PodParley PodParley
Intro to Zen Online cover art

All Episodes

Intro to Zen Online — 298 episodes

#
Title
1

Ep. 281: Sitting on 4-14-26 (breath counting)

2

Ep. 280: Sitting on 4-7-26 (on concentration)

3

Ep. 279: Sitting on 3-31-26 (on posture and awareness)

4

Ep. 278: Sitting on 3-24-26

5

Ep. 277: Sitting on 3-17-26

6

Ep. 276: Sitting on 3-10-26 (preferences, picking and choosing, and authenticity)

7

Ep. 275: Sitting on 3-3-26

8

Ep. 274: Sitting on 2-24-26 (Q&A)

9

Ep. 273: Sitting on 2-17-26 (a different version of loving-kindness practice)

10

Ep. 272: Sitting on 2-10-26 (open awareness & more on practicing with fear)

11

Ep. 271: Sitting on 2-3-26 (practicing with fear/anxiety)

12

Ep. 270: Sitting on 1-27-26 (Lessons from Minneapolis)

13

Ep. 269: Sitting on 1-20-26

14

Ep. 268: Sitting on 1-13-26 (Practicing with sounds & work as practice)

15

Ep. 267: Sitting on 1-6-26 (practicing for others)

16

Ep. 266: Sitting on 12-16-25

17

Ep. 265: Sitting on 12-9-25 (soft belly)

18

Ep. 264: Sitting on 12-2-25

19

Ep. 263: Sitting on 11-18-25 (meditation: body scan)

20

Sitting on 11-11-25 (meditation: listening to sounds)

21

Ep. 261: Sitting on 11-4-25 (on concentration)

22

Ep. 260: Sitting on 10-28-25

23

Ep. 259: Sitting on 10-21-25 (breath counting)

24

Ep. 258: Sitting on 11-14-25

25

Ep. 257: Sitting on 10-7-25

26

Ep. 256: Sitting on 9-30-25 (Back-to-basics [4 of 4]: shikantaza + working with discomfort)

27

Ep. 255: Sitting on 9-23-25 (Back-to-basics [3 of 4]: Experiencing the Body)

28

Ep. 254: Sitting on 9-16-25 (Back to basics [2 of 4]: practicing with thoughts)

29

Ep. 253: Sitting on 9-9-25 (Back to basics [1 of 4]: Concentration)

30

Ep. 252: Sitting on 9-2-25

31

Ep. 251: Sitting on 8-26-25

32

Ep. 250: Sitting on 8-19-25

33

Ep. 249: Sitting on 8-12-25 (Q&A)

34

Ep. 248: Sitting on 7-29-25 (how to practice with thoughts)

35

Ep. 247: Sitting on 7-22-25 (no-self / emptiness of the self)

36

Ep. 246: Sitting on 7-15-25 (Gokaku's Three Shames)

37

Ep. 245: Sitting on 7-8-25 (on rituals and forms)

38

Ep. 244: Sitting on 7-1-25

39

Ep. 243: Sitting on 6-17-25

40

Ep. 242: Sitting on 6-10-25 (more on practice off the cushion)

41

Ep. 241: Sitting on 6-3-25 (practice off the cushion)

42

Ep. 240: Sitting on 5-27-25 (Zen and goal-orientedness)

43

Ep. 239: Body Scan Open Awareness Meditation (Recorded 5/20/25)

44

Ep. 238: Sitting on 5-20-25 (working with our fear-based conditioning)

45

Ep. 237: Sitting on 5-14-25

46

Ep. 236: Sitting on 5-6-25 (picking and choosing)

47

Ep. 235: Sitting on 4-29-25 (Q&A)

48

Ep. 234: Sitting on 4-15-25 ("not knowing is most intimate")

49

Ep. 233: Sitting on 4-8-25 (on goallessness)

50

Ep. 232: Sitting on 4-1-25

51

Ep. 231: Sitting on 3-25-25 (practicing with pain)

52

Ep. 230: Sitting on 3-18-25 (breath counting)

53

Ep. 229: Sitting on 3-11-25

54

Ep. 228: Sitting on 3-4-25 (a bit about equanimity)

55

Ep. 227: Sitting on 2-25-25 (Ten Oxherding Pictures)

56

Ep. 226: Sitting on 2-18-25

57

Ep. 225: Sitting on 2-11-25

58

Ep. 224: Sitting on 2-4-25 (on grief)

