Shows
Deconstructing YourselfMichael Taft Interviewed by PranabHost Michael Taft is interviewed by Pranab Sachidanandan about Michael's Stack Model for deconstructing sensory experience, his "adapter kit" for accessing nondual Vajrayana methods without years of preliminaries, why mantra and visualization are legitimate samadhi tools, how depth of practice maps across the sense gates, a chronic pain patient on a morphine pump who found relief through meditation, the humanities as qualia training, why the "Buddha industrial complex" leaves out people who don't fit a single tradition, and the power of building sangha outside it.Pranab Sachitananadan is the founder of Attention Copilot (attncopilot.com), a service...
2026-02-0733 min
Taft's Approach to GreenWM Phoenix Open, TPC Scottsdale, Sia Nejad Expert PicksTaft Gantt breaks down TPC Scottsdale with a course preview, key storylines, and betting profiles that matter most this week — followed by expert picks from Sia Nejad, one of the sharpest minds in golf betting.(0:00) Intro(0:49) TPC Scottsdale Course Preview(1:35) Biggest Storylines(4:40) Taft’s Approach to Green(9:32) Sia Nejad Expert Picks#pgatour #scottsdale #golfbetting #golfpicks #sportsbetting
2026-02-0414 min
The Adult in the RoomPortland’s “Cleanup” Hoax: Antifa, Cover-Ups & Court GamesSee what Portland media won’t show you. Victoria Taft breaks down the so-called “cleanup” of Antifa’s encampment—a carefully timed stunt ahead of a key Ninth Circuit decision. You’ll watch how police literally negotiate with Antifa while harassing ordinary citizens just trying to drive home.You’ll also hear about the government shutdown and how Democrats are using working families, air traffic safety, and food stamps as political leverage.Then, Victoria speaks with Yukong "Mike" Zhao from Chinese Americans for the Constitution. He shares his firsthand story of escaping communist China, facing harassment in California, and fighting back...
2025-10-281h 04The Adult in the RoomFollow the Money: Seamus Bruner Exposes Who Really Funds AntifaDiscover how the money really moves in America’s most violent activist networks. Victoria Taft sits down with investigative author Seamus Bruner. Plus, hear from a meteorologist who watched climate science get hijacked from the inside. Chuck Wiese joins Victoria Taft to expose the political pressure and federal money that created the infamous “hockey stick” climate graph and silenced scientists who questioned it.#AntifaFunding #SeamusBruner #GlobalistMoney #PortlandRiots #VictoriaTaftPodcast #ClimateFraud #ChuckWeiss #MichaelMann #GlobalWarmingDebate #VictoriaTaftPodcast
2025-10-101h 08Deconstructing YourselfNonduality and the Ego with Jake OrthweinHost Michael Taft talks with Jake Orthwein about the self as a construction, the distinction between no-self and emptiness, the crucial difference between having a functional ego and being identified with it, psychedelics and meditation and ego dissolution, the Buddha-nature vs. the True Self, dereification vs. defabrication, Taft’s distinction of nondual one vs. nondual two, and the importance of a healthy ego.Jake Orthwein is a filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY, and a dharma student of Michael Taft’s. His most recent film, “Unraveling the Dream,” was produced in collaboration with the Waking Up app and focuses...
2025-09-211h 02Taft's Approach to GreenTaylor Zarzour: U.S. Open Preview, Ryder Cup Tease, and "Living the Dream"Taylor Zarzour, host and director of SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio and the voice of golf's major championships, joins Taft Gantt to preview the U.S. Open at Oakmont. They discuss Scottie's dominance and who can chase him down. Then, they check in on the Ryder Cup where Taylor shares an unfortunate truth about Team USA. They finish with Taylor touching on his career and giving Taft advice on what it takes to live out your dreams in sports media.(0:00) PGA Championship(1:20) Taylor Zarzour(3:45) The Big Three(7:56) Oakmont(8:40) U.S...
2025-06-0932 min
Beyond The PipelineOps and Sales: Getting the sync right in early stage B2B SaaS companies with Taft LoveIn this episode of Beyond the Pipeline, host Vivin interviews Taft Love, founder of Iceberg RevOps, who shares his unique career journey from detective to sales leader. The conversation explores the importance of operations in early-stage startups, when to invest in operations and the challenges of maintaining sales processes. Taft emphasises the need for strategic thinking in hiring operations talent and discusses the balance between SDR and ops roles. In this conversation, Taft Love discusses the complexities of scaling operations within organisations, emphasising the importance of thoughtful decision-making and the balance between firefighting and strategic growth. He highlights the...
