The Lion’s Roar Podcast

Meditations, interviews, dharma talks and audio features to awaken your heart and mind. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

We’ve been publishing for decades about every aspect of life through the lense of dharma, collecting the works of leading Buddhist teachers on topics ranging from everyday mindfulness practice to facing your fears, protecting and connecting to the Earth, taking social action, and even knowing when not to take action.

The Lion’s Roar Podcast is where you’ll hear the voices of these teachers, as well as practitioners and creative minds who have been inspired by them. Their voices tell the stories of how Buddhist wisdom can fit into your real life whether you’re Buddhist or not.

Below you’ll find an up-to-date list of our podcast archive. Listen and enjoy!

Meditation for Kids, Adults, and Dinosaurs with Catherine Bailey and Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Sam likes to chill, and Rex likes to play. When Sam wants to take a break from playing, Rex wonders ‘what’s so great about being still?’ Author Catherine Bailey talks about these characters in her children’s book, Dinos Don’t Meditate, and shares a thirty second practice you can do with your kids. Then, Vanessa Zuisei Goddard talks about her book, Weather Any Storm, in which  “the Wildering Billies”serve as a metaphor for waves of emotion that create an inner storm. Plus, Zuisei shares a short breathing practice for kids.

Fear, Forgiveness and Self-care with Mushim Ikeda

Feelings of grief, panic and helplessness can lead one to do unpredictable, irrational things. In this selection from Lion’s Roar’s online course, Medicine for Fear, dharma teacher Mushim Patricia Ikeda of the East Bay Meditation Center talks about the art of “feeling all the feelings” without causing harm to yourself and others, and why the smallest act of kindness can be a powerful form of activism.

Humane AI and the role of Buddhism with Randima Fernando

The Center for Humane Technology is featured in the Emmy award winning Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, and co-founded by Randima Fernando. He talks about the promises and pitfalls of artificial intelligence; the existential questions it inspires, how Buddhism is uniquely suited to answering them, and how you can approach this new technology that has the power to change what it means to be human. For more on the future of technology and spirituality, find What A.I. Means for Buddhism.

Creativity, Spirituality, and the True Nature of Mind with Jane Hirshfield and Anouk Shambrook

Jane Hirshfield is the author of ten collections of poetry, the most recent being The Asking: New and Selected Poems. She talks about creativity in the liminal state, then Anouk Shambrook—an astrophysicist turned meditation teacher—talks about the intersections between science and spirituality. First, a short reading from Buddhadharma’s Rod Meade Sperry of an article by world-renowned meditation teacher, Mingyur Rinpoche.

The Japanese Immigrant Influence on American Buddhism with Scott Mitchell

Dean of Students at the Institute of Buddhist Studies, Scott Mitchell, talks about his book, The Making of American Buddhism and how Western scholarship has largely ignored the role of Japanese immigrants and their American descendants in the development of Buddhism in America.

Death and What Really Matters with Shoshana Ungerlieder

Internal medicine physician and founder of the End Well Project, Shoshana Ungerlieder talks about the taboo of death and dying among medical professionals and the importance of taking time to ask what really matters to you and your loved ones, while you still can.

Barbie’s Journey to Enlightenment with Jennifer Keishin Armstrong

In the Greta Gerwig-directed box-office hit movie, Barbie, the iconic doll embarks on a pink-tinted journey toward enlightenment not unlike the historical Buddha’s. When author and pop culture writer Jennifer Keishin Armstrong saw Barbie, she couldn’t stop thinking about the film’s explorations of suffering, impermanence and awakening. Here, in conversation Lion’s Roar associate editor Mihiri Tillakaratne, she discusses the surprisingly Buddhist lessons of Barbie’s journey to enlightenment.

Women of Wisdom with Lama Tsultrim Allione

Buddhist teacher, author, and founder of Tara Mandala retreat center, Lama Tsultrim Allione, talks with Lion’s Roar magazine’s editor Andrea Miller about the meaning and urgency of embracing the sacred feminine as a way to resist the destructive aspects of patriarchal society.

Plus, a reading of “Green Tara: You Are the Divine Feminine” written by Lama Döndrup Drölma from the September 2023 “Women of Wisdom” issue of Lion’s Roar.

