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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.
Renunciation & Relationship, Part 5
During a six day retreat in Copenhagen, Michael gives a series of talks based on Norman Fischer’s essay on the eight stages of relationship. Themes include love, betrayal, commitment, the dry stage, and letting go.
Renunciation & Relationship, Part 4
During a six day retreat in Copenhagen, Michael gives a series of talks based on Norman Fischer’s essay on the eight stages of relationship. Themes include love, betrayal, commitment, the dry stage, and letting go.
Renunciation & Relationship, Part 3
During a six day retreat in Copenhagen, Michael gives a series of talks based on Norman Fischer’s essay on the eight stages of relationship. Themes include love, betrayal, commitment, the dry stage, and letting go.
Renunciation & Relationship, Part 2
During a six day retreat in Copenhagen, Michael gives a series of talks based on Norman Fischer’s essay on the eight stages of relationship. Themes include love, betrayal, commitment, the dry stage, and letting go.
Renunciation & Relationship, Part 1
During a public talk at the beginning of a six day retreat in Copenhagen, Michael talks on love, betrayal, commitment, the dry stage, and letting go. These talks are based on Norman Fischer’s essay on the eight stages of relationship.
The Glare Behind You
Michael works with a koan called “This Buddha, That Buddha,” in which he talks about how to stop. Our culture needs to stop. Michael compares calming practices and insight practices.
Oyster Swallows the Moon
Michael gives a talk based on the koan “Oyster Swallows the Moon,” exploring how we need to respect our hard shell, learn how to open, and practice simplicity. He also talks about consumerism and insomnia.
Buddha’s Last Words
In the Zen tradition, there is a saying, “Reaching the mystery is nothing but breaking through and grabbing an ordinary person’s life.” The mystical experience turns out to be this present moment. Part of a series of talks on the
Emptiness, Self, Depression & Narcissism
Michael gives a talk on the ways mindfulness meditation can help with the spectrum of mental illness and also some signs to watch out for as practice deepens.
Relax Your Mind
Michael talks on the importance of relaxing your mind and how patience and relaxation give rise to enthusiasm. The talk is based on chapter 8 of Shantideva’s Guide to a Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. Ways of seeing your parents, how
What Can We Know?
Michael reads some core teachings of the Buddha that describe the limits of what we can know. How can we practice deeper than creating new beliefs?
Buddhism Before Religion
The Buddha’s stance is anti-religious in a certain way. He uses what’s in religious practice to undo religious belief. The Buddha creates strategies, not dogmas. The more you go back into the old texts, the further away you get from
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