2024-12-0939 min
The Baby Pro PodcastOvercoming Breast Rejection with Shelly TaftWhy do babies reject the breast and how can you overcome breast rejection? Listen in as Shelly Taft IBCLC discusses this and more. Join Shelly and Maria in this heartfelt episode of the Baby Pro Podcast as they share practical strategies for overcoming common breastfeeding issues, such as breast rejection and transitioning from bottle to breast. Learn effective techniques like skin to skin contact, the “bait and switch” and creating a positive breastfeeding environment. Celebrate East Hartford’s milestone of establishing Connecticut’s first breastfeeding friendly workspace and get answers to listener questions, including the safety of piercing...
2024-07-0331 minThe Baby Pro PodcastNipple Shields Friend or Foe? with Shelly Taft IBCLCIn this episode of the Baby Pro Podcast, Shelly and Maria delve into the topic of nipple shields, providing a balanced view on this breastfeeding tool. They explore the history of nipple shields, tracing their evolution from early versions made of materials like nutmeg and silver to the modern, thin silicone designs used today. Whether you're a new parent struggling with breastfeeding, a healthcare professional, or simply interested in the topic, this episode provides valuable information, research findings, and personal experiences that highlight the effectiveness and proper use of nipple shields. In this...
2024-06-0517 minThe Baby Pro PodcastAbilify and Milk Supply with Shelly Taft, IBCLCThere are medications that can drop milk supply. In this episode, listen in as Shelly discusses one of these medications. In this episode of the Baby Pro podcast, Shelly and Maria discuss various factors that may influence these findings, including socioeconomic disparities and research biases, while also examining claims about breastfeeding's link to higher IQs and healthy eating patterns. Additionally, Shelly tackles the delicate balance between breastfeeding and the use of medications like Abilify, which can potentially impact milk supply. Don't miss out on this essential conversation about the science and struggles of nursing infants.
2024-05-0815 minThe Baby Pro PodcastCan I Eat That While Breastfeeding? with Shelly Taft IBCLCHave you been told to avoid certain foods while breastfeeding? Or told you have to consume more of other foods? Listen in as Shelly goes over the four most common myths about nutrition and breastfeeding. In this episode of the Baby Pro podcast, Shelly discussed nutrition myths that leave nursing moms scratching their heads, cutting through the fog of misinformation surrounding breastfeeding diets, as she debunks the age-old tales of gassy veggies and the impact of caffeine and alcohol on milk supply. We also celebrate a monumental step forward for breastfeeding athletes with th...
2024-04-1022 minThe Baby Pro PodcastThings to Know About Oversupply With Shelly Taft LPN, IBCLC, ISELet’s dive deep into a world where breastfeeding is not just about nutrition; it’s an emotional rollercoaster, a physiological marvel and a cultural conversation. In today’s episode of the Baby Pro podcast, we’re exploring the intricate world of breastfeeding and unveils the personal challenges faced from low milk supply to oversupply, mastitis and plugged ducts. Practical advice was also shared for managing overactive letdown and oversupply, tackling breastfeeding positions and the physiological aspects of milk production influenced by hormones like prolactin and oxytocin. Tune in to discover that the path of breastfeed...
2024-03-1344 minThe Baby Pro PodcastThe Importance of Skin to Skin with Shelly Taft IBCLCIn today’s episode of the Baby Pro Podcast, tune in as we unwrap the transformative power of skin to skin contact for newborns, exploring its almost mystical ability to stabilize a baby’s vital functions postpartum. Discover how a simple touch can do wonders for your newborn’s physiological regulation and cement the foundation for a deep, enduring bond between parent and child. We share an article about the significant victory for working mothers with Frontier Airlines’ commitment to the needs of breastfeeding pilots. We also engage in a transparent discussion about the contentious topic of bottle versus breast f...
2024-01-1725 minDeconstructing YourselfA Conversation with Kati DevaneyHost Michael Taft talks with neuroscientist and Executive Director of the Alembic, Kati Devaney about meditation, the neuroscience of meditation, predictive processing, the wonder of travel, psychedelics, and more.Kathryn Devaney, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist and meditation practitioner, with over 20 years of meditation experience. Kati earned her PhD in 2018, using fMRI to examine attention and default mode network function in experienced Vipassana meditators. After completing her postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, Kati moved to Berkeley CA to start The Berkeley Alembic Foundation with Michael Taft and Erik Davis. Kati is currently the Executive Director of...
