Michael invites the sangha to take a good look at the elephant in the room by sharing their habits, strong emotions, and patterns of reactivity while exploring the “Lookout Tower” and “Riding the Wave” practices. He makes a powerful connection between formal sitting meditation and everyday life, illustrating how what we practice on the cushion can help when things feel large and heavy. Michael also shares a personal story about navigating a month-long houseguest, setting boundaries, and doing his best to keep the balance-even when the situation starts to stampede.
So what should we do with our anger? Trying to “let off steam” often turns out to be like stirring up a herd of elephants, it rarely calms things down. Explosive expressions of anger tend to increase emotional arousal, leaving us feeling more upset rather than relieved. Recorded March 5, 2013.
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.
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Michael invites the sangha to take a good look at the elephant in the room by sharing their habits, strong emotions, and patterns of reactivity while exploring the “Lookout Tower” and “Riding the Wave” practices. He makes a powerful connection between formal sitting meditation and everyday life, illustrating how what we practice on the cushion can help when things feel large and heavy. Michael also shares a personal story about navigating a month-long houseguest, setting boundaries, and doing his best to keep the balance-even when the situation starts to stampede.
So what should we do with our anger? Trying to “let off steam” often turns out to be like stirring up a herd of elephants, it rarely calms things down. Explosive expressions of anger tend to increase emotional arousal, leaving us feeling more upset rather than relieved. Recorded March 5, 2013.
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.
Michael invites the sangha to take a good look at the elephant in the room by sharing their habits, strong emotions, and patterns of reactivity while exploring the “Lookout Tower” and “Riding the Wave” practices. He makes a powerful connection between formal sitting meditation and everyday life, illustrating how what we practice on the cushion can help when things feel large and heavy. Michael also shares a personal story about navigating a month-long houseguest, setting boundaries, and doing his best to keep the balance-even when the situation starts to stampede.
So what should we do with our anger? Trying to “let off steam” often turns out to be like stirring up a herd of elephants, it rarely calms things down. Explosive expressions of anger tend to increase emotional arousal, leaving us feeling more upset rather than relieved. Recorded March 5, 2013.
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 discusses the relationship between awareness and morality or mindfulness and ethics. When we are faced with the unprecedented and unrepeatable complexities of this moment, the question is not, “What is the right thing to do?” but “What is the compassionate thing to do?” This question can be approached with integrity but not with certainty. Recorded in 2011.
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 30-minute guided meditation, Michael explores how to work with thoughts during sitting practice, focusing on the breath in a way that reduces clinging, reduces rejection. The breath doesn’t decide good or bad: it is kind to our body, our nervous system, our habits.
Recorded April 23, 2010
Annual Poetry Evening. Erin Robinsong, Sarah Selecky, Michael Stone read from their favourite poems. A wonderful evening of words to support practice. Recorded Nov. 30, 2010.
Image of Waves & Water: A Collection of Poems by Michael Stone.
Photo by Andréa de Keijzer.
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 Awake in the World podcast episode, Michael references the Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha, reads a koan from The Book of Serenity, and explores how Buddhist practice is radically simple and relates to the whole of our lives.
Recorded April 26, 2010.
Photo by Andréa de Keijzer, New York City
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 episode, Michael talks about Zen Case 55 from the Blue Cliff Record — “Tao Wu’s Condolence Call.” He weaves together insights from the Yoga Sutra, reflecting on fearlessness and the depth of human emotion. Michael discusses how an awakened person experiences a full spectrum of feelings without clinging to them, and how we can cultivate a balance between vibrant energy and steady calmness. Recorded at YogaSpirit in Berlin, Germany on October 20, 2016.
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.
A lively discussion on meditation and the Tibetan Lojong Practices for Training in Compassion. Portland, Oregon. Recorded on December 3, 2016.
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.
Tibetan Buddhist Teachings for transforming what’s unpleasant, letting go of grasping, and the 3 treasures of awakening, reality and community. Portland, Oregon. Recorded on December 4, 2016.
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.
Michael continues his month-long discussion about masks and how they shouldn't stick to your face. He gives the sangha some insight into the intrinsic and extrinsic nature of people and what motivates them to behave the way they do. Recorded Oct 11, 2010.
Michael tells the story of Angulimala, a murderer who met the Buddha and changed his ways though was still stoned to death. This teaching illustrates how we are never free of karma and that our conduct always shapes our lives. Recorded Sept 28, 2010.
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.
Michael talks on another Dongshan where he asks his students if they can go to a place where there are no weeds. Michael’s commentary is that weeds are not the problem and that what we need to let go of is not “stuff” but our reactivity. Christine Centre, Wisconsin, 50 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.
Michael Begins with a reminder not to push through practice, but to relax in the present moment. Learn to let go of the expectations of what it means to be on retreat and join with this guided meditation (beginning at 21:00) from the 2009/2010 New Years Retreat, Recorded December 29, 2009.
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.
Michael dedicates the final evening of this retreat to Alan Ginsberg, whos self-portraits and multi-fauceted expressions have inspired him. He touches on the psychology of always thinking about the dualism between the true self and the self as participants share their own "self-portraits," a six-line assignment given to them during the retreat. Recorded September 12, 2009
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.
Learning how to be present with an un-agitated heart. Meditation teaches us to be wiser with what’s difficult. Embodying our meditative practice by learning how to stop and see clearly. Meditation Facilitation Training, Vancouver, 1hr.
Michael offers a talk on the teachings of the insentient, how the snow and silence can hold hidden lessons. Can you give attention to the way the insentient teaches us? Recorded December 29, 2010.
Take a moment to notice where in your body this emotional state or mood is most present. What physical sensations let you know that you're experiencing this feeling? See if you can observe how the emotion shows up in your body—how it's expressed through sensation and physical experience. Recorded December 2017.
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 epside Michael introduces Case 12 of the Mumonkon, "The Master". He ties waking up with social action and the teachings of the Burmese Monks who visited the evening prior. A funny and lively talk with practices you can use in your life. Recorded Oct 5, 2010.
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 describes how the Buddha met fear, mapping out how concentration practice unfolds, then offers a mind-opening view of rebirth and reincarnation.
Recorded in Wisconsin, March 26, 2017.
During a workshop in France, Michael teaches on the 3 characteristics — a teaching found in both the Yoga and Buddhist traditions. This talk is in both French and English.
Recorded in Antibes, France, on October 26, 2013.
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.
A community talk at Tassajara Monastery with Michael Stone & Zen teacher Paul Haller. They each share some of their biography and field Q&A about practice. Paul shares from his 40 years of Zen practice. Recorded at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Monastery, California.
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.
Michael invites the sangha to take a good look at the elephant in the room by sharing their habits, strong emotions, and patterns of reactivity while exploring the “Lookout Tower” and “Riding the Wave” practices. He makes a powerful connection between formal sitting meditation and everyday life, illustrating how what we practice on the cushion can help when things feel large and heavy. Michael also shares a personal story about navigating a month-long houseguest, setting boundaries, and doing his best to keep the balance-even when the situation starts to stampede.
So what should we do with our anger? Trying to “let off steam” often turns out to be like stirring up a herd of elephants, it rarely calms things down. Explosive expressions of anger tend to increase emotional arousal, leaving us feeling more upset rather than relieved. Recorded March 5, 2013.
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.
