Awake in the World Podcast
Awake in the World Podcast is a collection of recorded talks by Buddhist teacher and author Michael Stone. The talks cover mindfulness and meditation in daily life, personal and community mental health, and social change. They were recorded at live events, so the audio includes ambient sounds and audience questions. Michael Stone (1974–2017) was a Buddhist teacher, author, and mental health advocate, and his legacy is stewarded by Carina Stone. The podcast is funded by Patreon.
Episodes
Best of Awake in the World: Conscientiousness and the Practice of Attentiveness
A dharma "pep-talk" by Michael Stone. Has the powerful but ineffable energy of strong emotions, attachment and aversion reduced us to servitude? A gruff old man takes up yoga and experiences momentary freedom from painful thoughts. Has anyone else been gripped by sorcery lately?
Recorded on February 12, 2013.
Best of Awake in the World: 20 min. Guided Meditation: Receptive Listening
Michael guides a 20 minute meditation. He brings attention to calm and the body. Exploring the balance between vitality and tranquility in the body while allowing the ears to open to the movements of sound.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public.
Best of Awake in the World: Not Giving Up On Ourselves & Fully Inhabiting Our Lives
Michael teaches from the Lojong Training in Compassion. What’s happening right now in our lives can be the raw material that shows us the path of awakening & compassion. He reminds of the vows we've made to be awake, to wake up others and be available for others and learn skills to reduce reactivity and to realize that our actions have an effect.
Recorded December 2, 2016 in Portland, Oregon.
Best of Awake in the World: A True Person of No Status
In this Awake in the World podcast, recorded during the afternoon practice session on New Year’s Eve 2009, Michael gives a few words of encouragement around “realizing the mystery” in the ordinariness of your life.
Recorded December 31, 2009.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive o
Best of Awake in the World: Where’s My Treasure House?
In this Best of Awake in the World podcast episode Michael relates the story of Daiju and Baso from the Gateless Gate (21) and explores the treasure of trusting yourself.
Recorded on December 31, 2009.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To b
Best of Awake in the World: Taking Care of Ourselves, Taking Care of the World
Michael Stone explores the integration of yoga and Buddhism, and how we can live a life fully engaged with the suffering of the world while also taking care of ourselves.
Recorded during a day-long workshop and fundraiser for New Leaf Foundation (newleaffoundation.com) at the University of Toronto in September 2010.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazin
Best of Awake in the World: Fear, Whirlpools & Recalling the Past
Michael explores the Buddha’s experience of absorption in the forest, and how he turned to the experience of pleasure in his body to stabilize during anxiety and dread.
Recorded in Green Bay, WI, on March 27, 2017.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to th
Best of Awake in the World: Nobody's Life Is Just Their Own
In this episode, Zoketsu Norman Fischer and Shoken Michael Stone explore how the Dharma is taking root in Western culture and finding expression through mainstream media.
Their conversation examines the ways Buddhist teachings are shaped by language, culture, and contemporary experience, raising questions about what it means to receive Buddhism in a radically different social and historical cont
The Mind as a Process
In this Best of episode of Awake in the World Michael gives advice and practical tips for dealing with some of the struggles that come up during sitting practice, such as sleepiness, rumination, or difficult emotions like anger. The Business of our mind can both humble and motivate us to practice and letting go of our viewpoint to engage in experience. Recorded on January 22, 2008.
Best of Awake in the World: It's not about figuring it out
In this episode Michael continues his discussion of The Five Powers of the Mind and offers some thoughts on tradition and yoga, the interpretation of the word faith, ethics, and the strong need for self-care. Recorded August 14, 2009.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachin
Best of Awake in the World: The Five Powers of the Mind
In this Best of Awake in the World podcast episode Michael discusses Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras with an emphasis on The Five Powers of the Mind (outlined in the first pada, line 20). He touches on the fundamental teaching of Right speech and subtle forms of violence, and focussing on bringing new interpretation to old lessons while appreciating our surroundings and not getting caught up in the story
Best of Awake in the World: Gotta Make A Living, Part 2
Michael talks about how our work should be energetic, industrious, diligent and skilful. We should live within our means and keep good company. When you really, really want something, you might ask: How central is this for becoming a good version of myself?
