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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.
Summer Silent Retreat pt.4: A Block of Ice Makes A lot of Water
Michael explains Nirvana, the Deathless, Buddhist practice without religion, and a re-thinking of the core teachings of the Buddha. Michael draws on Stephen Batchelor’s idea of The Four Tasks that we can practice as the realization of Nirvana. Recorded at
Summer Silent Retreat pt.3
When you’re feeling Stuck. Michael gives a talk on the “killing” energy of Mara, the power of being blocked and unfulfilled. He talks about how the Buddha worked with being attacked by the hell realms. Waking up is always followed
Summer Silent Retreat pt.2
Michael Stone gives a focused and detailed thought about meditation technique and using your body to develop concentration. He goes through meditations on sound, the nostrils, the belly and approaching the objects of meditation with sthira (steadiness) and sukkha (well-being).
Summer Silent Retreat pt. 1
When you have imbalanced attention how can you live an intentional life? Michael talks about being on retreat, two categories of thought, introduces the Dvedhavitakka Sutta and talks about how deeply wanting to wake up is a delicate thing in
Guided Meditation
All your life, you’ve been searching, without knowing it, for exactly this moment. Michael Stone gives a guided meditation on the city, the body and the breath.
Hope Without Optimism
On Silent Retreat Michael Stone explores the Zen koan “Why Can’t the Tail Pass Through” along with thoughts on hope, optimism, and despair. He describes “mindfulness as a political tool” and how we don’t need a revolution, we need “embodied,
Waking The Political Body
Pascal Auclair co-teaches with Michael and explores the work of Joanna Macy and Aung San Suu Kyi and the work that reconnects.
Transforming Pain
Michael begins teaching on the Two Darts and explains how physical and emotional pain are connected and how when we feel physical pain (first dart) it’s followed by a mental response (second dart). Then Michael teaches a guided meditation that
Practicing With The Devil
Practice is the opening of a path and letting go of rigid opinions. Michael’s final talk on the Kayagatasati Sutta on understanding the role of Mara in practice. Mara is our inability to transcend our fixed perspectives. Mara is a
The Jhanas
Michael explains the basics of Jhana practices (4 stages of concentration) based on the the Kayagatasati Sutta in a workshop in Madison, Wisconsin. In stillness the landmarks for how we understand our lives are not there. Michael explores the maps
Mindfulness Of The Body
Michael talks on the Kayagatasati Sutta exploring meditation on the body, how to work with the breath, and meditations on the dissolution of the body at death. Recorded in Madison, Wisconsin.
MU
Michael Stone gives his final talk at Centre of Gravity on the famous Zen Koan MU. Michael begins with discussing meditation on the breath and then goes deeply into seeing how practice is about being unconditional with yourself. Recorded at
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