The Modern Buddhism Podcast

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1. From Total Skeptic to Buddhist Monk: What Changed My Mind

   31 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 2 min

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   In this episode hosted by Rebecca Gauthier, Gen Kelsang Ananda shares his journey from a skeptical young man who was simply curious about meditation to a Buddhist monk dedicated to helping others find inner peace and meaning in their lives. He describes how discovering the books Universal Compassion and The New Meditation Handbook introduced him to clear, practical instructions that helped him connect Buddha's teachings with his own experience. Through meditation retreats, reflecting on death, and gradually developing faith in his spiritual teacher, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, he found the inspiration to dedicate his life to a spiritual path. Lees meer

   Gen Ananda also explores how meditation can help us discover what truly matters, make wiser choices, and develop a deeper sense of purpose. He explains that Buddhist moral discipline is not about forcing ourselves to follow rules, but about understanding what benefits us and others, allowing us to make positive decisions with confidence and freedom. In a world full of distractions and seemingly endless choices, he shows how we can use everyday experiences to reconnect with our intentions, develop wisdom, and cultivate inner peace. This thoughtful conversation offers practical encouragement for anyone seeking greater clarity, a more meaningful life, and the confidence to follow what matters most to their heart.

   Gen Ananda is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide.

   Chapters

   00:00 Finding Meaning Through Meditation

   06:40 Guided Retreats and Meaningful Practice

   12:20 Death Meditation and Spiritual Direction

   18:20 Meeting Geshe-la and Developing Faith

   24:50 Moving Toward Ordination

   31:00 Illness, Ordination, and Inner Clarity

   36:00 Moral Discipline as Freedom

   42:00 Using Distractions to Strengthen Practice

   48:25 Wisdom, Emptiness, and Inner Peace

   54:20 Celibacy, Purpose, and Life Choices

   Book References

   The …

2. A Buddhist Monk on Why Life Feels Pointless – But Isn’t!

   23 september 2026 · 1 uur 5 min

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   In today’s episode, Gen Rabten explores one of the biggest questions we can ask about our lives: what is the point? He explains how modern life can leave us feeling increasingly purposeless, whether through anxiety about the future, the pressure to achieve success, changing ideas about work and wealth, or the realization that the things we thought would make us happy often fail to provide lasting fulfilment. Lees meer

   Drawing on the teachings of Buddha and the wisdom of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, he examines why we can become trapped in repeatedly chasing temporary sources of happiness while overlooking the deeper sources of peace within our own mind. Referencing The New Eight Steps to Happiness and How to Understand the Mind, he explores how wisdom, compassion, kindness, and training the mind can give our lives a genuine sense of meaning.

   The conversation also considers how we can make a difference in the world by changing the way we respond to conflict, difficulty, and the people around us. Ultimately, this episode offers a powerful perspective on finding purpose not through what we achieve or acquire, but through developing inner peace and using our life to benefit others.

   00:00 The Search for Life’s Meaning

   07:02 Searching Philosophy for Answers

   13:00 Why We Chase False Happiness

   19:02 Understanding Real Happiness

   25:04 Finding Meaning Through Kindness

   30:00 Guarding the Doors of the Senses

   35:12 What Actually Matters in Life

   40:01 Transforming Conflict Through the Mind

   45:02 Testing Buddhist Teachings in Life

   50:01 Living to Benefit Others

   Book References

   by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

   📖 The New Eight Steps to Happiness: https://kadampa.org/book/eight-steps-to-happiness

   📖 How to Understand the Mind: https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-understand-the-mind

   📖 How to Transform Your Life: A Blissful Journey: https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-transform-your-life

   Want More?

   Find a meditation center near you : https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en

   Listen to…

3. A Buddhist Monk's Candid Truths About Dissatisfaction, Anger & Finding Happiness

   9 september 2026 · 47 min

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   In today's episode, host Rebecca Gauthier interviews Buddhist monk Gen Kelsang Dragpa. Lees meer

   Gen Dragpa shares his journey from a discontented youth to finding deep purpose through Kadampa Buddhism. Reflecting on his personal struggles with anger, expectations, and a painful relationship separation, he explains how Buddha's teachings function as a supportive mirror - helping us understand our own minds rather than blaming external circumstances. He discusses the power of simple meditation practices, the transformative experience of meeting his spiritual guide Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, and the reality of navigating inner challenges even after ordination.

   Through candid reflections on avoiding perfectionism and resisting instant gratification, this conversation highlights how working on inner peace creates genuine, positive change in the world around us.

