Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox

In this episode, JoAnn Fox shares the practice of W.A.I.T.—What Am I Thinking? to help us cultivate self-compassion and retrain the often-critical voice in our minds. Through mindfulness, we can begin to notice the thoughts that shape how we treat ourselves, and choose a kinder, more beneficial way to respond. The Buddha said: All experience is preceded by mind, Led by mind, Made by mind. Our world is created by our thoughts. Every word, every action, every mood begins as a whisper in the mind. And sometimes, those whispers aren't so kind. When we notice the narrator in our head becoming unkind, we can pause and think, 'WAIT! What am I thinking?' Then we try to speak to ourselves with compassion instead of judgment. Observe any specific automatic patterns of self-criticism, doubt, or fear. Gradually try to replace them with thoughts rooted in compassion, understanding, and encouragement. For a more on the practice of W.A.I.T for developing self-compassion, see our blog post Awakening Self-Compassion. The Five Gates of Speech The Buddha, in his gentle wisdom, offered a path to mindful speech through what he called "The Five Gatekeepers of Speech." These gatekeepers stand like sentinels, reminding us to pause and make sure our words can pass through these five gates: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it beneficial? Is it necessary? Is it the right time? References and Links Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. (Kindle). Shambala, Boston and London, 2011. Neff, Kristin. (n.d.). What is self-compassion? Self-Compassion.org. Retrieved https://self-compassion.org/what-is-self-compassion Find us at the links below: Our Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/BuddhismForEveryone Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Buddhismforeveryone Private Facebook Group:: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sanghatalk/ Website: Buddhismforeveryone.com Instagram: @buddhism4everyone X: @Joannfox77 TikTok: @buddhism4everyone YouTube: @Buddhism4Everyone To learn more about virtual classes with JoAnn Fox: Buddhist Study Program To learn about Life Coaching with JoAnn Fox visit www.BuddhismforEveryone.com/coaching

The Buddha said that the minds of his followers should "constantly, day and night, delight in spiritual practice." But what practice can we stitch into the fabric of ordinary days? This fan-favorite epsiode explores a spiritual thread that can run through work, family, errands, and all the passing moments that make up our lives. Cherishing others requires no shrine, no retreat, no special circumstance—only a special intention. To cherish another means we think and act on this intention, "Your happiness matters. I will work for your happiness." Whether it's the barista, a child, a colleague, or a stranger in the grocery store, cherishing others transforms every interaction into a step on the spiritual path. Cherishing others is loving-kindness, or metta, in action. This practice softens the heart. It also dismantles the walls of self-cherishing (selfishness), our habit of "me first" that actually gives rise to our own pain. The Buddha taught that cherishing others is the root of all good qualities, from patience to compassion, and the sacred root from which enlightenment eventually blossoms. The Buddha also taught that cherishing others helps solve problems and creates the causes of happiness (through creating good karma). And science, centuries later, agrees. A 2024 study involving three countries and 4,000 people found that even one act of kindness a week toward others decreased loneliness, social anxiety, neighborhood conflict, and isolation. Even our bodies rejoice when we cherish others. Researchers at the University of British Columbia found that people who regularly performed kind acts had lower blood pressure and reduced inflammatory markers—key factors in long-term health. And a study from Carnegie Mellon University showed that offering support to loved ones was linked to lower cortisol levels and improved immune response. Cherishing others is beneficial for the mind and weaves joy into everyday life. What if, day and night, we delighted in this? If you are interested in working with JoAnn Fox as a Life/Spiritual Coach, visit https://buddhismforeveryone.com/coaching References and Links Buddha. The Dhammapada, Translated by Gil Fronsdale. (Kindle). Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 76 Gill, Sharman. (Nov. 2024). BYU study shows that even one act of kindness a week improves wellbeings for individuals, communites. Retrieved from: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-random-acts-of-kindness-can-boost-your-health-5105301 Find us athe links below: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Buddhismforeveryone Facebook Group: Join our private group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sanghatalk/ Instagram: @buddhism4everyone X: @Joannfox77 TikTok: @buddhism4everyone To learn more about virtual classes with JoAnn Fox: Buddhist Study Program

Have you ever walked away from a conversation and thought, "Why did I just say that?" Oh, me too. But thankfully, the Buddha left us plenty of tools to transform even our speech into something sacred. In this episode, we explore an acronym I recently added to my spiritual toolbox, W.A.I.T. — Why Am I Talking? Before we speak, we can pause and ask ourselves this simple question to check our motivation. Are we trying to connect or control? Are we speaking from kindness or merely from habit? The Four Gates of Speech Another powerful filter comes directly from the Buddha. Before we speak, we can ask ourselves if our words pass through these Four Gates: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it the right time? The Downfalls of Speech In the Buddhist teaching on Right Speech, the Buddha identified four types of unskillful speech that cause harm: Lying – intentionally deceiving Divisive speech – creating conflict or turning people against each other Harsh speech – cruel, aggressive, or hurtful words Idle gossip– pointless talk that distracts and wastes energy We can gradually reduce these habits and move toward speech that uplifts, heals, and connects. A Practice You Can Try Today Next time you're about to speak, even just in casual conversation, take a beat and ask: "W.A.I.T — Why am I talking?" You might find there's wisdom in the silence. Or you might find your words come from a more beautiful place, a place of kindness, truth, and intention. Find us at the links below: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Buddhismforeveryone Facebook Group: Join our private group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sanghatalk/ Instagram: @buddhism4everyone X: @Joannfox77 TikTok: @buddhism4everyone To learn more about virtual classes with JoAnn Fox: Buddhist Study Program

