21 December 2024
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MeaningofLife.tv videos
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Oct 15, 2019 — This Podcast Is Self Care (Aryeh Cohen-Wade, Drew Spears, & Cait Raft)
Cait and Drew’s podcast, This Podcast Is Self Care
Emotional labor vs. self care
Unpacking the idea that self care is just for women
Crystals, sage, and “fake magic is real”
Why are Millennials so attracted to self care and the supernatural?
Astrology as anti-capitalism
The hot new trend of “self-grandparenting”
Why Aryeh loves the podcast
TAGS
compassion
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gender
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happiness
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meditation
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mental health
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mysticism
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religion
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self
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spirituality
Oct 4, 2019 — Robert Wright & Bhikkhu Bodhi
What is the foundation of Buddhist ethics?
Experiencing not-self
Buddhism is a synthesis of consequentialism and virtue ethics
The origins of Buddhism’s concern for animal welfare
Does the Buddha want you to be vegetarian?
Why isn’t there more anti-militarist activism among Buddhists?
Trying to comply with the Buddhist ideal of “right speech”
Mental defilements and their eradication
Does Buddhism’s emphasis on equanimity discourage activism?
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ancient philosophy
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Buddhism
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ethics
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Hinduism
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meditation
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philosophy
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religion
Sep 18, 2019 — Nikita Petrov & David Poleski
Nikita’s Soviet experience
The individual in Russian and English languages
Toska
, the noble Russian sadness
Nikita’s American friend, the murderer
David’s Negative Mystical Experience and brush with Sai Baba
What Nikita learned from DMT trips
Creativity and depression
TAGS
ancient philosophy
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Buddhism
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Christianity
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consciousness
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meditation
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mysticism
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Sep 11, 2019 — Robert Wright & Nina Strohminger
Nina’s research on how we understand the self
The traits that make your self yourself
Buddhism and the continuity of self through time
The link between egocentrism and an equanimous attitude toward death
Bob: Not-self is hard to experience and very hard to understand
Asian Buddhists vs. “white boy Buddhists”
Does a happy life require virtuous behavior?
TAGS
Buddhism
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death
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meditation
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psychology
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self
Jul 15, 2019 — Robert Wright & Josh Summers
Common misconceptions about meditation retreats
Hitting the bliss button
Scheduled vs. unscheduled retreats
How austere does it have to be to be effective?
Process vs. outcomes
Bob’s mini-epiphany about his dripping sink
Is meditation “for” something?
Pitfalls after leaving a retreat
Tips for first-timers
TAGS
Buddhism
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meditation
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mindfulness
Apr 30, 2019 — Robert Wright & Luke Kemp
Are we on the road to civilizational collapse?
Why we need global governance, not global government
The double-edged sword of civilizational complexity
The apocalyptic scenario Bob fears most
Luke: Not every problem has a technical solution
Bob: Slower technological change would be a blessing
TAGS
climate change
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cosmology
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death
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history
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meditation
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science
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technology
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the future
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violence
Nov 13, 2018 — Nikita Petrov & Tanya Luhrmann
Tanya’s “local theory of mind”
Harry Potter, prayer, and other “cultural invitations”
Psychotherapy in the US and witchcraft in Ghana
American individualism and Asian interdependence
The differences between hearing God in Ghana and the US
The Internet as externalized imagination: Pepe and Kek
A “hyper-real God”: having coffee with Jesus
Thoughts, perceptions, the world, and the self
TAGS
Buddhism
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Christianity
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consciousness
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human nature
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meditation
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psychology
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religion
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science
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spirituality
Nov 10, 2018 — Colin Pugh & Daniel Pinchbeck
Daniel’s book,
How Soon Is Now?
An example of a modern myth: the GDP
Can society be reborn into new myths?
Daniel: We need to devote most of our efforts to sustaining the health of the planet
Why Daniel calls his beliefs “post-New Age”
What is “neo-Shamanism”?
TAGS
climate change
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consciousness
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drugs
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history
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human nature
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meditation
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mysticism
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psychology
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science
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spirituality
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the future
Oct 5, 2018 — Robert Wright & Lama Surya Das
Is Buddhism a philosophy or a religion?
Surya Das: “I’m enlightened enough for now”
Attachment, aversion, and “original goodness”
Is an enlightened person by definition a moral person?
Not-self and Emerson’s “transparent eyeball”
The Dzogchen approach to enlightenment
Surya Das: Trump has the spark of Buddha nature (and so do you)
TAGS
Buddhism
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enlightenment
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meditation
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philosophy
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religion
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self
Sep 20, 2018 — Nikita Petrov & John Horgan
John’s new book,
Mind-Body Problems
, is free online
“What are we really, what can we be, and what should we be?”