   00:00 Early Discontentment and Quest for Freedom

   05:54 Reggae, Relationships, and Searching for Control

   11:15 Discovering the Practical Science of Meditation

   16:44 Using Buddha's Teachings as a Mirror

   22:00 Meeting Geshe Kelsang and Requesting Ordination

   27:30 Real Monk Challenges and Inner Kindness

   32:44 Facing Fear and Becoming a Resident Teacher

   38:02 Countering Distraction to Find Lasting Meaning

4. How Do You Forgive Someone Who Never Apologizes?

   27 augustus 2026 · 50 min

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   In today’s episode, we explore the deeply personal and transformative practice of forgiveness - and why letting go of resentment is ultimately about changing our own mind rather than waiting for someone else to apologize or make things right. Lees meer

   The guest explains how our experience of hurt can become tied to blame, self-blame, and the mistaken belief that our faults or painful experiences define who we are. Drawing on Buddhist teachings and the advice of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, including teachings from The New Eight Steps to Happiness, she explores how we can learn to recognize our faults without identifying with them, understand the perspectives and suffering of others, and develop a healthier relationship with our own mistakes.

   The conversation examines betrayal, neglect, difficult childhood experiences, anger, resentment, and the expectations we hold about how life and other people should have treated us. Through the practice of patient acceptance, we can begin to let go of the painful idea that things should have been different and instead work with the reality we actually face.

   This episode offers a practical and compassionate approach to forgiveness - one that does not excuse harmful behavior or depend on receiving an apology, but helps us release our own pain, develop compassion, and gradually create the freedom to respond differently.

   Timetable

   00:00 Losing a Father & the Root of Blame

   05:32 Seeing Your Own Role: A Cultural Story

   12:01 No One to Blame: Self vs. Delusions

   18:19 Karma, Conditions, and Feeling Neglected

   23:43 When Neglect Is Real: Learning to Forgive

   31:28 The Journey to Genuine Forgiveness

   39:51 Forgiveness, Compassion, and Self-Compassion

   46:07 Preventing Relapse on the Forgiveness Path

   Book References

   by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

   📖 How To Transform Your Life: ⁠https://howtotyl.com/⁠

   📖 The New Eight Steps to Happiness: ⁠https://kadampa.org/book/eight-steps-to-happiness⁠

   Want More?

   Find a meditation center near you: ⁠https:…

5. Musician to Monk: Why I Chose Meditation

   12 augustus 2026 · 43 min

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   In today’s episode, Gen Kelsang Sherab shares the remarkable journey that took him from being a professional musician in Israel and the Netherlands to becoming a Buddhist monk and meditation teacher. Looking back on his early search for meaning, he describes the quiet sense that something was missing from his life, even when everything appeared successful from the outside. Lees meer

   His encounter with Kadampa Buddhism introduced him to teachings that helped him understand the nature of samsara, the importance of moral discipline, and the possibility of transforming the mind through meditation. He recalls the books that first captured his attention, including Clear Light of Bliss, Tantric Grounds and Paths, Introduction to Buddhism, and Joyful Path of Good Fortune, and explains how these teachings gradually changed the direction of his life.

   Sherab also reflects on his mother’s death, difficult experiences with his family, his decision to give up music, and the painful process of realizing that the Buddhist path he had built for himself needed to be completely rebuilt. Throughout the conversation, he explores the role of the Dharma Protector, the importance of learning from our mistakes, and why meditation is not about fighting the mind but learning to understand and work with it.

   Ultimately, this is a story about discovering what truly brings happiness, having the courage to change direction, and finding a deeper purpose through Dharma practice.00:00 From Musician to Buddhist Monk05:01 Searching for a Spiritual Guide10:05 Discovering Kadampa Buddhism and Books15:00 Samsara, Sorrow, and Losing His Mother20:00 Choosing Ordination Over Music25:02 Family Conflict and Spiritual Growth30:00 Understanding the Dharma Protector35:00 Virtue, Truth, and Samsara

   Book References

   by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso📖 Introduction to Buddhism: https://kadampa.org/book/introduction...📖 Clear Light of Bliss: https://kadampa.org/book/clear-light-...📖 Tantric Grounds and Paths: https://kadampa.org/boo…

6. What If You Lost Everything... And Were OK?

   12 augustus 2026 · 43 min

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   In today's episode, Kadam Michelle draws on 25+ years as a student of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso to explore how to find peace amid genuine uncertainty. Recounting her years as a resident teacher through three major hurricanes in Florida, she describes what she calls the "cone of uncertainty" - the idea that our entire life, not just a storm's path, is already pervaded by unpredictability. Lees meer

   She explains the practice of patient acceptance: peacefully accepting whatever arises rather than rejecting it, since rejection never changes reality and only adds mental pain on top of an already difficult situation. Michelle shares how thinking of our possessions, and even our own bodies, as merely "borrowed" for this life helps loosen the grip of attachment, and how meditating on death - not to create fear, but to clarify what truly matters - transforms daily interactions into something meaningful.

