Heart Wisdom with Jack Kornfield
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334 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Ep. 334 – A Steady Heart in Troubled Times: Matching the Outer Technology of the World With the Inner Technology of the Heart
22 oktober 2026 · 43 min
How do we hold life’s unbearable beauty and ocean of tears? Exploring the education of the heart, Jack Kornfield shares Buddhist wisdom for meeting troubled times with steadiness, compassion, and courage. Lees meer
This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield explores:
Holding the beauty and suffering of the world together
Why technological progress needs an accompanying education of the heart
Joanna Macy’s Great Turning and the shift toward interconnection
Ajahn Chah’s unexpected guidance on understanding anger
Becoming a calm and centered presence during a crisis
Supporting Bill Ford through the 2008 financial meltdown
The Four Noble Truths and the possibility of inner freedom
Beginning loving-kindness where the heart opens naturally
Moving beyond self-judgment into mindful loving awareness
Finding sacred connection in ordinary encounters
Love, compassion, shared joy, and spacious awareness
Remaining present through illness, grief, and loss
The Dalai Lama’s determination to preserve his happiness
Mindfulness when the past is painful and the future uncertain
The Bodhisattva path and writing a personal vow of care
“The outer technology of the world has to be matched by an inner technology of the heart.” –Jack Kornfield
This episode was originally recorded at Stanford University for The Ho Center for Buddhist Studies’ T.T. & W.F. Chao “Buddhism and Contemporary Society Series”
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield, PhD, trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, India, and Burma. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. He is one of the key teachers to introduce mindfulness practice to the West, has taught internationally since 1974, and is the author of 16 books which have sold 2 million copies. Stay connected with Jack and explore his latest offerings at JackKornfield.com. Sign up for his free weekly email teachings, explore his transform…
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Ep. 333 – You Can Trust Love Itself: Ram Dass and Loving Awareness
7 oktober 2026 · 36 min
Exploring love as a spiritual practice, Jack Kornfield shares how Ram Dass grew into a living field of love and how we can cultivate that same loving awareness within ourselves. Lees meer
This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield explores:
Ram Dass becoming the loving presence people always imagined him to be
Krishna Das, Maharaj-ji, and the power of seeing others with the eyes of love
Why love is not merely something that happens to us
Cultivating lovingkindness through intentional spiritual practice
Sharon Salzberg’s discovery that metta practice was transforming her heart
Practicing lovingkindness for strangers in everyday life
Seeing the original innocence and Buddha nature within others
The Dalai Lama’s teaching on befriending the enemy
How love transforms into compassion, joy, and equanimity
Impermanence and the preciousness of what we love
Moving beyond judgment into loving awareness
Embracing the body, heart, and mind with kindness
Listening for what is asking for love
“Ram Dass became love. He wasn’t just a teacher anymore. Whoever you were and whatever was brought to him, he would sit in a field of love and see you with the eyes of love.” –Jack Kornfield
This episode was originally recorded as part of Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman’s course, How to Thrive in Love: Buddhist Secrets to Transform Your Relationships. Learn more and join!
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield, PhD trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, India, and Burma. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. He is one of the key teachers to introduce mindfulness practice to the West, has taught internationally since 1974, and is the author of 16 books which have sold 2 million copies. Stay connected with Jack and explore his latest offerings at JackKornfield.com. Sign up for his free weekly email teachings, explore his transformational online courses, access …
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Ep. 332 – Becoming a Servant of Love: Leadership, Wellbeing, Resilience
24 september 2026 · 33 min
Through a humbling story of Sri Nisargadatta and a guided meditation on loving awareness, Jack shows how love can become large enough to hold the full mystery of our human experience. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield explores:
Eclipses, the mystery of the cosmos, and the Music of the Spheres
Finding balance as an ongoing dance rather than a destination
Why love does not require us to eliminate fear
A humbling encounter with Sri Nisargadatta and the wisdom of remaining a student
Resilience as a love large enough to hold our imperfect humanity
Moving beyond servant leadership to become a servant of love
Uncovering what your heart is asking you to serve
Remembering the wisdom and compassion already living within us
Resting in the spaciousness of loving awareness
“What does the heart ask you to serve?” –Jack Kornfield
This episode was originally recorded as part of Jack’s yearlong program, Living the Dharma in a Troubled World, with monthly livestream Q&As and themed lessons. Learn more and join!
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield, PhD trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, India, and Burma. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. He is one of the key teachers to introduce mindfulness practice to the West, has taught internationally since 1974, and is the author of 16 books which have sold 2 million copies. Stay connected with Jack and explore his latest offerings at JackKornfield.com. Sign up for his free weekly email teachings, explore his transformational online courses, access his complete course library through the All Access Pass, or join his monthly livestreams and online community. Jack’s latest book, All In This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Oth…
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Ep. 331 – Meet the Moment Fully, Meet It as a Friend: Loving Awareness, Aging, and Connection with Sylvia Boorstein
9 september 2026 · 57 min
Jack Kornfield and Sylvia Boorstein explore how loving awareness helps us meet each moment as a friend, soften into aging and impermanence, and rediscover connection through simple acts of generosity and love. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield shares:
Meeting each moment fully and as a friend by relaxing the body, quieting reactivity, and bringing kindness to whatever arises
Sylvia’s honest and humorous reflections on aging, mortality, losing independence, and adapting to life in a senior living community
Transforming crankiness and loneliness
How small acts of generosity—sharing figs, holding a stranger’s hand, or simply noticing another person—can transform crankiness, fear, and loneliness
Bringing mindfulness and loving-kindness together, staying amazed by life’s impermanence, and recognizing love as our deepest response to being alive
This episode was originally recorded for a special Spirit Rock Monday Night Meditation and Talk in July 2026 celebrating Sylvia Boorstein’s 90th Birthday. Watch the next one at SpiritRock.org
About Sylvia Boorstein:
Sylvia Boorstein, PhD, is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and has taught Dharma and mindfulness since 1985. A psychologist, author, and gifted storyteller, she makes Buddhist teachings accessible by emphasizing that everyday life is mindfulness practice. Her work integrates meditation, kindness, engaged citizenship, and social activism. Learn more about Sylvia at SylviaBoorstein.com.
“May I meet this moment fully means: Here I am. I’m awake. What’s going on? And may I meet it as a friend means: May I meet it with my body relaxed, my mind relaxed, and be able to really see what’s happening—not pushing it away. May I meet this moment fully. May I meet it as a friend” –Sylvia Boorstein
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield, PhD trained…
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Ep. 330 – Becoming Kinder: 49 Years of Friendship, Practice, and Insight with Sylvia Boorstein
28 augustus 2026 · 53 min
Celebrating Sylvia Boorstein’s 90th birthday, Jack and Sylvia reflect on 49 years of friendship, meditation, and Dharma practice—and how awakening ultimately expresses itself through kindness, connection, and a willingness to stay amazed. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield shares:
Sylvia’s journey through the Buddhist teachings of impermanence, suffering, and selflessness, and how intellectual understanding gradually becomes lived realization
Jack and Sylvia’s 49 years of friendship, from her early meditation and kundalini experiences to their travels, teaching, and shared life in the Dharma
How decades of mindfulness and metta practice made Sylvia not only kinder, but happier and more responsive to the needs of others
Meeting ourselves and one another with loving awareness, remembering our interconnectedness, and staying amazed by the mystery of being alive
This episode was originally recorded for a special Spirit Rock Monday Night Meditation and Talk in July 2026 celebrating Sylvia Boorstein’s 90th Birthday. Watch the next one at SpiritRock.org
About Sylvia Boorstein:
Sylvia Boorstein, PhD, is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and has taught Dharma and mindfulness since 1985. A psychologist, author, and gifted storyteller, she makes Buddhist teachings accessible by emphasizing that everyday life is mindfulness practice. Her work integrates meditation, kindness, engaged citizenship, and social activism. Learn more about Sylvia at SylviaBoorstein.com“We remind each other of our freedom and our possibility. We are so deeply interwoven in the energy field of consciousness itself, and when you know it, whatever you do becomes benevolent in some really deep way.”