Robert Trivers, an evolutionary biologist with an affinity for violence
Douglas Hofstadter, a playful writer, but a melancholic person
Why ex-materialist Christof Koch embraced panpsychism
How losing a daughter made Stuart Kaufman study the paranormal
Story time! Nikita and John exchange psychedelic tales
TAGS
biology
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cognitive science
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consciousness
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enlightenment
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evolution
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human nature
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meditation
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mind-body problem
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philosophy
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psychology
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religion
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science
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spirituality
Aug 24, 2018 — Robert Wright & Bhikkhu Bodhi
How Bhikkhu Bodhi first encountered Buddhism…
…and how he became a Buddhist monk
Can “secular” Buddhists have spiritual experiences?
Traditional Buddhism, secular Buddhism, and immanent Buddhism
Diving into nirvana: “conditioned arising” and “the unconditioned”
Does Buddhism make you a better person?
TAGS
Buddhism
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meditation
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philosophy
Jul 13, 2018 — Robert Wright & Thomas Metzinger
Try this at home: the rubber hand illusion
Out-of-body experiences in VR
Why you will never have a not-self experience
Meditation, capitalism, and political activism
The urgent need to teach meditation in schools
Thomas’s “transparent self” model
TAGS
Buddhism
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cognitive science
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democracy
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human nature
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meditation
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philosophy
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politics
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psychology
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science
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self
Apr 20, 2018 — Robert Wright & Jon Kabat-Zinn
Was the Buddha a Buddhist?
What the Buddha meant by “suffering”
Mindfulness as awareness
“Secular” mindfulness as sacred
The trap of goal-oriented meditation
The heart of the Buddha’s message
When Jon discovered his purpose
Mindfulness training in schools
TAGS
Buddhism
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meditation
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psychology
Mar 9, 2018 — Robert Wright & Josh Summers
Bob and Josh recount their first meeting after a silent meditation retreat
Does yoga always have a spiritual component?
How Josh’s yoga practice prepares the body for meditation
How yoga’s focus on breath can lead to the body
Solutions to modern distraction
Bob: Mindfulness practice can erode essentialist thinking
What’s the point of Bob’s Mindful Resistance Project?
The present and future of the Mindful Resistance Newsletter
TAGS
meditation
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mindfulness
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politics
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yoga
Mar 8, 2018 — Aryeh Cohen-Wade & Pater Edmund Waldstein
Why the Mortara case is still provoking argument 150 years later
Pater Edmund offers a defense of Pope Pius IX
Integralism and different conceptions of liberty
What would an integralist Catholic state look like?
How Pater Edmund became a monk (with a blog)
The day-to-day life of a modern meditating monk
TAGS
Christianity
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history
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Judaism
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meditation
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philosophy
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religion
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spirituality
Feb 15, 2018 — Josh Summers & Tami Simon
From Swarthmore sophomore to meditating in India
How Tami started Sounds True publishing company at age 22
Tami’s spiritual teacher, Jasmine the cocker spaniel
Why it’s okay to mourn a deceased pet
Confronting the unethical behavior of spiritual teachers
TAGS
compassion
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human nature
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meditation
|
spirituality
Feb 9, 2018 — Robert Wright & Jeff Warren
How Jeff went from science journalist to meditation teacher
Jeff’s new book, co-authored with Dan Harris:
Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics
How ADD and bipolar tendencies shaped Jeff’s practice
The life-changing experience of falling out of a tree while on mushrooms
The interaction between mindfulness, not-self, and suffering
Jeff takes a stab at defining enlightenment
The varieties of consciousness
How meditation can shift your priorities
TAGS
Buddhism
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cognitive science
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consciousness
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meditation
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mindfulness
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psychology
Jan 13, 2018 — Josh Summers & Thomas Joiner
Thomas describes a modern narcissism epidemic
Does a lack of self-esteem fuel narcissism?
Why is a focus on the “self” ubiquitous in mindfulness?
Challenging the health claims of mindfulness meditation
Why “self-compassion meditation” makes both Josh and Thomas uncomfortable
The common ground between mindfulness and stoicism
TAGS
meditation
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mindfulness
Dec 29, 2017 — Robert Wright & Dan Harris
Dan’s new book,
Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics
The liberation of realizing you’re crazy (and so is everyone else)
Why Dan gave names to his inner voices
Dan’s 10% Happier meditation app
Dan: One minute of mindfulness meditation a day can be enough
Applying the Buddhist metaphor of the “second arrow” to everyday life
Meditating without losing your edge
TAGS
Buddhism
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meditation
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mindfulness
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psychology
Dec 24, 2017 — Robert Wright & Kieran Setiya
Midlife and coming to terms with who we aren’t
Is the midlife crisis different for men and women?
