"The longer our lives, the more we'll have a chance to see that there's no self living them." - James Hughes What is Transhumanism and how is it related to Buddhist practice? Will technology enable us to radically extend our lifespans, help us control our thoughts and emotions, and bring about the potential to upload our consciousness into virtual reality spaces? And if so, what are the deeper implications for our contemplative traditions. Will these advances actually support the deepening of wisdom? According to professor James Hughes, a Buddhist practitioner and leading voice in the Transhumanist movement, these advances will enable us to deconstruct the notion and experience we have of an "authentic self" and will support the development of happiness, and the cessation of suffering. Listen in to find out how... This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to part 2, Cyborg Buddhas & Techno-Utopian Pure Lands! (airing next week).

"I do not believe in an after life, although I am bringing a change of underwear." - Woody Allen The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche joins us again, this time to discuss the importance of the teachings of rebirth in the Western context. He also gives many detailed suggestions on how to work with suffering in practice, especially when your awareness of it becomes more acute--a common occurrence in practice. We finish off this fantastic dialogue with Rinpoche hearing his thoughts on transplanting Buddhism to the west to form a genuine form of western buddhism. This is part 3 of a three-part series. Listen to part 1, Analytical Meditation: Going Beyond Coffee Table Dharma and part 2, The Best Preparation for Dying Well is Living Well.

The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is the only Rinpoche we know who owns and uses a Blackberry! Rinpoche shares with us the different ways that he has adopted modern technology into the work that he does and into his teaching style. We also speak with Rinpoche about his most recent book, which explores the Bardo teachings, Mind Beyond Death. Rinpoche explains to us that death, one of the greatest sources of suffering, gives us a palpable opportunity to live well. He also points out that in terms of the trained mind, both death and life are but two sides of the same coin. Both can bring about enlightenment. This is part 2 of a three-part series. Listen to part 1, Analytical Meditation: Going Beyond Coffee Table Dharma

The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, one of the foremost teachers in the Nyingma and Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism, joins us to discuss his efforts in creating a genuinely Western form of the traditional shedra tract of Buddhist learning. This traditional scholastic training system is being translated and slightly altered for Westerners so that they can learn the full system of monastic training. In this episode we spoke with Rinpoche about the ways that these systems are being altered for Westerners, how this in-depth training is different from "coffee table dharma", and how analytic meditation—using the mind to analyze the mind—actually works. This is part 1 of a three-part series. Listen to part 2, The Best Preparation for Dying Well is Living Well.

"What the teacher really offers the student is literally living proof that all this talk and the seemingly impossible goals [of Zen] can be realized in this lifetime." - Baker Roshi in the Introduction to Zen Mind, Begineer's Mind Stuart Lachs, who for many decades has studied Zen from within and from without, challenges the legitimacy and authority of the Zen Master by deconstructing the structures and invisible institutional systems that grant this authority to the Zen Master. Listen in to find out how Noam Chomsky's notion of "useful doctrinal fabrications" applies to Zen, how the story of an unbroken lineage of Zen masters going back to the Buddha himself is basically bogus, how all of the elements of Zen itself weave together to form a seamless web of nearly unquestionable power, and why it's so hard to leave these communities even if you want to. This isn't to say that the practice of Zen isn't extremely powerful, and Stuart himself is a huge fan of the practices therein, but it is to say that many of us aren't aware of the ways that the institution itself defines reality for us. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Zen Masters: Dressing the Donkey with Bells and Scarves.

Long-time American Zen practitioner Stuart Lachs has spent some 40 years practicing Zen. First with Suzuki Roshi at the Tassajara Monastery in California and then with Eido Shimano Roshi, Walter Nowick, and finally with Ch'an Master Sheng-yen. In all of these communities Stuart ran up against strange and unfortunate dynamics playing out between the Zen Master and their communities. After getting heavily involved with the academic and sociological study of Zen, Stuart began seeing some of the cultural (and invisible) reasons that these communities would falter, whether from sexual scandals, the intense vanity of the teacher, or worse. In this episode he shares with us some of the ways that the legitimacy, authority & power of the Zen Master are spread through the Zen institution, and how these sometimes ridiculous ideals are accepted without questions from many intelligent, well-meaning, people. If you're a Buddhist practitioner of any sort, you won't want to miss this conversation! This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, The Darker Side of Zen: Institutions Defining Reality.

