Explaining the ways our minds can be seduced, Joseph Goldstein teaches us how to let go into non-clinging.This 2007 talk was originally published on Dharmaseed.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/insighthourIn this episode, Joseph Goldstein teaches listeners about:Letting go into the wisdom mind of non-clingingAwakening to the nature of the mindWorking with the hindrances of mindNoticing how the mind can be seducedSkeptical doubt and being frozen in indecisionThe ways that doubt can masquerade itself as wisdomTelling ourselves that it is okay not to knowResting in experience rather than being caught in thought loopsInvestigating our aversions and their hold on the mindSeeing everything with perfect wisdomTransforming our attitudes about our aversionsBeing inclusive to our difficult experiences“Struggle is a great feedback because it signifies non-acceptance of something. Because if we were accepting, we wouldn’t be struggling. Whenever we’re in that sense of striving, of struggle, of tension, take that as a feedback, not as a problem. That’s telling us something. That’s saying something is going on in the body, in the mind, in the emotions, in the thoughts, in our external experience, something is going on that we’re not open to, that we’re trying to exclude, and that’s why we’re struggling.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 193 - Sudden Awakening, Gradual Cultivation

Taking a journey through the Buddha’s history, Joseph Goldstein reveals how we can relate the Bodhisattva’s experiences to our own lives.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/insighthourIn this Episode, Joseph teaches on:The history of Siddhartha GuatamaArchetypes and myths within the Buddha’s journeyConnecting individual experiences into universal principalsJoseph Campbell’s description of the Buddha’s life stagesCalls to destiny and the illusion of having a selfThe profound truth of impermanence and changeAnxiety and unease from trying to posses thingsFacing realities such as death and diseaseOne of Joseph’s first major insights into his mindRenunciation and getting out of the seduction of appearancesMeditation and recognizing vastnessExamining what is a hindrance and what is skillfulThe great struggle and developing a courageous heartThe Bodhisattva’s three watches of the nightThe great awakening and working for the good of others“In this archetypal level, the Buddha’s life reveals to us aspirations in our own. It helps us find a deeper meaning, a deeper purpose, a fuller context for our own life choices. On this archetypal level, it connects the Buddha’s journey with our own.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 192 - The Buddha's Life And Journey

Joseph Goldstein joins Rohan Gunatillake to share the meditative story of how he first learned to integrate his spirituality into everyday life.This episode was originally aired on Meditative Story, a podcast that combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with the immediate, science-backed benefits of mindfulness practice – all surrounded by breathtaking and cinematic music. You can find Meditative Story on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Joseph Goldstein shares a personal story about:One of the most transformative moments in Joseph’s lifeThe beginning of Joseph’s enlightenment journeyIntegrating the spiritual gifts Joseph learned from the East into his everyday life in the WestLearning to embrace the uncomfortable feeling of not-knowingHow Joseph first connected with Ram DassJoseph’s first job teaching a meditation classSaying yes and allowing opportunities to present themselvesA guided mindfulness practice“It’s as if my life exists as two separate strands. One is the strand of my practice, which feels clear and stable. The other is how that practice will manifest and how I can ever hope to apply it to the world. Spiritually, I am flying high. But I have no idea where to land.” – Joseph GoldsteinAbout Joseph Goldstein:Joseph Goldstein has been leading insight and loving-kindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, where he is one of the organization’s guiding teachers. In 1989, together with several other teachers and students of insight meditation, he helped establish the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.About Rohan Gunatillake:Rohan Gunatillake is a writer, entrepreneur, and host of the podcast Meditative Story. By artfully crafting meditations to compliment each guest’s story, Rohan blends mindfulness with narrative to create a unique listening experience, encouraging listeners to use someone else’s transformative moment as the basis for their own. He’s also the founder of the best-selling app Buddhify, and author of Modern Mindfulness: How to Be More Relaxed, Focused, and Kind While Living in a Fast, Digital, Always-On World.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bonus Episode: Joseph's Meditative Story with Rohan Gunatillake