"The shortest way to say what happened to me in 49 years is: I became kind. Seymour said, ‘No, you were always kind.’ And I sa…
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Ep. 329 – Transforming Anger and Judgment into Compassion and Service
13 augustus 2026 · 36 min
Exploring the gifts hidden within our most difficult emotions, Jack Kornfield shares how anger, judgment, and despair can be transformed into compassion, courage, and selfless service. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield shares:
The path of selfless service
A meditation on kindness and loving awareness
Meeting anger without judgment or fear
The care and passion hidden beneath anger
Moving from despair toward imagination and possibility
Activism rooted in stillness, wellbeing, and love
Moral beauty and compassionate courage
Transforming judgment into tenderness and metta
“Do you know why you’re so angry? Because you care. Because you care that much. And when you start to tune into the fact that you do care, that’s the fuel.” –Jack Kornfield
This teaching was originally recorded during a live session for Jack's Living the Dharma in a Troubled World yearlong program. Join these monthly livestream Q&A sessions here. As a special offer for Heart Wisdom listeners, use code Dharma10 or Dharma10p (payment plan) at checkout for 10% off this program.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundam…
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Ep. 328 – Spirit Rock's New Stupa Part 2: Remembering Who You Are
30 juli 2026 · 36 min
Reflecting on Spirit Rock's new stupa, Jack Kornfield shares how sacred places help us remember the timeless awareness, compassion, and freedom at the heart of our being. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield shares:
The meaning and purpose of Buddhist Stupas
Sacred symbols and spiritual remembrance
Consciousness beyond the personal self
Community, lineage, and blessing
Bringing practice into the world
Lovingkindness as a way of life
This teaching was originally recorded during the blessing of Spirit Rock's new stupa and the celebration of Jack Kornfield's 80th birthday. The full event was produced by Spirit Rock and has been adapted for Heart Wisdom. For information about visiting Spirit Rock or attending an in-person or online retreat, please visit Spiritrock.org.
“You are not this body or these feelings. They come and go. Who you are is so much bigger than this. In fact, who you are is awareness, consciousness itself. When you start to realize that, it becomes the gateway to freedom, to liberation, and tremendous joy in the middle of it all.” –Jack Kornfield
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness …
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Ep. 327 – Spirit Rock's New Stupa: Community, Courage, and the Awakened Heart
15 juli 2026 · 48 min
Celebrating Spirit Rock's new stupa and 40 years of practice, Jack Kornfield reflects on spiritual community, resilience in times of suffering, and the timeless wisdom that helps us meet life with an awakened heart. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield explores:
Spiritual community as a refuge in difficult times
Compassion and resilience amid global suffering
Remembering our fundamental goodness
The transformative power of meditation practice
Kindness as the fruit of a lifetime of practice
Discovering awareness as our natural state
This teaching was originally recorded during the blessing of Spirit Rock's new stupa and the celebration of Jack Kornfield's 80th birthday. The full event was produced by Spirit Rock and has been adapted for Heart Wisdom. For information about visiting Spirit Rock or attending an in-person or online retreat, please visit Spiritrock.org.
“The land, the practices, and the community—these are the things that help us remember who we really are.” –Jack Kornfield
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of For…
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Ep. 326 – Keeping Your Heart Strong: Courage, Connection, and the Path Forward
2 juli 2026 · 32 min
Through powerful storytelling, Jack Kornfield turns toward the deeper invitation of the spiritual path: to listen with the heart and respond to life with courage, compassion, and presence. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield explores:
The power of deep listening and compassion
Courage as a force for transformation
Expanding our sense of “family” to include all beings
Living with love in times of uncertainty
Small actions creating meaningful change
This episode was originally filmed for the April 2026 Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday Night Talk and Guided Meditation.
“So you listen, you add your voice and heart with your humanity, with your care, with your sensitivity. We're all going through it—suffering, pleasure, joy, all of it. Keep your heart strong. You can do this.” –Jack Kornfield
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack’s entire course library. If you would like a year's w…
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Ep. 325 – Being Here Now in Loving Awareness: Staying Present in a World of Upheaval
17 juni 2026 · 38 min
Beginning with reflections on global crises and personal difficulty, Jack reminds us that while suffering is inevitable, how we respond is what shapes our lives. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield explores:
Responding to difficulty without becoming overwhelmed
Living in the present moment instead of fear-based thinking
The power of intention and deep listening
Becoming an “island of peace” in chaotic times
Trusting uncertainty and the mystery of life
This episode was originally filmed for the April 2026 Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday Night Talk and Guided Meditation.
“In difficulty, the mind goes into survival—trying to protect and fix. Thank it, let it soften, and return to the present. As Ram Dass reminds us—you can be here now.” –Jack Kornfield
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack’s entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and f…
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Ep. 324 - The Courage to Love Amidst War: Compassion, Exhaustion, and Renewal
3 juni 2026 · 37 min
In the second half of this powerful wartime talk, Jack Kornfield guides us through the practice of lovingkindness and explores what it means to stay open-hearted in the face of exhaustion, grief, and overwhelm. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield chats about:
Lovingkindness (metta) as a practice of resilience
Overcoming despair by using our inner resources
Working with emotional exhaustion and compassion fatigue
The wisdom of allowing emptiness instead of fixing it
The power of presence in shaping the future
Becoming a force of peace in the world
“When we live in the present moment, we can be strong and loving no matter what. We don't get lost in our fear. The practice of living in the present with mindful, loving awareness is a doorway to your freedom, to your well being.” –Jack Kornfield
The episode was originally filmed for Mantra Ukraine, you can learn more about them on Instagram
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign…
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Ep. 323 - Creating an Island of Peace in the Midst of War
20 mei 2026 · 32 min
In this deeply moving talk offered to those living through war in Ukraine, Jack Kornfield reminds us that even in the most difficult conditions, the human heart has the capacity to remain open, compassionate, and free. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield shares:
Creating inner peace in the midst of external conflict
The practice of self-compassion in times of overwhelm
How to work with suffering without internalizing it
Reconnecting with inner resources like nature, community, and intention
The teaching that “hatred never ends by hatred”
“Even though there is war around us, it is possible to create an island of peace in the middle of it all—and not let the war take over our hearts.” –Jack Kornfield
The episode was originally filmed for Mantra Ukraine, you can learn more about them on Instagram
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack’s entire course library. If you would like a year's…
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Ep. 322 – Wisdom for Difficult Times: AI, Compassion, and Community
6 mei 2026 · 37 min
In this powerful dialogue, Jack Kornfield responds to questions from the community about some of the deepest challenges of the human heart. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield shares:
Caring for aging parents with compassion
Transforming rage into compassionate action
Grieving without hardening the heart
Meeting illness and death with presence
Sangha as a refuge in difficult time
“We need each other. Sangha is the company of the wise. In these times we need to stand up for the truth and speak up together. That’s part of sangha—to be together in the innate dignity of humanity and say, ‘Yes, this is what matters.’” –Jack Kornfield
This episode was first recorded on Feb 23, 2026 for the Spirit Rock Monday Night Talk and Meditation
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack’s entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Y…
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Ep. 321 – Ram Dass and the Freedom to Be Human
23 april 2026 · 34 min
In this illuminating talk, Jack explores the heart of freedom through the lens of his friendship with Ram Dass, reflecting on how to cultivate a heart that can meet it all with loving awareness. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield shares:
Ram Dass and the liberation of the heart
The Dharma teaching of letting go
Freedom from attachment to preferences
Compassion in difficult times
The wisdom of Buddhist teachings in modern life
“There was something so liberating about Ram Dass because he wasn't attached to who he was—he was playing with it.” –Jack Kornfield
This episode was first recorded on Feb 23, 2026 for the Spirit Rock Monday Night Talk and Meditation
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack’s entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.
