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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: Finding a Path (30 min guided meditation)
In this 30-minute guided meditation, Michael explores how to work with thoughts during sitting practice, focusing on the breath in a way that reduces clinging, reduces rejection. The breath doesn’t decide good or bad: it is kind to our body,
Best of Awake in the World: Make This Country Safe For Poetry!
Annual Poetry Evening. Erin Robinsong, Sarah Selecky, Michael Stone read from their favourite poems. A wonderful evening of words to support practice.
Best of Awake in the World: Radically Simple
Michael references the Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha, reads a koan from The Book of Serenity, and explores how Buddhist practice is radically simple and relates to the whole of our lives.
Best of Awake in the World: I Can’t Say, I Can’t Say
Michael talks about Zen Case 55 from the Blue Cliff Record — “Tao Wu’s Condolence Call.” He weaves together insights from the Yoga Sutra, reflecting on fearlessness and the depth of human emotion
Best of Awake in the World: Don’t Get Stuck on Peace, See Everything as A Dream
A lively discussion on meditation and the Tibetan Lojong Practices for Training in Compassion.
Best of Awake in the World: Turning Things Around
Tibetan Buddhist Teachings for transforming what’s unpleasant, letting go of grasping, and the 3 treasures of awakening, reality and community.
Best of Awake in the World: Who Am I If Not This Mask?
Michael continues his month-long discussion about masks and how they shouldn’t stick to your face. He gives the sangha some insight into the intrinsic and extrinsic nature of people and what motivates them to behave the way they do.
Best of Awake in the World: I’ve Stopped: Can You?
Michael tells the story of Angulimala, a murderer who met the Buddha and changed his ways though was still stoned to death. This teaching illustrates how we are never free of karma and that our conduct always shapes our lives.
Best of Awake in the World: Buddhas On Blades Of Grass
Michael talks on another Dongshan where he asks his students if they can go to a place where there are no weeds. Michael’s commentary is that weeds are not the problem and that what we need to let go of
Guided Meditation: Give way to something else
Michael Begins with a reminder not to push through practice, but to relax in the present moment. Learn to let go of the expectations of what it means to be on retreat and join with this guided meditation
Best of Awake in the World: Self-Portraits
Michael dedicates the final evening of this retreat to Alan Ginsberg, whos self-portraits and multi-fauceted expressions have inspired him. He touches on the psychology of always thinking about the dualism between the true self and the self as participants share
Best of Awake in the World: Mindfulness of the Breath & Taking the Backwards Step
Learning how to be present with an un-agitated heart. Meditation teaches us to be wiser with what’s difficult. Embodying our meditative practice by learning how to stop and see clearly.
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The Community Library will continue as long as we have supporters. The more support we have, the more we can ensure that the teachings Michael left behind can be available for free to anyone in the world.