2023-07-1348 min
The Adult in the RoomInterview with ANTIFA, Part OneNever let it be said that Victoria Taft would shy away from a debate. She's joined by "John," a member of the Portland "anti-fascist" (there's a difference?) community who takes issue with the reporting surrounding a recent shooting that cost one local activist her life. He describes what he saw on the scene there, as well as what he believes to be the root of the conflict and who he feels to be most culpable.
TOP STORIES:
Exclusive: Kyiv Pastor Stays With His People Amid Bombing, Predicts a Soviet-Style Takeover of the Church
Woke America...
2022-03-051h 04
The Adult in the RoomThe Reality of 1/6/21 with Special Guest Nick SearcyActor Nick Searcy (Fried Green Tomatoes, The Shape of Water, FX's Justified) was present on January 6, 2021 when a speech by then-President Trump and a peaceful protest erupted into mayhem as agitators broke in to the United States Capitol. In the new documentary film Capitol Punishment, Searcy and director Chris Burgard look at what happened the day of the violence, but also what happened after, as federal law enforcement began arresting dozens upon dozens of attendees of the rally, including many who did not participate in the siege. Searcy shares his own observations from that day, as well as why...
2022-01-0745 min
Quick Locks6/16/21. KD Takeover, Lightning Secure Taft's First Lock, Jazz 🔒Kevin Durant lifts Nets to Game 5 win, Lightning give Taft his first correct "lock of the day," and he looks to keep the streak going in Utah.
2021-06-1607 minDeconstructing YourselfSpiritual Bypassing and the Spiritual FriendHost Michael Taft talks about the phenomenon of spiritual bypassing, what it is, what it means for our practice, and whether it is as big of an issue as many seem to think, as well as the importance of having a meditation buddy, and the ageless tradition of the “soul friend.” Michael Taft’s websiteContribute to Michael’s Patreon See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2021-05-1723 min
TaftCastLife After Dark Waters: A Conversation With Rob BilottDubbed by The New York Times Magazine as “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare” in an article published on Jan. 6, 2016, Taft partner Rob Bilott has represented a diverse array of clients, nationwide, who have been harmed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “Forever Chemicals.” His work is the subject of the feature film, “Dark Waters,” and the documentary “The Devil We Know,” is detailed in his book, “Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s Twenty-year Battle Against DuPont.” In this episode of TaftCast, Taft Business Development Director Kelly Sharpe catches up with Rob to hear what h...
2021-05-0316 min
The Adult in the RoomJudicial Rashomon in the Twin CitiesThe trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd continues, and the defense is building a strong reasonable doubt case, from the litany of drugs in his system to another officer's bodycam that the Chief of Police says appears to show Chauvin's knee on Floyd's back, not his neck.
Plus, a Seattle lawmaker scores a hilarious self-own during a hearing on a costly green transportation plan!
TOP STORIES:
'Get Out, Nazis!'– Pastor Explodes in Righteous Anger, Kicks Out Canada's COVID Cops at 'Good Friday' Service
Violent Ri...
2021-04-0836 min
The Adult in the RoomBlack Mirror is Not a How-To GuideOn today's episode, learn about the proposed vaccination passport system that's gaining support among many, especially on the left, and its connections to China's Orwellian "social credit" scheme that penalizes citizens' finances, careers, even their ability to travel, based on rules of behavior.
PLUS: Julie Kelly of American Greatness returns to give an update on several cases related to the January 6 Capitol raid, and attorney Andrew Branca of The Law of Self-Defense & Legal Insurrection talks the trial of Officer Derek Chauvin.
TOP STORIES:
These 6 Stupendous Hoaxes Are Reasons to Give Media Narrative About 'Asian...
2021-04-051h 03Deconstructing YourselfA Conversation with Spring WashamHost Michael Taft speaks with meditation teacher and shamanic practitioner Spring Washam about the "dharma of Harriet Tubman," the inner vs. the outer journey of finding liberation, how the "meditation bubble" can actually block spiritual growth, bringing the wisdom of meditation to activism, the role of plant medicines in healing ourselves and our world, and much more.Spring Washam is a well-known meditation teacher, author, and visionary leader based in California and Peru. She is the author of A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength, Courage, and Wisdom in Any Moment. Spring is considered a pioneer in bringing mindfulness-based he...
