Secular Buddhism for Skeptical Atheists

Cal (formerly Mike) Hoffman and Dougie Robertson share how to live a happier life by understanding the basics of modern Buddhism through a secular lens. No superstition, no airy-fairy nonsense, just the facts and a lot of fun!

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Episodes

"Good is a point of view, Anakin..."

Socials! @intralocal @d0ug7a5 [email protected] In Buddhism, the main duality considered is generally "suffering" and "enlightenment". Quite different to "good" and "evil" or the "good" and "bad" lens through which we often experience life. Or is it? Evil is a pretty loaded term. Can we ever know whether something is wholly "good" or "bad"? A lot of this is about the stories we choose to tell ourselves. "Good is a point of view Anakin" - is thinking "beyond" good and bad just a trap that lea...

Oct 24, 2021•32 min

#bekind - A guide to metta loving kindness meditation

Socials, you say!? @intralocal @d0ug7a5 [email protected] Issue: - The traditional Buddhist notion of "metta" is often translated as 'loving kindness' or 'compassion'. If you do Headspace meditations and do visualisations involving being flooded with golden light, that is actually a visualisation of "metta". - "Be kind" - it's a hashtag; it sounds simple and easy. Let's see if it is. - Metta development/cultivation ("metta bhavana") - 'loving kindness meditation'. Concept: The 5 stages of me...

Oct 10, 2021•34 min

Dougie's Twitter beef! THEY SAID WHAT!?

Socials: @d0ug7a5 @intralocal News and social media are more divisive than ever. Covid has exposed a lot of mis- and disinformation and conspiracy theorists. It's a natural response to be reactive and combative. This is leading to the breakdown of relationships. What can we do about it? Parable: The Wild Elephant One of the many lives of the Bodhisattva was spent as an ascetic. This one time, he came back as the most superior ascetic in the whole order and everyone used to follow him. There was ...

Sep 26, 2021•33 min

Not your problem?

With so much flux right now, the world can feel like it's getting on top of us. How many of these problems are actually truly ours? Are we defined by our problems? Concepts: Ego (See season 1 episode Big Ego) Inner and outer problems (See parable) Acceptance If you can solve the problem, Then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, Then what is the use of worrying? -Shantideva In Modern Buddhism, Geshe Kelsang says there are two types of problem, an inner and an outer problem: We s...

Sep 12, 2021•24 min

Why me? :(

Cal: @intralocal Dougie: @d0ug7a5 A lot of people have found themselves suffering from conditions and situations they didn't expect, such as long covid, the loss of many loved ones, other health issues and personal catastrophes .It's human nature to get hung up on why me, spiraling in grief and self pity. So how can we move away from that? Concept: The Four Noble Truths 3. That type of suffering can be avoided The Eightfold Path 6. Right Effort: preventing the arising of unwholesome states, and ...

Aug 29, 2021•20 min

There go my plans!

Cal: @intralocal Dougie: @d0ug7a5 Issue: Everything is changing all the time! Cal and Dougie talk about letting go in the face of disappointment and we have a tough listener question about the shootings in Plymouth and the turmoil in Afghanistan. Concept: The Three Universal Truths 1. Nothing is lost in the universe 2. Everything Changes 3. The Law of Cause and Effect The Four Noble Truths 2. Suffering is caused by our own clinging 3. That type of suffering can be avoided Upādāna - clinging Para...

Aug 16, 2021•30 min

Intro bonus: Death. And how to move on*

*Spoiler - we never really do move on. Recorded before the covid-19 pandemic hit the West hard, but more relevant now than ever, Dougie and Cal examine what it means to accept the death of a loved one, as well as how to face up to your own mortality.

Apr 14, 2020•47 min

Intro 4: The Science of Meditation

Mindfulness - what's it all about? Turns out its about your brain. Dougie and Cal explore mindfulness, meditation, and the observable changes that they can bring about in the human body.

Mar 30, 2020•46 min

Intro 3: Anxious? The world doesn't revolve around you!

...or: how to stay sane in the apocalypse! Cal and Dougie take apart their own neuroses and put their brains back together using buddhist principles and practical techniques.

Mar 24, 2020•46 min

Intro 2: Karma's a Bitch, So Don't Be One!

What goes around comes around... or does it? Cal and Dougie take a look at one of Buddhism's best-known ideas - the principle of Karma, and the Eightfold Path.

Mar 16, 2020•45 min

Intro 1: Big Ego? How To Get Over Yourself

Cal and Dougie explore the Four Noble Truths, what suffering is and how to avoid it (clue: we can't) and consider what we can do to start questioning the stories we tell ourselves. Can we be more flexible about how we perceive ourselves? Links Nice summation of the Four Noble Truths for novices Decades of Scientific Research that Started a Growth Mindset Revolution Hang on to Your Ego Perfectionism, worry, rumination, and distress: A meta-analysis of the evidence for the perfectionism cognition ...

Mar 09, 2020•45 min

Intro 0: So You Think You Know Buddhism

Cal and Dougie give you a taste of what's to come.

Mar 03, 2020•13 min

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