Recorded at Centre of Gravity on March 1, 2014.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon su
Best of Awake in the World: Gotta Make A Living, Part 1
Michael unpacks teachings from the Buddhist tradition on how to make a living, and how to make ethical decisions around money in a financial world that revolves around extraction and exploitation. Recorded at Centre of Gravity on March 1, 2014.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive
Best of Awake in the World: To Stop the Estrangement Between Us
In this Best of Awake in the World episode about the Heart Sutra, Michael explores how it functions to counter what John Cage calls “the authoritarian structures” of our minds, including the tendency to create “frames” and contract around our sense of separateness.
Recorded on March 31, 2009.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, m
Best of Awake in the World: 15 minute Guided Meditation on the Breathing Body
Michael leads a 15 minute guided meditation class with the focus on grounding and bringing distractions back into the beginning of the inhale, relaxing the eyes, and feeling the sensations of breathing in the nostrils without visualizing the breath.
Recorded January 17, 2017 in Victoria, B.C.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters,
Best of Awake in the World: How Illness Deepens Us
Michael gives a talk on the ways illness strengthens our heart. He guides us through simple breath techniques to start, then to expand into finer, granular insight for strong concentration as our meditation practice becomes long-term. He tells the story of how Dongshan was ready to die. He said goodbye to everyone. They wept and wept. Then he jumped out of the casket and gave them a teaching about
Best of Awake in the World: Mindfulness of Feeling Tone
Michael teaches the 2nd foundation of mindfulness and how all of our experiences comes down to pleasant and unpleasant feeling tone in the body and how important it is that we know how to feel the unpleasant. He also speaks about anger and how a heightened awareness in the middle of our original pain can free us. Meditation Facilitation Training, Vancouver, 1hr.
The Awake in the World podcast is
Best of Awake in the World: A More Liquified Existence
In this Best of Awake in the World podcast episode Michael explores the “post-negation” section of the Heart Sutra, focusing on the lines, “with no hindrance in the mind. No hindrance, therefore no fear.” He describes hindrances as mental barriers, the walls constructed by the mind, and introduces the idea of creating a “no landing zone,” a space where thoughts are not allowed to settle or take ho
Best of Awake in the World: Radical Open-ness
Guest speaker, Dr. Lauren Corman gives a gripping talk on animals and non-violence, given during a 12-day intensive at Centre of Gravity, Recorded on July 19, 2012.
Through classes in the area of Critical Animal Studies, which engages an intersectional approach to, "the question of the animal." Dr. Corman's interdisciplinary scholarship draws on animal rights/liberation, post-humanist, feminist,
Best of Awake in the World: The Neighbour's Dog is Barking
In this Awake in the World podcast Michael begins by stating that “this practice is a matter of life and death” and describes how yoga can help us see our patterns of conditioning, and help us to embrace both the light and the dark aspects of our lives.
Recorded on January 23, 2007.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it po
Best of Awake in the World: Intensifying Relationships and the Politics of Love
In this Best of Awake in the World episode Michael explores the difference between mindfulness and being self-conscious, Shantideva's practices for exchanging your self with others, and suggestions for long-term practice. Recorded on March 12, 2013.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's arc
Best of Awake in the World: Clouds in the Sky
In this Best of Awake in the world episode Michael leads a thirty-minute guided meditation focuses on noticing and letting go of commentary. Recorded on November 4, 2008.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.c
Best of Awake in the World: Tell Me, Who Is That Other?