“The great way i…
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Ep. 320 – Guided Meditation for Grounding, Gratitude, and Presence
8 april 2026 · 34 min
In this deeply grounding guided meditation, Jack Kornfield invites us to rest in mindful loving awareness and gratitude for the miracle of being alive. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield shares:
Guided meditation on mindful loving awareness
Gratitude for breath, body, heart, and mind
Opening to the field of awareness beyond thoughts
The healing power of compassion toward ourselves
Recognizing the interconnectedness of all life
“Who you are is bigger than the mind, bigger than the emotions, bigger than the changing sensations of the body. You're the field of awareness itself, consciousness that was born into this body.” –Jack Kornfield
This episode was first recorded on Feb 23, 2026 for the Spirit Rock Monday Night Talk and Meditation
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack’s entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, joi…
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Ep. 319 – All In This Together Series #7: The Blessings of Loving Kindness, Stories and Guided Meditation for Protection
25 maart 2026 · 48 min
Celebrating the release of All In This Together, Jack shares stories and leads a guided meditation inviting us into the fear dispelling and protective practice of loving kindness. Lees meer
Jack’s new book is out now: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
“Loving kindness protects us from our fears that come up. When you go into the jungle, watch the news, or whatever wild thing you do, loving kindness is a basis to tend and care for your own heart.” –Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack shares stories and leads a guided meditation on:
Coming together to quiet the mind and open the heart
Jack shares background on his new book of stories, All InThis Together
The healing importance of forgiveness in a conflicted world
A Buddhist story on how loving kindness (metta) protects us from our fears
Looking at our relationship to technology in the world
The life-changing blessings of metta practice
Holding the tainted glory of your humanity in loving kindness
The transformative power of metta
Student reflections on the practice
Having compassion for our struggles
Noticing our progress on the path
"Sometimes it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy." –Guillaume Apollinaire
This Dharma Talk originally took place in Nov 2025 for the Spirit Rock Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation celebrating Jack’s All In This Together book release. Stay up to date with Jack's upcoming livestreams and events here.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack…
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Ep. 318 – All in This Together Series #6: Bowing to the Mystery, An Invitation for Liberation
11 maart 2026 · 43 min
Celebrating the release of All In This Together, Jack reflects on learning to bow to life’s mystery—and how doing so opens a path to liberation, love, and inner peace. Lees meer
Jack’s new book is out now: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
https://youtu.be/c9lBoai7ZTY
“There’s something so mysterious about how things unfold. We live in something so huge and magnificent, but we get into small mind about how it should be, but we honestly don’t know so much.” –Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
More healing stories on love and respect
Sharon Salzberg’s travel advice from Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche
The stories of how both Spirit Rock Meditation Center and Insight Meditation Society came to be
Bowing to the mystery of how everything unfolds
Thich Nhat Hanh’s wisdom from a tree
How weird, wild, and mysterious it is to be human
The invitation to liberation this life offers
How to stay calm driving in intense traffic
Working with intention and letting others off the hook
When people are behaving badly, letting go and focusing on your own heart
Dealing with existential angst
The music of humanity, of being human
Working through anger and righteousness
Holding your complicated life in kindness and compassion
Becoming a lighthouse for others
“There’s something in the stories we tell. We come together for the Dharma, and it’s really the truth of love and mystery.” –Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk originally took place in Nov 2025 for the Spirit Rock Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation celebrating Jack’s All In This Together book release. Stay up to date with Jack's upcoming livestreams and events here.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under t…
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Ep. 317 – All In This Together Series #5: Stories as Medicine, Learning to Meet Each Other with Respect
25 februari 2026 · 37 min
Honoring the release of All In This Together, Jack reflects on how stories awaken compassion, heal division, and call us back to meeting one another with respect. Lees meer
Jack’s new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
“We have the opportunity to reach out and mend the fabric of life... Action that actually undoes anxiety is making even the tiniest difference to others.” –Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
Jack’s recent trip with Trudy to India to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama
What the Dalai Lama said about A.I. and compassion
Having a wise relationship with A.I. and technology
Varanasi and facing the reality of death at the burning ghats
Stories as a medicine for the soul
The transformative story of Ram Dass, Maharajji, and the glance of mercy
Being fully worthy of love
Learning how to connect with genuineness, kindness, and respect
Archetypal and universal teachings
Buddha’s last meal
Intention as the root of karma
Overcoming conflict with respect and good intention
“Even making the tiniest difference to others begins to change the direction of your life and the circumstance of the world around you.” –Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk originally took place in Nov 2025 for the Spirit Rock Monday Night Dharma Talk andGuided Meditation celebrating Jack’s All In This Together book release. Stay up to date with Jack's upcoming livestreams and events here.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight …
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Ep. 316 – All In This Together Series #4: Illuminating Our Common Humanity with Anne Lamott and Tami Simon
11 februari 2026 · 32 min
In honor of All In This Together, Jack, Anne Lamott, and Tami Simon continue their heart-opening conversation on story, tenderness, and remembering who you are Lees meer
Jack’s new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
In this episode, Jack, Anne, and Tami mindfully explore:
Anne Lamott’s 12-Step cruise ship seminar wisdom
How to tell or write a heart-opening story
Getting to the emotional center of it all
Remembering who you really are
Illuminating our common humanity
Laughter as carbonated holiness and sacred ground
What’s between the telling and the listening
How to trade our exhaustion for peace and rest
Micro-dosing love and understanding
The healing power of true romantic, soul-mate love
Being loved just as you are
Stories on hope
Operating from the heart cave
Jack’s recent visit with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Stories of conflict resolution
This conversation originally took place in Nov 2025 for Sounds True’s celebration of Jack’s All In This Together book release. Stay up to date with Jack’s upcoming livestreams and events here.
About Anne Lamott:
Anne Lamott is the New York Times best-selling author of many books, including collections of essays, novels, and long-form non-fiction, including the classic writing manual Bird by Bird and child-rearing memoir Operating Instructions. In addition to being a novelist and nonfiction writer, Lamott is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. Keep up with Anne on Instagram.
“Laughter is carbonated holiness, and when we’re laughing together we’re on sacred ground.” –Anne Lamott
About Tami Simon:
Tami Simon is the founder of Sounds True, a multimedia company that has produced over 3,000 titles and been nominated twice for the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing c…
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Ep. 315 – Reflections on the Cosmic Dance and a ‘Still Point’ Guided Meditation
28 januari 2026 · 38 min
Jack opens with reflections on the cosmic dance of life before guiding listeners into a meditation on stillness, breath, and embodied presence. Drawing on ancient imagery and gentle instruction, he invites us to take our seat in the still point of the turning world. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Jack’s new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World
In this episode, Jack explores:
The meaning of solstice as a sacred pause
Taking your seat in stillness
The breath as a living, shared process
Becoming the loving witness
Finding harmony with the rhythms of life
This Dharma Talk originally took place in Dec 2025 for the Spirit Rock Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation. Stay up to date with Jack’s upcoming livestreams and events here.
“You are being breathed. The earth is breathing you, and the ocean of air is dancing with your body.”–Jack Kornfield
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All…
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Ep. 314 – Winter Light: Tending the Fire of the Heart
14 januari 2026 · 34 min
As winter deepens, Jack reflects on the quiet light that does not go out—the warmth of compassion, generosity, and courage that sustains us through dark seasons. Through stories of everyday kindness and ancient wisdom, he invites us to tend the inner fire that heals and connects us. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
“That's what you carry. That's who you really are. That's what was born in you, is the great heart of compassion and tenderness.” –Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack explores:
Compassion as a response to fear
Everyday acts of generosity
Tending the inner fire during dark seasons
Beginner’s mind and seeing with wonder
Adding your light to a troubled and beautiful world
“The heart can’t do anything but tenderness and mercy when we really listen.” –Jack Kornfield
Jack’s new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World
This Dharma Talk originally took place in Dec 2025 for the Spirit Rock Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation. Stay up to date with Jack’s upcoming livestreams and events here.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the…
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Ep. 313 – Winter’s Sacred Pause: Standing Still in a Turning World
31 december 2025 · 31 min
As we fully enter the winter season, Jack reflects on the ancient meaning of solstice—the standing still—and what becomes possible when we allow ourselves to pause. In a world shaped by speed, grief, and uncertainty, he invites us into stillness as a sacred act. Lees meer
Jack’s new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World
“To be able to come together and not do anything is an extraordinary thing in our culture and our time.” –Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack explores:
The sacred meaning of the winter solstice
Stillness as a spiritual practice
Impermanence and the uncertainty of human life
Holding grief and beauty at the same time
Birth, death, and remembering what truly matters
“Imagine this is your last day. Who would you call? What would you say? And why are you waiting?” –Jack Kornfield, reflecting on a teaching from Stephen Levine
This Dharma Talk originally took place in Dec 2025 for the Spirit Rock Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation. Stay up to date with Jack’s upcoming livestreams and events here.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful S…
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Ep. 312 – All In This Together Series #3: Reminding You of Your Own Beauty with Anne Lamott and Tami Simon
17 december 2025 · 33 min
In a moment when the world feels uncertain, Jack sits down with Anne Lamott and Tami Simon for an intimate, deeply human conversation about stories of the heart—how they soften us, unite us, and remind us of our own beauty. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Jack’s new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World
“What makes me happy in working with people is to be able to remind them of how beautiful they are.” –Jack Kornfield.