We chase happiness like it's just around the corner. Could our final destination, "happiness," be hidden in a new relationship, job title, city, or home? But His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with his childlike laugh and mountain-like presence, has let us in on a little secret: the true source of happiness isn't getting what we want. It's cherishing others. It's being kind. The Dalai Lama says, "The basic source of all happiness is a sense of kindness and warm-heartedness towards others." Buddhist teachings remind us again and again that when we shift the spotlight from ourselves, a strange thing happens. Our minds soften. Our hearts open. And we begin to feel...better. Lighter. More connected. Cherishing others means genuinely caring about their happiness and well-being, just like we do for ourselves. And when we practice this, whether by listening with full attention, letting someone go ahead of us in line, or sending a silent wish for a stranger's joy, we start to feel more joy ourselves. Real joy. The kind that doesn't depend on circumstances. According to the Dalai Lama, "Thinking only about yourself—having a very self-centered attitude—creates a lot of anxiety, loneliness, fear, and anger." It turns out that the road to lasting happiness isn't paved with self-fulfillment, but with love that stretches beyond the self. Resources Dalai Lama. The purpose of life is to be happy. Retrieved from:https://www.dalailama.com/messages/transcripts-and-interviews/the-purpose-of-life-is-to-be-happy Find us at the links below: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Buddhismforeveryone Facebook Group:Join our private group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sanghatalk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buddhism.with.joann.fox X: @Joannfox77 TikTok: @buddhism4everyone To learn more about virtual classes with JoAnn Fox: Buddhist Study Program Our Dharma Shop on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BuddhismForEveryone

"Praise and blame, fame and shame, gain and loss, pleasure and pain come and go like the wind. To be happy, rest like a giant tree in the midst of them all." ― Buddha We're exploring a truth so simple yet profound it almost feels like a secret; every problem we have comes from just one thing, our own mind. Specifically, our problems come from misperceiving reality: we see our worries, fears, and stresses as big, immovable mountains. In reality, they're more like clouds, shifting and changing with the winds of the mind. Nothing is as fixed as it seems. Everything depends on perception (even that thing you're stressing about right now). The mind of worry conjures up what we fear. The worst-case scenario hasn't happened, may not happen, but we let these figments of our imagination torment us. Instead, we're going to practice a beautiful little mind trick: instead of thinking, "What's the worst that could happen?" we'll try asking, "What's the best that could happen?" Perhaps everything will play out in ways that are incredibly healing or positive...there's no way to know for sure. So why not plant seeds of hope instead of fear and watch what grows? This small shift that can open up a whole new way of experiencing your life. To register for two free virtual classes, "Developing Universal Love and Compassion" on Saturday, May 10 and 17, 2025 visit www.BuddhismForEveryone.com References with Links Lama Zopa Rinpoche, 2008. How Things Exist: Teachings on Emptiness. Lama Zopa Rinpoche Edited by Ailsa Cameron. Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. Find us at the links below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Buddhismforeveryone Facebook Group: Join our private group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sanghatalk/ Instagram: @buddhism4everyone or https://www.instagram.com/buddhism4everyone X: @Joannfox77 TikTok: @buddhism4everyone

In this episode, we practice one of the most powerful antidotes to anger and aversion: compassion. I know—when we're irritated, hurt, or downright fuming, compassion is usually the last thing on our minds. But in Buddhism, compassion isn't weakness—it's strength. It's the most powerful way to interrupt the cycle of harm and start creating peace, inside and out. The Story of Aṅgulimāla The Buddha's radical teachings on non-violence reveal how to respond rather than react when things get heated. I also share the story of Angulimala—yes, the guy who was literally collecting fingers from those he killed. We look at how Buddha loved and accepted Angulimala and that even someone so far gone was transformed by compassion. Spoiler alert: If Angulimala can change, there's hope for all of us. Him I call a brahmana, who is fearless like a bull, who is noble and diligent, who is a seeker of high moral virtues and a conqueror (of three Maras), who is free from craving, who has been cleansed of moral defilements and knows the Four Noble Truths. --Buddha, The Dhammapada Verse 422 References with Links Buddha (1986).The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories, Verses 419 and 420. Translated by Daw Mya Tin, M.A. (Website). Edited by Editorial Committee, Burma Tipitaka Association Rangoon. Courtesy .of Nibbana.com. For free distribution only, as a gift of dhamma. Retrieved from https://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=422 Find us at the links below: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Buddhismforeveryone Facebook Group:Join our private group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sanghatalk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buddhism.with.joann.fox X: @Joannfox77 TikTok: @buddhism4everyone To learn more about virtual classes with JoAnn Fox: Buddhist Study Program