in this Best of Awake in the World podcast episode based on a koan (Case Forty-five from the Gateless Gate) this talk explores the complex ways that we create a self and create an “other,” and how the two processes can be deeply intertwined. Recorded on October 12, 2008.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us
Best of Awake in the World: The Jhanas (4 stages of concentration)
In this “Best Of” episode, we revisit a powerful conversation where Michael breaks down the fundamentals of Jhana practice (the 4 stages of deep concentration). He explores the inner “maps” that guide absorption and offers insight into how practitioners can move into increasingly profound states. As stillness deepens, the familiar reference points we use to understand our lives begin to fall away,
Best of Awake in the World: The World is its Own Mantra
In this Best of episode Michael explores the magic mantra that concludes the Heart Sutra, one of the most famous teachings in the Buddhist tradition. In this one-hour talk, he reflects on how this ancient mantra points to a profound shift in the way we meet our lives.
Through stories, reflections, and practical insights, Michael discusses how the teachings of the Heart Sutra help us transform fea
Best of Awake in the World: Hope Without Optimism
On Silent Retreat Michael Stone explores the Zen koan “Why Can’t the Tail Pass Through” along with thoughts on hope, optimism, and despair. He describes “mindfulness as a political tool” and how we don't need a revolution, we need “embodied, moment-to-moment rebellion.” True North Insight, 45 min.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters
Best of Awake in the World: The Three Levels of Ethics: Literal, Compassionate, Koan
One of the last days of the 6 month Precepts course. Following chanting the Heart Sutra, five students present on the five ethical values of the course, and then Michael discusses three ways of thinking about ethics. And how to look at a flower and smile. Recorded on April 7, 2011.
This episode is an excerpt from Michael’s online course, "Embodying Ethics & Vows in Modern Life," which transforms
Best of Awake in the World: Mindfulness & Situational Ethics
In this episode, Michael explores the intersection of mindfulness and situational ethics, unpacking how awareness can guide us through the complex moral landscapes of everyday life. Drawing from a 2015 lecture in an earlier version of his online course, Embodying Ethics & Vows in Modern Life, exploring in practical detail the two wings of the practice: calming (samatha) and insight (vipassana)
Wi
Consent, Connection & Ethics: A Modern Guide to Brahmacharya with Jessy Wollen
In this week's episode, we continue our deep dive into The Five Ethics with a modern exploration of brahmacharya, often translated as the wise use of energy.
What does this ancient ethical guideline have to do with our sexuality, relationships and personal boundaries? We are joined by Jessy Wollen, a Certified Sexual Health Educator and founder of Shift Education, for a frank and compassionate co
Best of Awake in the World: Generosity & Not Being Possessive
Michael interviews Simone Moir, Registered Psychotherapist, on the precept of aparigraha (non-greed) and the practice of generosity. They discuss what comes up around possessiveness, addiction and obsession, embracing impermanence, the importance of relationship and knowing the importance of boundaries.
From the 5th video in Michael’s online course, "Embodying Ethics & Vows in Modern Life," a nin
Best of Awake in the World: Asteya (Being Satisfied)
In this week’s Best Of episode, Michael explores the ethic of not stealing, (asteya). The Zen master Dōgen offers a beautiful translation: “The self and the things of the world are just as they are. The gate of freedom is open.” At its heart, this teaching is about being content with what we have. Another way to say it is this: not taking anything that isn’t freely given. Recorded in 2011.
From t
Best of Awake in the World: Satya (Become Honesty)
In this week’s Best Of episode, Michael reflects on satya, the practice of honesty. Satya isn’t an abstract ideal, it’s a lived experience that arises in real time through our relationships and daily lives. At the core of all meaningful practice is a commitment to honesty; without it, principles like non-violence or non-greed can’t fully take root. Recorded in 2011.
From the 3rd video in Michael’
Best of Awake in the World: Ahimsa (Non-harming)
Michael sits down with physician and abortion provider Pat Smith for a thoughtful conversation on the principle of non-harming. Together, they explore the space where ethics meet politics, how our beliefs and values shape the way we move through the world, and the role formal meditation can play in clarifying ethical life choices.