In this episode, Jack, Anne, and Tami mindfully explore:
Writing tips, wild stories, and inspiration between Jack, Anne, and Tami
The power of taking ‘writers walks’
Protest, aging, Jesus, Buddha, and vulnerable stories
Anne Lamott’s fan-girl letter to Jack from years ago
Reminding you of your own beauty
Jack’s story of having to bow his ego at the monastery
How to hold a generous vision in dark times
Uncovering the story of the heart
Ram Dass and learning to love everyone
Doing the work and prayer to become one of ‘all in this together’
Living from the heart cave
This conversation originally took place in Nov 2025 for SoundsTrue’s celebration of Jack’s All In This Together book release. Stay up to date with Jack’s upcoming livestreams and events here.
“The time is so ripe for us to look out with a new pair of glasses from the heart instead of from our fear, to go into what Ram Dass called the heart cave.” –Anne Lamott
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation …
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Ep. 311 – All In This Together Series #2: Stories of Meaning, Presence, and Living with Integrity
4 december 2025 · 40 min
Celebrating the release of his new book of his favorite stories, All In This Together, Jack shares wise tales on living with integrity, presence, stillness, and generosity. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Jack’s new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World
“Whether you make art, write, tend a garden, or parent children—if you can share your dignity, generosity, understanding, integrity, vision, and make that come alive within you and others, your life becomes a blessed source of happiness.” –Jack Kornfield.
In this episode Jack mindfully explores:
Meaning and connection
Thich Nhat Hanh’s favorite Tolstoy story
Answering the Empress’s three life-changing questions: What is the best time to do things? Who are the best people to work with? What is the most important thing to be doing at all times?
Living in the present moment and serving those around you
Cultivating happiness through giving our life meaning
Being a Bodhisattva and holding all life in compassion
The story of Abbott Anastasius
Integrity and generosity
What we teach others through our stillness
Being a clear mirror for others
Quieting the mind, tending the heart, and remembering what matters
Opening to the vastness of life beyond the small self
Your birthright as loving awareness itself
“We can make our minds so like still water that beings gather around us that they may see their own images and so live for a moment with a clearer, perhaps fiercer life because of our quiet.” –William Butler Yeats
This Dharma Talk originally took place in April 2019 for Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation. Stay up to date with Jack’s upcoming livestreams and events here.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, stud…
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Ep. 310 - Sometimes You Need a Story More Than Food, All In This Together Series Pt. 1
20 november 2025 · 32 min
Celebrating the release of his new book of his favorite stories, All In This Together, Jack shares why ‘sometimes we need a story more than food.’ Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Jack’s new book is out now!: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World
“Light the candle, make a sacred space, and talk about what it means to hold this life in compassion. And then invite people to tell the stories that they need for the healing of their own heart. That’s why ‘sometimes you need a story more than food’ (Barry Lopez)—sometimes to hear it, sometimes to tell it.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
The art of awakening through stories
Barry Lopez and why ‘sometimes you need a story more than food’
Stories that release the weight from our souls and unburden our hearts
Lighting candles, making sacred space, and sharing stories together
Overcoming the world’s conflict through the lens of stories
The story of Terry Dobson and the compassion of Aikido
The spiritual art of listening to stories—feeling the resonance and feeling into who you would be
What can we learn from stories?
Stories like storehouses—the true intelligence of a good story
Ram Dass, the Dalai Lama, and inhabiting the difficulties of life with humor, honesty, and love
How to hold conflict and that which causes suffering with compassion
Delivering your special cargo, your beautiful gifts to this world
“A really good story is something to mine, something to inhabit.” – Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk originally took place in April 2019 for Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation. Stay up to date with Jack’s upcoming livestreams and events here.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under …
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Ep. 309 – Love Binds All Things: What We Can Do to Help the World with Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi
5 november 2025 · 46 min
Jack Kornfield and Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi explore how facing suffering with love can awaken the courage to heal our world. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Jack’s new book hits shelves on 11/11: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World – Preorder your copy today!
“Love is this unbelievable, inexplicable force. When there’s love it’s almost that anything is possible. It’s love that binds all things.” –Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi
In this episode, Jack and Rajiv mindfully explore:
Living Fully in a Time of Change: Joanna Macy’s funeral as a teaching on joy, love, and the beauty of a life well-lived.
Facing Suffering with Courage: The two kinds of suffering—what we run from and what we open to with compassion.
Meditation as Refuge: Expanding the heart’s window of tolerance to hold fear, grief, and love all at once.
The Sweet Way of the Dharma: Remembering peace, joy, and humor even in the midst of difficulty.
Smiling as Practice: Softening the heart through simple, embodied gestures of kindness.
The Great Regeneration: Redefining the pandemic as a moment to reimagine our world with wisdom and care.
The Interbeing of All Things: Thich Nhat Hanh’s Heart Sutra and the recognition that we already hold the solutions we seek.
Love in Action: Ram Dass’s reminder to feed people, love people, and organize from the heart.
Sacred Reciprocity: Healing inequality and climate change through generosity, reverence, and balance.
The Middle Way in a Polarized World: Meeting conflict with understanding, presence, and possibility.
Inner Climate Change: Transforming the heart to transform the earth—awakening compassion as the root of renewal.
“The world is as it is—it has suffering and beauty in unbelievable measure. So the real question is: how are you going to tend your heart?” –Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk originally took …
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Ep. 308 – Becoming the Tree of Enlightenment with Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi
22 oktober 2025 · 36 min
Jack Kornfield and Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi explore ‘inner climate change,’ guiding us through meditation and reflection on transforming the world by becoming the Tree of Enlightenment. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Jack’s new book hits shelves on 11/11: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World – Preorder your copy today!
“As much as we want to transform the world, if we don’t change ourselves, we might not inspire those around us and perhaps change the system.” –Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi
In this episode, Jack and Rajiv mindfully explore:
Guided meditation: A journey into becoming the Tree of Enlightenment—rooted, steady, and open to the sky. Jack and Prof. Rajiv invite us to feel the deep stillness and sacred presence of the trees, reminding us that awakening is a natural unfolding within the web of life.
Buddha and trees: The Buddha’s life was interwoven with trees—born beneath one, meditating and awakening beneath another, and passing away surrounded by their quiet grace. Trees mirror the path of the awakened heart: grounded in the Earth, reaching toward the light.
Trees as ancestors: They are our elders, silent teachers who breathe life into the world. Through their patience and generosity, they remind us of what it means to listen, to endure, and to belong.
Collective healing: Our awakening is not only personal—it is collective. Through love across generations, we can heal the planet and one another, planting seeds of compassion that will grow long after us.
Radical compassion: To live with an open heart requires both tenderness and courage. We learn to trust, to build bridges, to speak truth, and to act for justice with mindfulness and care.
System change: True transformation begins within and extends outward. Each of us has a role to play in creating a world rooted in awareness, kindness, and right ac…
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Ep. 307 – Inner Climate Change with Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi
9 oktober 2025 · 49 min
Jack Kornfield and Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi share uplifting spiritual wisdom on how inner climate change shapes outer climate healing, the environment, and the future of humanity. Lees meer
Jack’s new book hits shelves on 11/11: All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World – Preorder your copy today!
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
“It’s very clear that no amount of technology—no amount of internet, AI, computers, nanotechnology, space exploration, or biotechnology—will put an end to warfare, racism, or climate disruption. None of these advancements will resolve the conflicts we face in the world, because their roots lie in the human heart. Without an inner transformation, no outer transformation can truly take place.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack and Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi mindfully explore:
Inner Climate Change: How transforming the heart and mind shapes the outer world.
Original Innocence: Returning to the heart’s wisdom that already knows what matters most.
Ritual and Higher Forces: Turning to sacred connection for strength in healing the earth.
Inner and Outer Healing: Burnout reveals the truth that inner practice is as vital as outer change.
Steps for Transformation: Empowering women and educating children as the greatest levers of change.
Beyond Despair: Despair as a failure of imagination—regeneration and renewal are possible.
Wisdom of Love: Gary Snyder’s reminder to act not from fear or guilt, but from love for the world.
This Dharma Talk originally took place on 9/8/25 for Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation. Stay up to date with Jack’s upcoming livestreams and events here.