2021-03-1250 min
Tennis Speed ShowEpisode 35: My Conclusions on Education ( With Lee Taft )In this episode, I touch on a subject that is often glossed over. It involves "education"! We tend to hold education as one of the most important areas a coach needs to improve continually. The question is, "What kind of education?". I believe in many cases; traditional education hasn't held up its end of the bargain! The belief system is most often if you pay TONS of money, then the Education will take care of you. I 100% percent conclude this not to be the case. Take some time and listen in as I share my thoughts and beliefs on...
2021-03-0715 minTaftCastInternational Women’s Day: Conversation, Reflections, and a Call to Action From our Gender Advancement Committee Co-ChairsMarked annually on March 8, International Women's Day is a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. On this episode of TaftCast, listen in on a discussion between Taft’s Gender Advancement Committee (GAC) co-chairs, partners Tracy Betz and Sonya Jindal Tork; associates Nicollette Khuans and Allison Smith Newsome; and senior business development manager Megan Riley. Hear the advice Tracy and Sonya would give themselves as new college graduates and as mid-level associates, challenges they’ve faced in their careers, and more about GAC initiatives.
2021-03-0526 min
Lee Taft Performance PodcastEpisode 59: Keeping the Taft Name Alive in Sports Performance (With Jen Taft)What an honor for me to have Jen Taft, Associate Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at St. Louis University! And of course, super honored because she is my niece and keeping the Taft sports name alive and well! Jen shares such a great story of perseverance as she chases her dream in strength and conditioning. She also talks about how she has handled Covid with her athletes and also dove into programming.
2021-02-2839 minDeconstructing YourselfTalking with People about Things, with David McRaneyHost Michael Taft speaks with science journalist, author, and podcaster David McRaney about how people do (and do not) change their minds, how brains form their view of reality, conspiracy theory, the method of "technique rebuttal" vs. "topic rebuttal,' QAnon, motivated reasoning, the psychology of belief, and much more.David McRaney is a science journalist and an internationally bestselling author, podcaster, and lecturer who created You Are Not So Smart.David began a blog writing about the psychology of reasoning in 2009. That blog became an internationally bestselling book published by Penguin in 2011, now available...
2021-02-031h 02Tennis Speed ShowEpisode 29: The Cross Under vs Lateral Run Step (Lee Taft)Tennis just got better because of a fantastic, productive, and very respectful conversation on tennis footwork. I had a great discussion with tennis coaches who support the cross-under (I call cross-behind) while supporting the lateral run step. It really will make you love "footwork" conversation in the sport of tennis. It is important to keep discussions like this one out in the open as often as possible to give tennis the kick in the pants it needs.
2021-01-0415 minDeconstructing YourselfSoulmaking Dharma, with Catherine McGeeHost Michael Taft speaks with meditation teacher Catherine McGee about Soulmaking Dharma; her journey into meditation practice; using the word “soul” in a Buddhist context; working with the energy body; connecting with the imaginal in meditation; what sort of person thrives in the Soulmaking Dharma practice; and expanding beauty and sacredness in our lives. CATHERINE McGEE has been teaching Insight Meditation at Gaia House and internationally since 1997. Her teaching emphasises working with perceptions of the body on the path of awakening and in the healing of the individual and collective crises of our times. She is an advis...
2020-12-0949 minTennis Speed ShowEpisode 27: Tennis Players Need to Solve Problems (With Lee Taft)In this special edition of the Tennis Speed Show, Lee addresses the importance of creating scenarios where tennis players must learn to solve the variety of problems that are in front of them on every movement. The more they are exposed to the kinesthetic differentiation variable, and the more they are challenged to make split-second decisions on the speed, angle of pursuit, and effort level, the greater the problem-solvers they become.
2020-12-0729 minTennis Speed ShowEpisode 25: [Special Edition] Staying Mentally & Physically Active During the PandemicWhat an incredibly important show with a vital message you can't afford to miss! Jae Taft and Andrew Gregory share their perspective on why staying physically and mentally active during the pandemic is necessary. Andrew dove into the specific skills athletes can do right now to stay sharp and active. Jae brought with her a key message and strategies on how and why mental preparedness is so crucial- especially not allowing your identity to become wrapped up in the sport where you lose who you are and your self-worth.
2020-11-1932 minTaftCastBeyond The Buzz – Adding Personality to Your ContentContent marketing is now more important than ever as our ways of interacting with clients and potential clients has been limited due to COVID. Good writers and speakers know that adding personality to your content is key in keeping people watching and reading. When developing marketing content, it is critical to make it interesting in order to keep people engaged. In the first collaboration with our bi-weekly business development newsletter The Buzz, Beth O'Mahoney, director of business development in Taft's Chicago office, takes a deeper dive into personalizing your content and offer additional tips.