The Woman Who Married the Buddha with Shyam Selvadurai

Award winning Sri-Lankan Canadian novelist and author of Funny Boy, talks about his latest historical fiction, Mansions of the Moon—the difficult and creative process of using fact and imagination to create an intimate tale of the Buddha’s wife, her relationship with him, their inevitable separation, and her own path to enlightenment.

Theravada in Everyday Life with Brooke Schedneck

Religious studies professor Brooke Schedneck is the author of Living Theravada: Demystifying the People, Places, and Practices of a Buddhist Tradition. She talks about Theravada Buddhism in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, from ordinary lay people to elite monks.

Enlightenment is an Accident with Tim Burkett

Psychologist and teacher Tim Burkett was ordained in 1978, but his path began in 1964, when he met Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, the famed author of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. He talks about learning the nature of enlightenment from Suzuki Roshi, and why the pursuit of enlightenment is futile.

Mindfulness in Your Workplace with Stacy McClendon

Teacher and co-founder of the BIPOC Sangha at Common Ground Meditation Center, Stacy McClendon talks about how mindfulness can transform the way we think about how we work.

Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition with Rima Vesely-Flad

‌Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad is a visiting professor of Buddhism and Black Studies at Union Theological Seminary, and the author of Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation. In this conversation with Lion’s Roar Associate Editor Pamela Ayo Yetunde, she talks about her book on the connection between the wisdom and practices of Buddhism, and the Black tradition of radical activism.

Hilma af Klint and the Five Buddha Families with Kevin Townley

Writer, filmmaker, actor, singer, and meditation teacher, Kevin Townley talks about his latest book featuring women whose work exemplifies each of the five wisdom energies (aka ‘families’) in Tibetan Buddhism, how the energies can show up in daily life, and how the spiritualist abstract artist Hilma af Klint embodied the wisdom energy of emptiness.

Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind with Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

From her first encounter with Zen to her life as a poet, Black activist, and Zen teacher in Suzuki Roshi’s lineage, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel shares her journey and how it has been informed by the wisdom of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind.

The New Wave of Mindfulness with Christiane Wolf

Former physician, and internationally known mindfulness and Insight meditation teacher, Christiane Wolf is well versed in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, and classical Buddhist mindfulness. Wolf talks about the early days of the modern mindfulness movement, how Insight and mindfulness communities inform each other, and how mindfulness-based approaches can be used in cognitive therapy and pain management.

Travel as a Spiritual Experience with Pico Iyer

Pico Iyer, author of dozens of books including The Lady and the Monk and The Art of Stillness, talks to Lion’s Roar editor in chief Melvin McLeod about the profound wonder that travel invites, how he came to cherish the feeling of wandering in the unknown, and how he came to find a home within himself.

Medicine for Internalized Racism with Karla Jackson-Brewer

Karla Jackson-Brewer is a senior teacher with the Tara Mandala Buddhist Retreat Center, and longtime student of Lama Tsultrim Allione. In this conversation, Lion’s Roar’s Pamela Ayo Yetunde Talks to her about internalized racism and the medicine Buddhism can offer to heal it.

The Secret to Happiness with Robert Waldinger

Psychiatrist and Zen teacher Robert Waldinger directs the Harvard Study of Adult Development—a 75 year-long study on happiness, spanning lifetimes. He speaks with Lion’s Roar’s Melvin McLeod about the nature of happiness as found in the study, and how it all connects with what Buddhism has to say about suffering.

Kinship and Community with Pamela Ayo Yetunde

Through the metaphor of Indra’s Net, Lion’s Roar’s associate editor Pamela Ayo Yetunde calls for a “compassion revolution” in her new book, Casting Indra’s Net: Fostering Spiritual Kinship and Community. She talks with fellow LR editor Noel Alumit about the deep challenges that lead to violence, and how we can heal from them together.

The Dharma of Harriet Tubman with Spring Washam

Lion’s Roar’s Pamela Ayo Yetunde talks to Spring Washam, author of The Spirit of Harriet Tubman: Awakening from the Underground, about the power of calling upon the spirit of this veritable bodhisattva to heal the particular wounds of American injustice and tragedy.

The Practice of Writing with Natalie Goldberg

Zen practitioner, painter, and author of fifteen books, Natalie Goldberg talks to Lion’s Roar editor Andrea Miller about how writing can be a practice of studying your mind.