Discussing the differences between knowing, awareness and wisdom, Joseph Goldstein helps deepen our insights into the nature of body and mind.This 2007 talk was originally published on Dharmaseed.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/insighthourThis time on Insight Hour, Joseph lectures on:The Satipatthana SuttaThe four foundations of mindfulnessOvercoming suffering and attaining freedomHow wisdom combines awareness and investigationStruggling as the manifestation of non-acceptanceGrounding in awareness of different sense objectsAttuning to the patterns and conditioning in our mindsThe attitudes and judgements we have about experiencesThe ability to learn about our minds in any situation“Wisdom arises out of awareness and it combines the qualities of investigation, of what the Buddha called right understanding/right attitude. With mindfulness as the platform, that is the foundation. Without mindfulness none of this happens.“ – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 191 - Knowing, Awareness And Wisdom

Going through questions submitted by meditators on retreat, Jill Shepard asks Joseph about discernment and other Buddhist practices.This episode was recorded as part of a three-month retreat at the Insight Meditation Society and originally published by Dharmaseed In this episode, Joseph answers questions on:What it means to waste your sufferingTurning attention inward and looking at the cause of sufferingAttachment, resistance, and false perceptionSelf and anatta (not-self)The wholesome and unwholesome roots of all skillful actionsLooking honestly at our intentions and motivationsHonoring the presence of our emotions versus being caught by themThe message we can receive from angerDiscernment and bringing mindfulness into loveLiberation through non-clingingWorking with doubt and the inner voice that fools and seduces usSurrendering to the DharmaHow practice prepares us for growing old“It’s really important to be honest about the range of our own motivations because if we’re not honest about it, we’re not going to see it. If we don’t see it, we may very well be acting on the unwholesome motivations.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 190 - Questions and Answers on Buddhist Practice

Describing how perceptions and constructs shape our experiences, Joseph Goldstein teaches on the concept of self.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/insighthourIn this episode, Joseph describes:The liberating jewel of the Buddha’s teachingsThe Self as the fabrication of our mindsThe relief of selflessnessAbandoning unwholesome qualitiesUsing Buddhist psychology to understand how The Self is createdRecognizing, naming, and rememberingPerception in the service of mindfulnessSeeing the frame instead of the pictureHow concepts can limit our understandingDivision and the concept of spacePast, present, future, and the concept of timeThe constriction within self-imageProjection and self-assessmentAge, culture, race, and other created constructsWhen concepts can be useful“Our perceptions are concepts about what we are experiencing. This overlay on experience very often conditions how we feel about that experience. And, one of the startling things about all this, is that often our perceptions are inaccurate and yet they are conditioning the experience we are having.”– Joseph Goldstein----In a world that often feels like it's teetering on the edge, it's not surprising that so many of us grapple with feelings of instability and overwhelm. On Tuesday, December 19th, join acclaimed Buddhist meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Ethan Nichtern for a free online conversation on staying grounded, available, and engaged, even when the world is on fire.Sharon and Ethan will also discuss the upcoming Dharma Moon Yearlong Buddhist Studies program and offer their insights on how studying Buddhism can help us show up more fully for ourselves and others during these challenging times.Visit dharmamoon.com/event for more info and to reserve your free spot!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 189 – Creating A Concept of Self

In this question-and-answer session, Joseph Goldstein explores skillful means for non-clinging, how to work with the comparing mind, the intricacies of walking meditation, and much more.This dharma talk, recorded on October 20, 2023, was originally published on Dharma Seed.In this episode of Insight Hour:Joseph offers a series of tips on walking meditationHe responds to questions about working with the comparing mind and working with the mind that is desperate to fix everythingJoseph talks about how it is possible for a layperson to awaken and why enlightenment is all about lightening upHe explores the importance of not being attached to our beliefs or our disbeliefs and keeping an open mindFinally, Joseph offers his perspective on how the Dharma has helped him in difficult times and why the Buddhist teachings are all about skillful means for non-clinging“So when I began to hear these different teachings, rather than frame it – ‘Which is true?’ or ‘Which is right?’ – just to take the teachings as skillful means. So then the question is, skillful means for what? And here is where all the traditions of Buddhism are unified, and that is a skillful means for non-clinging. That’s the essence of the free mind in all the Buddhist traditions.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 188 – Skillful Means for Non-Clinging