2020-11-1807 minDeconstructing YourselfDreams and the Spiritual Imagination, with Steve AizenstatDepth Psychologist Steve Aizenstat speaks with host Michael Taft about dreams, the living image of dreams and their innate intelligence, the healing and creative power of the deep imagination; how dreams relate to meditation and spiritual practice, and the way that we are "all cyborgs now."Stephen Aizenstat, Ph.D., is the Founder of Dream Tending, Pacifica Graduate Institute, and Academy of Imaginal Arts and Sciences. He is a world renowned Professor of Depth Psychology, an imagination specialist and innovator. He has served as an organizational consultant to major companies, institutions, Hollywood films, and has lectured extensively in the...
2020-11-0658 min
The Adult in the RoomANTIFA Versus Mike Strickland, Part 3: The InstigatorIn part 3 of our ongoing series on Mike Strickland, the original victim of ANTIFA, we examine the man who caused the entire incident: Benjamin Kerensa, a Portland-based computer programmer, wannabe hacker, community activist, and convicted bomb hoaxer. We also take a look at the incident through the lens of well-known Portland activist Mike "Bluehair," who captured much of the incident and its aftermath on video and who has since defended Strickland's actions, even while disagreeing with his politics.
Plus, a post(?)-mortem of Tuesday's election in which Republicans not only likely retained the Senate but gained net...
2020-11-0548 min
The Adult in the RoomANTIFA Versus Mike Strickland, Part 2: The IndictmentIn this second installment of the story of Portland amateur journalist Mike Strickland, we hear from prominent members of Portland's left-wing activist community. And what they say about Strickland's treatment and the actions that led to his arrest may surprise you, as will their remarks about the motivations of some members of the protest crowd. We also learn about the actions taken by prosecutors in his case, as well as by the media, and the shocking turn of events in the courtroom after his initial charge.
Plus, in the news segment, we'll talk about next week's election...
2020-10-291h 21TaftCastVirtual but Not Forgotten: Connecting With Clients in a COVID WorldAs we continue to adapt to our new virtual and hybrid work environments, it is important to find new ways to connect with clients and continue building these important relationships. In our timely new TaftCast episode, “Virtual but Not Forgotten: Connecting With Clients in a COVID World”, you'll hear strategies and ideas for creative client engagement. This episode features Kathryn Ferrell, event marketing manager (Chicago) and Kristine Migely, senior marketing and events specialist (Minneapolis), with special guest, Jing Jin, Taft Minneapolis partner, who will discuss the importance of virtual business development and how she is conn...
2020-10-2324 min
The Adult in the RoomANTIFA Versus Mike Strickland, Part 1: The IncidentOn July 7, 2016, vlogger and independent political reporter Mike Strickland was attending the Don’t Shoot Portland protest event. The filmmaker had gained a reputation for showing the world the worst of radical leftism, including the black bloc protesters and socialist extremists common in the northwest. When he showed up at the protest that day, he had no idea that a conspiracy had been hatched. He was assaulted repeatedly by members of a newly-minted extremist organization...ANTIFA. He drew his legally-carried Glock 26 handgun and leveled it at the attackers, frightening them off without firing a shot.
But while he...
2020-10-2255 minDeconstructing YourselfLove Unveiled with A. H. AlmaasSpiritual teacher A. H. Almaas speaks with host Michael Taft about the centrality of love to our spiritual nature, how to tell the difference between emotional love and spiritual love, how the wounds of love can become openings for awakening, various “flavors” of love, and the necessity of love to approach truth. A. Hameed Ali, whose pen name is A. H. Almaas, is founder of the Diamond Approach to Self-Realization, a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychology theories. Almaas has authored eighteen books about spiritual realization, including the Di...
2020-10-0748 minDeconstructing YourselfVajrayana and Deity Yoga with Chandra EastonBuddhist Teacher and author Lopön Chandra Easton talks with Michael Taft about Vajrayana, her own pilgrimage and experiences in India, the struggle to bring motherhood, sexuality, the feminine, and the female voice into spiritual life, the power of yidam or deity yoga, how Westerners relate to deity yoga, and a look into the practice of the 21 Taras.Chandra Easton is a teacher and translator of Tibetan Buddhism who focuses on the lineage of the 11th-century yogini Maching Labdrön and Lama Tsultrim Allione, founder of Tara Mandala retreat center. She has taught Buddhism and yoga since 2001 an...