   She also addresses a common objection: doesn't real change require anger? Drawing a distinction between the destabilizing energy of anger and the stable, wise energy of compassion, she makes the case that a peaceful mind is not passive, but is in fact the most effective foundation for helping others and for living, and eventually dying, well.00:00 Introduction: Life in Florida's Hurricane Season04:45 Patient Acceptance and Letting Go of Attachment10:06 Community, Compassion, and Helping After Disaster16:06 Uncertainty, Impermanence, and Life's Storms21:04 Training the Mind Through Patient Acceptance26:08 Is Anger Ever the Right Response?30:17 Building an Inner Refuge Through Meditation34:24 Meditating on Death to Live MeaningfullyBook ReferencesHow To Transform Your Life by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso https://howtotyl.com/The New Meditation Handbook by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso https://kadampa.org/book/the-new-medi...Subscribe to get notifications of new episodes.Want More?Find a meditation center near you:https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search...Listen to teaching clips:Spotify: https://op…

7. I Gave Up Everything (Best Decision I Ever Made)

   1 juli 2026 · 50 min

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   In today’s episode, Gen Chodor reflects on a powerful feeling he had as a young person - that life seemed almost dream-like - and how this sparked a deep search for meaning and purpose. Drawing on the wisdom of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, he explores how meditation can help us see reality more clearly, free ourselves from distraction, and discover a deeper, more lasting sense of inner peace. Lees meer

   The conversation explores the transformative impact of meeting authentic spiritual teachings, the decision to dedicate one's life to Dharma practice, and the profound benefits of training the mind. Through personal stories and practical insights, Gen Chodor shows how genuine happiness and purpose arise not from external achievements, but from developing wisdom, compassion, and a positive state of mind.

   Chapters

   00:00 Questioning Reality and Finding Buddhism

   05:21 Meaning, Happiness and Inner Development

   10:09 Morning Meditation and Setting Direction

   13:03 Leaving Corporate Life Behind

   20:18 Death, Impermanence and Living Without Regret

   28:35 Why Spiritual Life Brings Meaning

   31:17 Discovering Your Authentic Self

   36:07 Grasping, Reality and the Dreamlike Self

   43:20 The Extraordinary Potential of the Mind

   49:04 Books and Final Advice

   Book References

   How To Transform Your Life by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

   How to Understand the Mind by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

   Subscribe to get notifications of new episodes.

   Want More?

   Find a meditation center near you:

   https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en

   Listen to teaching clips:

   https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z

   Facebook:

   https://www.facebook.com/modernbuddhismpodcast

   Instagram:

   https://www.instagram.com/modernbuddhismpodcast/

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   https://www.tiktok.com/@modernbuddhismpodcast

   #Buddhism #Meditation #Kadampa #NewKadampaTradition #GesheKelsangGyatso #MindTraining #InnerPeace #LucidDreaming #SpiritualGrowth #BuddhistWisdom #HowToUnderstandTheMind #ModernBuddhism #Concentration #MeaningO…

8. A Buddhist Monk's Honest Advice On Letting Go & Finding Inner Peace

   9 mei 2026 · 38 min

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   In today's episode, Gen Kelsang Chökyong - a Buddhist monk from Wales - shares the story of how he stumbled into a Dharma class while sheltering from the rain with a kebab, and never left. Drawing on nearly thirty years of practice and teaching within the New Kadampa Tradition, he explores why the mind - not external circumstances - is the true source of all our happiness and suffering. He explains the Buddhist concept of self-grasping ignorance and how this single delusion drives everything from daily irritation and relationship problems to the world's largest conflicts. Lees meer

   Gen Chökyong highlights how meditation and compassion gradually erode this grasping, revealing a natural peace that was always there. He shares life-changing insights into the nature of feelings - pointing out that most of what torments us is just a feeling, and feelings always pass. He concludes with a very helpful approach to making mistakes. Instead of turning on ourself, we can realize that without making mistakes it’s unlikely that we’ll learn and improve. Warm, funny, and deeply practical, this episode is a masterclass in how Buddhist wisdom applies directly to modern anxiety, relationships, and the art of letting go.

