Planet Dharma - The Launch Pod

In today’s talk, Doug 'Qapel' Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei explore the topic of 'Spiritual Energy Traders' in more detail. (Season 3 Episode 22 introduces this material.) They look at the unwholesome aspects of capitalism and how it reinforces negative patterns both in our individual lives and in our collectives: our communities, countries and corporations. They outline suggestions for how we can shift our attitudes and behaviors to transform our world into a place where we are motivated by exploration, compassion and a vision for humanity that is much bigger than ourselves. Today’s episode covers ideas that Qapel and Sensei explore in detail in their bestselling book, Wasteland to Pureland. The third section of the book is entitled Crazy Wisdom and covers a wide variety of topics, including The Shadow, Tantra, and Money, Sex & Power. Podcast listeners can download a free chapter from this section of the book by visiting planetdharma.com/crazywisdom. Note: the extended version of this recording

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Catherine Pawasarat Sensei and Doug Qapel Duncan on the importance of actually seeing ourselves as an integrated part of our ecosystems. If you are looking to incorporate more activities into your life to support contemplation and introspection, we recommend our weekly reflection series called ‘52 Reflections’. Sign up for free and once a week you’ll receive a short passage and follow-up prompt that you can use to frame your day, your week, or a meditation session. You can learn more and sign up for free by visiting planetdharma.com/52reflections.

Today we are introducing the first of what we hope will become a regular addition to this podcast: interviews with Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat.  Given the pace at which the teachings can evolve and change, we thought it would be helpful to check in periodically about what is happening with our two root teachers so they can speak to a topic that’s currently at the fore for them. Our first interview is with Doug Duncan, formerly known as Doug Sensei, about his recent decision to start using his zen name, Qapel. We talk about what led to his decision, the place names and titles have in the teachings, and how name changes can be leveraged by practitioners for their unfoldment.  Note: the unedited/extended version of this conversation is currently available on our new Patreon page. For the next month, it will be available to the public as a taster of the sort of material that will be available to our patrons going forward. Visit patreon.com/planetdharma to learn more and access the extended recording.

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan on how we can best support loved ones through the death process. If you are finding the teachings of Planet Dharma resonate and are wondering how to explore them further, try the free online course called Wake Up: 4 Paths to Spiritual Awakening. This self-study course gives an introduction to the main approaches that Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat employ with students to help them find their speediest path to spiritual awakening. You can learn more and register for free by visiting planetdharma.com/wakeup.

In order to truly understand what drives our unconscious behaviour we have to understand the core fears of the ego. If we don’t, we are doomed to repeat behaviour that we may even realize is unwholesome as we are impacted by the invisible hand of these forces. In today’s talk based on the section of their book Wasteland to Pureland entitled “The Pearl Without Price”, Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat explain the 4 Deep Ego Fears and why they hold so much power over us. You can learn more about the 4 Deep Ego Fears and other topics by checking out Doug and Catherine’s bestselling book, Wasteland to Pureland: Reflections on the Path to Awakening. Visit planetdharma.com/purelandchapter to receive a free copy of the reflection entitled ‘Protecting Against Hurt Is What Hurts’.

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat on creating a harmonious relationship between absolute and relative truths through the cultivation of both a clear view and training. Did you know that Planet Dharma also has a library of articles covering a wide variety of topics? We have over 100 blog posts on our website offering dharmic perspectives on all sorts of issues of interest to awakening beings. You can check them out at planetdharma.com/articles.

In today's episode, Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat speak about what form the teachings will likely take in the 21st Century. Given how teachings of spiritual liberation have evolved through the millennia to speak to the cultural contexts in which they found themselves, in what ways will the expression of timeless wisdom evolve and adapt in the coming years? They also discuss ways that we can leverage feedback from teachers - as well as sangha members - to train ourselves to be more fully integrated. Dharma If You Dare is now on Patreon! By becoming a micro-patron you can help us upgrade our equipment, expand our production bandwidth and grow our listening audience. This also gives us a chance to connect with our most enthusiastic listeners with monthly updates and extended cuts of recordings. You can learn more and participate at patreon.com/planetdharma.

Season 4 is launching soon! Today producer Christopher Lawley takes the opportunity to introduce himself and to talk a bit about how Planet Dharma operates. For more on karma yoga, visit www.planetdharma.com/what-is-karma-yoga/ For more on the practice of dana, visit www.planetdharma.com/what-is-dana/ And, as always, for more content from the cutting edge of spiritual awakening, including books, blogs, videos and a free minicourse, visit planetdharma.com/podcast.

In this talk Doug and Catherine discuss how the current capitalist paradigm that is so focused on the individual creates all sorts of conditions in our psyches that lead to suffering. They explore how a shift in view and behaviour would allow us to build a society that will work for everyone, not just a handful of people.   The ideas in today’s talk are explored in detail in the chapter entitled 'Spiritual Energy Traders' in Doug and Catherine's bestselling book, Wasteland to Pureland: Reflections on the Path to Awakening.  If you’d like to read more about these ideas, you can visit planetdharma.com/crazywisdom to receive a free copy of a chapter from the book.  

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat on why retreat work is unparalleled in its transformative potential: it allows us to access higher states of consciousness, to see the interconnectedness of our world and to live our lives more fully.   Have you checked out any of Planet Dharma’s online offerings? We have a range of options available to you on the Planet Dharma website, from small group Q&A Office Hours, to full online courses, some of which are taught live and some of which are study at your own pace. Take a look at what’s currently running or coming up soon by visiting planetdharma.com/events.  