2020-09-2155 minTennis Speed ShowLesson # 3: The Hip Turn Escape (With Lee Taft)Allow me to teach you why the Hip Turn is one of the most important footwork skills a tennis player can develop. The Hip Turn teaches the player to escape space and attack new space. This is critical in so many areas on the court. Listen to the detailed breakdown!
2020-09-0207 minTennis Speed ShowLesson #2: Importance of Sprinting for Court Movement (With Lee Taft)In today's lesson let's discuss the importance of sprinting and why tennis player's court movement become better because of it. Be sure you listen in on this short, but important lesson!
2020-08-2606 minDeconstructing YourselfEvolving Ground with Rindzin Pamo and Jared JanesHost Michael Taft speaks with Rin’dzin Pamo and Jared Janes about their new project, entitled “Evolving Ground,” which is a community of practitioners that seeks to reinterpret and revitalize Vajrayana practice in a contemporary Western context. Topics include: the failure of Tibetan Buddhism to adapt to Western culture, the importance of the worldview in practice, creating new language around meditation, cheese-filled dorje snacks, and much more.Rin’dzin Pamo is a British born Vajrayana practitioner living in the US. They were an apprentice in the Aro gTér tradition of Tibetan Buddhism for twenty years and are an ex...
2020-08-251h 13Tennis Speed ShowLesson #1: Lateral Run & True Biomechanics Related to Gait (With Lee Taft)Let's start off the Tennis Speed Show Lesson Series with the Lateral Run and the true biomechanics of it as it relates to gait. It is very important for coaches to understand this skill and know all the ins and outs of it. Also, discover the 411 on the new Certified Tennis Speed Specialist course and the Tennis Movement Assessment TMA! You can find out all the details by visiting, CTSS.co.
2020-08-1910 minDeconstructing YourselfA Conversation with Ken McLeodWriter, translator, teacher, and business consultant, Ken McLeod speaks with host Michael Taft about the chaos unleashed by new forms of communication, dedicating your whole life to meditation and spiritual experience, what evokes a deep sense of the sacred?, how teachers point out awakening to students, what is it that epitomizes the essence of Vajrayana, and much more.Ken McLeod began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed as resident teacher for Kalu Rinpoche’s center in Los Angeles, California, where he de...
2020-08-031h 20TaftCastBuilding Your Personal BrandHosted by Taft’s Marketing and Business Development team, TaftCast is the new podcast and webcast series for Taft attorneys and staff to share helpful tips, trends, opportunities, and insights in an informal and conversational way. While this is currently an internal resource, we will add to this platform in the future with an external focus for prospects, clients, and referral sources. The newest podcast in our TaftCast series features three Taft attorneys -- Rob McDonald, Janica Pierce Tucker, and Mick Terrell -- who have all been very successful at building their own personal brands. Hear their sto...
2020-07-2923 minLee Taft Performance PodcastEpisode 47: Up Close and Personal with The Speed Guy's Daughters ( With Jae and Bailee Taft)Spent a few minutes with a couple of female basketball players who happen to share my last name. I decided to inviting my two daughters, and point guards, to take a few minutes to about how it was playing for their dad. You will be surprised at what they revealed. They shared an up close and personal account of their experience training with their dad and the impact it had on some of their other coaches. A very special interview you won't want to miss!
2020-07-2138 minDeconstructing YourselfParanoia, Conspiracy, and Covid, with Erik DavisAuthor, podcaster, award-winning journalist, and cultural historian Erik Davis speaks with host Michael Taft about QAnon as a new religion, Gnostic psychology and the power of the secret truth, new narrative warfare exploiting human psychology, technologically-sophisticated divination techniques, the “disenchanted paranormal,” taking responsibility for your own processing of reality, the angel of the library, Metal Hurlant, and more. Erik Davis is an author, podcaster, award-winning journalist, and popular speaker based in San Francisco. He is probably best known for his book TechGnosis a cult classic of visionary media studies that investigates how our fascination with technology intersects with...
2020-07-1457 minTaftCastChambers USA ExplainedTaft’s Marketing and Business Development team is pleased to launch a new podcast and webcast series – TaftCast – for Taft attorneys and staff to share helpful tips, trends, opportunities, and insights in an informal and conversational way. While this is currently an internal resource, we will add to this platform in the future with an external focus for prospects, clients, and referral sources. In our first episode, hear from Taft’s own experts – Kelly Sharpe, business development director (Indianapolis) and Michael Burger, competitive intelligence and rankings coordinator (Chicago) – demystify Chambers USA and offer advice on how to create a str...
