The Modern Buddhism Podcast

In today's episode, Gen Kelsang Chökyong - a Buddhist monk from Wales - shares the story of how he stumbled into a Dharma class while sheltering from the rain with a kebab, and never left. Drawing on nearly thirty years of practice and teaching within the New Kadampa Tradition, he explores why the mind - not external circumstances - is the true source of all our happiness and suffering. He explains the Buddhist concept of self-grasping ignorance and how this single delusion drives everything from daily irritation and relationship problems to the world's largest conflicts. Gen Chökyong highlights how meditation and compassion gradually erode this grasping, revealing a natural peace that was always there. He shares life-changing insights into the nature of feelings - pointing out that most of what torments us is just a feeling, and feelings always pass. He concludes with a very helpful approach to making mistakes. Instead of turning on ourself, we can realize that without making mistakes it’s unlikely that we’ll learn and improve. Warm, funny, and deeply practical, this episode is a masterclass in how Buddhist wisdom applies directly to modern anxiety, relationships, and the art of letting go.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Finding Dharma 05:00 Seeing Through the Fantasy of Worldly Life 09:20 How the Mind Creates Its Own Suffering 15:00 Buddhism's Relevance for Modern Life and Young People 22:40 Confidence, Self-Image, and Letting Go of Comparison 27:20 Working with Difficulties 28:45 Feelings and the Power of Letting Go 33:55 Compassion and Learning from MistakesBook ReferencesIn this episode Gen Chökyong references: 
How to Solve our Human Problems
 - https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-solve-our-human-problemsHow to Transform Your Life
 - https://howtotyl.com/Gen Chökyong is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide.

WANT MORE?Find a meditation center near you
:https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=enListen to teaching clips
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#KadampaBuddhism #Buddhism #Meditation #InnerPeace #MindTraining #GesheKelsangGyatso #NewKadampaTradition #BuddhistTeachings #Mindfulness #LetGo #SelfGrasping #Compassion #Patience #HappinessWithin #BuddhistPodcast

n today's episode, Kadam Mick Marcon explores one of the biggest challenges in life - how to cope with uncertainty. Drawing on his own experience of losing his mother, witnessing a stranger's fear on a turbulent flight, and years of practising and teaching within the New Kadampa Tradition, he reveals why our struggle with uncertainty runs far deeper than the unpredictable events of the outside world. He explains how unrealistic expectations - the wish for things to be permanent in a world defined by impermanence - are at the very root of our suffering, and why no amount of external change has ever, or will ever, resolve this inner conflict.Kadam Mick walks us through the tools Buddhism has to offer for working with the mind - from breathing meditation to the contemplation of impermanence - and distinguishes between the pain of attachment and the freedom of genuine love. Whether you are struggling to let go of a past relationship, facing the loss of someone you love, or simply overwhelmed by the chaos of the modern world, this episode offers a genuinely transformative perspective on how to truly be at peace with uncertainty.Chapters00:00 Introduction - Uncertainty and Human Nature 05:10 Bushfires, Escape Artists, and the Unprepared Mind 08:00 The Travel Blogger on a Turbulent Flight 11:00 Why Taming the Mind Feels Impossible 15:38 Informal Meditation - Becoming a Student of Life 18:07 The World's Problems and the Internal Answer 23:27 Unrealistic Wishes and the Root of Suffering 30:08 Letting Go of a Painful Past 36:03 Relationships, Meaning, and Inner Development 38:14 Detachment vs. Non-Attachment Explained 42:47 Love, Attachment, and the Teachings on ImpermanenceSubscribe to get notifications of new episodes.Want More?Find a meditation center near you - 
https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=enListen to teaching clips
 - https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z#Kadampa #Buddhism #Meditation #Impermanence #Uncertainty #LettingGo #MindTraining #InnerPeace #Attachment #NonAttachment #Acceptance #BuddhistTeachings #MindfulLiving #GesheKelsangGyatso #Kadampa #SpiritualGrowth #Dharma #Podcast

In today’s episode, Gen Kelsang Norden explores the meaning of karma and how understanding it can become a liberating and empowering force in our lives. Speaking from her heart and her own experience of practicing these teachings, she explains how our thoughts and actions shape the way we experience the world and what we encounter in the future.We learn that karma is something we can actively reshape through the choices we make each day. By recognizing that our experiences arise from our own past actions, we can free ourselves from the painful mental states of blame, victimhood, and resentment, and instead cultivate genuine personal responsibility and inner freedom.Gen Norden also explains the “mirror of karma,” the idea that every experience reflects our actions back to us, helping us to live with greater integrity and authenticity. She reminds us that at the end of our lives, what remains with us is not how others saw us, but the imprints of our own actions.Alongside this, she shares transformative practices such as taking and giving meditation and rejoicing in the happiness of others, showing how compassion and selflessness not only bring happiness and confidence, but also create powerful positive karma.This episode offers a clear and heartfelt presentation of one of Buddha’s principal teachings, and a practical guide to living with greater authenticity, freedom, and joy.Chapters00:00 A Powerful Method to Overcome Fear6:33 The Secret to Feeling Joy Anytime15:50 Can You Love People Who Hurt You?19:20 Why We Lose Control (And How to Catch It)23:28 Is Reality Actually Subjective?31:07 Why You’re Not Stuck in Your Life35:15 How to Take Control of Your Future47:10 Integrity, Authenticity and Self-Confidence 53:00 Can I be Happy In an Uncertain World? 58:05 The Path to Inner FreedomSubscribe to get notifications of new episodes.

