Buddhist Geeks

Erik Braun is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at University of Oklahoma. He is the author of The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw. In this episode Erik and host Vincent Horn continue a discussion on Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw and his role in bringing insight meditation to the world. The conversation digs deeper into the connections between Burmese political disruption and changes to Buddhist practice in Burma, how meditation became more accepted in Burmese Buddhism, and how this all led to the export of insight meditation to the rest of the world. This is part two of a two part series. Listen to part one: The Birth of Insight Meditation. Episode Links: The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw ( http://amzn.to/1JMLYFM ) Erik Braun on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/erkbraun )

Marianne Elliott is an attorney, human rights advocate, and the author of Zen Under Fire, a memoir about her work in Afghanistan. In this episode taken from the 2013 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Marianne shares her belief that mindfulness practice alone isn’t enough to put an end to the suffering of the world. By first unpacking a few areas of social suffering that have deeply touched her, Marianne talks about the practical strategies she employs when working towards positive social change. As she describes the importance of action to the engaged Buddhist life, Marianne encourages the audience to ground themselves in the resiliency provided by Buddhist practice, find an issue that touches them, find a way to use their unique skillset, and actively work to end suffering in the world. Episode Links: www.Marianne-Elliott.com Zen Under Fire ( http://marianne-elliott.com/book/ )

Jerry Colonna was a venture capitalist in New York City and played a prominent part in the early development of Silicon Alley–he is known by some as the “Yoda of Silicon Alley.” He is currently a life and business coach and serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Naropa University. Jerry is an investor and close mentor to the Buddhist Geeks team. In this episode taken from the 2013 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Jerry speaks about confronting the demon and dharma of uncertainty. By first telling the story of Milarepa and the Demons, Jerry engages the audience with an account of confronting his own fears of not being good enough. He describes how this “imposter syndrome”, this fear of admitting to uncertainty, can trap leaders and the people in their organizations in cycles of suffering. Jerry then offers strategies to confront delusion, doubt, and uncertainty through dharma and mindfulness practices. Episode Links: CEO Bootcamp ( http://reboot.io ) www.TheMonsterInYourHead.com Jerry Colonna on Twitter

Alexander Bard is a cyber philosopher and the co-founder of the Syntheist Movement. He is the co-author of The Futurica Trilogy, a series of books concerning Internet philosophy and futurist studies. In this episode, Alexander joins host Vincent Horn to discuss the origins and concepts of the Syntheist Movement and it’s intersection with Buddhist practice & thought. Using the setting of the annual Burning Man event to illustrate humanity’s sometimes unconscious desire to gather and practice religion, Alexander describes the Syntheist philosophy, its core concepts of multiple Gods, and its philosophical origins. From there the conversation touches on the concepts of God and Self, Quantum Physics and Religion, and Alexander’s utopic vision for the future. Episode Links: Alexander Bard on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/Bardissimo ) The Syntheist Movement ( http://syntheism.org ) The Futurica Trilogy ( http://amzn.to/1JMKxHe ) What if the Internet is God? ( https://youtu.be/tXA7TewF53w )

David Chapman is a writer, computer scientist, engineer and Buddhist practitioner. He blogs on several sites including Meaningness, Approaching Aro, and Buddhism for Vampires. In this episode, David joins host Vincent Horn for the second part of their discussion on the challenges facing the reinvention of Buddhist Tantra. David first compares “zombie ritual” with “living ritual”, pointing out the ideal characteristics of useful ritual practices. David and Vincent then examine the importance of participatory ritual in communities, the rate of innovation in contemporary ritual, and how lineage relates to the forming and maintaining of ritual. This is part two of a two part series. Listen to part one BG 313: Reinventing Buddhist Tantra. Episode Links: Meaningness ( http://meaningness.wordpress.com )

