Dharma Ocean Podcast

In today’s teaching, Reggie discusses how the power of a living lineage is carried forth through directness, honesty, and an uncompromising commitment to the integrity of the dharma. He shares stories from the lives of Chögyam Trungpa and his teachers, Jamgon Kongtrul...

This week’s episode presents part two of Reggie’s talk on the lives of the tantric saints in ancient India given at Stanford University in 2009. Here he discusses the essential role of desire in Vajrayana Buddhism. He begins by asking, does an embrace of desire imply...

In this symposium lecture, given at Stanford University in 2009, Reggie discusses the prototype of the tantric saint in ancient India. As he explains, the tantric path is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by several characteristics: an emphasis on enlightened...

In this week’s episode, Reggie responds to the commonly held notion that passion and attachment are obstacles to the practice of meditation. He explains that the animating life force of the universe is fundamentally an unbridled attraction that we ourselves discover...

In this talk, Reggie challenges the notion of spirituality as a journey of attainment – of progressing towards higher states of enlightened being. He explains that, according to the tantric tradition, true spirituality is actually a downward journey – into the...

In today's episode recorded on a Christmas Day, The Example of Jesus, Reggie speaks on the life and crucifixion of Jesus. He says that we, as modern practitioners, can look to Jesus as an example of someone who maintained integrity in the face of the brutality and...

In Bravery of the Bodhisattva, Reggie discusses the bodhisattva — one who has committed their life to relieving the suffering of others. Far from being an unattainable ideal, the way of the bodhisattva is discovered in how we express our own innermost nature. When we...

In this episode Reggie discusses tonglen, a Buddhist compassion practice, within the context of the Vajrayana understanding of interdependence. He says that when we encounter any difficult person, situation, or emotion we are meeting a part of ourselves that we have...

In today’s episode, Reggie discusses the somatic experience of knowing the world through our hearts. He says that the thinking mind has become the primary way of knowing in modern society and as a result we’ve lost touch with the intelligence of our hearts. By...

Although meditation has become popularized as a tool for stress reduction and basic wellness, it can, in fact, take us much further. In this week's podcast, Reggie discusses how the practice of meditation can carry us beyond the confines of ego to true liberation....

Today’s teaching, Meditation and the Path of Healing, expands on the previous podcast’s theme of the importance of healing on the spiritual journey. Reggie shows how healing begins when we open to our deepest pain and trauma. Surrendering to the reality of our lives,...

In this talk, Healing, Wholeness, and Compassion, Reggie shows how the human journey of spirituality involves three aspects: healing, wholeness, and compassion. He explains that in order to progress in our meditation practice we must look at our overall health and...

In Refuge in the Sangha, as we finish our exploration of the meaning of Refuge, Reggie discusses the intimacy we share with one another in retreat and how that intimacy gives rise to a sense of profound devotion to our community of fellow practitioners. These excerpts...

Today’s talk, Refuge in the Dharma, is a continuation of last week’s topic: the role of refuge on the Buddhist path. In this episode Reggie discusses refuge in the Dharma. He shows how our understanding of the meaning of dharma deepens in profound ways as we grow in...

What does it mean to take refuge in the Buddha? In this episode, Reggie explores this question from the standpoint of the outer, inner, and secret dimensions of the Buddhist journey. He explains that fundamentally the Buddha is the very essence of our being — the very...

Refuge is an important moment in the Buddhist journey. It is a ritual event in which we have the opportunity to commit to the practice of meditation as a spiritual path. In today’s talk, Reggie discusses how in taking refuge we learn to abandon distractions and leap...

As an historian of religions, Reggie has closely studied early Buddhist texts to better understand the human journey of the Buddha in ancient India. Today in The Life and Legacy of the Buddha, we’ll listen to excerpts from three different talks Reggie has given on the...

Renunciation is an important topic in the traditional teachings of the Buddha, and is commonly misunderstood. In today’s talk, Reggie explains that renunciation is not about turning away from our relative lives, but instead is a natural outgrowth of meditation...

In Relating to Groundlessness, Reggie addresses the experience of groundlessness that often occurs when we engage in intensive meditation practice. He explains how we can trust those moments when we lose our sense of identity and encourages us to open to the...

In this week’s episode, Journey of Authentic Becoming, Reggie expands on the topic of Buddha Nature offered in last week’s podcast. When we are able to surrender into our own basic nature, we begin to uncover our unique authentic person. Through the practice of...

Reggie discusses the unique spiritual imperative facing modern people and in particular the state of disconnection that is prevalent in modern society. He explores how invaluable the Buddhist-inspired journey is at this time and how we can discover our own Buddha...

Over the last fifteen years, drawing on Tibetan yoga, Reggie has developed a unique system of practices called Meditating with the Body. In this episode Reggie offers an introduction to the view of the body in Vajrayana Buddhism. He discusses the importance of the...

Reggie explores Buddhist tantra as a spiritual path and discusses inspiration in the practice of meditation. He offers guidance for how we develop trust in the magic and perfection of our lives and explores how the practice of meditation is about dismantling our...