Mahayana Buddhism has a lot in common with earlier forms of Buddhism (like belief in samsara and nirvana, lack of inherently existent self, dukkha, impermanence, etc.). But in this episode I'll explore two of the distinctive philosophical innovations that make Mahayana Buddhist schools like Zen and Pure Land distinctive: emptiness and buddha nature. These two philosophical ideas work together: buddha nature is our true "self," and the small sense of self that we usually grasp at doesn't r...
Dec 06, 2021•11 min
Welcome to this introduction to the origins and history of the Mahayana schools of Buddhism! I’ll discuss how the Mahayana grew organically from earlier Buddhist teachings and the connections it shares with what’s now called the Theravada lineage. Plus I’ll briefly explain how this tradition spread throughout North and East Asia and how it’s adapted to the various cultures it’s encountered. I recorded this video from a live Insight Timer teaching; you can find me there and ge...
Dec 03, 2021•18 min
If you've heard of the three types of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana), you might wonder: What are the origins of Mayahana Buddhism? How is it similar to and different from Theravada? What are the practices and beliefs of Mahayana Buddhists? In this video, I'll cover the historical origins of the Mahayana schools, the historical development of the Mahayana and how it grew organically out of early Buddhism. Then I’ll introduce two major Mahayana innovations, emptiness an...
Dec 02, 2021•21 min
Being gentle with yourself as you begin to practice meditation, then staying curious as your mind shows you what's really going on in your head -- these two qualities together can keep meditation fun and help you stick with it until it becomes a habit. To support my work, you can join my Patreon insiders ( https://bit.ly/3Dm14p2 ) or make a one-time donation ( https://bit.ly/CVPayPalMe ). May all beings be well....
Nov 30, 2021•10 min
Often folks new to meditation feel as though they have to do it "right" from the get-go, which can be super frustrating. In this episode, I'll share some tips for relaxing into practice. To support my work, you can join my Patreon insiders ( https://bit.ly/3Dm14p2 ) or make a one-time donation ( https://bit.ly/CVPayPalMe ). May all beings be well.
Nov 25, 2021•10 min
What is Theravada Buddhism? It's the oldest surviving school of Early Buddhism, and it's still centered on the earliest teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. But now it's spread throughout South and Southeast Asia and the rest of the world, and because it's the basis for the mindfulness movement, modern Theravada teachings have had a huge impact on spiritual practice globally. In this video I'll talk about the history of Theravada Buddhism, its core beliefs and practices, and the ways it ...
Nov 09, 2021•41 min
What are the origins of mindfulness meditation? The mindfulness movement has become so ubiquitous that it seems as though it's always been around! But actually the roots of mindfulness meditation are in the forms of Theravada Buddhist practice found in South and Southeast Asia. In this video, I'll explain how the founders of the Insight Meditation Society (Sharon Salzberg, Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, and Jacqueline Mandell) adapted what they learned in Asia to benefit modern Western societ...
Nov 09, 2021•9 min
The Theravada Buddhist tradition has wonderful resources on meditation, like the Four Foundations of Mindfulness in the Satipatthana Sutta. But put simply, what makes meditation Buddhist? Or Theravadin? In this video, I'll talk about two basic factors: samatha (calm abiding) and vipassana (special insight). These two work together and can be difficult to distinguish from each other, so I'll clarify their meaning a bit. I learned about all this in the Thai forest tradition, so my explanati...
Nov 03, 2021•8 min
The core teachings of Buddhism are all here! Samsara is the Buddhist term describing the cycle longing for something or someone we think will make us happy, getting what we want, and being dissatisfied again before too long -- and then we start the cycle over again. Nirvana (Pali nibbana) is what happens when we wake up out of that cycle to find lasting joy. And what do we wake up to? The three characteristics of phenomena! Teachings on impermanence, lack of inherently existent self, and unsatis...
Oct 25, 2021•12 min
If you've ever wondered how the different types of Buddhism developed -- like Zen, Tibetan, Theravada, Pure Land, etc. -- and what their basic similarities are, this video will walk you through an overview of that history! I'll explain the Buddha (when he lived and an overview of his teachings), major points in the development of the Buddhist traditions (like the spread of the dharma through what's now India and Nepal, the emergence of Mahayana and Vajrayana, and the Buddhist encounter with the ...
