Insight Hour with Joseph Goldstein

Be Here Now Network
Insight Hour with Joseph Goldstein

Joseph Goldstein has been a leading light for the practice of Insight and Loving Kindness meditation since his days in India and Burma where he studied with eminent masters of the tradition. In his podcast, The Insight Hour, Joseph delivers these essential mindfulness teachings in a practical and down to earth way that illuminates the practice through his own personal experience and wonderful story telling.

  1. 5 HR AGO

    Ep. 224 – Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 21: Buddhist Teachings on Perception & Formation

    Continuing his discussion of the five aggregates, Joseph Goldstein dives deeper into perception and how we can get lost in mental formations. The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience! This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self. In another exploration of the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph discusses:Balancing perception with mindfulness Using the frame of our perception to enter more deeply into experience Our tendency to solidify the world through superficial concepts The seduction of being lost in the future and past Reality and the concept of the present moment Created concepts of self-image The delineation of mental factors; universal, occasional, and unwholesome Considering the understanding of karma Having interest in our mental formations and taking time to investigate them How mindfulness of mental formations helps us see how impersonal everything isGrab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed “We also create concepts about things that may seem even more fundamental like age, gender or race. But when we look more deeply, we see that these are concepts too. How old is your breath? It doesn’t make sense. Is the pain in your back male or female? What color is your mind? It’s not to say that the concepts don’t point to some differences of experience, but we often become so identified with and attached to the concept." – Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    59 min
  2. 14 NOV

    Ep. 223 – Buddhism's Five Aggregates, Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 20

    In this profound investigation of subjective experience and direct reality, Joseph Goldstein looks at the first three of the five aggregates in Buddhism. The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience! In this episode, Joseph analyzes:The five aggregates of clinging and deconstructing subjective experienceOpening the stainless dharma vision eyeHow the Buddha shows the way to those who are lostThe direct realities underlying the surface appearance of beingAll of the elements which give rise to the experience of self / the aggregate of RūpaThe nature of material elements and the four great essentialsOur experiences as a flow of changing vibrationsThe second aggregate, Vedanā, aka the feeling qualities of experiencesFeelings as the conditioning factor of our reactionsCollapsing into the identification with pleasant vs. unpleasantSaññā, the aggregate of perceptionRecognizing, naming, and remembering each arising objectThe function of mental noting and focusing on mindfulnessGrab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed “The Buddha uses this contemplation of the aggregates to analyze our subjective experience and, through this analysis, to deconstruct the very deeply held construct and belief in self.” – Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    59 min
  3. 7 NOV

    Ep. 222 – Doubt, Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 19

    Highlighting the danger of indecision, Joseph Goldstein examines the nature of doubt as taught by the Buddha. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self. The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience! This week on Insight Hour, Joseph explains to listeners:How elements of mind and body functionWhat the Buddha said about working with and overcoming doubtRecognizing whether or not doubt is present within ourselvesThe nature and character of the doubting mindThe danger of being paralyzed by indecisionDoubt within our meditation practice / Doubting parts of the dhammaContemplating the unattractive elements of the bodyDoubting the value of practice in a world of sufferingThe deep pattern of self-doubtHow doubt masquerades as wisdomPaying attention to what triggers doubtUnderstanding what is wholesome and unwholesomeInvestigation and the wisdom mind as the cure to doubtGrab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed “When doubt is strong, and we’re paralyzed by indecision, this mental force doesn’t even allow us the opportunity to take a wrong turn and to learn from our mistakes; rather, we’re always checking ourselves, we’re vacillating, we’re trying to decide.” – Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    55 min
  4. 31 OCT

    Ep. 221 – Overcoming Restlessness, Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 18

    Diving into restlessness and worry, Joseph Goldstein outlines how to use the eye of wisdom to examine mental agitation. The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience! This time on Insight Hour, Joseph lectures on:The obvious and subtle expressions of restlessness and worryHow we can easily become over-concerned with our practiceFalling into spiritual self-absorptionThe conditions which cause the arising of restlessness and worryExamining all situations with the eye of wisdomThe physical energies of restlessness and worryMaking the mind wind and open or focusing the mind more microscopicallyReflecting on the purpose of our practiceExcessive striving and our tendency to self-judgeLetting go of the past, future, and presentThis talk was originally published on Dharmaseed “When you feel that the mind is not settled, when it’s not at rest, become mindful of what’s going on. Let the unease that you’re feeling be the mindfulness bell.” – Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    58 min
  5. 23 OCT

    Ep. 220 – The Laziness Trap, Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 17

