Paths of Practice: Conversations on Journeys into Buddhism

Vincent Moore
  • 5.0 (4)
  • BUDDHISM

Paths of Practice (PoP) is a podcast that features interviews with people sharing their experiences with Buddhism and Buddhist practice. The podcast includes conversations with folks from a wide variety of backgrounds, both those that have been on the path for a while and those just starting out as well as everyone in between. In a way, the podcast sets out to explore the "84,000 paths to enlightenment," one Buddhist at a time. PoP was created and is hosted by Vincent Moore. Vincent is a relatively new practitioner of Soto Zen and has an MA from the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

  1. Paths of Practice with Rev. Gigen Mark Hollingshead

    1D AGO

    Paths of Practice with Rev. Gigen Mark Hollingshead

    Rev. Gigen Mark Hollingshead has been studying Zen for over 25 years. He began training at Middlebar Monastery in Stockton, California. Twelve years ago he moved to Santa Cruz and began practice at Ocean Gate Zen Center. In 2017 Gigen went through the Jukai ceremony to officially become Daijaku Roshi’s student, and in 2023 went through novice priest ordination (Shukke Tokodo). Gigen holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from California State University, Sacramento. For more information about Rev. Gigen and other resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://oceangatezen.org/ https://www.youtube.com/@CrankyZen https://www.youtube.com/@markhollingshead5096 We talked about: *Finding stability, balance, and meditation at an early age in martial arts training *Middlebar Monastery, MacDonough Roshi, and practice without pretension *Ocean Gate Zen Center, Jukai, and the decision to ordain *Zazen, Fudōshin or "the immovable mind," and recognizing stillness in motion *And the importance of getting out of your own head and comfort zone and to practice with others

    1h 3m
  2. Paths of Practice with Monica C. Mann-Wrobel, PhD

    APR 4

    Paths of Practice with Monica C. Mann-Wrobel, PhD

    Monica C. Mann-Wrobel, PhD, is a licensed psychologist located in Chapel Hill, NC. Monica specializes in providing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for a range of aspects of the human condition including but certainly not limited to anxiety, depression, life transitions, family challenges and trauma in adults. Monica also works with couples, offering Emotion Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT). Monica is an experienced meditator and enjoys infusing mindfulness into all aspects of her clinical work and believes strongly in the value of this approach to the human condition.  Monica grew up in small towns in the Western Piedmont of North Carolina and then spent 8 years with her husband Mike in Maryland, outside Wasington, DC, going to graduate school and post-doc for clinical psychology. Monica has had a steady meditation practice for about 20 years and recently completed a two-year mindfulness teacher training program, so she enjoys occasionally teaching at Mindful Families of Durham (MFD). She and her family have been members of MFD since 2018 and this community has helped them really integrate mindfulness into their family routines and rituals. It's been especially joyful for Monica to watch her children learn to be more mindful and kind towards themselves, others, and all beings. For more information about Monica and other mentioned resources, please visit the following links: http://www.drmann-wrobel.com/ https://www.mindfulfamiliesofdurham.org/ https://triangleinsight.org/ We discussed: *The Walk for Peace and reflecting on dharma talks with family members *Finding mindfulness in graduate school, clinical psychology, and the impact of applying mindfulness techniques in clinical work with veterans *The Triangle Insight Meditation Community, Mindful Families of Durham, and the experience of creating and sustaining a model for families to participate in mindfulness communities together *And the importance of remembering that change happens over time and that practicing mindfulness can be a radical act of self-love

