Secular Buddhism for Skeptical Atheists Mike & Dougie

Socials! @omgmikehoffman @d0ug7a5 podpondpods@gmail.com In Buddhism, the main duality considered is generally "suffering" and "enlightenment". Quite different to "good" and "evil" or the "good" and "bad" lens through which we often experience life. Or is it? Evil is a pretty loaded term. Can we ever know whether something is wholly "good" or "bad"? A lot of this is about the stories we choose to tell ourselves. "Good is a point of view Anakin" - is thinking "beyond" good and bad just a ...

Socials, you say!? @omgmikehoffman @d0ug7a5 podpondpods@gmail.com Issue: - The traditional Buddhist notion of "metta" is often translated as 'loving kindness' or 'compassion'. If you do Headspace meditations and do visualisations involving being flooded with golden light, that is actually a visualisation of "metta". - "Be kind" - it's a hashtag; it sounds simple and easy. Let's see if it is. - Metta development/cultivation ("metta bhavana") - 'loving kindness meditation'. Concept: The 5 stage...

Socials: @d0ug7a5 @omgmikehoffman News and social media are more divisive than ever. Covid has exposed a lot of mis- and disinformation and conspiracy theorists. It's a natural response to be reactive and combative. This is leading to the breakdown of relationships. What can we do about it? Parable: The Wild ElephantOne of the many lives of the Bodhisattva was spent as an ascetic. This one time, he came back as the most superior ascetic in the whole order and everyone used to ...

With so much flux right now, the world can feel like it's getting on top of us. How many of these problems are actually truly ours? Are we defined by our problems? Concepts:Ego (See season 1 episode Big Ego)Inner and outer problems (See parable)Acceptance If you can solve the problem,Then what is the need of worrying?If you cannot solve it,Then what is the use of worrying?-Shantideva In Modern Buddhism, Geshe Kelsang says there are two types of problem, an inner and an outer problem:We should...

Mike: @omgmikehoffmanDougie: @d0ug7a5A lot of people have found themselves suffering from conditions and situations they didn't expect, such as long covid, the loss of many loved ones, other health issues and personal catastrophes .It's human nature to get hung up on why me, spiraling in grief and self pity. So how can we move away from that?Concept:The Four Noble Truths3. That type of suffering can be avoidedThe Eightfold Path6. Right Effort: preventing the arising of unwholesome states, and...

Mike: @omgmikehoffmanDougie: @d0ug7a5Issue:Everything is changing all the time! Mike and Dougie talk about letting go in the face of disappointment and we have a tough listener question about the shootings in Plymouth and the turmoil in Afghanistan.Concept:The Three Universal Truths 1. Nothing is lost in the universe2. Everything Changes3. The Law of Cause and Effect The Four Noble Truths2. Suffering is caused by our own clinging3. That type of suffering can be avoidedUpādāna - clinging...