This episode is a bit off the beaten path for us here at the Science of Success. Given this time of year, when many are thinking, reflecting, and being a bit more spiritual - we wanted to offer a different perspective. This episode is not as science based, but still provides a fascinating dialogue with a Buddhist monk, who was the first westerner ordained by the Dalai Lama, on life, meditation, mindfulness, and much more with our guest Robert Thurman.
Robert Thurman is a Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University, and President of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies. Time magazine has called Robert “the leading American expert on Tibetan Buddhism.” and named him one of Time Magazine most influential Americans in 1997. Robert was the first westerner ever to be ordained as a Tibetan Monk by the Dalai Lama and his work and books have been featured all over the globe.How Robert’s journey took him to becoming a Tibetan Monk under the Dalai LlamaThe dogma of materialism - mind is the power that directs matter The basic misunderstandings of buddhism from a western perspectiveLife is sufferingIt’s just meditationMeditation without context isn’t useful The two kinds of meditationClearing your mind of thinking / emptying the mindAnalytic / critical meditation or “insight meditation”Thinking something directed towards the exploration of yourself, ideas, or things around youHow an egotistical approach creates “guaranteed misery” - you could become the most powerful person on the planet and people still wont think you’re important Why enlightenment is not clearing your mind of thoughtsThe importance of focusing on and being open to other peopleYou can learn if you examine yourself and your worldLook more objectively at your thought flow - see where thought flows arise, penetrate the thought flow, see the negative thoughts and the positive thoughts
What thought is that?
How accurate is it?
Where does it come from?
Whose voice is it? my mother’s voice? my fathers? my uncles? my teacher?
Gain leverage on how the mind works, edit how the mind works reinforce the positive insights, de-enforce the negative insights
It’s helpful to have help of others - mobilize minds that are further along the path than you are - your the only one who can learn your reality in a viscerally transformative way - use their help and follow their methodsHow Eckart Tolle battled back from the verge of suicide - looking critically at negative thoughts Experiential understanding of the nature of reality - reality is beyond anyone’s idea of realityHow does the Dalai Llama keep up his joy, good humor, and happiness in a world full of so much suffering?The nature of life itself is blissful. Reality is good. The more you’re open to reality, the happier you are. Broaden your attitude and orientation, don’t deny the bad experiences
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Finding Joy In A World Full of Suffering - Lessons From a Former Buddhist Monk with Robert Thurman | The Science of Success podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast
