveness, addiction and obsession, embracing impermanence, the importance of relationship and knowing the importance of boundaries.
Best of Awake in the World: Asteya (Being Satisfied)
In this week’s Best Of episode, Michael explores the ethic of not stealing, (asteya). The Zen master Dōgen offers a beautiful translation: “The self and the things of the world are just as they are. The gate of freedom is
Best of Awake in the World: Satya (Become Honesty)
In this week’s Best Of episode, Michael reflects on satya, the practice of honesty. Satya isn’t an abstract ideal, it’s a lived experience that arises in real time through our relationships and daily lives. At the core of all meaningful
Best of Awake in the World: Ahimsa (Non-harming)
Michael sits down with physician and abortion provider Pat Smith for a thoughtful conversation on the principle of non-harming. Together, they explore the space where ethics meet politics, how our beliefs and values shape the way we move through the
How Do You Be Interconnectedness?
In this week’s episode, we explore a deceptively simple question: How do you be interconnectedness?
It’s drawn from the first video in Michael’s online course, “Embodying Ethics & Vows in Modern Life,” a nine-week program weaving Buddhist and yogic ethics
Best of Awake in the World: I had to Stop Reading
In this talk, Michael explores anatta (not-self) and emptiness as lived practices rather than abstract ideas. He shows how our thinking is often shaped by storytelling and emphasizes the role of sitting practice in moving beyond language to directly examine
Best of Awake in the World: The Self Has No Self What to do with the Ego
Using the metaphor of time travel, Michael explores the inner journey described by the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th limbs of yoga. Rather than traveling through years or lifetimes, this “time travel” moves inward, through memory, identity, awareness, and ultimately
Best of Awake in the World: Wisdom & Spontaneity
In this podcast episode, Michael discusses the relationship in our daily lives between form and formlessness as it relates to creativity and karma. Wisdom is not separate from who we are. It’s like beads rolling on a tray: sudden, ready,
Best of Awake in the World: Your Crushing Elephant Mind
Michael invites the sangha to take a good look at the elephant in the room by sharing their habits, strong emotions, and patterns of reactivity while exploring the “Lookout Tower” and “Riding the Wave” practices. He makes a powerful connection
Best of Awake in the World: Awareness & Morality
In this Best of episode, Michael discusses the relationship between awareness and morality or mindfulness and ethics. When we are faced with the unprecedented and unrepeatable complexities of this moment, the question is not, “What is the right thing to
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