Kieran: Disappointment is a given for the mid-career academic
There’s more to life than minimizing suffering
Schopenhauer (and the Buddha): Dissatisfaction is inherent in desire
Bob suggests a familiar culprit: selfhood
TAGS
aging
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human nature
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meditation
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philosophy
Oct 12, 2017 — Robert Wright & Ethan Nichtern
Ethan’s unusual upbringing as a “Dharma brat” in the Shambala Buddhist tradition
How a cult classic took on spiritual significance for its fans
What the film’s iconic line “as you wish” says about idealized love
How Buddhist teachings are reflected in the film’s treatment of family, friendship and romance
Ethan’s take on his parent’s spiritual teacher, Chögyam Trungpa, the controversial founder of Shambala Buddhism
TAGS
Buddhism
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meditation
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mindfulness
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spirituality
Sep 8, 2017 — Josh Summers & Stephen Asma
Stephen’s new book,
The Evolution of Imagination
Are dreams like “proto-consciousness”?
The mind as an extension of the body
Where Stephen thinks “effective altruism” falls short
How to improve your imagination
Trump as a bad improviser
Bringing imagination to a meditation practice
TAGS
altruism
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cognitive science
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consciousness
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Donald Trump
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dreaming
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empathy
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ethics
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evolution
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meditation
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philosophy
Sep 7, 2017 — Robert Wright & Alison Gopnik
How a personal crisis brought Alison back to David Hume
Hume’s (likely) chance encounter with Buddhism
Lessons learned from 23-year-old Hume’s nervous breakdown
Which ideas might Hume have borrowed from Buddhism?
How meditation disrupts the ‘autopilot’ of adulthood
Is introspection as valuable as neuroscience?
TAGS
atheism
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Buddhism
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cognitive science
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enlightenment
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meditation
|
philosophy
Aug 9, 2017 — Robert Wright & Massimo Pigliucci
Bob’s and Massimo’s complementary new books
Bob and Massimo give Buddhist and Stoic advice on dealing with regret
Buddhist and Stoic recipes for reducing anxiety
Using meditative practices to fight ADD
Building resilience, maintaining compassion
The upside of distraction
TAGS
ancient philosophy
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Buddhism
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human nature
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meditation
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mindfulness
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philosophy
Aug 1, 2017 — Daniel Kaufman & Robert Wright
Dan and Bob debate the Buddhist idea that the “self” doesn’t exist
Bob’s brush with a “not-self” experience
Is it bad to transcend human nature?
What is “the self”, anyway?
Do our moral intuitions mislead?
TAGS
Buddhism
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human nature
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meditation
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mindfulness
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philosophy
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psychology
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self
Jul 26, 2017 — Robert Wright & Daniel Ingram
Daniel: Aim for enlightenment (even if you’ll never reach it)
Levels of Buddhist awakening
Daniel assesses Bob’s level of spiritual attainment
Trump as an affront to Buddhism
The awakened sociopath
Daniel’s enlightened view of Trumpism
How to leverage anger wisely
TAGS
anger
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Buddhism
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Donald Trump
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enlightenment
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ethics
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human nature
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meditation
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mindfulness
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spirituality
Jul 10, 2017 — Josh Summers & Jason Siff
Why it’s okay to let thoughts happen during meditation
The case for a busy mind
Jason: The origins of our thoughts matter
Looking beneath the mind’s fictions
The problem with pursuing nirvana
Why memory is essential to growth
TAGS
Buddhism
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enlightenment
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meditation
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memory
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mindfulness
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perception
Jun 28, 2017 — Robert Wright & Jay Garfield
Teaching Buddhist philosophy
Jay’s book,
Engaging Buddhism
Why “you” might not exist
Buddhism and determinism
When clarifying your view of reality makes you a better person
The error of essentialism
TAGS
Buddhism
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enlightenment
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ethics
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free will
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human nature
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meditation
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philosophy
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religion
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self
Jun 23, 2017 — Robert Wright & Massimo Pigliucci
Massimo’s new book,
How to Be a Stoic
, and Bob’s forthcoming book,
Why Buddhism Is True
Similarities between Buddhism and Stoicism
The metaphysics of Stoicism
Is there a Stoic version of the Buddhist “not-self” doctrine?
Massimo’s Stoic advice column
Seneca’s tips for anger management
Achieving an objective awareness of your emotions
Using meditation to cope with feelings of failure
TAGS
ancient philosophy
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Buddhism
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human nature
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meditation
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mental health
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mindfulness
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philosophy
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psychology
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self
Jun 22, 2017 — Josh Summers & Linda Blanchard
Linda’s book,
Dependent Arising in Context
on a central Buddhist teaching
An anatomy of suffering
The first step on the path to suffering: Ignorance
How the “self” is created
What do Buddhists mean when they say “life is suffering”?
