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Confronting & Managing Our Fears, Part 2
In this Awake in the World podcast Michael provides some background about the “Fear and Terror Sutta” (Bhaya-bherava Sutta) and discusses the importance of mindfulness in coping with fear, dread and anxiety.
This talk, shared in two parts, is an
Confronting & Managing Our Fears, Part 1
In this Awake in the World podcast Michael provides some background about the “Fear and Terror Sutta” (Bhaya-bherava Sutta) and discusses the importance of mindfulness in coping with fear, dread and anxiety.
This talk, shared in two parts, is an
Free, a Genius, an Embarrassment
Using Philip Whalen’s poem “Further Notice” for inspiration, Michael describes how to establish a consistent meditation practice and offers suggestions to help with motivation.
Putting Attention Right Where Things Are Born
In this podcast Michael explores the dynamics of meditation, and the need for us to let our assumptions about what meditation is fall away.
Free to be Nobody
In this talk on the theme of freedom and discipline Michael argues that true freedom comes with unravelling the layers of self-making that are deeply habitual—including striving, intellectualizing, clinging and story-telling. Awareness of these tendencies can create space for contentment,
The Eyebrows Don’t Know Anything
In this talk, which took place during a retreat at Sugar Ridge, Michael delves into the koan titled “Not knowing is the most intimate” (Miscellaneous Koans Case 62). He explores ideas about home and pilgrimage, stages of mindfulness practice, commentaries
Gladness of the Heart
In this Awake in the World podcast guest teacher Norman Feldman explores metta practice and how it compliments and supports insight (Vipassana) practice, as well as allowing us to open to dukkha so we can see its origins and free
Shifting Our Stories
In this Awake in the World podcast Michael speaks about the power of story-telling and how the stories we construct, individually and culturally, can either heal and transform us—or shut us down. Once we get still enough to see the
The Two Darts: A Buddhist Psychology of Pain
In this Awake in the World Podcast Michael explains the teaching of “The Two Darts” (the Sallatha Sutta) and asserts that the Buddha offers a useful and supportive model for working with pain—whether it is physical, emotional, or cultural in
Ducks’ Legs Are Short, Cranes’ Legs Are Long
In this Awake in the World Podcast Michael covers the ninth part of the Genjokoan that begins, “A fish swims in the ocean, and no matter how far it swims there is no end to the water.” He argues that
Cherishing All Life
This week’s Awake in the World podcast is a bit of a mystery. In July 2009 Michael invited a guest teacher to give a talk on sila, the ethical foundations of the eightfold path (wise livelihood, wise behaviour, and wise
Ordinary Mind is the Way
In this Awake in the World podcast Michael talks about the tendency we have to amplify suffering by creating a self that we think is separate and “special,” and how in our quest to be enlightened we can often get
About the Community Library
Michael was a great archivist and the Community Library was—and continues to be—a labour of love. Everything in the Community Library is available for free. Anyone, anywhere can have instant access to material that will help them deepen their practice and contribute to a culture of compassion and collaboration.
Libraries are places where we gather alone together. They are known to be places of refuge for seekers, as well as those who are marginalized. This library is no different. It helps us nourish our beautiful, international community without walls. Now, it will also help keep Michael’s legacy alive.