The Evolution of the Mindfulness Movement with Diana Winston

Author of The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering Your Natural Awareness, and co-author of Fully present: The Science, Art and Practice of Mindfulness, Diana Winston is one of the best-known teachers of mindfulness in the United States. Noami Matlow is a Mindfulness Studies Masters student, and former intern at Lion’s Roar. She asks Diana Winston about significant changes in the mindfulness movement, the relationship between the movement and Buddhism, and what might come next in the evolution of the movement.

New Year’s Prayers from Roshi Joan Halifax and Leigh Brasington on The Path to Peace by Ayya Khema

Roshi Joan Halifax, Upaya Zen Center founder and head teacher, offers two prayers for the New Year–or any time of the year. Then, the editor of a posthumous release from the trailblazing modern Buddhist nun and teacher, Ayya Khema, talks about the “force of nature” that she was–her adventurous life, her teachings on metta (loving-kindness) and her practices. Editor Leigh Brasington, who practiced and trained with her, also leads a practice in the Ayya Khema style.

The Eightfold Path Adult Graphic Novel with Steven Barnes, Charles Johnson and Bryan Moss

This Buddhist, Afrofuturist comic book co-authored by Steven Barnes and Charles Johnson and illustrated by Bryan Moss, is an anthology of interconnected parables inspired by the teachings of Buddha. Together with Lion’s Roar’s Pamela Ayo Yetunde, its creators discuss the power and process of storytelling through a Black lens and in a Buddhist context.

Why We Meditate with Tsokyni Rinpoche and Daniel Goleman

Exactly what is meditation good for? What does it do? Daniel Goleman and Tsokyni Rinpoche talk about their new book Why We Meditate: The Science and Practice of Clarity and Compassion.

Calm Abiding and the Divine Abodes with Lama Tsomo

Buddhist teacher Lama Tsomo talks about her new book, Deepening Wisdom, Deepening Connection, shamatha meditation, the four prized emotions referred to as the “Divine Abodes,” and how to find your own Buddhist teacher, including a “calm abiding” meditation.

The Trauma of Caste with Thenmozhi Soundararajan

Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Dalit civil rights organizer and author of the forthcoming book, The Trauma of Caste, speaks with Lion’s Roar associate editor Noel Alumit about being classified as “untouchable,” how caste oppression relates to civil rights in the Western world, and what Buddhists can do about it.

Being Open to What Works for You with Mushim Patricia Ikeda

Lion’s Roar’s Rod Meade Sperry sits down with Mushim Patricia Ikeda, a teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center with a background in Japanese and Korean Zen and Vipassana. Recently, as she thinks about the passing of time and, ultimately, death, she’s taken a different direction of practice, exploring the end of life in the Vajrayana tradition.

Mindfulness of Race with Ruth King

Founder of the Mindful of Race Institute, and author of Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out, Ruth King talks to Lion’s Roar Associate Editor Pamela Ayo Yetunde about the Brave Space program, how to approach talking about race, and how mindfulness can heal racial wounds.

The Practice of Meditation with Yung Pueblo

Diego Perez is the name behind the New York Times bestselling book, Clarity and Connection, written under the pen name, Yung Pueblo. His upcoming book Lighter, promises a “radically compassionate plan for turning inward and lifting the heaviness that prevents us from healing ourselves and the world.” Lion’s Roar Associate Editor Mariana Restrepo asks about his story–his life and family, how he established a consistent practice of meditation, and recommendations for your own practice. First, a quick preview of the upcoming issue of Lion’s Roar magazine from Lion’s Roar’s Melvin McLeod and Andrea Miller.

That Bird Has My Wings book review and The Buddhist Enneagram with Susan Piver

New York Times bestselling author Susan Piver takes a well-known typology of personality types, and applies Buddhist principles to demonstrate how it can provide support on the path to deeper compassion for yourself and others. Then, Rod Meade Sperry reads a review of That Bird Has My Wings by imprisoned Buddhist author, Jarvis Jay Masters, which was recently selected for Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club.

‘We’re Not Who You Think We Are’ with Chenxing Han

Author of Be the Refuge: Raising the Voices of Asian American Buddhists, Chenxing Han reads her article examining the stereotypes that have marginalized Asian American Buddhists, and the rich diversity of a new generation of practitioners.