Joseph Goldstein delves into the concepts of loving-kindness, compassion, and the fear of discomfort. He highlights the transformative power of loving-kindness, mindfulness, and compassion in overcoming fears and limitations, ultimately fostering genuine happiness.This dharma talk, recorded on February 18, 1997, was originally published on Dharma Seed.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/insighthourIn this lecture, Joseph:Affirms that at the depths of our hearts and minds there is a basic reservoir of goodwillDefines mettā, or loving-kindness, as the basic generosity of the heartTakes note of the “upward spiral” of happiness that mindfulness and loving-kindness promotesReminds us to stay open to suffering andRuminates upon the empty nature of fear itself“If you keep shining your compassion and understanding on it, your fear will soon crack and you will be able to look into its depths and see its roots.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 187 - Love & Fear

Joseph Goldstein expounds upon the relationship between thought and emotion as it relates to both our spiritual practice and our daily lives.This dharma talk, recorded on June 4, 2013, was originally published on Dharma Seed.In this lecture, Joseph:Dissects the nuanced meaning of the Pali word sati, often translated as "mindfulness"Highlights the importance of applying mindfulness to both skillful and unskillful thoughtsHelps us understand the very nature of thoughtOutlines the inherent connection between thoughts and emotional responsesProposes that we stay open to afflictive emotions without identifying with them"When we engage with thoughts and emotions from a place of interest and a place of investigation, a place of inquiry, we can see them all arise and pass away in this open sky of the mind." - Joseph Goldstein-----Discover the transformative practice of teaching mindfulness in a new FREE 30-page ebook by Senior Buddhist teacher and Emmy award-winning musician, David Nichtern. With its blend of humor, wisdom, and accessible approach, The Art of Teaching Mindfulness ebook is a must-read for anyone interested in sharing the life-changing practices of mindfulness with others.Already downloaded by over 15k people, visit dharmamoon.com/ebook to get YOUR free copy of The Art of Teaching Mindfulness!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 186 - Working With Thought And Emotion

Joseph Goldstein investigates the links between suffering, compassion, and the concept of the self.This dharma talk, recorded on July 2, 1994, was originally published on Dharma Seed.In this talk, Joseph:Breaks down the three kinds of suffering according to the BuddhaAdvises us to remain open to suffering, reminding us that avoiding or resisting pain and unpleasant mind states only serves to feed themPosits that compassion grows from letting suffering inProposes that we drop into the flow of existenceAsserts that the root cause of suffering is our deeply conditioned senses of self “When we’re associated with what we don’t want, it’s suffering. And when we are separated from what we do want, it’s suffering. And this is the push-pull happening throughout our lives.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 185 - Suffering And The Illusion Of Self

Joseph Goldstein dissects the Buddha’s most simple but fundamental lessons: to avoid what is unwholesome, to perform good actions, and to purify the mind.This dharma talk, recorded on September 26, 1991, was originally published on Dharma Seed.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/insighthourIn this talk, Joseph:Acknowledges that even the most simple lessons are not easyBreaks down the three unwholesome actions of the body, the four unwholesome actions of speech, and the three unwholesome actions of mindTouches on the Hindu concept of punya, or doing meritorious actions to plant the seeds of happinessMaintains that there is a wisdom in fearing dangerProvides us with examples of wholesome actions that we can perform“Avoid what is unwholesome, perform good actions, purify the mind. This is the teachings of all the Buddhas.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 184 – Our Unskillful Actions: Doing More Good Than Bad

