Dharma Glimpses with Judy Lief

[This episode originally aired on August 8, 2023] I recently had a problem with my computer—whatever I put in my "trash" would just stay there; I couldn’t empty it • I started thinking about how that could describe our personal “trash”—our freak-outs and obsessions, our worries and regrets, as well as what we read in the news • we can shove that stuff deep within us, and sometimes it’s not so easy to know how to let it go • one approach is not to take anyt...

[This episode originally aired on May 2, 2023] Today we are exploring four traditional methods or practices we can use to awaken our enlightened genes • the first method is cultivating loving kindness, or maitri, which is a key theme in the mahayana; it is connected with the wish that all beings be happy, and that includes you • the second method is cultivating compassion, or karuna • while loving kindness looks into the nature of happiness, compassion loo...

[This episode originally aired on April 18, 2023] Buddhists are always talking about awakening, but what does that actually mean? • Trungpa Rinpoche taught that what is being awakened are our "enlightened genes" — a term which implies that awakening is somewhat natural, somewhat part of our makeup • sometimes Tibetans use the analogy of an acorn: if you try to get an oak tree by planting a bean seed, it will never work; but if you plant an acorn, you get an oak tree, ...

[This episode originally aired on April 4, 2023] Meditation practice doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it happens in the context of our life, and our life situations can vary tremendously • in extreme situations it can be easy to lose our connection to practice • one extreme is when our situation is really cozy and going really well • the other extreme, which I would like to focus on here, is when our lives take a dramatic turn and we are faced with dire si...

[This episode originally aired on March 21, 2023] The teachings of the Buddha are often divided into three components: intelligence or discriminating awareness; discipline; and meditation • there can be so much emphasis on sitting practice that there is less discussion of the importance of cultivating knowledge and discipline — what it actually takes to put the teachings into action in our everyday life • being able to observe what is going on with some precision and ...

[This episode originally aired on March 7, 2023] It may seem odd to talk about the benefits of “don't know mind” in a tradition that places such value on learning and on study • it also may seem odd because in the Buddhist tradition there is a great deal of discussion about ignorance and delusion, and the harm that comes from lack of knowledge, lack of awareness, lack of critical thinking • so how is don't know mind different from delusory mind or ignorance? • the main...