2020-07-0708 minDeconstructing YourselfEffortlessness in Meditation, with Jud BrewerNeuroscientist and mindfulness expert Jud Brewer speaks with host Michael Taft about his research into the four steps of Rigpa (with teacher and psychologist Dan Brown), effortlessness in meditation and the feeling of openness vs. closedness, the neurochemistry of reward, the historical Buddha's insight into the results of exploring gratification "to its end" and how that leads to effortless change (the system corrects itself), and the fact that willpower is a myth.Judson Brewer is an MD-PhD and a thought leader in the field of habit change and the “science of self-mastery,” having combined nearly 20 years of expe...
2020-06-0744 minDeconstructing YourselfAwakening and the Path of Liberation, with Dan BrownPsychologist, author, translator, and meditation teacher, Dan Brown talks with host Michael Taft about the three levels of practice from a taste of awakening to "full buddhahood," the details of what a taste of awakening entails, the path to complete liberation, his neuroscience of nonduality studies with Jud Brewer, whether dzogchen is a complete path, and the future of dzogchen in the West.Daniel P. Brown, Ph.D. has been Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard for 38 years. He trained and taught with top Indo-Tibetan Bon & Buddhist lamas for more than 48 years. He is the award-winning...
2020-05-2036 minDeconstructing YourselfVajrayana, Compassion, and the Importance of the Teacher, with Ken McLeodWriter, translator, teacher, and business consultant, Ken McLeod speaks with host Michael Taft about Coronavirus, social distancing, nature doing what it does, overcoming cultural conditioning, enlightenment as a "system change," practices for overcoming cultural conditioning and developing compassion, the importance of the teacher-student relationship, the viability of Vajrayana practice in the West, and much more. Ken McLeod began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed as resident teacher for Kalu Rinpoche’s center in Los Angeles, California, where he developed innovative approaches to...
2020-04-2259 minDeconstructing YourselfWhy Do Narcissists Become Spiritual Teachers, with Stephan BodianNondual teacher and psychotherapist Stephan Bodian and host Michael Taft discuss how and why narcissists rise to the top of spiritual organizations, the ways that nondual traditions like Zen may be especially prone to teacher misbehavior, the problem with “crazy wisdom” teachers, as well as exploring Stephan’s own spiritual journey with Suzuki Roshi, Maezumi Roshi, Jean Klein, and more. Stephan Bodian is a psychotherapist and a teacher in the nondual wisdom tradition of Zen and Advaita Vedanta. After training as a Zen monk and studying Advaita with Jean Klein, he received Dharma transmission from Adyashanti in 2001. His book...
2020-03-2148 minDeconstructing YourselfQuestioning Assumptions about Buddhism, with Evan ThompsonEvan Thompson discusses his new book, “Why I Am Not a Buddhist” with host Michael Taft. Topics include the myth of Buddhist exceptionalism, how Buddhist modernism presented a false picture of Buddhism as a value-neutral “mind science” rather than a religion, his own lifelong journey with Buddhism, and much more.Evan Thompson, PhD, works on the nature of the mind, the self, and human experience. His work combines cognitive science, philosophy of mind, phenomenology, and cross-cultural philosophy, especially in Asian traditions. His most recent book, Why I Am Not a Buddhist, examines the role of Buddhism in the mode...
2020-02-1652 minDeconstructing YourselfThe Nondual Heart, with John PrendergastNondual teacher and psychotherapist John Prendergast speaks with host Michael Taft about the heart area as an opening to infinite space, contacting the “dark matrix” of the ground, the body as a vibrant expression of emptiness, moving out of the cycle of reactivity into the creative life, working with energy in meditation, and much more. John J. Prendergast, Ph.D., is the author of the books The Deep Heart and In Touch. He is a spiritual teacher, psychotherapist, and retired adjunct professor of psychology who offers retreats in the U.S. and Europe. John Prendergast's website...
2020-02-0858 minDeconstructing YourselfNonduality and Awake Awareness, with Loch KellyNondual teacher and psychotherapist Loch Kelly speaks with host Michael Taft about what nondualism is, schools of effort vs. non-effort (and those in between), the five foundations of effortless mindfulness, awake awareness and rigpa, stabilizing nondual awareness, balancing the brain's default mode network, and more.Loch Kelly is an author, meditation teacher, psychotherapist, and founder of the non-profit, Open-Hearted Awareness Institute. Loch teaches in a non-sectarian lineage based in the earliest non-dual wisdom traditions, modern science, and psychotherapy. Learn more at lochkelly.orgRead more about nondual awareness here.Please support t...
