Advertise on podcast: The Wisdom Podcast

This episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, features special guest Eva Natanya. This episode is part of a two-part series discussing the themes in Śamatha and Vipaśyanā. You can listen to Part 1 with Lama Alan Wallace, Lama Alan Wallace: Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: Part 1 (#217). In this episode, join host Daniel Aitken and Eva as they go behind the scenes and discuss the process of bringing Śamatha and Vipaśyanā to publication. Eva shares her deep engagement in solitary meditation retreats and working with Lama Alan Wallace on translating such significant Buddhist texts. Discover the importance of courage and perseverance in the spiritual journey to realize one’s true self and embody genuine well-being. Eva and Daniel also discuss:  The process of translation and the compilation of the texts; the significance of clear light and rigpa;  compassion and pristine awareness; and much more! Mentioned in this episode: Open Mind translated by B. Alan Wallace Fathoming the Mind translation and commentary by B. Alan Wallace Kindness, Clarity, and Insight by His Holiness The Dalai Lama, translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins, edited by Elizabeth Napper This is part 2 of a two-part series on the release of this volume. Be sure to check out part one featuring fellow Lama Alan Wallace here.   Wisdom Podcast listeners are invited to save 20% off Śamatha and Vipaśyanā with code WPODSV through Februrary 15.   The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post Eva Natanya: Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: Part 2 (#225) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

This episode, previously recorded as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, features Professor John Dunne.  John is the distinguished chair in contemplative humanities at the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He works with Buddhist philosophy and contemplative practice. He is also an author of the winner of the 2025 Khyentse Foundation Prize for Outstanding Translation, Nāgārjuna’s Precious Garland. Join host Daniel Aitken and John as they discuss Buddhist philosophy and the historical significance of the Nalanda tradition. They transition to conceptual thinking and non-duality, exploring the relationship between consciousness and perception, the importance of education in understanding these concepts, and so much more! They also discuss:  Yogic perception and meditation; temporal and spatial experience; the role of education in cultivating wisdom; the intersection of AI and Buddhist philosophy; and so much more!   Additional content mentioned in this episode: The Wisdom of the Nalanda Tradition – A Wisdom Academy course. Available now. This course is offered as pay what you can. Neural effects and phenomenology of nondual meditation and 5-MeO-DMT in an expert meditation practitioner – Winner 2025 Neuroscience of Pure Awareness prize by the Culture of Consciousness Foundation by Thomas Metzinger. Authors: Christopher Timmermann, Tommaso Barba, James Sanders, Stéphane Offort, John Dunne, David Erritzoe, Antoine Lutz. Available in preprint – https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/whqdp_v2 The post Professor John Dunne: Buddhist Philosophy and the Nalanda Tradition (#223) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode of The Wisdom Podcast, host Daniel Aitken is joined by David M. DiValerio. Join David and Daniel as they discuss David’s newest book, Mountain Dharma: Meditative Retreat and the Tibetan Ascetic Self. David shares his journey into Tibetan Buddhist studies, as well as his experiences and research on Tibetan retreats over the years. They also discuss:  the historical context and modern adaptations of retreat practices; the differences between solitary, individual, and community retreat practice;  the challenges of translating ancient texts; and much more!   Wisdom Podcast listeners are invited to save 20% off Mountain Dharma with code CUP20. Code valid when purchased from Columbia University Press.   The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post David M. DiValerio: Mountain Dharma (#221) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode of The Wisdom Podcast, previously recorded as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, host Daniel Aitken is joined by Brendan Barca and Pema Sherpa. Join the trio as they discuss Brendan and Pema’s new book, The Daily Buddhist. The conversation explores their approach of making dharma applicable to everyday life in the modern world and how they manage various challenges, such as balancing technology use and family time. Stressing the importance of persistence, self-compassion, and using mindfulness as a tool for personal growth and lasting happiness. In this episode, Brendan, Pema, and Daniel also discuss: The importance of teamwork in their personal and professional lives; how to integrate dharma into your daily life; using meditation to connect to your inner self; and much more!       Mentioned in this episode: Instagram: @daily.buddhist Learn more about Pema and Brendan’s newsletter, and get your copy of The Daily Buddhist at thedailybuddhist.net   The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post Brendan Barca and Pema Sherpa: The Daily Buddhist (#220) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode, host Daniel Aitken is joined by Dasho Karma Ura. Dasho Karma Ura has a Bachelor of Arts from Oxford University, a Master of Philosophy from Edinburgh, and a PhD from Nagoya University. He was awarded the red scarf and the ancient title of distinction, Dasho, by His Majesty the Fourth King in 2006 for his dedicated service to the country of Bhutan. He was a member of the Drafting Committee of Bhutan’s first Constitution in 2008 and became president of the Centre for Bhutan Studies and Gross National Happiness Research. He is a painter and author of many books, including Bhutan: The Unremembered Nation – Volumes 1 & 2. In 2010, he was bestowed the honour of Druk Khorlo (Wheel of Dragon Kingdom) by His Majesty the King for his contributions to literature and fine arts. In this episode, Dasho Karma and Daniel explore the study and influence of Gross National Happiness, a philosophy pioneered in Bhutan by His Majesty the Fourth King, in which a government prioritizes national happiness over economic growth.  In this episode, Dasho Karma and Daniel also discuss:  Buddhist ideals shaping Bhutanese culture; Language and cultural preservation; National happiness and collective well-being; Craft and virtue in Buddhist practice; The life and art of Yeshe Tsogyal; and much more!         The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post Dasho Karma Ura: The Pursuit of Happiness in Bhutan (#219) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