59

Ep. 223: Sitting on 1-28-25

60

Ep. 222: Sitting on 1-21-25

61

Ep. 221: Sitting on 1-14-25 (experiencing the body)

62

Ep. 220: Sitting on 1-7-25

63

Ep. 219: Letting Be Guided Meditation (recorded 12-10-24)

64

Ep. 218: Sitting on 12-10-24 (mindfulness & awakening)

65

Ep. 217: Sitting on 12-3-24 (concentration)

66

Ep. 216: Sitting on 11-26-24 (breath-following meditation)

67

Ep. 215: Sitting on 11-29-24 (working with thoughts)

68

Ep. 214: Sitting on 11-12-24 (block-build-be)

69

Ep. 213: Sitting on 11-5-24 (election night)

70

Ep. 212: Sitting on 10-29-24 (loving-kindness)

71

Ep. 211: Sitting on 10-22-24 (Toni Packer on "expectations")

72

Ep. 210: Sitting on 10-15-24

73

Ep. 209: BBSSBB (guided meditation only; recorded 10-8-24)

74

Ep. 208: Sitting on 10-8-24 (BBSSBB meditation -- cultivating open awareness)

75

Ep. 207: Sitting on 10-2-24

76

Ep. 206: Sitting on 9-24-24 (on not picking and choosing / body scan)

77

Ep. 205: Sitting on 9-17-24

78

Ep. 204: Sitting on 9-10-24

79

Ep. 203: Sitting on 9-3-24

80

Ep. 202: Sitting on 8-27-24

81

Ep. 201: Sitting on 8-12-24

82

Ep. 200: Sitting on 8-6-24

83

Ep. 199: Sitting on 7-29-24

84

Ep. 198: Sitting on 7-16-24 (meditation and sensory awareness)

85

Ep. 197: Sitting on 7-8-24 (more on breath counting)

86

Ep. 196: Sitting on 7-2-24 (Counting the Breath)

87

Ep. 195: Sitting on 6-25-24

88

Ep. 194: Sitting on 6-18-24

89

Ep. 193: Sitting on 6-11-24

90

Ep. 192: Sitting on 6-4-24 (Emptiness, Compassion, Loving-kindness)

91

Ep. 191: Sitting on 5-28-24 (body scan & practicing with unpleasant sensations)

92

Ep. 190: Sitting on 5-20-24 (on lay practice and attachments)

93

Ep. 189: Sitting on 5-13-24 (meditation and politics)

94

Ep. 188: Class on 5-7-24

95

Ep. 187: Class on 4-30-24

96

Ep. 186: Class on 4-23-24 (noting/labeling thoughts)

97

Ep. 185: Zoom class on 4-16-24

98

Ep. 184: Zoom class on 4-2-24

99

Ep. 183: Zoom class on 3-26-24 ("non-thinking")

100

Ep. 182: Zoom class on 3-19-24 (recording ends after opening meditation)

101

Ep. 181: Zoom class on 3-12-24 (on concepts and reification)

102

Ep. 180: Zoom class on 3-5-24

103

Ep. 179: Zoom Class on 2-27-24 (BBSSBB Practice)

104

Ep. 178: Zoom class on 2-13-24 (practicing with bodily tension)

105

Ep. 177: Zoom class on 2-6-24

106

Ep. 176: Zoom class on 1-16-24 (two aspects of Buddhist meditation: samatha and vipassana)

107

Ep. 175: Zoom class on 1-2-24 (dual awareness practice: breath + sounds)

108

Ep. 174: Zoom class on 12-19-23 (body scan)

109

Ep. 173: Zoom Class on 12-5-23

110

Ep. 172: Zoom Class on 11-21-23

111

Ep. 171: Zoom Class on 11-7-23

112

Ep. 170: Mindfulness Meditation (from Zoom class on 10-17-23)

113

Ep. 169: Zoom Class on 10-3-23 (loving-kindness practice)

114

Ep. 168: Zoom Class on 9-19-23

115

Ep. 167: Zoom class on 9-5-23

116

Ep. 166: Final "Intro to Zen" Class (breath-counting + goodbyes)

117

Ep. 165: Zoom Class on 3-14-23 (dual awareness practice)

118

Ep. 164: BBSSBB Meditation (recording during Zoom class on 3-7-23)

119

Ep. 163: Zoom Class on 2-21-23 (soft gaze/soft hearing + BBSSBB meditation)

120

Ep. 162: Zoom Class on 2-14-23

121

Ep. 161: Zoom Class on 2-7-23 (talk on Zen and self-esteem)

122

Ep. 160: Zoom Class on 1-31-23 (dual awareness practice)

123

Zoom Class on 1-24-23

124

Ep. 158: Zoom Class on 1-17-23 (loving-kindness)

125

Ep. 157: Zoom Class on 1-10-23 (3-point and open awareness)

126

Ep. 156: Zoom Class on 1-3-23

127

Ep. 155: Zoom Class on 12-20-22 (is our discomfort a problem?)