“We should not forget that in each moment the hope that can manifest the future is always present.” – Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi
About Prof. Rajiv S. Joshi:
Professor Joshi is the Founder …
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Ep. 306 – The Spacious Heart: Transcending Duality Through Meditation and Sound
2 oktober 2025 · 44 min
Jack Kornfield leads a guided sound journey into spacious awareness—exploring meditation, mantra, and the freedom beyond duality. Lees meer
Dive into Jack’s recently unearthed lost tapes from a vintage Yucca Valley retreat in 1990! Take the The Sacred Journey Home: Timeless Teachings on Freedom and Love Just Where You Are with Jack Kornfield
“When we touch spaciousness, we discover that in letting go there arises a natural compassion, the great heart of a Buddha. In this, we find that the true place of peace is one of trust—an open, spacious heart in the very midst of our life.” — Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
The Spacious Heart: A guided sound journey into awareness, transcending duality, and opening to the vastness of mind and heart.
Beyond Duality: Discovering consciousness as boundless as the sky, where there is no inside or outside, only open spaciousness.
Weather of the Heart: Seeing moods, joys, and sorrows as passing like colors in water or changes in the weather.
Enlightenment as Non-Perfection: The Third Zen Patriarch’s teaching that freedom is found in letting go of anxiety about imperfection.
Meeting Life with Spaciousness: Guided practice for opening to difficult emotions and situations with equanimity and compassion.
Mantra and Sound: Exploring Om Mani Padme Hum, the jewel and the lotus, and the seed mantra Ah as gateways to the heart.
This Dharma Talk from 7/12/1993 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.
“Your mind is not limited to your head, but rather your awareness, consciousness, expands beyond your head to be open like the sky, space without boundaries.” – Jack KornfieldAbout Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist m…
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Ep. 305 – Remembering the Pleasure of Peace
19 september 2025 · 33 min
Exploring spaciousness as the ground of awakening, Jack Kornfield shows how peace, impermanence, and love are all born from the open heart. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
“Meditation centers, temples, ashrams, and spiritual communities are in one fundamental way, places of peace, reminders of the peace and harmony possible for us in our lives.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
The Spacious Heart: The peace and pleasure found in meditation centers, temples, and ashrams, and how spaciousness becomes a refuge in our lives.
Shifting Identity: The flexibility of consciousness and how opening beyond the body and self allows us to release ill-will and rest in freedom.
Impermanence and Real Love: Stories from India and the Dalai Lama on happiness, letting go into love, and the humor of the “Bang Bang Bang Theory.”
Beyond Self-Improvement: Spiritual practice not as fixing or perfecting ourselves, but as resting in our true nature, like the Buddha under the bodhi tree.
The Seed of Equilibrium: Spaciousness as the core of awakening—learning balance in the dance of life, loving others without needing to change them, and finding coolness in nirvana.
“It’s possible to shift. Consciousness is really flexible and fabulous, it can create, expand, and touch anything. When our identity opens to something greater or more timeless, when we see the fleetingness and impermanence of this body that we cling to and realize this is not who we are, then something else becomes possible.” – Jack Kornfield
Dive into Jack’s recently unearthed lost tapes from a vintage Yucca Valley retreat in 1990! Take The Sacred Journey Home: Timeless Teachings on Freedom and Love Just Where You Are with Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk from 7/12/1993 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfiel…
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Ep. 304 – Finding Your Inner Light
3 september 2025 · 55 min
Jack shares a whimsical story on light and dark, birth and death, forgiveness and mercy, passion and sincerity, impermanence and immorality, and finding your inner light. Lees meer
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
Light and Darkness: Stories and teachings on finding the inner light, becoming a lamp in the darkness, and awakening through difficulty.
Life, Death, and Initiation: Nachiketa’s dialogue with Lord Yama, initiation and coming of age, and the mystery of immortality and the deathless.
Sincerity and Blessing: Zen teachings on proving sincerity, the boons that come with it, and the light of forgiveness and mercy.
The Fire of Life: Prana, chi, and kundalini as a passion for truth; the roar of the lion and living from what we most deeply value.
The Open Heart: Not casting anyone out, transforming wounds into light, and resting in the question “Who am I?”
If you enjoy Jack’s storytelling, dive into Transform Your Life Through Jack Kornfield’s Most Powerful Stories – a 10-hour storytelling wisdom journey!
“When we touch our true nature and discover that we can rest in love in the middle of all things, we become a lamp, we become a light. It is not far away, it is nearer than near.” – Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk from 6/21/1993 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonde…
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Ep. 303 – The Nature of Mind: Practices and Perspectives for Inner Freedom
27 augustus 2025 · 48 min
Jack Kornfield explores the nature of mind, offering playful practices and profound perspectives to uncover our true home of freedom, compassion, and ease. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Join the Year of Awakening with Jack Kornfield for a monthly group livestream Q&A hang with Jack, along with weekly modules and prompts to keep your life focused on awakening!
“If we don’t know the nature of mind and the ways of mind, our life is like a boat without a rudder, and we get pulled here there by all the thoughts, images, stories, feelings, and unfinished business that arise during the day” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
The purpose of meditation and Buddhism
Learning the true nature of mind
An assortment of micro guided meditation practices
Experiencing Buddha’s ‘sure heart’s release”
Uncovering natural happiness and freedom of heart
How we create our world with our mind
Discovering what creates suffering and what creates happiness
The mirror-like quality of meditation
Stanislav Grof and LSD
The playfulness and creative capacity of mind
The Buddhist creation myth
Counting/noting our thoughts
Becoming aware of awareness
Ajahn Chah’s meditation instructions
Finding the place of natural mind and rest
Cultivating inner listening
The gradual and sudden dimensions of illumination
Untangling the unfinished business of our lives
Touching the world in kindness and compassion
Meeting ourselves and this world in kindness and humbleness
Bearing witness to the sorrows of the world while resting in the heart of the Buddha
Opening to the great mystery
Becoming The One Who Knows
The Timeless Buddha as the ground of all being, our true home
“Buddha didn’t give an answer to the great mystery, he taught us how to rest in our heart in the midst of that mystery, to find our true home, that awakened state.” – Jack Korn…
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Ep. 302 – Awakening the Lion’s Roar Within: Poetry of Courage, Compassion, and Wonder
20 augustus 2025 · 33 min
In this inspiring poetry-infused talk, Jack weaves Rumi’s wisdom on the camel, lion, and child of the spirit into a journey from devotion, to courage, to wonder—inviting us to awaken the Buddha’s Lion’s Roar within and remember the inner royalty of the heart. Lees meer
Join the Year of Awakening with Jack Kornfield for a monthly group livestream Q&A hang with Jack, along with weekly modules and prompts to keep your life focused on awakening!
“Poetry and the sense of beauty that art awakens is to move from a small sense of our problems and difficulties to some greater perspective of the heart.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
Rumi’s wisdom on The Camel, The Lion, and the Child of the Spirit
Healing our wounds, grief, and sorrows
Waking ourselves up from our trance
Touching our rage, fears, and longings with kindness and respect
Poetry of compassion, mystery, tenderness, and awakening
Letting yourself love what you love
Tenderness and seeing with the eyes of the Divine Mother and the great heart of compassion
Living a life of wakefulness
Rumi, bravery, and becoming a lion
Awakening the Buddha’s Lion’s Roar within
Uncovering your inner-royalty
Beginner’s mind and becoming a “child of the spirit”
Finding wonder and amazement in life
The mystery of sleep, dreams, and consciousness
Letting go of pity and reclaiming wonder in the present
The power of prayer and blessing
“You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk for a hundred miles on your knees through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.” – Mary Oliver
This Dharma Talk from 4/15/1993 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 an…
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Ep. 301 – The Dharma of Poetry: Rumi, Beauty, Music, and the Art of Awakening
13 augustus 2025 · 33 min
Exploring poetry, beauty, and art, Jack helps his dear listeners appreciate the harmonious dichotomy of all life experiences. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Join the Year of Awakening with Jack Kornfield for a monthly group livestream Q&A hang with Jack, along with weekly modules and prompts to keep your life focused on awakening!