This excerpt comes from the second video in Michael’s nine-week on
How Do You Be Interconnectedness?
In this week’s episode, we explore a deceptively simple question: How do you be interconnectedness?
It’s drawn from the first video in Michael’s online course, "Embodying Ethics & Vows in Modern Life," a nine-week program weaving Buddhist and yogic ethics into the fabric of daily life.
We are living in a time when people are asking big questions. Exhausted by the news and often feeling fear, sad
Best of Awake in the World: I had to Stop Reading
In this talk, Michael explores anatta (not-self) and emptiness as lived practices rather than abstract ideas. He shows how our thinking is often shaped by storytelling and emphasizes the role of sitting practice in moving beyond language to directly examine the mental habits that cloud understanding.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon support
Best of Awake in the World: The Self Has No Self What to do with the Ego
Using the metaphor of time travel, Michael explores the inner journey described by the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th limbs of yoga. Rather than traveling through years or lifetimes, this “time travel” moves inward, through memory, identity, awareness, and ultimately into stillness.
In this talk, Michael offers a clear and grounded exploration of the self, the ego, and the subtle emptiness of the things
Best of Awake in the World: Your Crushing Elephant Mind
Michael invites the sangha to take a good look at the elephant in the room by sharing their habits, strong emotions, and patterns of reactivity while exploring the “Lookout Tower” and “Riding the Wave” practices. He makes a powerful connection between formal sitting meditation and everyday life, illustrating how what we practice on the cushion can help when things feel large and heavy. Michael als
Best of Awake in the World: Wisdom & Spontaneity
In this podcast episode, Michael discusses the relationship in our daily lives between form and formlessness as it relates to creativity and karma. Wisdom is not separate from who we are. It’s like beads rolling on a tray: sudden, ready, uninhibited. Recorded in 2008.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to
Best of Awake in the World: Awareness & Morality
In this Best of episode, Michael discusses the relationship between awareness and morality or mindfulness and ethics. When we are faced with the unprecedented and unrepeatable complexities of this moment, the question is not, “What is the right thing to do?” but “What is the compassionate thing to do?” This question can be approached with integrity but not with certainty. Recorded in 2011.
The Aw
Best of Awake in the World: Finding a Path (30 min guided meditation)
In this 30-minute guided meditation, Michael explores how to work with thoughts during sitting practice, focusing on the breath in a way that reduces clinging, reduces rejection. The breath doesn’t decide good or bad: it is kind to our body, our nervous system, our habits.
Recorded April 23, 2010
Best of Awake in the World: Make This Country Safe For Poetry!
Annual Poetry Evening. Erin Robinsong, Sarah Selecky, Michael Stone read from their favourite poems. A wonderful evening of words to support practice. Recorded Nov. 30, 2010.
Image of Waves & Water: A Collection of Poems by Michael Stone.
Photo by Andréa de Keijzer.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to
Best of Awake in the World: Radically Simple
In this Awake in the World podcast episode, Michael references the Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha, reads a koan from The Book of Serenity, and explores how Buddhist practice is radically simple and relates to the whole of our lives.
Recorded April 26, 2010.
Photo by Andréa de Keijzer, New York City
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon
Best of Awake in the World: I Can’t Say, I Can't Say
In this episode, Michael talks about Zen Case 55 from the Blue Cliff Record — “Tao Wu’s Condolence Call.” He weaves together insights from the Yoga Sutra, reflecting on fearlessness and the depth of human emotion. Michael discusses how an awakened person experiences a full spectrum of feelings without clinging to them, and how we can cultivate a balance between vibrant energy and steady calmness.
Best of Awake in the World: Don’t Get Stuck on Peace, See Everything as A Dream
A lively discussion on meditation and the Tibetan Lojong Practices for Training in Compassion. Portland, Oregon. Recorded on December 3, 2016.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.
