Advertise on podcast: The Kind Heartfulness Podcast

Welcome to another episode of the Kind Heartfulness podcast, where we explore the path of living with an open heart and a wise mind. Today we have the distinct honor of welcoming back a very special guest, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Rinpoche joins us to share a truly vast and inspiring vision. He has recently overseen the acquisition of the historic Kremsegg Castle in Austria—a magnificent 'antique' of European culture—with the intention of transforming it into a University and School dedicated to Kindful Wisdom. In this conversation, Rinpoche explains why he believes the 21st century requires a 'compound' of high-level modern education and ancient spiritual depth. We dive into his new terminology, 'Kindful Wisdom'—the union of the supreme method of a kind heart and the highest intelligence of wisdom. We'll also discuss: • Why intelligence without a kind heart can be dangerous for our world. • How this school aims to be a global home for scientists, technologists, business leaders, and people of all faiths. • And even a beautiful reflection on how respecting 'antiques' and culture can help us reduce the 'trash' and pollution on our planet. This is more than just a talk about a new building; it's a roadmap for how we can all work together to achieve harmony and oneness. Please join Erric for this heartfelt conversation with Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. During the podcast, Rinpoche invites us to contribute to the success of this incredibly important new venture. Offers of help or non-monetary donations (such as antique furniture) can be sent to  [email protected] . Monetary contributions can be made at https://www.betterplace.org/en/projects/170511-schloss-kremsegg-a-home-for-kindful-wisdom For more information about Rinpoche and his projects more generally you are invited to follow this link: https://shedrub.org/

Today on the Kind Heartfulness Podcast, we're honored to welcome Barbara Bogatin — a world-class cellist and long-time practitioner of Buddhist meditation. A member of the San Francisco Symphony since 1994, Barbara's musical career has taken her from the stages of the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera to intimate chamber ensembles across the world. But Barbara's path is more than music. She's also a dedicated student of Buddhism, with over three decades of Vipassana practice and deep study of the Dharma. Her lifelong meditation practice deeply informs not just how she plays, but how she lives — and teaches. Together with her husband, neuroscientist Clifford Saron, she leads workshops like "The Buddha, the Brain, and Bach," weaving together insights from Buddhist contemplative traditions, neuroscience, and the art of performance. In today's episode, Barbara reflects on how mindfulness and Dharma practice have shaped her as a musician, a teacher, and a human being — and how we can all bring more presence and compassion into our own lives. You can find out more about Barbara at here website: https://www.barbarabogatin.com/home Scroll down the page to find out about her upcoming workshops such as The Buddha, the Brain and Bach or Mindfulness for Musicians.

In Tibetan Buddhism, lineage is everything — a sacred thread connecting teacher to student across generations. But what happens when modern meditators enter the mix? Anthropologist and Buddhist practitioner Dr. Ana Christina Lopes joins us to explore how tradition evolves when it meets real lives and real practice. Is lineage just about preserving the past, or can it also be a living, creative force? Tune in as we unpack how today's practitioners are not only inheriting the Dharma, but actively reshaping it. Dr. Ana Cristina focuses on the translation and study of sūtras, particularly the Buddhāvataṃsakasūtra.  Ana Cristina received her PhD in Anthropology from the University of Sao Paulo and her MA in Buddhist Studies from Columbia University. She studied Classical Tibetan as part of her PhD research, in postdocs at Columbia and Harvard universities, and at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute. Ana Cristina was faculty at University of Virginia and UNC-Greensboro. She also taught at RYI-Austria and Stanford University, where she is Visiting Fellow at the Center for South Asia. She is the author of Tibetan Buddhism in Diaspora: Cultural re-signification in practice and institutions (Routledge, 2015)

Once again, we have the great honor to have Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche as our guest. In this episode, Rinpoche talks about why Buddhism is so appealing in today's world, the confluence of Buddhist philosophy and modern science, and what we can do to ensure Buddhism is able to continue to thrive. Rinpoche, recently inaugurated a spectacular new temple in Lubini, the birthplace of Buddha. It was selected the 9th most important place to visit in 2025 by the New York Times. Rinpoche explains why he felt it was so important to build this temple, a lifelong aspiration of his. Some of his answers might surprise you.

