Podcast

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.

15 Minute Guided Tonglen Meditation

This is instruction for a meditation practice called tonglen. Tonglen is a Tibetan term that means giving and receiving. In this practice you send out happiness to others and you take in any suffering that others feel. (Lojong Teachings #2)

Training Your Heart (Lojong Teachings #1)

Michael teaches Tibetan practices for training in empathy: Turning what’s arising into the path, see everything as a dream, don’t get stuck on peace, rest in an open mind, and after meditation just become a beginner.

Making Friends with Your Mind

Meditation, how the mind functions, and contra-indications for meditation are the subject of this talk. Michael explores karma and also the delay of gratification, borderline personality, and the difference between practices that uncover repression and practices that strengthen the personality

Digital Era Lecture Q & A

Discussion about technology in culture and its effect on us personally and socially. Recorded at Semperviva in Vancouver, BC.

Stabilizing Our Cluttered Minds In A Digital Age

Michael explores the way “interruption technologies” like phones and messaging etiquette, create hyper-arousal in the body and mind and de-stabilize emotions. He connects this research with practical things we can do at home to stabilize our minds and re-establish depth

Standing Motionless

Michael talks about the goal of practice as being yourself. He tells the Zen story of T’ing being slapped and explores trusting yourself, not telling black and white stories about those we love and hate, and how meditation is the

Heaven Realms, Hell Realms, And Protection

First day of retreat Michael talks about walking meditation, bowing, and practice tips for going deeper on retreat. The talk ends with a beautiful description of Samadhi and how concentration can protect us.

Jewish Prayer

Rabbi Miriam Margles leads beautiful morning prayers (in Hebrew & English) during the Jewish-Buddhist retreat exploring the intersection of practices & teachings from both traditions, co-taught with Michael.

Opening To Fear

During a Jewish-Buddhist retreat Michael speaks about fear of failure, fear of disappointing others and being scared of missing out. He begins by talking about the death of writer Oliver Sacks.