Best of Awake in the World: Turning Things Around
Tibetan Buddhist Teachings for transforming what’s unpleasant, letting go of grasping, and the 3 treasures of awakening, reality and community. Portland, Oregon. Recorded on December 4, 2016.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a pat
Best of Awake in the World: Who Am I If Not This Mask?
Michael continues his month-long discussion about masks and how they shouldn't stick to your face. He gives the sangha some insight into the intrinsic and extrinsic nature of people and what motivates them to behave the way they do. Recorded Oct 11, 2010.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael
Best of Awake in the World: I've Stopped: Can You?
Michael tells the story of Angulimala, a murderer who met the Buddha and changed his ways though was still stoned to death. This teaching illustrates how we are never free of karma and that our conduct always shapes our lives. Recorded Sept 28, 2010.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's ar
Best of Awake in the World: Buddhas On Blades Of Grass
Michael talks on another Dongshan where he asks his students if they can go to a place where there are no weeds. Michael’s commentary is that weeds are not the problem and that what we need to let go of is not “stuff” but our reactivity. Christine Centre, Wisconsin, 50 min.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for
Guided Meditation: Give way to something else
Michael Begins with a reminder not to push through practice, but to relax in the present moment. Learn to let go of the expectations of what it means to be on retreat and join with this guided meditation (beginning at 21:00) from the 2009/2010 New Years Retreat, Recorded December 29, 2009.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making
Best of Awake in the World: Self-Portraits
Michael dedicates the final evening of this retreat to Alan Ginsberg, whos self-portraits and multi-fauceted expressions have inspired him. He touches on the psychology of always thinking about the dualism between the true self and the self as participants share their own "self-portraits," a six-line assignment given to them during the retreat. Recorded September 12, 2009
The Awake in the World p
Best of Awake in the World: Mindfulness of the Breath & Taking the Backwards Step
Learning how to be present with an un-agitated heart. Meditation teaches us to be wiser with what’s difficult. Embodying our meditative practice by learning how to stop and see clearly. Meditation Facilitation Training, Vancouver, 1hr.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachi
Best of Awake in the World: Learning from the Insentient
Michael offers a talk on the teachings of the insentient, how the snow and silence can hold hidden lessons. Can you give attention to the way the insentient teaches us? Recorded December 29, 2010.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become
Best of Awake in the World: 20 min Guided Meditation for Unstable Emotions
Take a moment to notice where in your body this emotional state or mood is most present. What physical sensations let you know that you're experiencing this feeling? See if you can observe how the emotion shows up in your body—how it's expressed through sensation and physical experience. Recorded December 2017.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Pat
Asking the Master
In this Best of Awake in the World epside Michael introduces Case 12 of the Mumonkon, "The Master". He ties waking up with social action and the teachings of the Burmese Monks who visited the evening prior. A funny and lively talk with practices you can use in your life. Recorded Oct 5, 2010.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, mak
Best of Awake in the World: Fear, Rebirth, and the 3 Insights
In this Best of episode Michael describes how the Buddha met fear, mapping out how concentration practice unfolds, then offers a mind-opening view of rebirth and reincarnation.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: pa
Best of Awake in the World: Lack, Impermanence and Not Self
During a workshop in France, Michael teaches on the 3 characteristics — a teaching found in both the Yoga and Buddhist traditions. This talk is in both French and English.
Recorded in Antibes, France, on October 26, 2013.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings availabl
Best of Awake in the World: Blending Traditions: Yoga & Buddhism
A community talk at Tassajara Monastery with Michael Stone & Zen teacher Paul Haller. They each share some of their biography and field Q&A about practice. Paul shares from his 40 years of Zen practice. Recorded at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Monastery, California.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to kee
Best of Awake in the World: 20 min. Guided Meditation: Feeling the Sensations of the Body
Nothing needs to be refused. Let the breath travel the body without picking up speed. The clouds of thought haul across the sky. Let them come and go. Let the breath move the way blood moves: let it find its own rhythm. Recorded 2017.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachin
Best of Awake in the World: Mindfulness & Social Action: Towards a Secular Spirituality
In this thoughtful and powerful talk, Michael unpacks the transformative act of sharing the untold stories—the ones that challenge the status quo. He weaves together pressing global issues like climate change, economic disparity, and the erosion of human connection, offering 12 actionable steps toward crafting a new narrative of what it means to live with purpose and presence.
