Awake in the World Podcast

In this Best of Awake in the world episode Michael leads a thirty-minute guided meditation focuses on noticing and letting go of commentary. Recorded on November 4, 2008.

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 podcast episode based on a koan (Case Forty-five from the Gateless Gate) this talk explores the complex ways that we create a self and create an “other,” and how the two processes can be deeply intertwined. Recorded on October 12, 2008.

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, we revisit a powerful conversation where Michael breaks down the fundamentals of Jhana practice (the 4 stages of deep concentration). He explores the inner “maps” that guide absorption and offers insight into how practitioners can move into increasingly profound states. As stillness deepens, the familiar reference points we use to understand our lives begin to fall away, opening the door to a very different kind of awareness.

Recorded on May 18, 2014 at the Kayagatasati Sutta during a workshop in Madison, 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 Best of episode Michael explores the magic mantra that concludes the Heart Sutra, one of the most famous teachings in the Buddhist tradition. In this one-hour talk, he reflects on how this ancient mantra points to a profound shift in the way we meet our lives.

Through stories, reflections, and practical insights, Michael discusses how the teachings of the Heart Sutra help us transform fear into openness, and how the practice of cultivating compassion can change the way we relate to ourselves and others. He also looks at the often overlooked power of not-knowing, the willingness to step beyond fixed ideas and meet experience with curiosity and humility.

Along the way, Michael explains how mantras work, why they have been used for centuries as tools for awakening, and how the closing mantra of the Heart Sutra can serve as a reminder to keep moving beyond our limitations and into greater freedom.

Recorded in London, England.

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.

On Silent Retreat Michael Stone explores the Zen koan “Why Can’t the Tail Pass Through” along with thoughts on hope, optimism, and despair. He describes “mindfulness as a political tool” and how we don't need a revolution, we need “embodied, moment-to-moment rebellion.” True North Insight, 45 min.

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.