This episode, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, welcomes back His Eminence Khangser Rinpoche. At five years of age, a search party positively identified him as the reincarnation of the seventh Khangser Rinpoche. He is one of three high lamas responsible for recognizing the rebirth of the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He presently serves as vice abbot of Gyuto Monastery and as the founder and administrative head of Thangkar Dechen Choling Monastic Institute.  He is the author of A Monk’s Guide to Finding Joy. Join Rinpoche and host Daniel Aitken as they explore the concept of Buddha-nature, challenges of distraction in the digital age, and the enduring resilience of the Dharma across generations.  In this episode, Rinpoche and Daniel also discuss:  the Sutra and Tantra approaches to mental afflictions; selflessness as the ultimate antidote to the cause of anger; the importance of analytical meditation; the debate on emptiness and existence; and much more!        The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post H. E. Khangser Rinpoche: Buddha-Nature and Beyond (#218) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode, previously recorded as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, host Daniel Aitken welcomes back Lama Alan Wallace to discuss the newest release, Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: An Anthology of Pith Instructions. Lama Alan trained for many years as a monk in Buddhist monasteries in India and Switzerland. He has taught Buddhist theory and practice in Europe and America since 1976 and has served as interpreter for numerous Tibetan scholars and contemplatives, including H. H. the Dalai Lama. He has edited, translated, authored, and contributed to more than forty books on Tibetan Buddhism, medicine, language, and culture, and the interface between science and religion. He is also the founder of the Center for Contemplative Research (CCR), which now has retreat center locations in Crestone, Colorado, and in Castellina Marittima, Italy. This conversation delves into Lama Alan’s journey in Tibetan Buddhism, the teachings he received from his gurus, and the path to achieving irreversible transformation through the cultivation of bodhicitta and śamatha meditation. They discuss the complementarity of Western science’s technological advances and Buddhist contemplative practices, highlighting the value of genuine mental cultivation in addressing modern challenges.  In this episode, Lama Alan and Daniel also discuss:  the significance of the recently released volume Śamatha and Vipaśyanā; Lama Alan’s early inspirations and teachings with Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey; Western and Eastern perspectives on the mind; the need for a revolution in understanding the mind;  and much more! This is part 1 of a two-part series on the release of this volume. Be sure to check out part two featuring fellow Eva Natanya, coming soon to The Wisdom Podcast. Wisdom Podcast listeners are invited to save 20% off Śamatha and Vipaśyanā with code WPODSV through November 15. The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent. The post Lama Alan Wallace: Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: Part 1 (#217) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode, host Daniel Aitken is joined by special guest Anu Gupta. Anu is an award-winning author, educator, lawyer, scientist, and meditation teacher. He holds a JD from NYU Law, an MPhil in Development Studies from Cambridge, and a BA in International Relations and Islamic Studies from NYU. He is the founder and CEO of BE MORE with Anu, a learning and development organization that supports individuals and organizations foster trust, safety, and belonging. He is a proud polyspiritual Hindu-Buddhist-Christian and a dedicated yoga and meditation practitioner. His bestselling book, Breaking Bias: Where Stereotypes and Prejudices Come From and the Science-Backed Method to Unravel Them, features a foreword from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and offers tools to awaken humans to their interdependence and cultivate the wisdom and compassion needed to transcend bias, exclusion, and othering. His work has reached over 300 organizations, training more than 100,000 professionals and impacting 30 million lives. In this episode, Anu and Daniel discuss:   Anu’s bestselling book Breaking Bias; his early encounters with spirituality and his childhood in India;  his cultural and spiritual observations and his struggles with his own identity in America; mystical experiences, mental health, and his personal journey of self-discovery; the concept of race, bias, and human connection;  tools to help overcome bias in today’s world; and  so much more! Mentioned in this episode: BEMOREwithAnu.com Substack: @anuguptany   Note to our listeners: This episode contains the description of a mystical experience that some listeners may find upsetting. If you would prefer to avoid this part of the conversation, please skip from minutes 31:02 to 34:54. If you or someone you love are in crisis, please call, text, or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. International listeners, please visit The International Association for Suicide Prevention to find crisis care in your region.   The post Anu Gupta: Breaking Bias (#216) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode of The Wisdom Podcast, join special guest Venerable Matthieu Ricard and host Daniel Aitken as they tackle the intersection of science and Buddhism. Venerable Ricard is a Buddhist monk, author, translator, and photographer. After completing his Ph.D. in cell genetics in 1972, he moved to the Himalayas, where he spent many years in the presence of Kangyur Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He has published numerous books, including The Monk and the Philosopher, Happiness, Altruism, and Notebooks of a Wandering Monk. He donates all proceeds from his books and activities to support humanitarian projects in India, Nepal, and Tibet through Karuna-Shechen, the non-profit organization he founded in 2000, which now benefits 500,000+ people every year. In this episode, Venerable Ricard and Daniel discuss: Venerable’s early influences and inspirations, and his introduction to Buddhism; his time with Kangyur Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche; the nature of consciousness; the importance of setting achievable goals, the role of consistency and discipline in achieving those goals, and how self-reflection can guide continuous improvement; and so much more! Mentioned in this episode: Mind and Life Institute Film: The Message of the Tibetans      The post Venerable Matthieu Ricard: Presence, Insight, and Compassion: A Guide to Happiness (#215) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

This episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, features the return of special guest Rangjung Neljorma Khandro Tseringma Rinpoche. Experience this heartfelt discussion aiming to alleviate fears, delve into the nature of interdependence, the power of connecting with a teacher, and so much more. Join Khandro Rinpoche and host Daniel Aitken and reflect on how all experiences—joyful and painful alike—arise through the web of dependent origination. Learn how compassion, when grounded in reality, can open a path to happiness and escape suffering through wisdom. In this episode, Rinpoche and Daniel explore:   bodhichitta; dependent origination and emptiness; the importance of presence and the role teachers play in Dharma practice; so much more! Learn more about Khandro Rinpoche and her upcoming teachings at khandroling.org   The post Rangjung Neljorma Khandro Tseringma Rinpoche: Presence, Insight, and Compassion: A Guide to Happiness (#214) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode, join James B. Apple and host Daniel Aitken as they celebrate James’s newest release, Atiśa’s Stages Of The Path To Awakening. James is Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Calgary. His current research focuses on the critical analysis of Mahāyāna sūtras and topics within Indian and Tibetan Buddhist scholasticism. He has published over fifty peer-reviewed articles in international academic journals as well as numerous books, including  Jewels Of The Middle Way, also by Wisdom Publications. In this episode, James and Daniel explore: the concept of clear light and the integration of meditative traditions in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism; the history of Atisa’s lamrims and the significance of the text, Stages Of The Path to Awakening; the historical context leading to the text’s near disappearance and later rediscovery; and so much more!   Wisdom Podcast listeners are invited to save 20% off Atiśa’s Stages Of The Path To Awakening with code WPODATISA through September 30, 2025.   The post James Apple: Atiśa’s Stages Of The Path To Awakening (#213) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

This episode, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat features special guest, Mark Siderits. In this episode hosted by Daniel Aiken, Mark embarks on an illuminating conversation surrounding Buddhist philosophy. They discuss the structure and content of his two online courses—Buddhism as Philosophy: Non-self and Reality and Buddhism as Philosophy: Yogācāra and Madhyamaka. From there, they dive into the concept of emptiness and how the Abhidharma, Madhyamaka, and Yogācāra traditions each approach it. Mark studied at the University of Hawaii and Yale, has taught extensively, and authored several books on Asian and Western philosophy. In this episode, Mark and Daniel also discuss:  key concepts in Buddhist philosophy such as reflexive awareness and emptiness; the concept of emptiness in Buddhist philosophy;  the divide between Yogācāra and Madhyamaka; and much more! Additional content mentioned in this episode: Buddhism as Philosophy Nāgārjuna’s Middle Way   Wisdom Podcast listeners are invited to save 20% off Buddhism as Philosophy: Yogācāra and Madhyamaka with code WPODBAP2 through August 31, 2025.   The post Mark Siderits: Buddhism as Philosophy: Part 2 (#212) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