Recorded live in Va
Best of Awake in the World: Betrayal, Awakening, and Living in a Burning House
Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara talks about the Lotus Sutra and the parable of the burning house. Even in the world of the dharma we can get caught up with playthings and forget that we're living in a burning house. It looks like we’re living in a comfortable place, but half the world is starving. It can be hard to see the suffering that is all around us.
Read the notes and transcription: https://michaels
Best of Awake in the World: Introduction to Meditation: Sometimes Awake, Sometimes Asleep
Michael teaches a one-day introduction to meditation workshop on how you can turn anything into a practice, even a bike lock. Sometimes awake, sometimes asleep; sometimes sun, sometimes moon. Recorded on May 14, 2011.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to t
Best of Awake in the World: Aim & Allow: How Mindfulness of Breathing Helps Us Manage Expectations
In this Best of episode, Michael explains how the meditation we need is the “initial application of attention,” then “sustained application” so that we cultivate a spacious field in which thoughts and sensations can come and go. Sometimes blessings are all over the place and we miss them. Toronto, Ontario. Recorded May 3, 2017.
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Best of Awake in the World: Mindfulness, Memory, and Fantasy
Looking at early Pali texts, Michael tries to recover the original and fuller meaning of mindfulness from its current usage in the west. "Mindfulness establishes the presence of the object and thereby makes it available to scrutiny and discernment."
Recorded at Centre of Gravity, Toronto. October 29, 2013.
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Best of Awake in the World: Raw Fear is a Dot in Space
In this Best of episode, Michael reflects on how more people seem to be afraid of uncertainty than they are of physical pain. If we do something about our own pain, we can connect with the pain of others. 50% of our practice should be inward and 50% in our environment. Recorded March 28, 2017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazin
Best of Awake in the World: Love, Death, And Oak Trees In The Garden
In this episode of Best of Awake in the World, While on silent retreat, Michael Stone reflects on the Zen koan "Oak Tree in the Garden," exploring meditation as a politics of love. He also shares a moving account of the Buddha’s final moments. Recorded at True North Insight, Ontario — April 19, 2014.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon support
Best of Awake in the World : Making Friends with Your Mind
In this insightful Best of Awake in the World episode, Michael delves into how the mind works, the benefits—and limitations—of meditation, and why it’s not always the right fit for everyone. He explores karma, the psychology of delayed gratification, and touches on topics like borderline personality. You’ll also learn the difference between meditative practices that help uncover repression versus
Best of Awake in the World: How We Rescue Each Other
Michael begins with talking about finding simplicity in meditation practice; stepping back from the details of thinking to notice the subjective experience of awareness; and then he launches into a discussion about grieving and loss and how we can never get satisfaction when we make war on ourselves or others. He ends by talking about how loss is part of our experience of being a self and how when
Best of Awake in the World: Strain in the Heart
Do you have a mind that can meet what’s unpleasant?
In this deeply reflective talk from October 30, 2012, Michael Stone explores the inner tension that draws us to the path of practice. He weaves together insights from Carl Jung, the experience of boredom, the discipline of meditation and even a story from his Bar Mitzvah. With characteristic warmth and clarity, Michael invites us to consider how
Best of Awake in the World : Pranayama
In this Best of Awake in the World episode, Michael Stone and Grant Hutchinson teach the ways yogic breathing returns the nervous system to "factory settings." Topics include ujjayii pranayama, the palette, the spine and viola pranayama. Pranayama is a practice of settling your attention on your breath. As attention becomes balanced, so too does the nervous system. Recorded on February 6, 2012.