Beauty in the Bittersweet with Susan Cain and ‘Not Enlightened Yet’ by Miguel Chen

Sad music, rainy days – there’s beauty in the bittersweet state of mind. This state of mind can teach us about creativity, compassion, leadership, spirituality, mortality and love. Here, Lion’s Roar associate editor Chris Pacheco talks with Susan Cain about the surprising lessons we can learn from sorrow and longing. Also, Miguel Chen, director of the Dallas Meditation Center, reads his article on how to keep up your spiritual practice when enlightenment and wisdom seem unattainable.

 The Breath Is Your Partner with Trudy Goodman

Mindfulness is effective when used properly, but the deep techniques of the Buddhist form of meditation known as Insight (or Vipassana) are truly the heart of mindfulness practice, and often go unaddressed. Trudy Goodman, Founder of InsightLA, talks about breath awareness, why it’s so important, and how to experience the true grounding power of mindfulness meditation.

Racism, Suffering, and the Joy of Freedom with Kamilah Majied

Dr. Kamilah Majied is an expert on building inclusivity and equity using meditative practices. She talks to Lion’s Roar’s Pamela Ayo Yetunde about internalized racism in America, the nature of suffering, how to triumph over that suffering as a racialized person, and how we can all find a more freeing, joyous way to live.

Connecting to Nature with Larry Ward, and Roe v. Wade with Roshi Joan Halifax

Larry Ward, student of Thich Nhat Hanh, shares four everyday practices to better connect with the natural world. Then, Roshi Joan Halifax offers some words of encouragement for all those reeling after the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Wisdom and Suffering with Brother Phap Hai

Senior student of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and author of Nothing to It: Ten Ways to Be at Home with Yourself, Brother Phap Hai talks about the connection between suffering and wisdom.

Coping with Racism and Guided Metta with Phoenix Soleil

Insight Meditation teacher Phoenix Soleil talks to Pamela Ayo Yetunde about how metta practice can help you cope with facing racism.

Fear and Knowing How to Be Satisfied with Koshin Paley Ellison

Fear can lead us to do regretful, hateful, and even violent things. Lion’s Roar’s new online course Medicine for Fear, inspired by Zen teacher Eihei Dogen’s essential instructions for awakening, offers a way to minimize fear’s impact on us—featuring Koshin Paley Ellison and Chodo Robert Campbell of New York Zen Center, as well as Mushim Ikeda, Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Kodo Nishimura, and Mirabai Bush. In this clip from Medicine for Fear, Koshin talks about the problem of never feeling like you have enough.

Death and What Really Matters with Shoshana Ungerlieder

Internal medicine physician and founder of the End Well Project, Shoshana Ungerlieder talks about the taboo of death and dying among medical professionals and the importance of taking time to ask what really matters to you and your loved ones, while you still can.

Black Male Vulnerability in Buddhist Community with Willie Mukei Shoman Smith, SoOn Eli Brown-Stevenson, and Malik Watkins

Black, male-identified people have experiences in Buddhist communities that are markedly different than that of the majority–not only physically standing out in the group but facing unique internal questions and struggles. Willie Mukei Shoman Smith, SoOn Eli Brown-Stevenson, and Malik (MaLLy) Watkins talk to Lion’s Roar’s Pamela Ayo Yetunde about how they deal with inhabiting white spaces in the Buddhist context, and also what white sanghas can do to be helpful.

Mindful Money with Spencer Sherman

Author of The Cure for Money Madness, Spencer Sherman talks about how one can grow spiritually while still engaging with money. Then Lion’s Roar editor-in-chief Melvin McLeod and deputy editor Andrea Miller discuss the latest issue of Lions Roar magazine, honoring both the late Thich Nhat Hanh and the late bell hooks, as well as a special look at Pure Land Buddhism.

Pema Chodron’s Four Keys to Waking Up

Lion’s Roar’s Andrea Miller shares Pema Chodron’s advice on how to really “walk the walk” of a spiritual person, and what being a “fake” spiritual person really means.

On the Road with Traveling Nunk Sister Clear Grace

Sister Clear Grace is a black, non-binary monastic traveling across the country to lean in to the collective experience of the United States. The traveling nunk speaks with Lion’s Roar’s associate editor Pamela Ayo Yetunde about letting go of privilege, answering the call to become a monastic, and encounters on the road to liberation.