“Poetry and beauty are not a denial of the sorrows of the world, but a grace somehow that holds and understands them—the irony and the mixture of love and terror that make up life.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
How art, beauty, music and poetry uplift the world to the sacred
Rumi’s poem, Tending Two Shops
Letting go of fear, opening into freedom
Poetry not as a denial of life’s struggles, but as a gracious way through
Being at home with oneself
Poetry from Siddhartha Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rumi, and more
Telling the truth, becoming nobody, and walking the path
Meditation and working with our ‘inner mob’ of voices
Relating to the ‘zoo’ of our lives with meditation
The three dimensions of Rumi’s spiritual poetry
Saying ‘yes’ to this too, even to what’s difficult
Walking this life and path in humbleness
“Sometimes the greatest political act is to turn on Mozart and turn off the news, or to walk by the ocean or in the hills during sunset, or to read a poem—to sense a possibility in the midst of all the 10,000 joys and sorrows of finding some peace or balance in this heart that can then be brought to the world around us.” – Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk from 4/15/1993 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation i…
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Ep. 300 – This Very Place: Letting Go and Finding Freedom
6 augustus 2025 · 37 min
In this rich and often humorous talk from the 1990s, Jack explores the art of letting go as the gateway to freedom, inviting us into the coolness of nirvana, and the wholeness found only here and now. Lees meer
Join the Year of Awakening with Jack Kornfield for a monthly group livestream Q&A hang with Jack, along with weekly modules and prompts to keep your life focused on awakening!
“This freedom is not far away, the freedom of the heart is here, and it’s inviting. Nirvana is inviting.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
The end of exile as a return to the present moment
Pure awareness and the cycles of life
Where is freedom found?
Letting go vs. letting be
The dignity of just being an earthworm
Nirvana as a public health measure
The coolness of nirvana and release from grasping
How ‘periodic nirvana’ keeps us alive
Ram Dass, Stephen Levine, surrender, and choosing your spirit
Bodhicitta as the heart of emptiness and compassion
Don Juan’s “controlled folly” and Zen paradox
Finding wholeness in grief, struggle, and beauty
Each moment as a chance for struggle or freedom
The goal of practice as keeping our beginner’s mind
This very moment as the only place of freedom
“If we allow ourselves to stay in the reality of the present, not only does there come a reclaiming of this life, but we also discover this emptiness or spaciousness that holds it all. No matter how painful, beautiful, exalted, or difficult—it arises and moves in its cycle back into wholeness.” – Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk recorded on desert retreat in the 1990s was originally published on DharmaSeed.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded th…
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Ep. 299 – The End of Exile: A Zen Love Story of Coming Home to Yourself
30 juli 2025 · 36 min
In this tender and illuminating talk, Jack shares a Zen love story and a path of mindful presence that brings us home—from the stories of the mind to the truth of the heart. Through embodied awareness, we discover that the end of exile begins with loving what is here now. Lees meer
Join the Year of Awakening with Jack Kornfield for a monthly group livestream Q&A hang with Jack, along with weekly modules and prompts to keep your life focused on awakening!
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
“The end of exile is when we see all the stories of what should be, and what is, and what will be, passing through the mind, and we rest in some place of peace in the heart.” – Jack Kornfield
This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack heartfully ponders:
Freedom and the spiritual path
The Dharma’s ‘one taste’ of freedom
The Sure Heart’s Release
Present, past, future, and Being Here Now
Life’s often dreamlike quality
The evanescent present moment
Noticing the dreamlike quality of life
An enlightening Zen love story
Uncovering your true self
Overcoming exile with softness of heart
Mindfulness as the end of exile
Embodied awakening and finding liberation within the body and mind
Accepting and including all parts of ourselves
Mindfulness and reuniting with your body and feelings
Cultivating “mindfulness of mind” and forgiving its stories
Watching the mind, resting in the heart
Stories and poems on the end of exile in our lives
Finding true kindness through accepting sorrow
“The past disappears, the future isn’t here yet—all there is is this evanescent present moment that’s here for a moment and then changes.” – Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk recorded during a desert retreat on 04/05/1993 was originally published on DharmaSeed.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under th…
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Ep. 298 – The Dalai Lama’s Message for Modern Times: How to Live with Courage, Compassion, and Integrity
23 juli 2025 · 33 min
From gender equity to joyful adaptation, Jack recounts how the Dalai Lama challenged teachers to reshape Buddhism for a modern world in need of heart. Lees meer
This Dharma Talk recorded on 03/29/93 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.
“Somebody said the Dalai Lama’s mind is like a diamond, and whichever facet, whichever direction he turns it to, it comes with clarity and beauty. Everything that he did had a sense of graciousness and beauty about it.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack holds a thought-provoking talk on:
Counseling, ethics codes, and teacher-training for a new era
Sectarianism vs. the shared heart of awakening
A dramatic call for gender equity: nuns, councils & training funded “on the spot”
Sylvia Wetzel’s meditative reflection: What if the Dalai Lama had always been a woman?
Humor & honesty: “rebirth control” and other Dalai Lama one-liners
Engaged Buddhism: arms sales, poverty, over-population, climate
Drafting a pan-Buddhist code of conduct; yearly councils of elders
Spirit Rock as a living experiment in consensus leadership
The invitation: awaken the Buddha-heart in every man, woman & child
“There is no price worth paying to hide what is wrong—tell the truth.” – H.H. the Dalai Lama
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving…
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Ep. 297 – Advice from the Dalai Lama: The Fragrance of Nirvana
16 juli 2025 · 40 min
Jack shares stories and insights from a rare gathering with the Dalai Lama on what really makes a teacher, and how compassion—not titles—spreads the Dharma. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack thoughtfully explores these themes & topics:
Spring renewal at Spirit Rock & the wider Buddhist boom
1,000 U.S. meditation centers — a movement far bigger than any one sangha
The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra on gathering “in harmony and concord”
The Dalai Lama: compassion over conversion; students over titles
What really authorizes a teacher? (Hint: their students’ freedom)
“Spy on your teachers” — trusting slowly & wisely
The scent-test of liberation: recognizing authentic peace
“Bodhisattva off-duty?” — practice everywhere, even with late-night TV temptations
Spiritual life as engagement with, not escape from, difficulty
Interdependence: why true emptiness embraces every creature
Speaking out against spiritual misconduct & retraumatization
The wounded student, the wounded teacher — bringing psychology into Dharma
This Dharma Talk recorded on 03/29/93 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.
“The Dalai Lama said, ‘Nirvana has a wonderful scent—like flowers.’ You can tell it when you're around someone connected with nirvana. You can tell it around places where there’s that fragrance of peace, well-being, and liberation.” – Jack Kornfield
“Deep down, what matters is only the spirit of compassion—only what benefits beings in every form, in every realm on this earth. Don’t think about how to spread Buddhism. It doesn’t matter if there are even one or two more Buddhists. The only thing that matters is the well-being of each person and the well-being of the earth that we live on.” – Jack Kornfield quoting H.H. the Dalai Lama
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trai…
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Ep. 296 – The Beautiful World We Can Be: Trust, Joy, Imagination & Transformation
9 juli 2025 · 43 min
What if the blueprint for a more beautiful world is already within you? Jack explores how trust, joy, and imagination awaken transformation—from the inside out. Lees meer
Join the Year of Awakening with Jack Kornfield for monthly livestream Q&A hangs with Jack, and weekly lessons and reflections to keep your year focused on awakening. Use code AWAKEN50 for 50% off entry.
“In the chrysalis, as the caterpillar imagines itself into the butterfly, there’s a message: trust that transformation is possible. Not only is it possible—but from the heart, you can help shape it. You can make a difference.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
What brings us joy in this life?
Trust, morals, justice, and taking the long view
Enlightenment and cultivating a trusting heart
The imaginal cells of the butterfly
How your voice, joy, imagination, and trust can truly make a difference
Stories on trust, love, and making a difference
Mindful presence and the Awakened Heart
Sangha/Satsang, community, and helping each other
Imagining a beautiful new world together
Feeling yourself as a playful child of the spirit
Spelunking the great mystery of life and the universe
Adding your make-weight of hope to the world
Allen Ginsberg’s poem Howl
Bringing our joy, love, tenderness and compassion to the world
The big questions: how to hold suffering, and those causing suffering
The power of protest, standing up, letting go of fear, and embracing the strength of joy
Questions and Responses on how to navigate modern times skillfully and joyfully with trust, balance, love, gratitude, equanimity, and compassion
“Trust that you make a difference, and that each one of us makes a difference.” – Jack Kornfield
This episode was recorded on 04/07/2025 for the Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation.
“We’re in this together, we can awaken together, and we can support our hearts, minds, and the beautiful world that we can be—it’s in us as part…
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Ep. 295 – The Sweet and Radical Joy of Living in the Way
2 juli 2025 · 42 min
Jack invites us to walk the path of joy—no matter the circumstances—showing how living joyfully and tenderly is a courageous, radical, and transformative act. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Join the Year of Awakening with Jack Kornfield for monthly livestream Q&A hangs with Jack, and weekly lessons and reflections to keep your year focused on awakening. Use code AWAKEN50 for 50% off entry.