Joseph Goldstein dissects the concept of meditation from the what, to the why, to the how.This dharma talk was recorded on July 8, 2007, at the Insight Meditation Society and was originally published on Dharma Seed.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/insighthourIn this talk, Joseph:Demystifies meditationAsks, “Why do we meditate?” and “How do we meditate?”Emphasizes the importance of settling down the mind to achieve real clarity and stillnessReminds us that meditation is not only about blissful feelingsIdentifies the relationship between our bodies and our mindsAdvocates for the acceptance and awareness of our own thoughts“Meditation is not about whether it’s pleasant or unpleasant. It’s about how aware we are, how mindful we are.” - Joesph GoldsteinDiscover the transformative practice of teaching mindfulness in a new FREE 30-page ebook by Senior Buddhist teacher and Emmy award-winning musician, David Nichtern. With its blend of humor, wisdom, and accessible approach, The Art of Teaching Mindfulness ebook is a must-read for anyone interested in sharing the life-changing practices of mindfulness with others.Already downloaded by over 15k people, visit dharmamoon.com/ebook to get YOUR free copy of The Art of Teaching Mindfulness!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 183 – The Why and How of Practice

Joseph Goldstein examines the mental factor of equanimity through the lens of the Eight Vicissitudes and the brahmavihārā.This dharma talk from April 17, 2012, was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society and originally published on Dharma Seed.In this lecture, Joseph:Defines equanimity as neutrality of mind and the quality of evennessDraws a distinction between indifference of mind and spacious impartialityExamines the eight vicissitudes (gain and loss, praise and blame, fame and disrepute, pleasure and pain)Considers the spiritual implications of living in servitude to the inevitably changing conditions of our livesPlaces equanimity in the context of lovingkindness, compassion, and joy, i.e. the other divine abodes, or brahmavihārāReminds us that no situation is outside of our practice“When we have equanimity, when both attachment and aversion are absent, then everything in our experiences becomes clear and undisguised.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 182 – Equanimity: "There in the Middleness"

In this episode, Joseph Goldstein reflects on the meaning of emptiness on the spiritual path and examines ways in which we can work toward enlightenment.This dharma talk was recorded on April 16, 1989, and was originally published on Dharma Seed.In this talk, Joseph touches on:The meaning of emptinessThe such-ness of thingsThe 10,000 joys, the 10,000 sorrows, and opening ourselves up to the whole range of experienceThe Taoist dichotomy between non-action and inactionTaking interest in the phenomenon of thoughts, emotions, experiences, and situationsBeing simple and easy in our practice“If we’re simple and easy in our practice, our lives become simple and easy. Can you be simple and easy in your practice, just with what is?” – Joseph GoldsteinAbout Joseph Goldstein:Joseph Goldstein has been leading insight and loving-kindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, where he is one of the organization’s guiding teachers. In 1989, together with several other teachers and students of insight meditation, he helped establish the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 181 – The Way of the Tao

Joseph Goldstein continues his discussion of bodhicitta – the awakened heart.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/insighthourIn this lecture, Joseph:Reminds us that obstructions and defilements of thought are not intrinsic to the mindProvides us with a methodology for freeing ourselves from entanglement and attachmentCompares the clinging mind to ice and the luminous mind to waterRecognizes the causal relationship between mindfulness and compassion Teaches us that how we feel and respond to situations is up to usMaintains that cultivating compassion is a process that comes with daily practice“The development of love and compassion is a wide, round curve that can be negotiated only slowly. Not a sharp corner that can be turned all at once. It comes with daily practice.”This dharma talk from June 12, 2015, was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society and originally published on Dharma Seed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 180 – Relative and Ultimate Bodhicitta Part 2

Joseph Goldstein discusses enlightenment through the lens of the aspirational mental quality of bodhicitta – the awakened heart.This dharma talk from June 8, 2015, was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society and originally published on Dharma SeedIn this lecture, Joseph:Teaches us that there are two understandings of bodhicitta: relative bodhicitta, which is compassion, and ultimate bodhicitta, which is selflessnessHighlights the spiritual importance of cultivating both compassion and selflessnessRuminates on the challenges of living in our conventional, ordinarily understood realityReminds us that the ungovernability of life is the nexus between dukkha and freedomDescribes the union of emptiness and clarityRecognizes the need for a gradual cultivation of awareness“The mind’s nature is vivid as a flawless piece of crystal. Intrinsically empty, naturally radiant and ceaselessly responsive.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 179 – Relative and Ultimate Bodhicitta Part I

