Awake In The World Podcast

Michael dedicates the final evening of this retreat to Alan Ginsberg, whos self-portraits and multi-fauceted expressions have inspired him. He touches on the psychology of always thinking about the dualism between the true self and the self as participants share their own "self-portraits," a six-line assignment given to them during the retreat. Recorded September 12, 2009 The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Learning how to be present with an un-agitated heart. Meditation teaches us to be wiser with what’s difficult. Embodying our meditative practice by learning how to stop and see clearly. Meditation Facilitation Training, Vancouver, 1hr.

Michael offers a talk on the teachings of the insentient, how the snow and silence can hold hidden lessons. Can you give attention to the way the insentient teaches us? Recorded December 29, 2010.

Take a moment to notice where in your body this emotional state or mood is most present. What physical sensations let you know that you're experiencing this feeling? See if you can observe how the emotion shows up in your body—how it's expressed through sensation and physical experience. Recorded December 2017. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this Best of Awake in the World epside Michael introduces Case 12 of the Mumonkon, "The Master". He ties waking up with social action and the teachings of the Burmese Monks who visited the evening prior. A funny and lively talk with practices you can use in your life. Recorded Oct 5, 2010. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this Best of episode Michael describes how the Buddha met fear, mapping out how concentration practice unfolds, then offers a mind-opening view of rebirth and reincarnation. Recorded in Wisconsin, March 26, 2017.

During a workshop in France, Michael teaches on the 3 characteristics — a teaching found in both the Yoga and Buddhist traditions. This talk is in both French and English. Recorded in Antibes, France, on October 26, 2013. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

A community talk at Tassajara Monastery with Michael Stone & Zen teacher Paul Haller. They each share some of their biography and field Q&A about practice. Paul shares from his 40 years of Zen practice. Recorded at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Monastery, California. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Nothing needs to be refused. Let the breath travel the body without picking up speed. The clouds of thought haul across the sky. Let them come and go. Let the breath move the way blood moves: let it find its own rhythm. Recorded 2017. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this thoughtful and powerful talk, Michael unpacks the transformative act of sharing the untold stories—the ones that challenge the status quo. He weaves together pressing global issues like climate change, economic disparity, and the erosion of human connection, offering 12 actionable steps toward crafting a new narrative of what it means to live with purpose and presence. Recorded live in Vancouver on January 28, 2015. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara talks about the Lotus Sutra and the parable of the burning house. Even in the world of the dharma we can get caught up with playthings and forget that we're living in a burning house. It looks like we’re living in a comfortable place, but half the world is starving. It can be hard to see the suffering that is all around us. Read the notes and transcription: https://michaelstoneteaching.com/2014/10/23/burning-house-betrayal-as-innovation-by-roshi-pat-enkyo-ohara/ The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Michael teaches a one-day introduction to meditation workshop on how you can turn anything into a practice, even a bike lock. Sometimes awake, sometimes asleep; sometimes sun, sometimes moon. Recorded on May 14, 2011.

In this Best of episode, Michael explains how the meditation we need is the “initial application of attention,” then “sustained application” so that we cultivate a spacious field in which thoughts and sensations can come and go. Sometimes blessings are all over the place and we miss them. Toronto, Ontario. Recorded May 3, 2017. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Looking at early Pali texts, Michael tries to recover the original and fuller meaning of mindfulness from its current usage in the west. "Mindfulness establishes the presence of the object and thereby makes it available to scrutiny and discernment." Recorded at Centre of Gravity, Toronto. October 29, 2013. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this Best of episode, Michael reflects on how more people seem to be afraid of uncertainty than they are of physical pain. If we do something about our own pain, we can connect with the pain of others. 50% of our practice should be inward and 50% in our environment. Recorded March 28, 2017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this episode of Best of Awake in the World, While on silent retreat, Michael Stone reflects on the Zen koan "Oak Tree in the Garden," exploring meditation as a politics of love. He also shares a moving account of the Buddha’s final moments. Recorded at True North Insight, Ontario — April 19, 2014. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this insightful Best of Awake in the World episode, Michael delves into how the mind works, the benefits—and limitations—of meditation, and why it’s not always the right fit for everyone. He explores karma, the psychology of delayed gratification, and touches on topics like borderline personality. You’ll also learn the difference between meditative practices that help uncover repression versus those that build a resilient, integrated self. Recorded live at the Enso Foundation in Kelowna. Approx. 1 hour. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Michael begins with talking about finding simplicity in meditation practice; stepping back from the details of thinking to notice the subjective experience of awareness; and then he launches into a discussion about grieving and loss and how we can never get satisfaction when we make war on ourselves or others. He ends by talking about how loss is part of our experience of being a self and how when we reduce ourselves we rescue others. Recorded at Kushala, Port Moody, British Columbia. 1 hour. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Do you have a mind that can meet what’s unpleasant? In this deeply reflective talk from October 30, 2012, Michael Stone explores the inner tension that draws us to the path of practice. He weaves together insights from Carl Jung, the experience of boredom, the discipline of meditation and even a story from his Bar Mitzvah. With characteristic warmth and clarity, Michael invites us to consider how becoming a dharma student begins the moment we recognize the strain within ourselves—and our longing to understand it. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

In this Best of Awake in the World episode, Michael Stone and Grant Hutchinson teach the ways yogic breathing returns the nervous system to "factory settings." Topics include ujjayii pranayama, the palette, the spine and viola pranayama. Pranayama is a practice of settling your attention on your breath. As attention becomes balanced, so too does the nervous system. Recorded on February 6, 2012. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.