    Employing the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph Goldstein shows us how to overcome the mental states of sloth and torpor. The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience! In this episode, Joseph instructs listeners on:The mind states of sloth and torporDefining sloth as a sluggishness of mind which dispels energyNoticing when sloth and torpor are present in usHow sloth and torpor can spread via unwise attention to boredom and depressionWatching the thinking patterns we have around slothful mind-statesHow sloth and torpor can signal us to other hidden emotionsOver-consumption and being attentive to what we put into our bodiesThe benefit and value of the eight preceptsHaving a balance of both concentration and energyDeepening our insight into the impermanence of the hindrancesMindfulness as the most basic strategy for overcoming lazinessAdding in more objects to our meditation as an antidote to the sinking mindBeing alert even in times of low energy as practice for conscious dyingFinding inspiration in reading the dhamma, listening to a recording, or chantingThis talk was originally published on Dharmaseed “Mindfulness, here, is deepening our insight into the impermanence of the hindrances. If we can stay with it, we see that they come and go by themselves. We don’t have to fulfill the desire, we don’t have to act on the anger, we don’t have to indulge the sleepiness, in order for them to go, we just need to stay with it and we’ll see their changing nature simply through the awareness of them.” – Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 3m
  6. 17 OCT

    Ep. 219 – Fear & Aversion, Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 16

    Illuminating the shadows of our minds, Joseph Goldstein explains how to notice and investigate the emotions hiding underneath aversions. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self. The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience! In this episode, Joseph offers a discussion on:What aversion is and how to recognize when it’s presentThe powerful underground force of hatredLooking clearly and deeply into our own minds through mindfulnessWeakening and uprooting the very deepest tendencies of mindHow even words themselves contain both desire and aversionThe rising of aversion with respect to physical and emotional painThe nine thoughts that can stir up malice according to the BuddhaWhy we personalize situations which are impersonalOpening up to aversion as simply a noted mind-stateArousing the investigative aspect of the mindReflecting on what purpose (or lack their of) our emotions serveTaking responsibility for our aversionsThe development of loving-kindness and wishing-well to all beingsThis talk was originally published on Dharmaseed “Really what we’re doing here is illuminating the shadow side of our mind, the aspects that we don’t usually see, the underground, the latent tendencies in which the milder forms of aversion are rooted.” – Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 4m
  7. 10 OCT

    Ep. 218 – Freedom From Desire, Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 15

    Joseph Goldstein describes the causes of sensual desire and how to be aware of the wanting-mind rather than suppressing it. The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience! This time on Insight Hour, Joseph reveals to listeners:Dhamma as categories of phenomenaThe mental turbulence of anger and aversionStagnation of mind, restlessness of mindHow hindrances alter and condition our perceptionsPaying particular attention to times of transitionAbandoning hindrances without aversion, self-judgment, and suppressionRecognizing when sensual desire is presentObsessive passion, expectations, addictive cravings, and other manifestations of the wanting-mindHow what we frequently ponder upon becomes our inclination of mindThe misconception that our desires will bring us happinessSeeing the insubstantial nature of desire through mindfulnessReflecting on the Buddha’s teachings in the very moment that they are applicableThe prevention of craving through awareness of the cause of desire and non-clinging“The question is: how can we practice working to abandon the hindrances without suppression, without aversion, and without self-judgment? In the sutta, the Buddha outlines five basic steps in working with the hindrances and finding the middle way between indulging in them and suppressing them. He charts the course for us.” – Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1 hr
  8. 3 OCT

    Ep. 217 – External Mindfulness and Objective Experience, Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 14

    Simplifying our daily practice into bare knowing, Joseph Goldstein instructs us on external mindfulness and noticing our reactions. The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the fourth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience! In this episode, Joseph Goldstein mindfully explains:The comprehensive nature of mindfulness practice Going beyond the division of self and other Insight from inference and inductive reasoning Contemplating the feelings and mind-states of others Being mindful of our reactions to other people's positive and negative feelings Keeping our lives in balance by not being overly self-absorbed Contemplating both internal and external mindfulness so that we can see phenomena objectively The impermanent nature of all feelings Thoughts as the trigger for emotions to arise Staying free in the flow of changing experience The storytelling the mind does versus the Buddha's instruction on bare knowledge The mantra 'it's already here' for awareness of bare knowingDon’t forget to grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE This talk was originally published on Dharmaseed “Contemplating externally not only keeps us in balance so we don’t have this total self-absorption, but we’re paying attention in some way, we’re enlarging the context of our practice. It also helps keep us attuned to how our actions are affecting others so we aren’t just lost in what we’re doing. We’re mindful of the feelings and mind states externally so we see, we’re attuned, we’re aware, in a mindful, non-reactive, non-judgmental way of these states as they arise in other people. We’re paying attention.” – Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 3m

About

Joseph Goldstein has been a leading light for the practice of Insight and Loving Kindness meditation since his days in India and Burma where he studied with eminent masters of the tradition. In his podcast, The Insight Hour, Joseph delivers these essential mindfulness teachings in a practical and down to earth way that illuminates the practice through his own personal experience and wonderful story telling.

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