Failure and Creativity with Seth Godin and Zopa’s “Red Sky” from Sopranos Star Michael Imperioli

Seth Godin is an expert on failure. While he’s founded several hugely successful ventures and written 20 bestselling books around the world including his newest book, The Practice, he has also learned from failing over and over. Today he explains what helps creative thought, and what so often gets in the way of true success.

The Passing of Thich Nhat Hanh and “This Monk Wears Heels” with Kodo Nishimura

We reflect on the death of one of the greatest Buddhist teachers of our time, and preview the new issue of Lion’s Roar magazine. Then makeup artist, monk, and author of This Monk Wears Heels, Kodo Nishimura tells Pamela Ayo Yetunde how even makeup and drag can be an expression of the dharma.

Anxiety and What to do About it with Bruce Tift

Anxiety can be a pretty reasonable response to times of wide spread disease, environmental disaster, social unrest and polarization. Associate editor Chris Pacheco talks to Bruce Tift, psychotherapist and author of Already Free: Buddhism Meets Psychotherapy on the Path of Liberation, about attempting to control feelings of anxiety, why that only makes it worse, and what to do instead.

The Science of Hope and Justice with Sará King

Wellbeing and social justice are one and the same, according to neuroscientist Dr. Sará King. Pamela Ayo Yetunde asks about The Science of Social Justice, her illustrative Systems-Based Awareness Map, and the implications of the framework that has the power to change how you understand yourself, your community, and even political events such as the January 6 insurrection.

Love Your Body Meditation with Trudy Goodman

A guided body scan meditation from InsightLA founder Trudy Goodman, plus an audio clip from her presentation for the new Insight and Mindfulness online learning series, available now at learn.lionsorar.com.

Refuge from Racism with Sensei Alex Kakuyo

How can Buddhist practice help you find refuge from racism? Especially from the internalized sense of inferiority that lives within the minds and bodies of racialized people? Teacher Sensei Alex Kakuyo and Lion’s Roar Associate Editor Pamela Ayo Yetunde discuss.

“Mission: Joy” with Peggy Callahan and Elissa Epel

Centered on a friendship between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the documentary Mission: Joy was produced and co-directed by Peggy Callahan while its real life complement, The Big Joy Project, is an experiment in “citizen science.” She and Dr. Elissa Epel, vice chair of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, talk about how both point the way to more joy in our everyday lives.

Facing the Unknown with Kaira Jewel Lingo

As everyday normalities change, or even vanish, what used to make sense is out the door, and a new vision of our lives and our world is needed. Kaira Jewel Lingo, former nun in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village tradition, and author of We Were Made for These Times, offers a path forward.

In the Issue: Ted Lasso, Dogen, and Death

Editor-in-chief Melvin McLeod, deputy editor Andrea Miller, and associate editor Ross Nervig talk about the latest issue of Lion’s Roar magazine and some of the highlights therein, from Ted Lasso to Dogen.

Radical Friendship and Tonglen Practice with Kate Johnson

Buddhist meditation teacher Kate Johnson leads a session of Tonglen meditation informed by current events, and talks about her new book, Radical Friendship: 7 Ways to Love Yourself and Find Your People in an Unjust World.

When Sadness Rages Like Fire with Pema Khandro Rinpoche

Pema Khandro Rinpoche shares the life of the Tibetan yogi Shabkar, whose practice and teachings were inseparable from loss and grief.

Authenticity, Wholeness, and Boldness with Mushim Ikeda and Three Breaths Meditation to Rewire Your Brain with Rick Hanson

Mushim Patricia Ikeda examines how spiritual work can help us generate wholeness, joy, ease, and even ancestral healing. Then, Rick Hanson guides a short meditation to rewire your brain for the better.

Being Mindful of Our Mortality with Nikki Mirghafori

AI scientist and Buddhist teacher Nikki Mirghafori talks about how to live and love more fully by facing our mortality and embracing it and includes a guided meditation.

The Subtle Joy of Shikantaza with Pat Enkyo O’Hara and The Buddha Was Here by Andrea Miller

On a pilgrimage to India Lion’s Roar’s Andrea Miller explores the life and teachings of the historical Buddha and the new insights she gained by being there. Then, Zen teacher Enkyo O’Hara shares a quick tip about the subtle joy of Shikantaza, also known as Silent Illumination or “just sitting.”

