In this talk, I share a patchwork of dharma reflections, exploring some everyday conundrums and synchronicities – appreciating the sublime in the innocence of a niece and a godson.
My Yin Odyssey | 2001 to Now
The questions that have gripped me for the last twenty or so years of my practice are these: What is the relationship between yoga practices and Buddhist meditation, and what does Qi cultivation, as described within Chinese Medicine, have to do with yoga and meditation? In the opening talk for our new course, Yin Yoga […]
Yin Pranayama | Gathering the Qi (Guided Session)
In this short practice from our all NEW Yin Yoga and Qi Cultivation Training, Josh introduces the foundational dynamic of Yin Pranayama which optimizes the biochemistry of the blood for better distribution of oxygen to the cells, tissues and organs, gathers the Qi in the lower Dan Tian or Hara, and supports the healthy functioning […]
NEW Yin Yoga + Qi Cultivation Training (20hrs)
In this five-minute talk, I describe the ALL NEW Yin Yoga Training and Continuing Education immersion that Terry and I are launching this June. In this training we will integrate four acupuncture point formula for supporting adrenal, fascial, Qi and spiritual health with the practices of Yin Yoga and Qi Gong. Perfect for any Yin […]
Our Inherited Blessings | Dharma Story
As part of a Mother’s Day reflection, I recount the harrowing story of getting robbed in the middle of the night on a train in India, and how a “spiritual” mother appeared to both save me and subsequently change the course of my life. I conclude with a meditative prompt for honoring and appreciating our […]
The Cardinal’s Broken Image | Dharma Talk
In this dharma reflection, Josh draw’s on his and others’ observations of bird life in the natural world, and weaves these reflections into a broader meditation about the role of images and reflections in the practice of the dharma. NEW – Yin Yoga and Qi Cultivation Training (4 Weeks, June 2023)
Lao Tzu’s Roses | Dharma Story
The students were discussing the famous statement uttered by Lao Tzu: “Those who know do not say; those who say do not know.” When their teacher arrived he offered some helpful analysis in the form of a simple dialogue. In this talk, Josh reflects on this wonderful story and its implications for meditation practice. NEW […]
The “me” That Clings | Dharma Talk
The Buddha once said: “Nothing whatsoever should be clung to as ‘I’ or ‘mine’.” In this talk, I analyze this statement as an important signpost on the map of practice. As Georg Feuerstein put it: “The sense that ‘I’ can go beyond where ‘I’ am right now is the place from which to start your […]
Meditation Without Grasping | Dharma Talk
In this talk, I continue to unpack the experience of waking up, exploring how consciousness often awakens to being entangled with some part of experience (usually thoughts), and to reflect on what it’s like when consciousness relaxes into itself, embracing the entire field of perception. A free guided meditation accompanies this talk here: Practice Etude […]
The Mourning Joy of Insight | Dharma Talk
In this dharma talk, I reflect on a teaching from my dharma mentor Jack Engler: “the entirety of the spiritual path is a path of mourning.” This talk is an attempt to explore that reflection in light of the practice and experiential dynamics that occur when we let go of grasping at views, perceptions, orientations […]
Donna Brooks | The Dharma Door of Grief
In this episode, I welcome Donna Brooks back to the podcast to talk through the experience of grief and how embodiment practices support our capacity to navigate this challenging emotional landscape. Donna Brooks’ website: www.originalbodywisdom.com
Voluntary Free Fall | Dharma Talk
In this talk, I explore some common views about meditation and thinking, and I encourage bringing inquiry to the views of practice that we may be clinging to. Releasing views is somewhat like voluntarily jumping into free fall. The self will grasp, but in releasing the grasping, we align with the Buddha’s famous teaching: “Nothing […]
The Tiger + The Snake Revisited | Dharma Story
In this week’s practice story, I continue to explore the famous Buddhist parable about the tiger and the snake, and I suggest how the core images of this story symbolize the central dharma themes of our practice and life.
The Tiger + The Snake | Dharma Story
In this old Buddhist parable, we are presented with a description of the human predicament. In the face of being caught between death and something worse, how does our practice serve us to live, as Munindra put it, “the life fully?”
Jung + The Rainmaker | Dharma Story
In this episode, I share Jung’s famous story of the Rainmaker. I suggest ways in which this story offers insight into the direction of the spiritual path. But when there was a prolonged drought in China, and the Rainmaker was fetched, this is what happened…
Kisagotami and the Mustard Seed
In this talk, I reflect on the heart-rending story of a mother who lost her young son, experienced inconsolable grief, and what happened when she met the Buddha. Kisagotami’s story is nearly identical to my teacher’s teacher’s story, that teacher being the great Buddhist master, Dipa Ma. Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a […]
Ozzie’s Dharma
In this episode, I offer a few reflections on the passing of my dear companion, Ozzie. On February 15, 2023, Ozzie died peacefully in our arms, in front of his hearth, and as I try to convey in this short talk, the dharma of his life continues to open and deepen for me.
Earthquakes and the Dharma
In this episode, I try to speak to the implacable heaviness many are feeling in the face of the overwhelming number of ongoing disasters in the world. What, if at all, does the Dharma have to offer?
Cooling the Flames of Anger | A Practice Story
In this episode, I reflect on the roots of anger in my own conflicts and share the tools I’ve learned from mindfulness-based modalities to de-escalate tensions and nurture harmony. I share from my own challenges and difficulties with practicing wise speech, and how Active Reflective Communication is my go-to model for any generative and important […]
Robert Wright | On My Cognitive Empathy Struggles
In this episode, I republish a conversation I had with Robert Wright on his Nonzero Podcast. Bob and I discuss my struggles with cognitive empathy in everyday life. Not my struggle with the concept, mind you. I know that the ability to imagine another person’s perspective is enormously important in communication and relationships. We explore […]
On Practicing Yin | Dharma Talk with Josh
In this episode (#207), Josh reflects on the four foundations of practicing Yin Yoga, and how the first two foundations – safety and relaxation – inform the development of the meditation process. This dharma theme closes with a prompt from Josh: What does it mean to practice non-grasping in meditation? Further reflection: “Great genial power, […]