David Chapman is a writer, computer scientist, engineer and Buddhist practitioner. He blogs on several sites including Meaningness, Approaching Aro, and Buddhism for Vampires. In this episode, David joins host Vincent Horn for a discussion on the topic of Buddhist Tantra. Beginning by stating his interest and intentions with recent writing on Buddhist Tantra, David gives a quick definition of Tantra and begins to unpack that definition and how it relates to Buddhism. Vincent and David then discuss whether or not Buddhism is in some ways opposed to passion, where and when Tantric elements are apparent in various traditions, and what modern Buddhist Tantra may look like and why it may have been suppressed in Western Buddhism. This is part one of a two part series. Listen to part two BG 314: Creating Living Ritual. Episode Links: Meaningness ( http://meaningness.wordpress.com ) Consensus Buddhism and Mindful Mayo ( http://bit.ly/1JMITFN )

Shinzen Young is a Vipassana meditation teacher and was ordained in Japan as a monk in the Shingon tradition. He has studied and practiced extensively in other traditions, including Zen and Lakota Sioux Shamanism. Shinzen leads meditation retreats throughout North America and has helped establish numerous mindfulness centers and programs. He also consults widely on meditation-related research, in both the clinical and the basic science domains. In this talk from the 2013 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Shinzen describes strategies for working with questions like “What does Life mean?” and how to enact a successful model for spiritual growth. He begins by examining the general framework of questions and why humans ask questions at all. This leads to a presentation of three fundamental goals for Life and how a spiritual practice can help reach those goals, how to recognize when a spiritual practice goes off course, and what results to expect from a successful spiritual practice. Episode Links: www.Shinzen.org

Kate Johnson is a yogi and meditation teacher in NYC where she teaches yoga and mindfulness meditation to high school students in public schools. A student in the Vipassana meditation tradition, Kate completed the year-long Training Immersion Program at The Interdependence Project, graduated from the Mindfulness Yoga and Meditation teacher training at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and returned from a three-month retreat at Insight Meditation Society in 2013. In this episode taken from the 2013 Buddhist Geeks Conference, Kate speaks about how Buddhist practice can help us wake up to unconscious patterns of power and privilege in our communities and ourselves. Beginning with a synopsis of the COLORLINES article “Rinku Sen: The Racist Mind”, she explains the pervasiveness of implicit bias in our thinking and actions. As she describes her experience and shame when realizing her own implicit racial bias, Kate describes how her meditation practice helped wake her up to those problem areas. She concludes by explain

Lisa Ernst is an artist and meditation teacher in the Zen and Vipassana traditions. She leads the One Dharma Nashville Community that draws from the wisdom traditions of Zen, Vipassana, and Tibetan Buddhism. In this conversation with host Vincent Horn, Lisa discusses the various facets of working with spiritual questions as part of a contemplative path. She describes her own experience first working with koans in the Rinzai Zen tradition, and then applying that questioning process in her Vipassana practice. The discussion then turns towards how questions can help develop “not knowing”, and how Lisa helps her students learn skillful questioning. Episode Links: www.lisaernst.com One Dharma Nashville ( http://www.onedharmanashville.com )

Rohan Gunatillake is the creator of buddhify, the mobile mindfulness app for modern life, and the co-producer of Sync, a program that’s helping cultural organizations in Scotland have a more progressive relationship with technology, technologists, design and designers. In 2013 he was appointed a trustee of the British Council, a large scale NGO which promotes Britain internationally through work in the arts, education, and English language training. In this episode Rohan joins host Vincent Horn to talk about the newly released app buddhify2, as well as the world of “Indie Buddhism”. He begins by describing the updates from the original buddhify app, the general reception the new app has received, and the significance of the project’s success. The conversation then moves to Rohan’s personal experience leading the project and his perception that still more innovation is needed in mindfulness technology. Episode Links: www.rohangunatillake.com buddhify 2 ( http://buddhify.com ) We Need More Buddhist Startups ( h