Changing Your Brain with Rick Hanson

Psychologist and author of Neurodharma: New Science, Ancient Wisdom, and Seven Practices of the Highest Happiness, Rick Hanson shows Lion’s Roar’s Chris Pacheco how to use your mind to change your brain for the better, including a short practice.

Life is But a Dream with Andrew Holecek and Feeding Your Demons with Lama Tsultrim Allione

The Four Noble Tasks of Recovery with Dave Smith

Secular Dharma Foundation founder Dave Smith is teaching an online, teacher-directed, community-based buddhist addiction recovery course. Buddhadharma’s Koun Franz asked him about the Four Noble Tasks of recovery and how they inform his new program.

Teaching Kids About Dharma with Sumi Kim and The Nature of Reality with Georges Dreyfus

Sumi Loundon Kim, Buddhist chaplain at Yale University, talks with Buddhadharma’s Koun Franz about what she’s learned from teaching mindfulness to kids and their parents. Then, the Buddha is believed to have said the true nature of reality is beyond human comprehension, so journalist Judith Hertog asks former monk Georges Dreyfus can we know the truth if even reality isn’t real?

The Forgotten Story of the Buddha’s Wife with Vanessa Sasson

Vanessa Sasson is a religious studies professor and author of Yasodhara: A Novel about the Buddha’s Wife, a fiction based on close study of historical Buddhist texts on the Buddha’s path to, and of, enlightenment. She talks with Lion’s Roar magazine’s Andrea Miller about the forgotten story of Siddhartha’s wife, shares an excerpt from the book, and describes some of the hidden lessons in Yasodhara’s story.

Four Rules at the Center of the Universe with Thubten Chodron / Talking Dharma Relief with Guo Gu

American Tibetan Buddhist nun, Thubten Chodron, gives a humorous depiction of the consequences of believing in a solid self and an objective reality. Then, Chan teacher Guo Gu talks about founding Dharma Relief, a pan-Buddhist Covid relief program to distribute masks in the early months of the pandemic, and what’s next for the growing organization.

Mindfulness, Work, and Deepening Your Practice with Beth Wallace

Beth Wallace is Lion’s Roar’s Associate Publisher, Finance & Operations, but she’s also big on dharma and mindfulness, and helps people understand and experience these for themselves. She sat down with Lion’s Roar’s Rod Meade Sperry to delve into the benefits of mindfulness at work, how work has changed since mindfulness entered the mainstream, and how to avoid some pitfalls in developing a deeper practice that works for you and your health, whether you identify as Buddhist or not. 

Silent Illumination with Guo Gu

Chan teacher and scholar Guo Gu shares the essence of his latest book, Silent Illumination: A Chan Buddhist Path to Natural Awakening, in which he explains embodied practice and Chan methods of realizing your Buddha nature.

Anti-Asian Violence Is an Attack On Us All by Cristina Moon and Talking with Sensei Dorothy Dai En Friedman

Korean American Zen priest Cristina Moon responds to the recent rise in anti-Asian violence in her article, “Anti-Asian Violence Is an Attack On Us All.” Then a quick conversation with Zen teacher Sensei Dorothy Dai En Friedman, recorded in preparation for Love & Resilience: The Contemplative Care Summit.

Buddhist Indie Metal with Jessica Pimentel and “In This Moment” with Born I Music

In this special episode featuring music from Buddhist artists, Jessica Pimentel from Orange is the New Black talks to Lion’s Roar’s Ross Nervig about the intersection between her practice of Buddhism and her role as the frontwoman for the indie death metal group, Alekhine’s Gun. Then, rapper and meditation teacher Born I Music talks about the inspiration behind his latest single, In This Moment.

Love and Rage and Letting Go with Lama Rod Owens

Teacher, author, and radical black activist Lama Rod Owens explores what it means to let go of the person you think you are, and how to face the inevitable discomfort and brokenheartedness that comes with working to liberate yourself and others.

Asian American Buddhists and The Myth of Two Buddhisms with Chenxing Han

Chenxing Han challenges mainstream assumptions about American Buddhism with Be the Refuge: Raising The Voices Of Asian American Buddhists – a book that calls out the whitewashing and erasure of diverse communities and centers on the voices of young Asian Americans. Buddhadharma’s Koun Franz asks how the book was inspired, and Han dispels some of the myths associated with Asian American Buddhists.