This episode, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, features special guest Sarah Harding. Join Sarah and Daniel Aitken as they discuss Sarah’s newest release with Wisdom Severance: The Early Practice of Chö. Together, they explore how chö (severance)—an ancient Tibetan Buddhist practice—guides us to confront our deepest fears, cut through ego-clinging, and realize the mind’s innate clarity.  You’ll also hear Daniel and Sarah discuss:  the role of fear in chö practice; motherhood and feminine imagery in chö; various scientific approaches to mindfulness; her time in a three-year retreat and her journey translating sacred texts; and much more!   Wisdom Podcast listeners are invited to save 20% off Severance: The Early Practice of Chö with code WPODCHO through August 31, 2025.   The post Sarah Harding: Severance (#211) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

This episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, is presented in collaboration with Tergar International and Tibet House US, featuring special guests Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and Robert Thurman. In this special episode, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and Professor Robert Thurman come together for a rich and wide-ranging conversation on the practical application of Buddhist teachings in everyday life. With clarity, warmth, and humor, they explore tantric practice, the nature of Buddha’s potential, and the central role of meditation in transforming the mind. This episode concludes with a guided meditation from Rinpoche. Listen as Rinpoche and Professor Thurman, along with host Daniel Aiken, discuss: Buddha nature and the role and value of meditation in everyday life; the modern misunderstanding of Buddhism; the importance of compassion; Buddhism’s place in the future of AI; and much more!      Meet Our Guests Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche Mingyur Rinpoche is a world-renowned meditation teacher with personal experience of anxiety and panic attacks, which he suffered from throughout his childhood and into his teenage years, when he learned to transform his panic through meditation. Born in Nepal in 1975, Mingyur Rinpoche began to study meditation as a young boy with his father, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, himself a well-respected Buddhist teacher. As a child he became interested in contemporary science through conversations with scientists who were visiting his father, and as he grew older he began to collaborate with neuroscientists and psychologists, including Richard Davidson and Antoine Lutz at the University of Wisconsin, on research projects that study the effects of meditation on the brain and the mind. As the head of the Tergar Meditation Community, Mingyur Rinpoche supports groups of students in more than thirty countries, leading workshops around the world for new and returning students every year.   Robert Thurman Bob Thurman, known in the academic circles as Professor Robert A.F. Thurman, is a talented popularizer of the Buddha’s teachings and the first Westerner Tibetan Buddhist monk ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, A charismatic speaker and author of many books on Tibet, Buddhism, art, politics and culture, Bob was named by The New York Times the leading American expert on Tibetan Buddhism, and was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri Award in 2020, for his help in recovering India’s ancient Buddhist heritage. Time Magazine chose him as one of the 25 most influential Americans in 1997, describing him as a “larger than life scholar-activist destined to convey the Dharma, the precious teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, from Asia to America.” As part of his long-term commitment to the Tibetan cause, at the request of H.H. the Dalai Lama, Bob co-founded Tibet House US in 1987 with Tenzin Tethong, Richard Gere, and Philip Glass, a non profit organization based in New York City and dedicated to the preservation and renaissance of Tibetan culture. The post Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche And Robert Thurman: Buddhism in Daily Life in Conversation with Two Great Masters (#210) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In this episode, Cortland Dahl and Daniel Aitken discuss Cortland’s book A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism. As an author and translator, Cortland has published numerous scientific articles and works on Buddhist philosophy and meditation. He is actively involved in scientific research and has published articles on the impact of meditation practices on the body, mind, and brain. They explore crucial themes such as the integration of meditation, view, and application in daily life, and explores concepts like naturalness, spontaneity, and the innate qualities of awareness, compassion, and wisdom.  You’ll also hear Cortland and Daniel discuss:  the scientific perspective on meditation; various scientific approaches to mindfulness; the challenges related to measuring mindfulness; the concept of being vs. doing and how to integrate being into daily life; and much more!    Mentioned in this episode: Center for Healthy Minds    The post Cortland Dahl: A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism (#209) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.