Book References

In this episode Gen Kelsang Norden references:How to Transform Your Life
 - https://howtotyl.com/The New Eight Steps to Happiness - https://kadampa.org/book/eight-steps-to-happinessWant More?Find a meditation center near you - 
https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=enListen to teaching clips
 - https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z#Buddhism #Meditation #MindTraining #Karma #InnerPeace #SelfGrowth #PersonalDevelopment #Mindfulness #Compassion #SpiritualGrowth #AnxietyRelief #EmotionalIntelligence #LettingGo #HappinessWithin #Wisdom #Dharma #Podcast

Cameron Mathison Opens Up About Facing Hate on Social MediaPart 2 of 2 (Part 1 is here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3oSYw1flcsUDbauL2feq0h?si=rPsZdHERQOeZcLyr9TqXfA )In this second part of the interview with actor Cameron Mathison, we learn how it feels to play one of TV's most despised characters. Cameron explains how he was able to see the truth of Buddha's teachings reflected in the character, using it as a mirror that helped him deepen his own spiritual training. However, the training didn't stop there. Cameron faced online hate as well as real-life confrontations from people unable to separate the role from the man behind it. He reflects on how he was able to transform these difficult experiences into spiritual growth that helps and inspires others. The feature concludes with a powerful message: that being authentic and accountable is the foundation of true strength and resilience.Chapters00:00 How Playing a Villain Mirrors the Mind05:02 Handling Hate & Public Criticism08:47 Building Resilience Through Challenges12:03 How Delusions Negatively Shape Our Life15:11 The Inner Conflict of Self-Cherishing17:02 Why We Need Spiritual Friends & AccountabilitySubscribe to get notifications of new episodes.Book References⁠How To Transform Your Life⁠ by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso⁠Eight Steps To Happiness⁠  by Geshe Kelsang GyatsoWant More?Find a meditation center near you -⁠ https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en⁠Listen to teaching clips - https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z⁠Follow the Modern Buddhism Podcast⁠⁠Spotify:⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/7lgQNhbjMGoHOxBnjkfmK4⁠#Kadampa #Buddhism #Meditation #GesheKelsangGyatso #HowToTransformYourLife #EightStepsToHappiness #ModernBuddhism #MindTraining #Lojong #InnerPeace #SpiritualGrowth #Meditation #MentalHealth #BuddhistWisdom #SelfTransformation

Cameron Mathison on how he rebuilt his life after the LA fires, cancer, death, and divorceIn today’s episode, we’re delighted to welcome actor and talk show host Cameron Mathison, who shares his deeply personal journey—from success in the entertainment industry to discovering lasting inner peace through the teachings of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche.Cameron opens up about a series of profound life challenges, including his battle with cancer, his mother’s dementia and passing, job loss, the breakdown of his marriage, and the devastating loss of his home in a fire—along with the memories it held.In this honest and inspiring conversation, he explains how meditation and Buddhist practice helped him not only navigate these hardships, but transform his experience—becoming happier, freer, and more resilient in the process.Chapters00:00 When Success Was Not Enough05:12 Discovering Kadampa Meditation10:18 Learning to Work With the Mind15:02 Practicing Dharma in the Entertainment Industry19:03 Kindness in Difficult Relationships23:48 Humility, Perspective & Real Success28:04 Accepting Change When Life Falls Apart32:10 Cancer, Loss & Major Life Challenges37:40 Training the Mind Through Hardship43:05 Relying on Sangha, Teacher & DharmaBook ReferencesHow To Transform Your Life by Geshe Kelsang GyatsoEight Steps To Happiness  by Geshe Kelsang GyatsoSubscribe to get notifications of new episodes.Want More?Find a meditation center near you -https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=enListen to teaching clips -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4zFollow the Modern Buddhism PodcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7lgQNhbjMGoHOxBnjkfmK4#Kadampa #Buddhism #Meditation #GesheKelsangGyatso #HowToTransformYourLife #EightStepsToHappiness #ModernBuddhism #MindTraining #Lojong #InnerPeace #SpiritualGrowth #Meditation #MentalHealth #BuddhistWisdom #SelfTransformation