In this penultimate episode of season one, Lama John provides an overview of Tibetan Buddhism basics for both newcomers and old timers alike, to wit: the eight worldly concerns; death awareness; the continuation of consciousness; the spirit of emergence (a.k.a., renunciation); and ignorance, an unknowing that is both passive and active. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com/subscribe ..read more

In this episode, Lama John refines a few more ideas from the last episode about karma, specifically how it relates to our interactions with others and how we can best hold the karmic line as “hot potato Bodhisattvas.” He then introduces the basics of subtle body work followed by a twenty-minute visualization on the topic. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com/subscribe ..read more

In this episode, Lama John discusses the power of the mind and its influence on our karma. He describes how he stops to track his karma throughout the day by bringing awareness to specific aspects of his thoughts in order to purify his mindstream. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com/subscribe ..read more

In this episode, Lama John talks about the practice of shamatha meditation and its relationship with the breath and awareness, and concludes with a nice long meditation incorporating the ideas discussed. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com/subscribe ..read more

In this episode, Lama John talks about how Tibetan Heart Yoga relates to the physical postures of yoga and how the seat of consciousness resides in the heart. He also goes into the importance of enthusiasm, of joyful effort, not only in our meditative practice but in everything we do. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com/subscribe ..read more

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com In this episode, Lama John continues discussing the first topic, “The Five Aggregates,” from the classic text “A Manual of Key Buddhist Terms: Categorization of Buddhist Terminologies With Commentary” by Kawa Paltsek. (Click here for an overview of the text.) Lama John spends the first few minutes describing the essence of the effortless path of Mahamudr ..read more

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com In this episode, Lama John continues discussing the first topic, “The Five Aggregates,” from the classic text “A Manual of Key Buddhist Terms: Categorization of Buddhist Terminologies With Commentary” by Kawa Paltsek. (Click here for an overview of the text.) Lama John first talks about his recent revelation and decision to begin labeling himself as a Ma ..read more

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit lamajohnbuchanan.substack.com In this episode, Lama John continues discussing the first topic, “The Five Aggregates,” from the classic text “A Manual of Key Buddhist Terms: Categorization of Buddhist Terminologies With Commentary” by Kawa Paltsek. (Click here for an overview of the text.) He continues talking about the fourth aggregate, that of Compositional Factors, also known as me ..read more

In this episode, Lama John continues discussing the first topic, “The Five Aggregates,” from the classic text “A Manual of Key Buddhist Terms: Categorization of Buddhist Terminologies With Commentary” by Kawa Paltsek. (Click here for an overview of the text.) First he talks about his recent two-week retreat, where he discovered the new approach that he will take moving forward with his teaching. He then talks about the fourth aggregate, that of Compositional Factors, also known as mental formations (sankharas), that are considered willful mental actions, triggered by some object, that produce ..read more

In this episode, Lama John continues discussing the first topic, “The Five Aggregates,” from the classic text “A Manual of Key Buddhist Terms: Categorization of Buddhist Terminologies With Commentary” by Kawa Paltsek. (Click here for an overview of the text.) He dives into the second and third aggregates, feeling and recognition, and describes the role they play in our happiness and the perception of our reality. As always, karma plays a big role in everything. He describes the three feelings (happiness, suffering, neutral) and how we experience each of the three realms of recognition (desire ..read more