Oct 15, 2021•30 min
What happens when we die? It's one of the biggest mysteries of human life, and all spiritual traditions offer an answer. But Tibetan Buddhism has incredibly extensive teachings about the death and rebirth process. You might have heard of the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" (actually a whole genre of literature and practices), and in this video I'll walk you through the process it describes of living this life with intention, passing through the death process as our body shuts down, then ...
Oct 13, 2021•18 min
Green Tara's mantra (OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA) is famous and beloved in Tibet and elsewhere. In this short teaching and meditation practice, I'll give a brief introduction to Tara, and then (about minute 7) we'll chant her mantra together. So join me and get your green on! Want a free quick guide to rebirth in Tibetan Buddhism (e.g., the teachings of The Tibetan Book of the Dead )? Grab it here now: https://bit.ly/2Zl80UA...
Oct 05, 2021•17 min
If you're interested in the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, you've surely heard the term "bodhichitta." It's supposed to be the aspiration behind all of our dharma practice -- but what does it actually mean? "Bodhichitta" (also spelled bodhicitta) means the aspiration to wake up fully (i.e., realize our buddhahood or "become enlightened") in order to help everyone else wake up, too. The practices we do with this motivation might look similar to what we'd do if we just wanted more happiness in ou...
Oct 05, 2021•27 min
Karma is one of the most important teachings of Buddhism, but it's often misunderstood! Let's talk about what karma is (actions and their results), how mindfulness practice can help us create good karma, how hard times can help us burn off bad karma, and more. This video was recorded from a live Insight Timer teaching. To find me there and join future teachings live -- for free -- see: http://insig.ht/clairevillarreal Free email course on the Four Noble Truths (for beginners): https://bit.ly/4NT...
Sep 17, 2021•36 min
In Buddhism, the Three Jewels are the Buddha (the one who shows us the way to awakening), the Dharma (the teachings that wake us up), and the Sangha (our guides and friends on the path to awakening). Traditionally, Buddhists have taken refuge in these daily because they orient us toward the highest truth and help us remember there's more to life than the daily grind. Whether you're Buddhist or not, you can make the Three Jewels a part of your life to keep yourself oriented toward what's ultimate...
Sep 03, 2021•25 min
Meditation retreats are a wonderful way to deepen your practice -- so in this video I'll share what retreat is, how you can do retreat, and the benefits this kind of practice brings. Whether you're curious about Buddhist retreats, interested in a 10-day vipassana retreat course, or just looking to unplug sometimes in daily life, the practice and attitude of retreat can help! Learn more about Elaine Aron’s research on highly sensitive people (HSPs) at her site: https://hsperson.com/&...
Jul 29, 2021•10 min
In Tibetan Buddhism, mantras are sacred syllables that evoke the energy of a buddha. We say them to wake that divine energy up in ourselves. Mantras are intended to protect the mind from falling asleep to our true nature by reminding us that we have buddha nature. When we say them, we're calling on the energy of the buddha whose mantra we're saying (like Green Tara with OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA, or Avalokiteshvara with OM MANI PADME HUM). In this audio from a talk I did on Insight ...
Jul 23, 2021•34 min
Emptiness and buddha nature might sound like two different topics, but actually they're deeply interconnected, and both are vital to Mahayana Buddhism. "Emptiness" means that everything we experience in the world -- including our selves -- is empty of existing from its own side. Our bodies, for instance, are made of DNA from our parents and molecules from food, air, etc. But there's more to us than our bodies and even our conventional minds. We have buddha nature, and the way we can...
Jul 13, 2021•26 min
Dukkha is an important word in Buddhism. It can mean anything from subtle unease -- thinking life could somehow be better -- to outright suffering. In this guided meditation, we'll notice what brings us dukkha and what doesn't. You might be surprised at what you discover!