    1 hr
  3. Paths of Practice with Jeremy David Engels, PhD

    MAR 27

    Paths of Practice with Jeremy David Engels, PhD

    Jeremy David Engels, Ph.D., is the Liberal Arts professor of Communication and Ethics at Penn State University. He is also a longtime teacher of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga and since undertaking a pilgrimage to walk in the footsteps of the Buddha in India and Nepal in 2018, a student of Thích Nhất Hạnh. He is an award-winning teacher and scholar, and has published numerous books and articles about democracy, community building, deliberation, and peace. He lives in State College, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife Anna run a community yoga and meditation studio called Yoga Lab. Jeremy joyfully joins the Plum Village Beloved Community in practicing mindfulness as “the practice of peace.” For more information about Jeremy and other resources, please visit the following links: https://jeremydavidengels.com/ https://zenandtheartofdemocracy.substack.com/ https://www.parallax.org/product/on-mindful-democracy/ https://www.statecollegeyogalab.com/ We discussed: *The Walk for Peace, deliberation, and the need for and the impact of Beloved Community *Tech awareness, teaching mindfulness to university students, and the invitation to be our own anthropologist *Interdependence, a Buddhist pilgrimage in India, and the miracle of our life *Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnam, and how to go about embracing our mud *And the importance of remembering that we are not alone on the Buddhist path and to exercise kindness to ourselves

    1h 3m
  4. Paths of Practice with Daisy Lin

    MAR 23

    Paths of Practice with Daisy Lin

    Daisy Lin is an Emmy Award–winning journalist whose work has been published by NBC News, Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and more. She is a longtime member of the Caretaking Council of Los Angeles Compassionate Heart Sangha and a student at the Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Check out the following link for Daisy's blog, Dharma Diaries: https://www.dharmadiaries.com/ For Daisy's recommended resources, please visit the following links: https://lachsangha.wixsite.com/breathe https://www.mountaincloud.org/ https://limitlesshorizonsixil.org/ We talked about: *Service, equanimity, koans, and supporting the development of girls schools in Guatemala *Finding Buddhism during a time of personal crisis and learning how to tend to yourself at the Los Angeles Compassionate Heart Sangha *Mu and the impact of finding a teacher at Mountain Cloud Zen Center *Accepting and loving your “knot” as well as acknowledging your ancestors *And the importance of looking inside to find the jewels in your jacket and discovering that you are a wellspring

    48 min
  5. Paths of Practice with Rev. Jokan Ono

    MAR 14

    Paths of Practice with Rev. Jokan Ono

    Rev. Jokan Ono is the 43rd Abbot and Head Priest of Fugenji Temple (Tendai School), Fuchu City, Tokyo. Born in Tokyo in 1986, he is a graduate of Waseda University and also studied at Lewis & Clark College in Oregon, USA. During his university years, he completed the Tendai ascetic training, Shido Kegyo, on Mount Hiei. After working in corporate consulting and the IT sector, he founded “Kechien Kikaku,” a project aiming to strengthen the bond between temples and communities. He later completed the first 100 days of the Kaihōgyō on Mount Hiei. He became the Head Priest of Fugenji in 2020. In 2023, he spoke as one of Japan’s representatives at the International Sangha Forum in Bodh Gaya, hosted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Rev Ono’s aspiration is to become “an international monk who connects the Japanese Buddhism of harmony with the world." For more information about Fugenji, please visit the following link: https://www.fugenji.com/ We discussed: *Ordaining at the age of ten, training at Mount Hiei, and becoming the 43rd abbot of Fugenji *Returning to Mount Hiei after living in the secular world and working in business *Kaihōgyō, Sennichi-e, and engaging with practices around emptiness and interdependence through nature *Fudō Myō-ō and practicing the Goma fire ritual *Tendai, meditation, and the Threefold Contemplation in a Single Mind *Cafe Terrace Fugenji and supporting an online sangha *Toei Tama Cemetery and impermanence *and the importance of letting your motivation for awakening serve as your compass along the Buddhist path