Best of Awake in the World : Relax Your Mind
Michael Stone talks on the importance of relaxing your mind and how patience and relaxation give rise to enthusiasm. The talk is based on chapter 8 of Shantideva's Guide to a Bodhisattva's Way of Life. Ways of seeing your parents, how deep concentration arises through relaxation, and how to glide with breathing. Recorded at Centre of Gravity, Toronto on April 9, 2013.
The Awake in the World podca
Best of Awake in the World : Transforming Pain
In this Best of Awake in the World episode Michael begins teaching on the Two Darts and explains how physical and emotional pain are connected and how when we feel physical pain (first dart) it’s followed by a mental response (second dart). Then Michael teaches a guided meditation that people can do alone or as caregivers for people in pain. Workshop in Green Bay, Wisconsin. May 20, 2014.
The Awa
Best of Awake in the World: Just this is it
In this Best of Awake in the World episode, we join Michael and Sanga on retreat at the Christine Center in Wisconsin. Michael shares a Zen story in which a teacher describes his teaching as “Just This Is It,” sparking a conversation about guilt, remorse, devotion, and the challenge of truly seeing oneself. Together, they explore what it means to find your true path.
(Duration: 50 min) Recorded 20
Best of Awake in the World: Heaven Realms, Hell Realms, And Protection
Today’s Best of episode follows along with a talk from Michael recorded on the first day of a retreat back in February 2016 at Chapin Mill, New York. In this 50-minute session, Michael explores the practice of walking meditation and bowing, offering valuable tips on how to go deeper into your retreat experience. He shares insights on approaching anxiety with mindfulness and how you might uncover u
Best of Awake in the World: We Practice Because We Forget
Michael also reflects on the profound reality of human suffering, pointing out how the existence of prisons and the suffering within them calls into question the true freedom we experience. He shares the unsettling statistic that the USA has the highest per capita incarceration rate in the world and the growing trend of hospices being built within prisons. The conversation turns to the universal n
Best of Awake in the World: Home Base: Guided Meditation (20 min.) on Mindfulness of Thinking
In this episode of Best of Awake in the World, Michael leads a 20-minute guided meditation focusing on mindfulness of thinking. This practice invites listeners to gently observe their thoughts without judgment or attachment. Perfect for those looking to enhance their meditation practice or find stillness in the midst of mental clutter, this episode serves as a powerful reminder to return to our “h
Best of Awake in the World: Allowing For Experience: Practicing Non-Separation
In this episode of Best of Awake in the World, Michael lectures on the end of 2nd chapter of the Yoga-Sutra and then gets into a very precise mapping of what happens to the ego when you get into deeper states of calm and how to practice without dissociating. Recorded in Stockholm, September 8, 2016.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporte
Best of Awake in the World: Mindfulness of Mental States
In this Best of Awake in the World, Michael explores how mind states are not inherently fixed; you can hold mind states lightly; moods are phenomena, not who you are, and; you can sculpt your attitude. This session is part of the Meditation Facilitation Program recorded in Vancouver, 2016.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making
Best of Awake in the World: Not Identifying with Your Moods
In this Best of episode Michael explores how to become interested in how the mind functions rather than being caught in the content of our stories. Meditation is a physical practice and we use breathing to settle the mind and heart. 40 min. Recorded in Vancouver, 2016.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us t
Best of Awake in the World: Labeling And Noting Thoughts
In this Best of episode Michael explores language and emotions in children and how this gets internalized in adults. How to meditate when we are thinking too much with a very clear talk on mindfulness practices for transforming overthinking and identification with thoughts. Recorded in Vancouver 2016, 55 min.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreo
Best of Awake in the World: When You Have No One, No One Can Hurt You
In this Best of episode Michael discusses the topics of loneliness, the power of focused attention, and the significance of small ideas that can connect and foster the creation of a new culture. Recorded at the Centre of Gravity in Toronto on December 3, 2013.
The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Mi
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