May 20, 2021•26 min
Buddhism’s Fourth Noble Truth contains the entire Buddhist path to awakening (enlightenment). It states that there’s a path from unawakened existence, in which we’re always subject to dissatisfaction, to full awakening, a state beyond the understanding of our ordinary mind. We’ll talk about the eight steps along this path: skillful understanding, skillful thought, skillful speech, skillful action, skillful livelihood, skillful effort, skillful mindfulness, and skillful concentration. Get the fre...
May 20, 2021•29 min
The Buddhist tradition teaches that everything is impermanent, but what does that mean? With this simple meditation, we'll pay attention to the flow of the breath, its pauses and its unceasing dynamism.
May 18, 2021•10 min
In this guided meditation, we'll imagine a luminous pebble dropping down through the ocean until it comes to rest at the bottom. In the process, we focus the mind and drop it deeper into the body. If you enjoy meditations that use your imagination, this is a great way to get focused and reduce stress.
May 18, 2021•10 min
We often focus on the objects of mind -- thoughts, sensations, feelings, etc. -- without noticing the mind itself. In this guided meditation, we'll settle the mind and then shift our focus to the space in which all experience happens. As we get more comfortable with space, we'll stop filling it up with thoughts, busyness, and everything else that keeps us overloaded.
May 18, 2021•18 min
Get this free mini-course that introduces you to each of the Four Noble Truths, with guided meditations, reflection questions, a reading list, and more: https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs Following classic Buddhist teachings, in this meditation we interrogate our experience with the simple question: "Is this me?" Is each breath, each bodily sensation, each thought really me ? Or is my mind constantly weaving these together into a seemingly seamless self?...
May 18, 2021•9 min
For a free mini-course on the Four Noble Truths and how they can help us live more fulfilling lives, visit https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs . The third Noble Truth presents the goal of Buddhist practice and the ultimate Buddhist belief: the mind is luminous and fully aware by nature, and when that's uncovered, we've finally cut the root of ignorance. We've woken up. Called the truth of cessation, the Third Noble Truth teaches that it's possible for all dissatisfaction and unhappiness to cease, leaving...
May 18, 2021•14 min
For a free mini-course on the Four Noble Truths and how they can help us live more fulfilling lives, visit https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs . In the first Noble Truth (see previous episode), the Buddha describes the human predicament: we keep chasing after things (or people or accomplishments) we think will satisfy our sense that there's something more, something better for us. But external things or relationships will never bring us lasting happiness; only connecting with our true nature can do that....
May 18, 2021•19 min
For a free mini-course on the Four Noble Truths and how they can help us live more fulfilling lives, visit https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs . The first of the Four Noble Truths is the one most people think they know, but it's also the most misunderstood. Often it's translated as "Life is suffering," which isn't very accurate. Instead, the Buddha taught that as long as we don't understand the nature of reality -- as long as we unconsciously think of ourselves as permanent, as external factors as bringi...
May 18, 2021•15 min
These teachings are the foundations of Buddhist beliefs around the world, and in this episode you'll hear the story behind the Four Noble Truths: of the Buddha's spiritual quest for enlightenment. That quest is one that each of us can still make, and it's easier now that we have a guide to the path! Get this free mini-course that introduces you to each of the Four Noble Truths, with guided meditations, reflection questions, a reading list, and more: https://bit.ly/Bddhist4NTs...
May 10, 2021•16 min
This meditation is for fans of the improvised comedy sci-fi podcast Mission to Zyxx, in which there are Jedi-like "mystical warriors" called the Zima knights. But the Zimas are more like stoner hippies who train in the Space rather than the Force, so this track is pretty silly. 😜
Dec 11, 2020•9 min
Tibetan Buddhism offers powerful tools for cleansing our minds and bodies of stress and anxiety -- or anything else that's obscuring our luminous buddha nature. In this short teaching and 15-ish minute guided cleansing meditation, we imagine a figure who represents groundedness and peace to us, then imagine them blessing us to release our mental detritus. This episode is the audio from a video you can find in this playlist on YouTube, with other videos on what the Tibetan teachings ...
Nov 05, 2020•23 min