Joseph Goldstein explores the nexus between thought patterns, sense pleasures, renunciation, addiction, and the wisdom of "No".This dharma talk from October 24, 2012, was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society and originally published on Dharma Seed.In this lecture, Joseph:Encourages us to examine the content and nature of our own thoughtsMaintains that our actions are conditioned by how we think about ourselves and how we think about the worldAdvocates for cultivating wholesome thoughts and letting go of unwholesome ones.Considers the rewards of renunciationEmphasizes the importance of saying “no” on the spiritual path“So often in spiritual practice and in our path and in spiritual scenes, we emphasize the yes. It’s the yes of acceptance, the yes of openness, the yes of receptivity, the yes of fullness of experience. So this is all an essential part of our practice. This yes is often the antidote to self judgment, self criticism, to contraction, to limitation. It’s like we’re learning to open, we’re saying yes to experience yes to the world.But there is also a wisdom in ‘no,’ recognizing that some things are not skillful, are not helpful, they’re not leading to happiness or to our well being. And in these times, we can practice saying, ‘no thanks,’ I’ll pass on this one.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 178 – The Wisdom Of "No"

This time on the Insight Hour podcast, Joseph Goldstein helps us understand equanimity as a fundamental state of mind and the role it plays on the spiritual path.This dharma talk from July 22, 2023, was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society and originally published on Dharma Seed.This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/insighthourIn this lecture, Joseph explores:The literal meaning of the word “equanimity” in Pali and the difficulty of translationThe Great 8 Vicissitudes, or the endlessly changing conditions of gain and loss that affect each of usUsing equanimity to foster steadiness in the face of changing conditionsMaintaining a sense of humor and lightness on the spiritual pathThe difference between reactivity of mind and responsiveness of mindThe transmittable quality of equanimity“Equanimity means understanding the difference between reactivity of mind and responsiveness. So this is a really important distinction because these two words reflect very different mindsets. Reactivity creates agitation. Responsiveness really is the basis for a balanced and compassionate engagement.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 177 – Understanding Equanimity

Joseph Goldstein leans on his decades of study and practice of the Dharma to answer a diverse range of spiritual and existential questions from his students and online retreat attendees.This dharma talk from May 14, 2023, was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society and originally published on Dharma Seed. In this Q&A style talk, Joseph answers an assortment of questions concerning:The stages of enlightenment Being mindful of positive and wholesome mind states Realizing selflessness Concepts, the nature of consciousness, and reality Practicing mindfulness in modernity Karma and reincarnation"We think our lives are so complicated and so confused in the modern world, in the ancient world and - at any point in time, there are only these six things happening. It's a sight, its a sound, it's a taste, it's a sensation, it's something going on in our minds. So, I like to think of all life, and the unfolding of our lives, as a six piece chamber orchestra. It's just playing the music." - Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 176 – Questions About The Path to Awakening

In this episode of the Insight Hour podcast, Joseph Goldstein delves into the nature of thought and provides valuable insights on cultivating mindfulness.This dharma talk from May 13, 2023, was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society and originally published on Dharma Seed.WIN A TRIP FOR YOU AND A FRIEND TO OUR 2023 MAUI RETREAT: Maui Retreat GiveawayIn this talk, Joseph:Encourages us to notice when we become aware of our own thinkingHighlights the importance of recognizing the themes of our thoughtsEmphasizes that the past and the future are conceptual modelsExamines the very nature of thought itself“When we’re unaware of thoughts, unmindful, they have so much power in our lives, they;re really directing our lives. And yet when we are mindful of them, as I say, it is a little more than nothing.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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