“What I’ve seen in visiting refugee camps is that they don’t want you to come in feeling depressed—they have enough of that themselves. They’re not looking for people who are frightened, worried, or downhearted. What they long for is someone who can bring a sense of uplift, possibility, and joy.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
Living joyfully with a positive attitude
Joy as a necessary quality of enlightenment
How can we have joy in times of chaos, disruption, and suffering?
Joy as a true service to others and the world
Uplifting others through our joy and positivity
Wavy Gravy and the Transformative Power of Joy
How suffering is not the end of the story; it’s the beginning of the Four Noble Truths
Bringing joy, beauty, and humor to our protesting, activism, and standing up for what matters
Being hopeful despite the outside circumstances, and emphasizing compassion, sacrifice, courage, and kindness
The joy and playfulness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
How we can bless and heal each other with our joy
Living in joy, love, health and peace even amidst hate, affliction, and troubles
Experiencing the sweet joy of living in the way
The radical joyful presence of Ajahn Chah and Maha Ghosananda
Risking delight
Jack’s rapturous experience of meditative bliss
Learning to step out of the battle and embrace life
Thich Nhat Hanh and the practice of smiling
Becoming a make-weight of joy, tipping t…
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Ep. 294 – The Secret of Love and Attachment: Wise Relationships, Vulnerability, and the Joy of Nirvana
18 juni 2025 · 34 min
Sharing deep spiritual secrets of love and attachment, Jack transforms our unhealthy attachments into Wise Relationships through vulnerability, inner joy, and shared humanity. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
“The secret is, the opposite of attachment is not detachment, but love. Because true love does not seek to possess or control, it doesn’t separate or fear what is there. True love is the ability to be present without grasping. From this place, love offers its blessings.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
Transforming unhealthy clingings into Wise Attachment
Not getting stuck in our ideas and views
The global price of collective addiction and attachment
Moving past our attachment to our sense of separateness
The big spiritual question—who are we really?
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and keeping a healthy curiosity around death
Lowering our defenses and helping others lower their defenses around us
Parenting with trust and connection rather than clinging and control
The good side of attachment—connection, well-being, mirroring
Transforming low-self-esteem and the body of fear into self-confidence and openness
Using spiritual practice to open to a love that includes our full humanity
Finding the true possibilities that the spiritual path offers
Resting in our being—how not to seek and chase, and how not to run away and hide
Touching our incompleteness, our brokenness, with compassion
Expanding our heart and connecting with our shared humanity
Uncovering within us our inner knowing, The One Who Knows
How to be true to yourself, and make a light of yourself
Meditation as an invitation into vulnerability
Moving from unhealthy attachment into Wise Relationship
How Being Here Now, our capacity to be present, transforms our life
Nirvana as the absence of struggle with the world as it as
Please help support…
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Ep. 293 – Discovering the Great Way: Freedom from Attachment
11 juni 2025 · 33 min
Exploring the ancient Zen teaching of the Great Way, Jack guides us toward freedom from attachment, clarity beyond preferences, and the liberating joy of letting go. Lees meer
“The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. When attachment and hatred are both absent, everything becomes clear and undisguised. Make the smallest distinction; however, and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart. If you wish to see the truth, then hold no opinion for or against anything.” – Third Zen Ancestor
In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:
Finding freedom from attachment by learning to let go
Can we meditate society’s problems away?
What does it mean to seek wisdom, compassion, freedom?
The Third Patriarch of Zen
Finding the Great Way and seeing the truth
Moving past our opinions and preferences
How our desires blind us and manufacture our reality
Suffering, impermanence, grasping, and not relying on reality
The path to liberation from our grasping and fears
The joy of letting go of our attachments and relaxing into what is
Training ourselves to have an obedient mind of the Buddha
Is there appropriate or wise attachment?
Clarifying the full spectrum of attachment
How to get out addiction and the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts
Dealing with attachment to our isolation, our separateness
Commitment as a healthy devoted attachment
Seeking a Wise Relationship to ourselves, others, and the world
The slippery slope of pleasure, into desire, into habit, into need
Wise attachment vs unwise attachment
The full spectrum of attachment and love
“Go where you wish—cave, monastery, India, Tibet, do what you like—your mind goes with you, that’s the problem.” – Jack Kornfield
This episode recorded on 03/08/1993 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as we…
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Ep. 292 – Becoming What You Want the World to Be with Ocean Robbins
4 juni 2025 · 40 min
Jack and Ocean continue their deep conversation, exploring how to create positive change in the world without losing our spiritual center and loving essence. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
“Neither meditation nor activism has to be a grim duty. These are invitations to open the heart and be present for everything. In activism you stand up because you care and you love, and then you bring your best to it.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack and Ocean mindfully explore:
Activism and creating positive change in the world
How to save the world without losing yourself
Acting beautifully without attachment to the fruits
How not not to let the immense suffering of the world get to us
Wes Nisker, Gary Snyder, and saving the world because you love it
Acting in this world with peace, love, courage, and nobility
Honoring our emotions, grief, and fears, but not letting them control us
Becoming what you want the world to be
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and meeting our lives with honesty and joy
Fighting for freedom and justice, but having fun doing it
Making activism fun, joyful, and beautiful
Emphasizing the positives acts in the world
Life changing wisdom from the Buddha
Holding it all in the great heart of compassion
Adding your voice, love, energy, and compassion
If your grief is big, hold it from something bigger
This episode was originally recorded for the Food Revolution Network in November of 2024.
Discover Your Buddha Nature with Jack Kornfield, an online journey for reclaiming our dignity, compassion, and generosity, beginning June 2.
“It says in the Bhagavad Gita, the essence is to act beautifully without attachment to the fruits of the actions. What it means is, you don’t get to determine how it turns out, but you do get to plant your seeds of goodness. And as Thoreau says, ‘Convince me you have a seed there, and I’m prepare…
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Ep. 291 – The Calm Ocean and the Storm: Navigating Duality with Ocean Robbins
27 mei 2025 · 38 min
Jack is interviewed by Ocean Robbins to explore the big spiritual questions—why there is suffering, how to navigate duality, making the ordinary holy, and cultivating a loving witness. Lees meer
Discover Your Buddha Nature with Jack Kornfield, an online journey for reclaiming our dignity, compassion, and generosity, beginning June 2.
“It’s important to not use spiritual practice to set up an ideal or judge yourself. Sometimes you need to shut down, and then you open again. So the spiritual path is really about being with both the calm ocean and the storm.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack and Ocean mindfully explore:
What first got Jack into mindfulness and meditation
Life as beautiful, and an ocean of tears
Suffering, Buddhism, and the end of suffering
Why is there suffering in the world?
Navigating the reality of duality—form and emptiness, life and death
The recycling nature of the universe
How to make the ordinary holy
Meeting our lives with presence
A simple way to explain “The Witness”
The magic of consciousness
A calming and deep guided meditation
Holding fear and grief in compassion
Not getting caught in reactions and anger
Acting the nobility of heart and your original dignity
This episode was originally recorded for the Food Revolution Network in November of 2024.
“Life is extraordinarily beautiful, and it’s an ocean of tears. You can’t have birth without death, you can’t have light without dark, you can’t have beginnings without endings. We live in a universe constructed of opposites. That’s just the game of form, of duality. You can’t have form without the emptiness from which it comes.” – Jack Kornfield
About Ocean Robbins:
Ocean Robbins is an American entrepreneur and author, best known for his role as the co-founder of Food Revolution Network, Inc. This California-based company is dedicated to advocating for a whole foods, plant-based diet. Check out Ocean’s book, 31-Day Food Revolution, to learn more about healing the body and trans…
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Ep. 290 – Bowing to the Breath: An Embodied Mindfulness Practice
20 mei 2025 · 34 min
In this guided breath meditation, Jack Kornfield invites listeners into a space of ease, trust, and ardent gratitude for our bodies, hearts, and minds. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Learn to cultivate dignity, compassion, and generosity in Discovering Your Buddha Nature with Jack Kornfield, an online journey beginning June 2.