Our guest this month is the neuroscientist Dr. Clifford Saron, one of the world's leading scholars of the tangible effects of mediation. We have a free and wide-ranging conversation about meditation, science, objectivity and spirituality from a pioneer in the field of neuroscience and contemplative science. Clifford Saron, PhD, is a Research Scientist at the Center for Mind and Brain Institute at the University of California–Davis.  Cliff has had a long-standing interest in the effects of contemplative practice on physiology and behavior. In the early 1990s, he conducted field research investigating Tibetan Buddhist mind training under the auspices of the office of H.H. the Dalai Lama. Cliff directs the Shamatha Project, a multidisciplinary longitudinal investigation of the effects of intensive meditation on physiological and psychological processes central to well-being. His research team is investigating how meditation experience may mitigate the effects of the pandemic on chronic stress and cellular aging, as well as examining consequences of compassion vs. mindfulness training on engagement with suffering. Cliff also studies sensory processing and integration in children with autism spectrum disorders to better understand how these children experience their everyday sensory environments.  You can find out more about his work at https://mindbrain.ucdavis.edu/people/clifford-saron and his lab at http://saronlab.ucdavis.edu/

In this episode, Dr. Tawni Tidwell shares the latest research into the meditative state of Tukdam. Tukdam is the practice of realizing mind's innermost essence at the moment of death. Pratcitioner's who die in the Tukdam state exhibit minimal signs of bodily decomposition, sometimes for weeks. Tawni Tidwell is a biocultural anthropologist (PhD 2017, Emory University) and Tibetan medical doctor (Kachupa degree 2015, Qinghai University Tibetan Medical College). She is currently a Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Healthy Minds of University of Wisconsin-Madison. Tawni's research facilitates bridges across the Western scientific tradition and Tibetan medical tradition along with their attendant epistemologies and ontologies. Previously, she was a postdoctoral fellow at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and University of Vienna, where her work focused on pharmacological innovations in Tibetan medicine and training practices for medicine compounding. Her doctoral work detailed the entrainment process for learning Tibetan medical diagnostics of Tibetan medical conceptions of cancer and related metabolic disorders. She is currently the Science Lead for Field Study of the Physiology of Meditation Practitioners and the Tukdam Meditative State (FMed/Tukdam Study) and serves as Principal Investigator for both the North American COVID-19 Tibetan Medical Observational Study (NACTMOS) and the Examining Individual Differences in Contemplative Practice Response Project (ExamID-Biome). Her published works focus on diagnostic/treatment paradigms, pharmacological synergies, and cultural practices for wellbeing and resilience. She maintains a private clinical practice in Madison, Wisconsin and Vienna, Austria. You can learn more about her work at: www.centerhealthyminds.org/about/people/tawni-tidwell. You can learn more about the Tukdam Study at: centerhealthyminds.org/science/studies/the-field-study-of-long-term-meditation-practitioners.

In this episode, host Erric Solomon is joined by Gomde team member and mental health professional Birgit Meiche to explore how to approach the holiday season with greater ease and mindfulness. Together, they delve into practical strategies for managing family dynamics, dealing with stress, and responding skillfully to challenging conversations—like when a relative's controversial opinions threaten to spark tension. Drawing on Buddhist-inspired wisdom and Birgit's mental health expertise, they discuss how to stay grounded, cultivate compassion, and transform potentially difficult moments into opportunities for deeper connection. Tune in for insights on making your holiday gatherings more harmonious, meaningful, and enjoyable for everyone.

AI is everywhere: it's the hottest technology, this year's fastest way to make money in the stock market, a new way to write, do research, make eye popping designs. But are we close to having machines that are conscious? In one sense, the search for the basis of consciousness is also vital part of Buddhist practice and realization.  In this episode, join Buddhist scholar, Professor John Dunne, and our host, yogi/technologist Erric Solomon, as they explore the promise and implications of AI. John D. Dunne (PhD 1999, Harvard University)  holds the Distinguished Chair in Contemplative Humanities, an endowed position created through the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.  He is also distinguished professor in the Department of Asian Languages & Cultures, where he currently serves as department Chair. You can learn more about his work at https://www.johnddunne.net/.

We try not to think about death, often until it's we have no choice. A loved one begins to pass, or we receive a difficult diagnosis from the doctor. In the Buddhist teachings, death is the ultimate opportunity for profound spiritual transformation. Join Author and teacher Kirsten Deleo as we explore how to best take care of ourselves and our loved ones during this important time of transition, whether Buddhist practitioners or not. Kirsten DeLeo is a long time Tibetan Buddhist practitioner, meditation teacher and author of "Present Through The End. A Caring Companion's Guide for Accompanying the Dying." Kirsten pioneered one of the first training programs in contemplative end-of-life care called 'Authentic Presence'. She currently supports the development of Buddhist chaplaincy in Europe. Kirsten lives near Dzogchen Beara, a Buddhist Meditation Centre in the West of Ireland where she teaches and also supports people faced with a terminal illness or loss. To find out more about Kirsten, visit: kirstendeleo.com Links to Kirsten's book in German and Dutch German https://edition-steinrich.de/buch/ganz-da-sein-wenn-ein-leben-endet/ Dutch https://gottmer.nl/product/ik-ben-bij-je/

Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche unfolds the key to living, especially valuable in today's modern, chaotic, fast paced world. Erric begins by asking Rinpoche, "What is the most important thing to know?" Rinpoche leads us through a pithy, vital explanation that anyone, struggling to thrive in modern life, will want to hear.  About Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche is a world-renowned teacher and meditation master in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. He was born in Tibet in 1951 as the oldest son of his mother Kunsang Dechen, a devoted Buddhist practitioner, and his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, an accomplished master of Buddhist meditation. As a young child, Chökyi Nyima—"Sun of the Dharma"—was recognized as the 7th incarnation of the Tibetan meditation master Gar Drubchen. In 1959 Rinpoche's family fled to India where Rinpoche spent his youth studying under some of Tibetan Buddhism's most illustrious masters, such as His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Khunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen, and his father, Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. In 1974, Rinpoche left India to join his parents in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he assisted them in establishing Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery. Upon its completion in 1976, H.H. the Karmapa enthroned Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche as the monastery's abbot. To this day, Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling remains the heart of Rinpoche's ever-growing mandala of activity.

In Buddhist practice is based on compassion, and so there are a body of practices devoted to it. But what is compassion really? How do we know we have it? Compassion isn't a thing that you gather but a way of being in the world. In this episode, Dr. Erika Rosenberg discusses with Erric what the basis of compassion is, how it helps with every aspect of our lives, and gives practical, experientially focused exercises to help us have more compassion. Compassion is a revolution, both in how we view the world and its potentially radical effect on our world.   Erika Rosenberg, Ph.D. is a scientist, author, and educator who seeks to help people understand themselves and one another better, connect with one another, find peace and joy in life, and suffer less. Erika is a co-creator of the Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) program at Stanford University, Founding Faculty at The Compassion Institute, and faculty at The Nyingma Institute, Berkeley. Erika has taught at places as diverse as Google, Inc., Lerab Ling Monastery, LucasFilm, Upaya Zen Center, Esalen Institute, and Burning Man. She volunteers in psychedelic harm reduction and psychedelic integration through such programs as the Zendo Project and the Psychedelic Sangha, NYC.  Dr. Rosenberg's work focuses on the study of emotion, emotion expression and contemplative science. At the Center for Mind and Brain at UC Davis, Erika Rosenberg is a member of the Saron Lab, which conducts multi-disciplinary, pathbreaking research in contemplative science. Erika is an expert in human facial expressions and the Facial Action Coding System, with clients in academia, industry, and the arts, worldwide. Her books include What the Face Reveals (with Paul Ekman, now in its 3rd edition) and the widely used Introductory Psychology text, Psychology: Perspectives & Connections, now in its 6th edition). Dr. Rosenberg's published scientific work on facial expression span basic affective science on research on emotional processes, social psychological research on facial expression recognition, studies of the effects of meditation on emotional behavior, and health psychological risk factors for heart disease. You can find out more about her at www.erikarosenberg.com

Sometimes at Tibetan Buddhist teachings or Tantric Initiations, attendees receive an envelop filled with sacred substances. Today we are joined by Dr. James Gentry to discuss the history, function and efficacy of one of the most famous substances—Mani pills. These pills are made through the process of meditation by special Buddhist Yogis and Yoginis, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama. So what are they and why should we care?   James Gentry is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford University's School of Humanities and Sciences. He specializes in Tibetan Buddhism, with particular focus on the literature and history of its Tantric traditions. He is the author of Power Objects in Tibetan Buddhism: The Life, Writings, and Legacy of Sokdokpa Lodrö Gyeltsen, which examines the roles of Tantric material and sensory objects in the lives and institutions of Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhists. James's research ranges across Tibetan and Himalayan intellectual history, material culture, contemplative and ritual practice, and scriptural translation, revelation, and canonicity, from the Tibetan imperial period to the present. His current projects include a study of the reception in Tibet from the 9th century to the present of the "Five Protectors" (Pañcarakṣā)—a set of five Indian Tantric Buddhist texts that have been among the most popular scriptures used for pragmatic purposes throughout the Buddhist world. James is also doing a study of a comprehensive literary treatment of Himalayan religious material culture: a 20th century compilation entitled A Treatise on the Paraphernalia and Musical Instruments of the Old School of Secret Mantra. His work on this compilation is directed toward the creation of a multimedia encyclopedia of Tibetan Buddhist material culture for use among scholars, teachers, and students of Asian religions.   Before joining Stanford, James was on the faculty of the University of Virginia. He has also taught at Rangjung Yeshe Institute's Centre for Buddhist Studies at Kathmandu University, where he served as director of its Master of Arts program in Translation, Textual Interpretation, and Philology. He has also served as editor-in-chief of the project 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, which aims to commission English translations of the Buddhist sūtras, tantras, and commentaries preserved in Tibetan translation and publish them in an online open-access forum 84000.com.