In this talk Doug and Catherine discuss how we attempt to manipulate and control our worlds in order to get what we desire. They explain the importance of making these actions conscious in order to integrate our shadow. Through harnessing the energy of our desires by making them conscious we can power our spiritual transformation and exercise greater choice in our daily lives.   Today’s episode covers ideas that Doug and Catherine explore in detail in their bestselling book, Wasteland to Pureland. The second section of the book is entitled Riding the Dragon and covers a variety of topics, including awakening through action, creativity, career and relationships. Podcast listeners can download a free chapter from the book by visiting planetdharma.com/purelandchapter.  

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat on a few ways to establish a well-supported meditation practice and some of the key benefits of doing so.     Have you checked out any of Planet Dharma’s online offerings? We have a range of options available to you on the Planet Dharma website, from small group Q&A Office Hours, to full online courses, some of which are taught live and some of which are study at your own pace. Take a look at what’s currently running or coming up soon by visiting planetdharma.com/events.  

In this talk, Doug and Catherine explore 'the shadow', the unconscious drives that keep us stuck in repetitive patterns and limited views of what’s possible. They discuss how integrating our shadow releases us from being held in its grip and liberates massive amounts of energy that we can use for wholesome pursuits and positive states of mind.   If you find the teachings of Planet Dharma resonate and are wondering how to explore them further, we recommend our free online course called Wake Up: 4 Paths to Spiritual Awakening. This self-study course gives an introduction to the main approaches that Doug and Catherine employ with students to help them find their speediest path to spiritual awakening. You can learn more and register for free by visiting planetdharma.com/wakeup.  

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat on how much more is available to us when we go beyond mindfulness into deeper meditative practices that involve not just awareness but 'awareness of awareness'.   Did you know that Planet Dharma also has a library of articles covering a wide variety of topics? We have over 100 blog posts on our website offering dharmic perspectives on all sorts of issues of interest to awakening beings. You can check them out at www.planetdharma.com/articles.

In this talk from their Livestream Series, Enlighten Up, Doug and Catherine explore the difference between mindfulness and meditation, the power of retreat work and why people tend not to practice. They look at how meditation gives us the space to see how much of our experience is ruled by the habit patterns of our “operating system”, aka the ego. The insights this produces allows us to see through our isolation to the very ground of being and to compassionately share the benefits of this clear and loving space with others.    Helping people experience spiritual awakening is the reason Planet Dharma exists. If you are also passionate about unfolding and awakening deeper and more quickly, we encourage you to enrol in one of our online courses. This year Planet Dharma’s online courses include a variety of topics, such as classical buddhadharma and how to establish and strengthen your daily practice, all geared towards life in our modern world. Take a look at what online offerings are up next at planetdharma.com

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan’s recent response to a student during an online Office Hours call. The student expressed how scattered she felt by all the anxiety in the world around the current COVID-19 pandemic and asked for advice on how to feel more grounded.     Have you checked out any of Planet Dharma’s online offerings? We have a range of options available to you on the Planet Dharma website, from small group Q&A Office Hours, to full online courses, some of which are taught live and some of which are study at your own pace. Take a look at what’s currently running or coming up soon by visiting planetdharma.com/events.

In this talk from their 2019 online course, Crazy Wisdom, Doug and Catherine discuss in detail the three lowest chakras and the energies they manifest. This recording is a continuation of an earlier introductory talk that gave an overview to the topic. You can find that episode by searching for Season 3 Episode 14 in the podcast feed.   The ideas in today’s talk are explored in detail in Doug and Catherine's bestselling book, Wasteland to Pureland: Reflections on the Path to Awakening. The third section of the book is entitled Crazy Wisdom and covers a wide variety of topics, including The Shadow, Tantra, and Money, Sex & Power. Podcast listeners can download a free chapter from this section of the book by visiting planetdharma.com/crazywisdom.

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat on the most prevalent aspects of our society’s collective shadow and whether we can shift our collective actions to more wholesome patterns.     Have you checked out any of Planet Dharma’s online offerings? We have a range of options available to you on the Planet Dharma website, from small group Q&A Office Hours, to full online courses, some of which are taught live and some of which are study at your own pace. Take a look at what’s currently running or coming up soon by visiting planetdharma.com/events.

In this talk Doug and Catherine discuss the question ‘What is Awakening?’ Known by many terms in various traditions, spiritual awakening or enlightenment is about waking up to our true nature. Doug and Catherine explore several metaphors to help explain what spiritual awakening is and why the ego tends to ignore it in favour of getting caught up in the world of objects.   Helping people experience spiritual awakening is the reason Planet Dharma exists. If you are also passionate about unfolding and awakening deeper and more quickly, we encourage you to enrol in one of our online courses. This year Planet Dharma’s online courses include a variety of topics, such as classical buddhadharma and how to establish and strengthen your daily practice, all geared towards life in our modern world. Learn more about upcoming opportunities to join these online offerings at planetdharma.com/online.

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat on spiritual organizations and how they support our growth and unfoldment. During the talk, you will hear the term ‘quantum creativity’. If you’d like to learn more about that topic look for Season 3 Episode 3 in the podcast feed.     If you find the teachings of Planet Dharma resonate and are wondering how to explore them further, we recommend our free online course called Wake Up: 4 Paths to Spiritual Awakening. This self-study course gives an introduction to the main approaches that Doug and Catherine employ with students to help them find their speediest path to spiritual awakening. You can learn more and register for free by visiting planetdharma.com/wakeup.