Buddhist Children’s Books and The Unconditional Okay-ness of Things with Josh Bartok

Zen teacher and author Josh Bartok talks to Andrea Miller about the process of writing Buddhist children’s literature, the concept of loving-receiving, and his latest children’s book, I See You, Buddha.

The Passing of Sojun Mel Weitsman / What’s the deal with reincarnation?

In honour of the life of Sojun Mel Weitsman we’re sharing a selection of clips in which you’ll hear him speak personally about his early days with Suzuki Roshi, the founding of the San Francisco Zen Center, and the founding the Berkeley Zen Center. Then, Buddhadharma’s Koun Franz is joined by Rory Lindsay, a Harvard University doctorate in South Asian Studies, to tackle some of the most common questions we get from readers about reincarnation.

How You Help Us Give the Gift of Dharma

The prisoner subscription program is just one of the positive things we’re able to do because of the generosity of readers and listeners. So Lion’s Roar’s Rebecca Pearson, Bakes Mitchell, and Ross Nervig got together to tell the story of how the program was inspired, and how listeners can help make the dharma more accessible to prisoners in need. Plus, a big huge thanks from Lion’s Roar for your feedback on the podcast, and some special episode recommendations to revisit until we return from holiday in the new year.

Guided Tonglen Meditation with Lama Tsomo

Lama Tsomo shares a guided tonglen meditation to apply your personal practice to widening social circles, and to move from fear into love.

Leading with Love and Wisdom and Pema Chodron’s Four Keys to Waking Up

Lion’s Roar’s Andrea Miller shares Pema Chodron’s advice on how to really “walk the walk” of a spiritual person, and what being a “fake” spiritual person really means. Also, Editor in Chief Melvin McLeod reflects on how we can lead with love and wisdom after the historic 2020 U.S. election.

Impermanence, Illness, and Health with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo and Pema Khandro Rinpoche

Author, teacher, and founder of the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery, Tenzin Palmo has a frank discussion with fellow teacher and scholar, Pema Khandro Rinpoche about what advice Buddhism has to offer about health and illness during a time of pandemic. Tenzin Palmo also shares what she’s learned about suffering and gratitude while on solitary retreat in a Himalayan cave for 12 years, and what she did after.

Life Lessons from the Poker Table with Maria Konnikova

Professional poker player Maria Konnikova says mindfulness not only helps ground her in life, but in her gameplay. She tells Lion’s Roar’s Andrea Miller how, in an interview for the article, “Life Lessons from the Poker Table.”

Healing America’s Racial Karma with Dr. Larry Ward

Dr. Larry Ward, ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh as a dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition, and the author of America’s Racial Karma: An Invitation to Heal, says much of the global turmoil we face today is the result of a history of thought and practice that has likewise justified slavery, environmental degradation, and other atrocities. The revolutionary act therefore is slowing down, practicing kindness, and cultivating joy. These are radical social acts. In this dharma talk about America’s racial karma Ward describes how we can start to heal the trauma in ourselves and in the world.

In the Issue: Poker, Kung Fu, Good Food, and Mindfulness

Editor-in-chief Melvin McLeod and deputy editor Andrea Miller talk about what’s in the next issue of Lion’s Roar magazine, from the cover story on teachings from the Buddha to the Kung Fu Nuns of Nepal, the power of mindfulness in poker, and tasting food from one of the best restaurants in the world. They also talk about  America’s Racial Karma, a new book by Dr. Larry Ward, and an excerpt from Sharon Salzberg’s new book, Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World.

Awakening My Heart on Retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh

Lions Roar’s Andrea Miller describes a six day retreat with the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh – one that promised total relaxation and ended up being a healing experience she didn’t know she needed.

Illness Can Teach Us So Much with Karma Lekshe Tsomo and Pema Khandro Rinpoche

In another helpful conversation about Buddhism, illness, and health—especially relevant in the coronavirus era—Buddhist teacher Karma Lekshe Tsomo gets personal with her colleague Pema Khandro Rinpoche, talking about what she learned from her own very scary brush with illness after being bitten by a poisonous viper. They also discuss using pain as a tool, managing uncertainty, why Buddhist practice “is more important than ever in a circumstance of illness,” and more.