The Buddhist canon is filled with pithy teachings from and stories about Buddha. Many of the sutras, where Buddha gives profound answers to questions posed by his students have become very well known, even outside Buddhist circles. Lesser known to modern practitioners, are the stories that lead to the guidelines that support monastic practitioners on the path to awakening. In particular, there are many stories about his students misbehaving and how the Buddha was able to turn these situations into opportunities for progressing on the path . These stories became a list of guidelines and precepts, referred to as the Vinaya. In today's episode, we will focus on some of the stories about nuns that are largely unknown to modern day meditators. Dr. Annie Heckman, an expert in the field, and Erric Solomon explore how these stories have enabled Buddhist practitioners' realization and continue to inform us in today's the modern world.  Dr. Annie Heckman Associate Translator, 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha Born in Chicago, Annie Heckman is an Associate Translator for 84000 whose research focuses on stories about nuns in the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, with an emphasis on fourteenth-century Tibetan editorial and digesting practices. She holds MA and PhD degrees from the University of Toronto's Department for the Study of Religion and Book History and Print Culture collaborative program, as well as a BFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MFA from New York University in Studio Arts. She studied Tibetan language and literature at the University of Chicago Graham School prior to pursuing graduate work in Buddhist studies. She has taught at DePaul University, contributed to Bird of Paradise Press in Virginia, and worked as a reviewer of Dunhuang manuscripts at McMaster University, where she was an Ontario Visiting Graduate Student from 2017 to 2019. She was among the first three recipients of the annual Tsadra Foundation Dissertation Fellowship for Tibetan Buddhist Studies, with a thesis on Butön Rinchen Drub's digest of vinaya narratives involving nuns.

In this Episode, Author, Writing Coach, Journalist, Mindfulness expert and Buddhist Meditator, Barry Boyce is our guest. He and Erric have a wide ranging conversation about Mindfulness Meditation and Buddhism in today's world. Is mindfulness a net plus or just a watered down version of Buddhist practice? Do modern urban Budhist centers meet the needs of people in today's chaotic fast moving world? Find out what Erric and Barry think in this thought provoking conversation. Barry Boyce is Founding Editor of Mindful magazine and mindful.org. A meditation practitioner since the early seventies and a teacher since the early eighties—as well as a professional writer and editor— he is the editor of and a primary contributor to The Mindfulness Revolution: Leading Psychologists, Scientists, Artists, and Meditation Teachers on the Power of Mindfulness in Daily Life. Barry also worked closely with Congressman Tim Ryan, as developmental editor, on A Mindful Nation and The Real Food Revolution, and with Sharon Salzberg on her 2021 book, Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World, as well as two of her upcoming books. Other authors whose books he has edited or been consulted on include Dacher Keltner, Janice Marturano, Caverly Morgan, Christiane Wolf, Susan Kaiser-Greenland, Frank Ostaseski, and Andy Karr. He is a member of the group that created the renowned Denma translation of Sun Tzu's Art of War and co-author of The Rules of Victory: How to Transform Chaos and Conflict; Strategies from the Art of War. In addition to being board chair of the Foundation for a Mindful Society, Barry is secretary of the board of directors of the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in Toronto, and is a member of the advisory board of Peace in Schools, in Portland, Oregon. He is a father and grandfather who lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His daughters and granddaughters live in Toronto.

In this episode Sara Hindelang, a Buddhist practitioner and volunteer at Rangjung Yeshe Gomde is our host. She is interviewing Buddhist Yogi, Teacher and Author Erric Solomon. Sara, as a 24 year old, asks for insights on anxieties common with those of her generation, such as ecoanxiety or cynicism. Erric Solomon offers some fantastic insights into how the Buddha's teachings are relevent in today's chaotic modern world. You don't have to be a young person to gain benefit from this discussion. Erric Solomon brings together decades of Buddhist practice, a high-powered Silicon Valley career, and an abundant sense of humour. Erric speaks with an authenticity grounded in experience. Drawing on his life in the fast-paced, always on wired world, and his study under the guidance of some of the greatest masters of our time, Erric creates a bridge between modern insight and ancient wisdom. Erric frequently leads seminars in Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Germany Austria and all over the world. He is the author, with Phakchok Rinpoche, of Radically Happy: A User's Guide to the Mind