Our conversation with Susan Piver continues this week as we wrap our discussion on the relationship between meditation and writing. We also also explore the role that intention plays in offering or marketing the dharma. Finally, we wrap up the conversation by touching in on personality theory and productivity. Find out which enneagram type the Buddha was, and why productivity systems can bring about more bliss than meditation, in one of our geekiest (and fun) conversations to date! This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Susan Piver: The Fearless Writer.

When Susan Piver's book, The Hard Questions, hit the top of the NY Times Bestsellers list (and stayed there) she decided that she needed to deepen her practice immediately. Listen in this week as speak with Susan about her journey as a popular author and Buddhist practitioner. And if you have an interest in writing, or the creative process, you won't want to miss out on her description of the "meditation for writers" retreats that she leads, where writers of all backgrounds are able to combine their interest in writing with the power of the retreat environment. Are creativity and meditation really all that different? This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Mind Like Space.

The Round Table Geeks continue their exploration of Whitney Joiner's article, "Dive-bar Dharma". In a flurry of paradox, perspectives, humor, and exploration they tackle questions of integrating dharma into life, the Buddhist secular movements, contemplative practices in other traditions, and the historical and sociological dimensions of Dharma's spread to the West. We hope you enjoy this dynamic and fun conversation between fellow Buddhist geeks. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Dive-bar Dharma: Making it Fresh or Sensationalizing it?.

Join the Geeks of the Round Table as we discuss an article published on Salon.com entitled, Dive-bar Dharma. The geeks explore several questions, sparked by this article, including whether or not we should update ancient metaphors with more contemporary metaphors? Also of interest is how far teachers should go in adapting the teachings of the Buddha to the culture and counter-cultures that they teach within? How do we discover the fine between making the dharma more fresh and relevant and of sensationalizing it? This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Every Generation Creates the Dharma Anew.

Real creative expression, to me, is a process of discovery ... It's entering the mystery - Daido Roshi John Daido Loori, Roshi continues his discussion with Robert Spellman on the intersection between contemporary art and contemplative awareness. The two teachers share revealing stories about their understanding of the importance of meditative awareness in the creative process, and of specific exercises that one can do to tap into deeper ways of seeing, participating, and merging with the creative process. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1, Zen Mountain Monastery: Zen and the Arts.

John Daido Loori, Roshi abbot of the Zen Mountain Monastery in NY and well-known Buddhist author, joins us to discuss the history and development of his teaching, especially with regards to the key role that Art plays in Zen practice. Naropa University teacher Robert Spellman joins us as guest host to ask Daido Roshi about the 8 gates of zen, Roshi's training with Minor White, the difference between Western and Eastern forms of art, how the wildness of nature relates to Buddha-Nature, and ethical issues of taking responsibility for one's state of mind and their art work. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to part 2, Everything Arises in the Mind of the Yogi.

Where does awareness tend to locate itself? And how is this important in our experience and understanding of the Buddhist path of awakening? This week Diane Musho Hamilton—Zen sensei and Big Mind lineage holder—joins us again to discuss the importance of what Ken Wilber calls the three faces of spirit. Using this powerful notion as a lens we explore questions about how and why lineage is passed down, the way that Buddhism adapts to new cultures and why it is particularly vulnerable to being destroyed, how cultural development impacts the tradition, issues surrounding the master-disciple relationship, and finally whether or not one can regulate the erotic impulse. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Listen to part 1: Discover Yourself as a Perspective-Taking Being.

Diane Musho Hamilton, Zen sensei and Big Mind lineage holder, joins us to discuss her personal story on the path of awakening. From experiencing the death of several friends at a young age, to studying with Chogyam Trunpga in the mid-80s, to becoming the first lineage holder of a unique new spiritual process called Big Mind, join us as Diane shares the intimate details of her life as a seeker (and non-seeker). In this dialogue we also touch in on the importance that the work of integral philosopher Ken Wilber has had on her teaching, especially with regards to what Wilber calls the three primordial perspectives. These three perspectives can be summarized by the pronouns, "I" (first-person), "we" (second-person), and "it" (third-person). Find out why these perspectives are so important to someone who is trying to bring together the spiritual quest with all of their other endeavors. This is part 1 of a two-part series. Listen to Part 2, The Three Faces of Spirit: Where is Awareness Locating Itself?