   Chapters

   00:00 Introduction and Finding Dharma

   05:00 Seeing Through the Fantasy of Worldly Life

   09:20 How the Mind Creates Its Own Suffering

   15:00 Buddhism's Relevance for Modern Life and Young People

   22:40 Confidence, Self-Image, and Letting Go of Comparison

   27:20 Working with Difficulties

   28:45 Feelings and the Power of Letting Go

   33:55 Compassion and Learning from Mistakes

   Book References

   In this episode Gen Chökyong references:

   How to Solve our Human Problems - https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-solve-our-human-problems

   How to Transform Your Life - https://howtotyl.com/

   Gen Chökyong is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide.

   WANT MORE?

   Find a meditation center nea…

9. Meditation Tools For When You Can't Control What Happens Next

   3 mei 2026 · 44 min

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   n today's episode, Kadam Mick Marcon explores one of the biggest challenges in life - how to cope with uncertainty. Drawing on his own experience of losing his mother, witnessing a stranger's fear on a turbulent flight, and years of practising and teaching within the New Kadampa Tradition, he reveals why our struggle with uncertainty runs far deeper than the unpredictable events of the outside world. He explains how unrealistic expectations - the wish for things to be permanent in a world defined by impermanence - are at the very root of our suffering, and why no amount of external change has ever, or will ever, resolve this inner conflict. Lees meer

   Kadam Mick walks us through the tools Buddhism has to offer for working with the mind - from breathing meditation to the contemplation of impermanence - and distinguishes between the pain of attachment and the freedom of genuine love. Whether you are struggling to let go of a past relationship, facing the loss of someone you love, or simply overwhelmed by the chaos of the modern world, this episode offers a genuinely transformative perspective on how to truly be at peace with uncertainty.

   Chapters00:00 Introduction - Uncertainty and Human Nature 05:10 Bushfires, Escape Artists, and the Unprepared Mind 08:00 The Travel Blogger on a Turbulent Flight 11:00 Why Taming the Mind Feels Impossible 15:38 Informal Meditation - Becoming a Student of Life 18:07 The World's Problems and the Internal Answer 23:27 Unrealistic Wishes and the Root of Suffering 30:08 Letting Go of a Painful Past 36:03 Relationships, Meaning, and Inner Development 38:14 Detachment vs. Non-Attachment Explained 42:47 Love, Attachment, and the Teachings on ImpermanenceSubscribe to get notifications of new episodes.

   Want More?

   Find a meditation center near you - https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en

   Listen to teaching clips - https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z

   #Kadampa #Buddhism #Meditation #Impermanence #Uncertainty #LettingGo #MindTr…

10. The Buddhist Mind Hack that Stops the Blame Cycle

    11 april 2026 · 1 uur 8 min

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    In today’s episode, Gen Kelsang Norden explores the meaning of karma and how understanding it can become a liberating and empowering force in our lives. Speaking from her heart and her own experience of practicing these teachings, she explains how our thoughts and actions shape the way we experience the world and what we encounter in the future. Lees meer

    We learn that karma is something we can actively reshape through the choices we make each day. By recognizing that our experiences arise from our own past actions, we can free ourselves from the painful mental states of blame, victimhood, and resentment, and instead cultivate genuine personal responsibility and inner freedom.

    Gen Norden also explains the “mirror of karma,” the idea that every experience reflects our actions back to us, helping us to live with greater integrity and authenticity. She reminds us that at the end of our lives, what remains with us is not how others saw us, but the imprints of our own actions.

    Alongside this, she shares transformative practices such as taking and giving meditation and rejoicing in the happiness of others, showing how compassion and selflessness not only bring happiness and confidence, but also create powerful positive karma.

    This episode offers a clear and heartfelt presentation of one of Buddha’s principal teachings, and a practical guide to living with greater authenticity, freedom, and joy.

    Chapters

    00:00 A Powerful Method to Overcome Fear

    6:33 The Secret to Feeling Joy Anytime

    15:50 Can You Love People Who Hurt You?

    19:20 Why We Lose Control (And How to Catch It)

    23:28 Is Reality Actually Subjective?

    31:07 Why You’re Not Stuck in Your Life

    35:15 How to Take Control of Your Future

    47:10 Integrity, Authenticity and Self-Confidence

    53:00 Can I be Happy In an Uncertain World?

    58:05 The Path to Inner Freedom

    Subscribe to get notifications of new episodes.

    Book References

    In this episode Gen Kelsang Norden references:

    How to Transform Your Life - https://howtotyl…

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