Linda’s meditation advice
TAGS
Buddhism
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enlightenment
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Hinduism
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human nature
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meditation
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mindfulness
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philosophy
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religion
Jun 19, 2017 — Robert Wright & Sharon Salzberg
Sharon’s new book,
Real Love
How lovingkindness meditation works
What Buddhists mean when they advise against attachment
The stories that shape our self-perception
What real love looks like in relationships
How to cultivate love for strangers
Loving people you hate
TAGS
Buddhism
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empathy
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human nature
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meditation
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mindfulness
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spirituality
Feb 24, 2017 — Josh Summers & Ellen Langer
Mindfulness without the meditation
Ellen: You should know that you don’t know
How Ellen turned back the clock for a group of old men
Ellen’s “chambermaid study”
Can the mind change the body?
Does being mindful make you more likable?
How to keep a mindful mindset
TAGS
Buddhism
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cognitive science
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empathy
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human nature
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meditation
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mindfulness
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perception
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psychology
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science
Feb 14, 2017 — Josh Summers & Jason Siff
Jason’s “recollective awareness” meditation
A head-on approach to grasping what’s going on in your head
The trouble with traditional meditation techniques
Dodging meditation paradoxes
Jason: Don’t be afraid of your thoughts
The tough process of learning lovingkindness
TAGS
Buddhism
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compassion
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empathy
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enlightenment
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human nature
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meditation
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mind
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mindfulness
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perception
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self
|
spirituality
Feb 2, 2017 — Robert Wright, Deepak Chopra, & Michael Shermer
Is consciousness everything…
…and is it the only thing?
Can you find truth by looking inward?
Debating whether physics supports Deepak’s views
The weirdness of quantum entanglement
Why skeptics are skeptical of Deepak’s work
TAGS
Buddhism
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cognitive science
|
consciousness
|
enlightenment
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Hinduism
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human nature
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meditation
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mysticism
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perception
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philosophy
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physics
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psychology
|
science
|
self
|
spirituality
Jan 30, 2017 — Josh Summers & Alex Howard
Alex’s documentary series
How I Created a Cult
…and its hero, spiritual leader Andrew Cohen
How do smart people end up in cults?
The power dynamics and psychological abuse
Cohen’s downfall and re-emergence
The “shadow” side of spiritual communities
TAGS
Buddhism
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ethics
|
meditation
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mysticism
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religion
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spirituality
Jan 19, 2017 — Robert Wright & Dale Wright
Dale’s book
What Is Buddhist Enlightenment
?
Why is Vipassana getting more press than Zen?
What is distinctive about Zen?
Dale’s meditation practice
Using mindfulness for good—and evil
A naturalistic conception of karma
How Buddhism adapts to Western culture
TAGS
Buddhism
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Christianity
|
compassion
|
consciousness
|
enlightenment
|
meditation
|
mindfulness
|
perception
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philosophy
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politics
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religion
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spirituality
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war
|
Zen
Jan 16, 2017 — Robert Wright & James Currier
Why James started a new spiritual community, Blue
Coming-of-age in the Blue community
Blue’s startup spirituality
What’s a Blue service like?
The future of Blue
TAGS
atheism
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Buddhism
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empathy
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family
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Hinduism
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human nature
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identity
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meditation
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philosophy
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religion
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ritual
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science
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spirituality
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Sunday Assembly
Dec 12, 2016 — Josh Summers & Sara Lazar
Are the benefits of mindfulness exaggerated?
Meditation and our “neuroplastic” brains
How meditation alters the fear response
Why studying mindfulness is hard
Mindfulness is about more than being in the moment
Advice for the anti-Trump crowd from meditation teachers
TAGS
Buddhism
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cognitive science
|
fear
|
meditation
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mindfulness
|
psychology
Dec 6, 2016 — Robert Wright & Paul Bloom
Paul’s brand new book,
Against Empathy
The damage empathy can do
The difference between empathy and compassion
Why our moral intuitions aren’t so moral
Are low empathy people more likely to hurt others?
Empathy as moral jet fuel
The costs and benefits of feeling other people’s pain
TAGS
altruism
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anger
|
Buddhism
|
cognitive science
|
compassion
|
empathy
|
enlightenment
|
ethics
|
human nature
|
meditation
|
moral imagination
|
Peter Singer
|
psychology
|
science
Dec 2, 2016 — Robert Wright & Jay Michaelson
Jay’s anti-Trump appeals
How the election unleashed hate
When “love your enemy” just won’t work
Is empathy a limited resource?
Jay’s spiritual toolkit for coping with a Trump presidency
Trump, the anti-Buddha
Can mindfulness help save the world?
TAGS
anger
|
Buddhism
|
Christianity
|
compassion
|
democracy
|
Donald Trump
|
empathy
|
ethics
|
happiness
|
human nature
|
identity
|
Islam
|
Judaism
|
love
|
meditation
|
mental health
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mindfulness
|
moral imagination
|
politics
|
psychology
|
religion
|
sadness
|
spirituality
|
tribalism
|
Zen
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