This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack leads listeners through:
The true purpose of meditation and returning from the outer world to our inner selves
Softening the body and releasing any physical and emotional tension
Grounding ourselves as we sense the weight of our body being fully supported by the earth
Receiving whatever thoughts and emotions arise during meditation with compassion and openness
Noticing how the body breathes itself, relaxing into each breath, and inviting a sense of ease and trust
Feeling the rise and fall of our bellies with each inhale and exhale
Bowing inwardly to our life-sustaining breath and thanking it for keeping us alive
Expanding the field of mindful loving awareness to the entire body, heart, and mind
Finding the parts of our body that are storing buried difficulties
Considering the energy of the mind and how occupied it is most of the time
Welcoming a sense of peace and presence with a quieter mind and a tender heart
Resting in ‘the awareness that notices’ and de-identifying with the breath and body
"This is your life breath. It breathes you together with all living things. It breathes you with everyone in the room, the ocean of air in the trees. As if to make an inward bow, you can say thank you to your breath for keeping you alive so steadily." – Jack Kornfield
This meditation was originally recorded for the InsightLA Sunday livestream on April 20, 2025.
“Notice that you are not your breath and body. You are not your feelings and thoughts. But, who you are is the awareness that ha…
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Ep. 289 – Still We Rise: Bodhisattvas of the Great Turning with Trudy Goodman
13 mei 2025 · 54 min
In this time of global uncertainty, Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman call us to rise with fierce compassion and become Bodhisattvas of the Great Turning. Lees meer
Join Jack's Free New Course, Stand Up For Compassion: A Free Course and Resource for Navigating Uncertain Times.
“You become the imaginal cells in these times. Things fall apart, but in you is the understanding that compassion is big enough to hold all of this, that the heart is big enough to hold all this, that the Dharma is big enough to shine through empires, changes, crisis, and beauty. That’s what we have—the Bodhisattva can carry on liberating beings from suffering, however long it takes.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack and Trudy mindfully explore:
How you can pick all the flowers, but you can’t stop the spring
Navigating fear politics and the cultural media machine
Letting go of fear, blame, shame, and ending systemic division
Using this time of “The Great Turning” as an opportunity to create a more loving world
Ajahn Chah and living the truth of uncertainty
How to face the big problems of the world with even bigger love
Meeting the world through the Bodhisattva Vows
How loving people and feeding people connects with enlightenment
The path and practices of loving awareness and compassion
Inclining the heart towards kindness and generosity
How caterpillars change to butterflies through Imaginal Cells
The world-changing power of true community
Learning how to respond mindfully to any trigger or circumstance
Becoming a make-weight of hope to tip the scales of humanity to love and balance
The spiritual wisdom of Passover and Easter
Letting go of tension and flowing into relaxation
The Pagan Goddess of Dawn
Community as the antidote for loneliness
Crying, letting the tears come, and seeing what happens
How to interact with people who are highly anxious or avoidant
Saying hello to the people around you
“Tears feel endless, bottomless, when they don’t have a chance to fall. When th…
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Ep. 288 – The Trusting Heart: Letting Go of Victimhood, Awakening Resilience
6 mei 2025 · 36 min
Exploring how to let go of victim consciousness and awaken inner resilience, Jack shares how to rest in awareness and live from the trusting heart. Lees meer
Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.
Join Jack's New Free Course, Stand Up For Compassion: A Free Course and Resource for Navigating Uncertain Times.
In this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:
Liberation, resilience, and the Trusting Heart
The physical nature of time within the infinite nature of awareness
Change, aging, and the weirdness of looking in the mirror
Meditation and working with the drama that arises
Remembering who we truly are, no matter how lost we get
Moving past victim consciousness, shame, and blame
Dropping our negative stories and starting to live with nobility
How we are so much more than our suffering
How to stop being loyal to our stories about ourselves and the world
Navigating these "latter day degenerate times with cherry blossoms everywhere”
The goal of practice as keeping our beginners mind
Letting go of fear and opening to adventure
Not confusing no-self with low-self esteem
"No self, no problem"
The strength, aliveness, and fullness of true emptiness
The Dharma of a zoo in a hurricane
The Trusting Heart as natural as the Tao, as resilient as water, and as forgiving as the earth
The resiliency, compassion, and intuition of the Witness
Recognizing how good you're actually doing
"When we become still, when we're not trying to be something, when we're in the moments of the trusting heart—what's left is not imitation or artificial, it is as natural as the Tao, as resilient and flexible as water, and as forgiving as the earth." – Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk was recorded at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and originally published on DharmaSeed.
“Is this who you really are—the victim, the abandoned one, the lonely one? Is that really who you are?…
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Ep. 287 – Remembering Who You Truly Are
29 april 2025 · 37 min
Who are we really? Jack Kornfield peels back the veil on our identity roles to uncover the deeper truth that we really are. Lees meer
Join Jack's New Free Course, Stand Up For Compassion: A Free Course and Resource for Navigating Uncertain Times.
In this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:
Opening to a new vast, gracious, and spacious perspective on life
Stepping out of your ordinary habits and roles to see something in a new way
How to navigate the reality that death is stalking us
Meditation as a practice of letting things go
The spirituality of the nature of change and the present moment
Ram Dass and the mystery of identity, change, and awareness
Seeing past our roles to the deeper reality of who we are
Looking into the mystery of: Who I Am?
Touching the secret beauty you were born with
Jack's experience communicating with Koko the Gorilla
Seeing past the illusion of separateness and the small self
Meditation as a sacred space of non-consumption
Remembering and healing through listening and letting go
Seeing the entire arc of life with the eyes of the Divine
Overcoming the forces of greed, hatred, and fear
Untangling the places that cause suffering and confusion
Opening to the birthright of your freedom
Living the pattern of mystery that is this life
Recognizing the total interconnection of all of life
"Part of what makes meditation so extraordinary is that to simply sit and not try to make anything happen, or get anywhere, or do something—is to step out of our identity and our roles in the small sense of self." – Jack Kornfield
This Dharma Talk was recorded at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and originally published on DharmaSeed.
“Meditation offers us a sacred space of non-consumption. There's nothing to do, no grade, no accomplishment, nothing you have to become. It is the sacred space to listen and remember, and touch the freedom of heart or spirit that is possible in any circumstance." – Jack Kornfield
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack …
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Ep. 286 – The Great Ocean of Change: Letting Go Into What Is
22 april 2025 · 37 min
Exploring how to stay buoyant and balanced on life's great ocean of change, Jack sets our spiritual compass for letting go into what is. Lees meer
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"What we're asked to do here is a very deep thing, which isn't to change ourselves, but to give ourselves to our life, to practice with continuity and care, bowing, opening. It's really like being in labor, if you've ever had a child or been there for childbirth, it's a birth of your life, a birth of yourself, over and over, letting go to what is." – Jack Kornfield
In this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:
The Tibetan story of Avalokitesvara, Green Tara, and White Tara
The spiritual wisdom of a duck resting on the ocean
Floating softly on life's constant ocean of change
Experiencing ourselves as an always flowing river of life
Bowing to the truth of impermanence
Selflessness, emptiness, and openness
Seeing through the dreamlike mirage of 'who you think you are'
Letting go into the ever-changing process of life
Honoring the truth of what's here and now
Suffering, opening your heart, and connecting to all beings
Awakening the great heart of compassion
Ram Dass and the gift of service
Meeting death with curiosity, play, and wisdom
Rebirthing ourselves over and over again
Giving ourselves over sincerely to our life, letting go into what is
Awakening the great wisdom and heart of the Buddha in every circumstance
How surrender leads directly to freedom
This Dharma Talk recorded on 1/3/93 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.
“The more we pay attention, the more we sense ourselves as a river of life." – Jack Kornfield
Interested in learning more on this topic? Check out our most recent Here and Now episode f…
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Ep. 285 – Bowing to What Is: Awakening Right Where You Are
15 april 2025 · 35 min
Jack invites us to stop fighting what is and begin bowing to it—awakening the timeless wisdom and compassionate heart of a Buddha, right here and now, in the midst of our joys, sorrows, and the suffering of the world. Lees meer
This Dharma Talk recorded on 1/3/93 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.
This week on Heart Wisdom, Jack gives perspectives on:
Evaluating our spiritual practice
Joanna Macy and healing the environment
The rollercoaster ride of meditation
Awakening right here and right now
The transformative power of bowing to it all
The Buddhas of all the universes
Suffering and the truth of Nirvana, timeless delight
Facing the reality of the human realm—joy and sorrow, birth and death
Looking at the difficulties facing the planet today—war, famine, racism, greed, environmental concerns
Stop fighting what is true; the end of denial
Bowing to suffering, attachment, and change
Insight—seeing things just as they are
"We awaken the wisdom and the great, compassionate heart of a Buddha right where we are. Where else could it be?" – Jack Kornfield
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