Megan Miller is a technology researcher and entrepreneur from the San Francisco Bay area. After working in editorial and digital roles at National Geographic Adventure, New York Magazine and Popular Science, Megan became regarded as an expert in digital media innovation, appearing frequently as a TV talking head and speaker at events like CES and SXSW Interactive. In this episode taken from the 2013 Buddhist Geeks Conference, she speaks about digital distraction and how it affects human behavior. She begins by pointing out the many emerging technologies that contribute to digital distraction such as multi-tasking smart phones, link baiting websites, and instant gratification fueled social media. Then she concludes the talk by highlighting the increased efforts made by some people in the media and tech industries to bring less distraction and greater depth to digital technology. Episode Links: Megan Miller on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/missmilla2u )

Diane Musho Hamilton is a Zen teacher and conflict mediator. In this episode she joins host Vincent Horn to explore some of the themes from her first book Everything is Workable: A Zen Approach to Conflict Resolution. Starting with a description of her early life and education, Diane talks about her introduction to the practice of conflict resolution and how she became the first Director of the Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution for the Utah Judiciary. The conversation then turns to the connections Diane has made between conflict resolution insights and the Buddhist teachings of The Three Poisons. This leads to an exploration of whether contemplatives are naturally conflict averse, what it means to actually practice conflict resolution, and why “everything is workable” doesn’t necessarily mean everything always works out the way we want. Episode Links: Diane Musho Hamilton ( http://www.dianemushohamilton.com ) Everything is Workable: A Zen Approach to Conflict Resolution ( http://www.shambhala.com/every

Mikey Siegel is a meditator & technologist known for his work in projects like BrainBot & HeartSync. He is a pioneer in a field that he calls “Enlightenment Engineering”—the science and technology of facilitating the heightened states of consciousness long described by contemplative and spiritual traditions. In this episode taken from a recent BG TV episode of Contemplative Technology, hosts Vincent Horn and Mike Redmer speak with Mikey about the current state of contemplative technology. Mikey describes his goal of bringing more legitimacy to the space in academia and business so that more professionals will enter the field. The group then discusses developments in the contemplative technology DIY crowd, a project to create mental activity soundtracks, and the potential inherent to applying contemplative technology in group settings. Episode Links: www.MikeySiegel.com Biofluent ( http://www.biofluent.com ) HeartSync ( http://www.biofluent.com/heartsync/ )

Lodro Rinzler is a meditation practitioner and teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage. His latest book is Walk Like a Buddha: Even if Your Boss Sucks, Your Ex Is Torturing You, and You’re Hungover Again. In this conversation with host Vincent Horn, Lodro talks about the book and his new project The Institute for Compassionate Leadership, a leadership training and job placement organization that utilizes mentoring, meditation, traditional leadership skills training, and Obama style community organizing to produce compassionate, self-aware leaders. The interview starts with the inspiration for starting the Institute and what Lodro hopes to accomplish with it and his writing. This leads to a wider conversation about the usefulness of ancient teachings in the contemporary world and the value of fostering global conversation. Episode Links: Walk Like a Buddha: Even if Your Boss Sucks, Your Ex Is Torturing You, and You’re Hungover Again ( http://amzn.to/1g9Z7yU ) The Institute for Compassionate Leadership ( http

Mark Oppenheimer is an essayist, reporter, critic, and one of the United States’ leading investigators of religion. His new book, The Zen Predator of the Upper East Side, is an investigation of the decades of sexual scandal surrounding Japanese Zen teacher Eido Shimano. Mark joins host Vincent Horn to discuss the book and the impact his writing has had on the Zen community. Mark reports a brief history of the situation, they discuss the conditions that led to the problems, and they examine why the problem of sexual misconduct is not as common in other Western Buddhist traditions. Episode Links: The Zen Predator of the Upper East Side ( http://amzn.to/1as7Uak ) www.MarkOppenheimer.com