    46 min
  6. Paths of Practice with John Fraser

    MAR 9

    Paths of Practice with John Fraser

    John Fraser is the principal teacher of the Glasgow Zen Group and received Shiho or dharma transmission from Michael Eido Luetchford in 2006. John is also a somatic sex therapist & sex coach, working in Edinburgh, Scotland, with individuals and couples. The Glasgow Zen Group was established in 1990 within the auspices of the International Zen Association, and has operated as an independent fellowship of practitioners since 2000, practicing within the broad Soto Zen tradition. For more information about John and the Glasgow Zen Group, please visit the following links: https://www.loveandsexcoaching.co.uk/ https://glasgowzengroup.com/ We discussed: *Dharma transmission as the freedom to be your full self as a teacher *First happening upon Zen in a ski chalet and the origins of the Glasgow Zen Group *Authenticity, sexuality, dance, and embodiment *And the importance of finding a practice that makes the most sense for you and that it’s not about being remembered, it’s about being useful

    1h 6m
  7. Paths of Practice with Euna Bonovich

    MAR 5

    Paths of Practice with Euna Bonovich

    Euna is a multicultural, unaffiliated renunciate dedicating their life to the Dhamma (Laws of Nature) as taught by Buddha. Cave yogi-poet who loves exploring diverse, inclusive, and fun routes to awakening. Enthusiastic about ascetic training in caves and wilderness, nervous system theory, and Brahma-Vihara practices. Primary focus is on Cittanupassana and Hwadu. Formally trained in Vipassana & Samatha meditation (Myanmar Theravada and Korean Seon lineages), and monasticism at Mahapajapati Monastery. Completed BA in Ethnic Studies: Race, Gender, and Power at Mills College. Currently, board secretary at Mahapajapati Foundation, resident steward at Mahapajapati Monastery, and Registered Behavior Technician. Learn more about their adventures at scoby.substack.com. For other resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://mahapajapatiinfo.wordpress.com/ https://dharmatreasure.org/ We talked about: *Recovery Dharma at San Francisco Zen Center and developing a meditation practice *Daehaeng Sunim, Mahapajapati Monastery, and dharma in the wilderness *Cave meditation, renunciation, and learning what feels good and what doesn't *Cooking at a Korean monastery, identity, and poetry *Leading meditation and the excitement and fulfillment of facilitating queer retreats *And the importance studying your role models and safely jumping into your practice.

    1 hr
  8. Paths of Practice with Ananda Mahinkanda, PhD

    FEB 25

    Paths of Practice with Ananda Mahinkanda, PhD

    Ananda Mahinkanda is an accomplished Accounting and Finance professional and Business Administrator with a Doctorate in Humanity. His life journey has taken him across South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and North America, giving him a rich multicultural perspective and a deep appreciation for the diversity of human experience. A lifelong animal lover, Ananda is deeply committed to ahimsa and to promoting compassion toward all beings. He actively advocates for a plant-based lifestyle, recognizing its profound benefits for animal welfare, human health, and the protection of the environment. Ananda is also a serious meditation and Dhamma practitioner. His spiritual path includes a period of temporary ordination, and he continues to maintain a dedicated practice grounded in mindfulness, insight, and ethical living.He is the founder of Samahitha Nature Foundation, USA, and serves as the International Advisor to the Sri Lanka Non-Violence Society. For more information about Ananda and the Samahitha Nature Foundation, please visit the following link: https://www.youtube.com/@Samahithanaturefundation We talked about: *Mahinda, growing up Buddhist in Sri Lanka, and right action *Meditation and receiving temporary ordination in Burma *Mindfulness and the joy of interconnection *No-self, ahimsa, and the benefits of a plant-based diet *And the importance of observing your mind and taking time to think about how you want to live your life

    1h 14m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Paths of Practice (PoP) is a podcast that features interviews with people sharing their experiences with Buddhism and Buddhist practice. The podcast includes conversations with folks from a wide variety of backgrounds, both those that have been on the path for a while and those just starting out as well as everyone in between. In a way, the podcast sets out to explore the "84,000 paths to enlightenment," one Buddhist at a time. PoP was created and is hosted by Vincent Moore. Vincent is a relatively new practitioner of Soto Zen and has an MA from the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

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