The Buddha taught that dukkha—suffering and dissatisfaction—doesn't come from the outside world. Our problems don't arise from difficult people or hardships. Our problems come from within our own mind, from the way we react to life. The same is true for happiness. We spend so much of our lives trying to control the world around us—fixing this, avoiding that, chasing after happiness like it's some rare butterfly. But what if we've been looking in the wrong place? What if the source of both our problems and our joy has been inside us all along? in this episode, we explore how shifting our focus inward can bring real peace and unshakable contentment. We tend to think, 'If I just had this... If they would just stop doing that... If things were different, then I'd be happy.' But even when we get what we want, happiness is fleeting. Why? Because external conditions are always changing, and more importantly, because our mind is always grasping, craving, and resisting. The real source of peace isn't out there—it's inside us. Him I call a brahmana, who knows the death and rebirth of beings in every detail, who is detached, who follows the good practice and knows the Four Noble Truths. Him I call a brahmana, whose destination the devas or gandhabbas or men do not know who has eradicated moral intoxicants and is an arahat. --Buddha, The Dhammapada Verse 419 and 420 References with Links Buddha (1986).The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories, Verses 419 and 420. Translated by Daw Mya Tin, M.A. (Website). Edited by Editorial Committee, Burma Tipitaka Association Rangoon. Courtesy .of Nibbana.com. For free distribution only, as a gift of dhamma. Retrieved from https://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=419 Tsering, Geshe Tashi (2005). The Four Noble Truths: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought Volume 1 (Kindle). Wisdom Publications. Find us at the links below: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Buddhismforeveryone Facebook Group:Join our private group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sanghatalk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buddhism.with.joann.fox To learn more about virtual classes with JoAnn Fox: Buddhist Study Program

Giving, or dāna, is one of the most fundamental and beautiful practices in Buddhism. In this episode, we explore how giving is not just an act of generosity—it is a path to freedom, a way to dissolve the tight grip of self-centeredness and open our hearts to others. The Buddha taught that giving benefits both the giver and the receiver, creating the karmic cause for an abundance of whatever we give, be it materially, love, Dharma, or fearlessness. Giving also reduces attachment, and deepens our sense of interconnectedness. Four Ways to Practice Giving: - Materially - Dharma - Fearlessness - Love Giving Materially The simplest and most immediate form of generosity is offering material support—food, clothing, shelter, or financial aid. The Buddha and his monastic followers relied entirely on the generosity of laypeople for their survival, and even today, supporting others in need is considered a vital Buddhist practice. But material giving is not only about wealth; it is also about sharing whatever we have, no matter how small. Even a single grain of rice, when offered with a pure heart, carries immense merit (good karma). Giving Dharma We give Dharma by sharing wisdom, offering guidance, and teaching the path to liberation. Giving Dharma is considered the highest form of giving. A single word of wisdom, a book on Buddhist teachings, or even a moment of genuine encouragement can plant the seeds of awakening in another's heart. Unlike material gifts, which can be used up, the gift of Dharma continues to benefit a person for their entire life and beyond. Giving Fearlessness To give fearlessness is to offer safety, protection, and freedom from fear to others. This might mean standing up for someone who is vulnerable, comforting a friend in distress, or simply creating a space where people feel safe to be themselves. To give fearlessness can also be saving the lives of insects, animals, or people! Giving Love At its deepest level, all acts of generosity are rooted in love. Giving love can be through a kind word or simply by listening with undivided attention. It is to offer our presence, our patience, and our open-hearted acceptance. When we give love freely, without expectation, we emulate the boundless compassion of the Buddha. The Freedom of Letting Go In practicing generosity, we learn one of the greatest lessons of the Dharma: that clinging brings suffering, and letting go brings freedom. And in this giving, we find real joy—not in what we possess, but in what we share. Him I call a brahmana, who, in this world, has given up craving, and leaving the home-life has become a bhikkhu; who has eradicated craving and has come to the end of existence. --Buddha, The Dhammapada, Verse 416 References and Links Buddha (1986).The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories. Translated by Daw Mya Tin, M.A. (Website). Edited by Editorial Committee, Burma Tipitaka Association Rangoon. Courtesy .of Nibbana.com. For free distribution only, as a gift of dhamma. Retrieved from https://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=416 Je Tsongkhapa (2014). Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, by Je Tsongkhapa, Volume 2 (Kindle). Translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee. Joshua Cutler, Editor-in-Chief, and Guy Newlan, Editor. Find us at the links below: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Buddhismforeveryone Facebook Group:Join our private group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sanghatalk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buddhism.with.joann.fox X: @Joannfox77 To learn more about virtual classes with JoAnn Fox: Buddhist Study Program