Dr. Jay Michaelson is the author of five books and two hundred articles on religion, sexuality, law, and contemplative practice. His new book is Evolving Dharma: Meditation, Buddhism, and the Next Generation of Enlightenment, published in October, 2013. In this episode, Jay joins host Vincent Horn to discuss his new book, which explores the evolution of Buddhism. Jay describes his personal interests in writing Evolving Dharma, as well as the value of the topic to wider academia. The conversation includes Jay’s observations on new kinds of Buddhist communities, the trends away from the traditional guru model, and the possible future being created by the further integration of mindfulness with the Western mainstream. Episode Links: www.JayMichaelson.net Evolving Dharma: Meditation, Buddhism, and the Next Generation of Enlightenment ( http://amzn.to/1851v57%EF%BB%BF )

Willoughby Britton and Daniel Ingram continue their conversation with hosts Emily Horn and Kelly Sosan Bearer to discuss helping people through the experience of the contemplative Dark Night. To begin the second part of their discussion, Daniel describes the characteristics of Dark Night experience he has seen in the Dharma Overground community and the cycles many people experience. Emily asks whether compassion practice is a common tool to use when in the Dark Night stage. Willoughby and Daniel each describe observations of the usefulness of metta practice and attempt to answer the question: can a sniper have compassion? Finally, the group explores the topic in context of the TIME story “Aaron Alexis and the Dark Side of Meditation”. This is part two of a two part series. Listen to part one: Varieties of Contemplative Experience Episode Episode Links: TIME: Aaron Alexis and the Dark Side of Meditation ( healthland.time.com/2013/09/17/aaro…-of-meditation/ ) Daniel Ingram ( integrateddaniel.info ) The Dharma O

Willoughby Britton and Daniel Ingram join hosts Emily Horn and Kelly Sosan Bearer for Geeks of the Round Table to discuss helping people through the experience of the contemplative Dark Night. Willoughby starts the conversation by reporting the latest updates on the rebranded Dark Night Project, now called “The Varieties of Contemplative Experience”. The group then moves on to discuss helping mindfulness practitioners through episodes of the contemplative Dark Night, how mental disease does and doesn’t get addressed in the community, and some shared characteristics of people that experience the Dark Night. This is part one of a two part series. Listen to part two BG 302: Mental Illness and the Dark Night. Episode Links: TIME: Aaron Alexis and the Dark Side of Meditation ( http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/17/aaron-alexis-and-the-dark-side-of-meditation/ ) Daniel Ingram ( http://integrateddaniel.info ) The Dharma Overground ( http://www.dharmaoverground.org ) Willoughby Britton & Cheetah House ( http://ww

Alex Soojung-Kim Pang is an author, scholar, and Futurist most recently concerned with contemplative computing, the effort to use information technologies in ways that help one focus and be more creative, not fractured and distracted. In the second half of this interview with host Vincent Horn, Alex talks in more detail about his book The Distraction Addiction and it’s central premise of how to engage with technology in a contemplative way. Alex describes the research involved in writing the book, the conclusions he’s made about technology and mindfulness, and how the practices of contemplative computing could affect the future of wearable tech, UI design, and technology in general. This is part two of a two part series. Listen to part one: Technological Determinism. Episode Links: Contemplative Computing Blog ( www.contemplativecomputing.org ) The Distraction Addiction ( amzn.to/1MRHdh3 ) @askpang ( twitter.com/askpang )

Alex Soojung-Kim Pang is an author, Technology Forecaster, and Futurist who applies the tools of the historian to predicting our future technology. His book, The Distraction Addiction, and blog, Contemplative Computing, are about how to use information technologies and social media so they’re not endlessly distracting and demanding, but instead help us be more mindful, focused and creative. In this interview with host Vincent Horn, Alex talks about his career as a Technology Forecaster and Futurist, and the problems he has with the idea of Technological Determinism. Alex describes how the daily rigors of his work with technology damaged his mental focus, and how he turned to meditation to regain that focus. By viewing his work through the lens of his meditation practice he was led to new questions and ideas about how to change mankind’s relationship with technology, how to go from being distracted to more focused and mindful, and the real dangers of taking a passive role in our daily relationship with technol