128

Ep. 154: Zoom Class on 12-13-22 ("Doing Mode" vs. "Being Mode")

129

Ep. 153: Zoom Class on 10-16-22

130

Ep. 152: Zoom Class on 10-9-22 (Pema Chödron on befriending who we already are)

131

Ep. 151: Zoom Class on 9-18-22 (working with difficult thoughts/feelings)

132

Ep. 150: Zoom Class on 9-11-22 (Saying Yes)

133

Ep. 149: Zoom Class on 9-4-22

134

Ep. 148: Zoom Class on 8-23-22 (3-point awareness)

135

Ep. 147: Zoom Class on 8-16-22 (mindfulness)

136

Ep. 146: Zoom Class on 8-9-22 (body scan)

137

Ep. 145: Zoom Class on 8-2-22 (loving-kindness practice)

138

Ep. 144: Zoom Class on 7-26-22 (one-pointed concentration)

139

Ep. 143: Zoom Class on 7-5-22 (on goals and expectations)

140

Ep. 142: Full Body Scan Meditation (recorded 6-21-22)

141

Ep. 141: Zoom Class on 6-21-22

142

Ep. 140: Zoom Class on 6-14-22

143

Ep. 139: Zoom Class on 6-7-22

144

Ep. 138: Zoom Class on 5-31-22 (soft belly + loving-kindness)

145

Ep. 137: Zoom Class on 5-24-22 (meditation only)

146

Ep. 136: Zoom Class on 5-18-22

147

Ep. 135: Zoom Class on 5-10-22

148

Ep. 134: Zoom Class on 5-3-22 (on experiencing the body)

149

Ep. 133: Zoom Class on 4-26-22

150

Ep. 132: Zoom Class on 4-19-22

151

Ep 131: Zoom Class on 4-12-22

152

Ep. 130: Zoom class on 4-5-22

153

Ep. 129: 3-point awareness practice (recorded on 3-22-22)

154

Ep. 128: Zoom Class on 3-22-22

155

Ep. 127: Contemplating Our Priorities (Guided Meditation)

156

Ep. 126: Zoom Class on 3-15-22

157

Ep. 125: Focusing Guided Meditation (26 min., recorded on 3-8-22)

158

Ep. 124: Zoom Class on 3-8-22 (Focusing)

159

Ep. 123: Zoom Class on 3-1-22

160

Ep. 122: Body Scan Meditation (recorded on 2-22-22)

161

Ep. 121: Zoom Class on 2-22-22

162

Ep. 120: Zoom Class on 2-15-22

163

Ep. 119: Zoom Class on 2-8-22

164

Ep. 118: Zoom Class on 2-1-22

165

Ep. 117: Zoom Class on 1-25-22

166

Ep. 116: Zoom Class on 1-18-22

167

Ep. 115: Hybrid Class on 1-11-22

168

Ep. 114: Zoom Class on 1-4-22

169

Ep. 113: Zoom Class on 12-21-21

170

Ep. 112: Body Scan (Williams College Super Stress Busters event on 12-14-21)

171

Ep. 111: Hybrid Class on 12-7-21

172

Ep. 110: Hybrid Class on 11-30-21

173

Ep. 109: Hybrid Class on 11-23-21

174

Ep. 108: Hybrid Class on 11-16-21

175

Ep. 107: Hybrid Class on 11-9-21

176

Ep. 106: Hybrid Class on 11-2-21

177

Ep. 105: Hybrid Class on 10-26-21 (Body Scan)

178

Ep. 104: Hybrid Class on 10-19-21

179

Ep. 103: Hybrid Class on 10-12-21

180

Ep. 102: Hybrid Class on 10-5-21

181

Ep. 101: Hybrid Class on 9-21-21

182

Ep. 100: Hybrid Class on 9-14-21

183

Ep. 99: Hybrid Class on 9-7-21

184

Ep. 98: Body Scan (to be done lying down; recorded during First-Year Orientation event)