Study Versus Practice with Stephen Batchelor

Stephen Batchelor is a teacher and author of the national bestselling title Buddhism Without Beliefs. Buddhadharma deputy editor Koun Franz asks him about the role of study in Buddhist practice – what divides the scholars from the practitioners – and how Batchelor bridges that gap, showing how practice opens up questions we can pursue with an attitude of curiosity that inspires us to investigate its foundations.

A Marriage Made in Heaven with Anne Lamott and Neal Allen / Positive Change in Buddhism with Melvin McLeod

Anne Lamott grew up in a family with atheist parents and a great disdain for spirituality. Neal Allen was raised in a Protestant Christian family but until he was 52 years old believed he had no use for god. They were married by an episcopal minister, a Jesuit priest, and the Buddhist author and teacher, Jack Kornfield. In an interview for Lion’s Roar magazine, the joyous interfaith couple describe how they found the sweet spot where seemingly opposite beliefs meet.

Apology from an Abusive Father with Eve Ensler

Sharing your most personal stories can seem impossible. But in her book The Apology, Eve Ensler goes one impossible step further. She tells the story of her abusive father from his perspective. Ensler is known for her famous episodic play, The Vagina Monologues – a testament to the healing power of sharing the traumatic, scary experiences that we think we can’t tell anyone. In her interview with Lion’s Roar’s Andrea Miller, she explains how she found the courage to tell the story of her abuse, what it means to tell the true story of your trauma, how to respond when someone tells you their traumatic story, and how to create a culture around apology that allows for true healing in the aftermath of abuse.

Right Livelihood with Buddha’s Office author Dan Zigmond

Life as we know it has changed, including work life. Technology tends to fill in the gaps left open by the need to distance ourselves from one another, but can work and technology actually help our spiritual well-being? In his book, Buddha’s Office: The Ancient Art of Waking Up While Working Well, Dan Zigmond gives a lot of thought to bringing technology and spiritual life together in healthful, wise ways. Melvin McLeod talked to him about how we can find a balance between the two, and how to incorporate our work lives into our spiritual lives in a way that can help us achieve right livelihood.

The Dalai Lama’s First Album / Why PoC Sanghas are Different with Julio Rivera

Julio Rivera is the founder and CEO of Liberate, a meditation app and community for black indigenous and people of colour. We spoke in March, at the height of coronavirus related deaths in New York City, where he lives and works. We talked about what makes a sangha of non-white practitioners different, and why Liberate has shifted to focusing on black and indigenous healing foremost – a message that’s only amplified by the recent news, and demonstrations in response to, police violence against George Floyd and too many others. After the interview you’ll hear “Compassion,” the first song released from the Dalai Lama’s first album of music, Inner World.

Self-help with Melvin McLeod and Mental Health with Jeff Warren

The podcast is shifting to bi-weekly starting with this episode, allowing us to prepare a slew of new projects coming your way. Today, Lion’s Roar publisher Ben Moore speaks with Canadian meditation teacher and co-author of Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, Jeff Warren about founding the Consciousness Explorers Club and engaging mental health through the lens of spiritual practice. But first, our editor-in-chief Melvin McLeod shares why Buddhism — famous for its doctrine of non-self— is the ultimate form of self-help.

How to Love with bell hooks / The Truth of Romantic Love with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath / Pure Love Tonglen Meditation with Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown

Author and activist bell hooks shares a simple formula for a healthy romantic relationships, starting with the myth that love is a feeling – a noun.

Jungian psychoanalyst and Zen Buddhist Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath lays out the pitfalls of romantic love that lead us to idealization, delusion, disappointment and depression, and how to avoid them.

Then an introductory tonglen meditation to refresh and expand your heart, from the online course Flight of the Swans: Dharma Comes West, by Lion’s Roar and Naropa University.

How to Be Sick with Pema Khandro Rinpoche and Toni Bernhard

Buddhist teachers Toni Bernhard and Pema Khandro Rinpoche have both known chronic illness first hand. In this conversation—especially relevant in the coronavirus era—they talk personally about relating to health and sickness through the Buddhist lens, and Bernhard describes the teachings that continue to help her find peace even 20 years after being diagnosed with a life-changing illness.