185

Ep. 97: Hybrid Class on 8-31-21

186

Ep. 96: Hybrid Class on 8-24-21 (on noting)

187

Ep. 95: Hybrid Class on 8-17-21

188

Ep. 94: Hybrid Class on 8-10-21

189

Ep. 93: Hybrid Intro to Zen class on 8-3-21

190

Ep. 92: Class on Body Scans (note: didn't start recording till a few minutes into meditation; begin by following the breath for a couple minutes)

191

Ep. 91: Loving-kindness + mindfulness meditation (from Zoom class on 7/20/21)

192

Ep. 90: Zoom Class on 7/13/21 (on concentration)

193

Ep. 89: Talk on concentration (Zoom class on 6/22/21)

194

Ep. 88: partial body scan + 3-point awareness (from Zoom class on 6-15-21)

195

Ep. 87: 9-point awareness practice (from Zoom class on 6/8/21)

196

Ep. 86: Guided meditation with 3-point awareness (from Zoom class on 6-1-21)

197

Ep. 85: Body Scan (from Zoom Sitting on 5-25-21)

198

Ep. 84: Zoom Class on 5-18-21 (started recording a few minutes late)

199

Ep. 83: Guided Open Awareness Meditation (from Zoom class on 5-11-21)

200

Ep. 82: Practice Talk from Zoom Class on 5-12-21

201

Ep. 81: Zoom Class on 5-11-21

202

Ep. 80: Guided Walking Meditation (20 mins.)

203

Ep. 79: Zoom Class on 4-27-21

204

Ep. 78: Guided reflection: "Contemplating Our Priorities" (Joan Halifax)

205

Ep. 77: Loving-kindness meditation (4/21/21)

206

Ep. 76: Zoom Class on 4-20-21

207

Ep. 75: Soft Belly Meditation (from Zoom class on 4-12-21)

208

Ep. 74: Zoom Class on 4-12-21

209

Ep. 73: From Chapter 3 of "Real Love" by Sharon Salzberg (Welcoming our Emotions)

210

Ep. 72: Soft Belly Meditation (from Zoom Class on 4-6-21)

211

Ep. 71: Zoom Class on 4-6-21

212

Ep. 70: Zoom Class on 3-30-21

213

Ep. 69: 3-point awareness practice (from Zoom class on 3-23-21)

214

Ep. 68: Zoom Class on 3-23-21

215

Ep. 67: Zoom Class on 3-16-21

216

Ep. 66: Zoom Class on 3-9-21

217

Ep. 65: Dual Awareness Practice (from 3-2-21 Zoom Class)

218

Ep. 64: Zoom Class on 3-2-21

219

Ep. 63: Movement-Awareness Practice from Zoom Class on 2/23/21

220

Ep. 62: Zoom Class on 2-23-21

221

Ep. 61: Zoom Class on 2-16-21

222

Ep. 60: Zoom Class on 2-9-21

223

Ep. 59: Zoom Class on 2-2-21

224

Ep. 58: Zoom Class on 1-26-21

225

Ep. 57: Zoom Class on 1-19-21

226

Ep. 56: Seated Body Scan from 1-12-21 Zoom Class

227

Ep. 55: Zoom Class on 1-12-21

228

Ep. 54: Zoom Class on 1-5-21

229

Ep. 53: Zoom Class on 12-29-20

230

Ep. 52: Ch. 12 of Being Zen ("Work and Practice")

231

Ep. 51: Zoom Class on 12-22-20

232

Ep. 50: Zoom Class on 12-15-20

233

Ep. 49: Zoom Class on 12-8-20

234

Ep. 48: Zoom Class on 12-1-20

235

Ep. 47: Practicing with Pain and Suffering (Ch. 10 of Being Zen)

236

Ep. 46a: Partial Body Scan from Zoom Class on 11-24-20

237

Ep. 46: Zoom Class 11-24-20

238

Ep. 45: Zoom Class on 11-17-20

239

Ep. 44: Zoom class on 11-10-20

240

Engl 239 lecture: on "What is our life about?" (Mon 10-19-20)

241

Ep. 42: Zoom Class on 10-6-20

242

Ep. 41: "Practicing with Fear": Chap 9 of Being Zen

243

Ep. 40: Body Scan from 8/18/20 Zoom Class

244

Ep. 39: Chapter 7 of Being Zen: "The Substitute Life"

245

Ep 38: Epilogue to Being Zen: "What is our life about?"

246

Ep. 37: Ch 6 of Being Zen: "3 Aspects of Sitting"

247

Ep. 36: Body Scan (from 7/28/20 Zoom class)

248

Ep. 35: Meditation from 7/14 Zoom Class ("What is it?")

249

Ep. 34: Guided Meditation from Zoom Class on July 7

250

Ep. 33: Chap 5 of Being Zen (includes "What is this?" practice)

251

Ep. 32: Three by Three Practice (Guided Meditation)

252

Ep. 31: Chap 4 of Being Zen ("Experiencing and the Witness")

253

Ep. 30: noting/labeling thoughts meditation (from Zoom class on 6/9/20)

254

Ep. 29: Stephen Levine on noting thoughts

255

Ep. 28: Pausing and checking in with ourselves during difficult times (partial body scan)

256

Ep. 27: Chapter 3 from Ezra Bayda's "Being Zen" (on thought-labeling + "experiencing")

257

Ep. 26: Open Awareness Practice (from Zoom class on 5/26/20)

258

Ep. 25: Chapter two from Ezra Bayda's "Being Zen"

259

Ep. 24: Open Awareness

260

Ep. 23: Mindfulness of the Breath

261

Ep. 22 (part 2): Relaxation Breath Counting (from 5/5/20 Zoom class)

262

Ep. 22: Relaxation/Parasympathetic Breathing (from 5/5/20 Zoom class)

263

Ep. 21: Partial Body Scan

264

Ep. 20: Contemplating our Priorities/Mortality (by Joan Halifax)

265

Ep. 19: Three point awareness + noting thoughts/feelings

266

Ep. 18: Meditation for Heavy Emotional States (by Stephen Levine)

267

Ep. 17: Dual Awareness Mindfulness Practice (Sounds + Breath)

268

Ep. 16 (1 of 3): Mini-meditation #5: Following the Breath (in the nose)

269

Ep. 16 (3 of 3): Mini-meditation #7: Partial Body Scan (Head)

270

Ep. 16 (2 of 3): Mini-meditation #6: Awareness of Sounds

271

Ep. 15 (2 of 2): Body scan guided meditation (to be done lying down)

272

Ep. 15 (1 of 2): brief remarks about today's body scan meditation

273

Ep. 14 (5 of 5): Mini-meditation #4: gratitude / loving-kindness

274

Ep. 14 (4 of 5): Mini-meditation #3: breath counting

275

Ep. 14 (3 of 5): Mini-meditation #2: grounding practice (lower body scan)

276

Ep. 14 (2 of 5): Mini-meditation #1: soothing breath practice

277

Ep. 14 (1 of 5): Introduction to mini-meditations

278

Ep. 13: remarks on practice and grief (24 mins.) + guided meditation

279

Ep. 12 (part 3 of 3): Mindfulness of Breath and Sounds

280

Ep. 12 (part 2 of 3): Loving-Kindness Guided Meditation

281

Ep. 12 (part 1 of 3): Introduction to Loving-Kindness Practice

282

Ep. 12 (supplement): Ezra Bayda on "What is our life about?"

283

Ep. 11: talk about meditation (27 mins.) + guided meditation

284

Ep. 10: Mindfulness of breath and bodily sensations (partial body scan)

285

Ep. 9 (2 of 2): Walking Meditation Instructions (no guided meditation)

286

Ep. 9 (1 of 2): on concentration practice

287

Ep. 8: Mindfulness of Sounds + Breath (+ a bit on practicing w/ difficult emotions)

288

Ep. 7 (4 of 4): Meditation Fundamentals: on noting/labeling thoughts

289

Ep. 7 (3 of 4): Meditation Fundamentals: using the breath as an anchor for awareness

290

Ep. 7 (2 of 4): Meditation Fundamentals: using sounds as an anchor for awareness

291

Ep. 7 (1 of 4): Brief remarks about the future of this podcast and today's 3-part recording on fundamentals of meditation practice

292

Ep 6 Part two: Guided Meditation (mindfulness of breath and sounds)

293

Ep 6 Part 1: Remarks on how meditation can help with uncertainty and fear

294

Ep. 5: Mindfulness of breath/sounds + a few minutes of lovingkindness (at end)

295

Ep. 4 supplement: Pema Chödrön on meditation as "befriending who we already are"

296

Ep. 4: Breath-following meditation + short text on the importance of kindness in meditation

297

Ep 3: dual-awareness meditation (breath and sounds)

298

Intro to Zen Online Ep. 2 (3/18/20)