2020-01-2651 minDeconstructing YourselfMeditating with Buddhist Sutras, with Michael OwensHost Michael Taft speaks with Michael Owens, a Buddhist teacher and author, about being a monk in Taiwan, Buddhist sutras as portals to alternate realities, understanding dependent origination, the nondual ground and extreme psychedelia of the Mahayana sutras, the Vimalakirti Nirdeśa Sutra, explaining the "inconceivable," Suchness as the opposite of Emptiness, and more.Michael Charles Owens is a Buddhist teacher, translator, and author. Michael uses a sutra-based curriculum that draws from a variety of traditions to teach the history, philosophy, and practice of Buddhism. His teaching style weaves humor and storytelling with modern scholarly research to c...
2019-12-281h 16Deconstructing YourselfReversing the Stack— A Nondual Practice Map, with Michael TaftIn this episode, host Michael Taft remixes his map of deconstructing sensory experience, and talks about how to use it to work in nondual traditions. Essentially the idea is to reverse the stack by starting out with Stage 4 (pure awareness) and then working your way up to stage 3, etc. Michael also spends some time talking about maps of meditation, problems therewith, and why he is already reworking this map after a short time.Show Notes0:25 – Introduction2:11 – Michael’s reasons for opposing maps, and creating the Deconstructing SensoryExperience map5:05 – Critique...
2019-11-2234 minDeconstructing YourselfWhat Does Dreaming Have to Do with Meditation? with Andrew HolecekHost Michael Taft speaks with Dream Yoga expert Andrew Holecek about how the dream state (and dreamless sleep) can effect meditation practice. Topics include: the fantasy-filling model of lucid dreaming vs. spiritual awakening; dream yoga, sleep yoga, and Bardo yoga; the love of napping, meditation in a dream or in dreamless sleep; reification as the "original sin of Buddhism"; lucid dreaming for meditators; and much more.Andrew Holecek has completed the traditional three-year Buddhist meditation retreat and offers seminars internationally on meditation, dream yoga, and the art of dying. He is the author of many books, including...
2019-10-231h 07
Deconstructing YourselfDeconstructing Sensory Experience, with Michael TaftIn this episode, host Michael Taft shares a map of deconstructing sensory experience. This is intended to help orient you to your vipassana meditation practice; helping you to understand where you’re at, where you’re going, and what to look for next. A basic map of vipassana.Note: this is only a map, only a model. Just like a menu is not food, this model is not claiming to be reality. It’s just a handy way to help you orient your practice.This model doesn’t count for nondual meditations, high-concentration/jhana practice, etc. It...
2019-09-2443 min
Deconstructing YourselfVajrayana, Engineering, and Jiu Jitsu, with Rin’dzin PamoHost Michael Taft speaks with Vajrayana teacher Rin’dzin Pamo about Vajrayana meditation practice currently, adapting practices for our times, their practice of The Mind Illuminated, the role of the guru in practice, how meditation practice is like engineering (and Jiu Jitsu), and much more.Rin’dzin Pamo (also known as Charlie El Awbery) is a British born Vajrayana practitioner living in the US. They were an apprentice in the Aro gTér tradition of Tibetan Buddhism for twenty years and are an experienced Dzogchen meditator and mentor. Rin’dzin received the London School of Economic...
2019-08-1357 min
Deconstructing YourselfWhy Metadharma?, Pt. 2, with Vincent HornWhy Metadharma? is an unusual episode of the Deconstructing Yourself podcast, in that it’s Part 2 of a joint interview between Vince and Michael Taft. Part 1 appeared on the Buddhist Geeks podcast recently, and they continue the conversation here.The topic of these discussions is a subject that both speakers are actively developing, called “metadharma.” In brief, metadharma refers to the many different ways that the dharma is being adapted, remixed, and redefined to meet the unique challenges and opportunities of the current moment.Vincent Horn is part of a new generation of teachers & translators explor...
2019-07-3135 min
Deconstructing YourselfMeditation, Emotions, and the Bio-Emotive Framework with Douglas TatarynHost Michael Taft speaks with clinical psychologist and life coach, Douglas Tataryn, Ph.D. about meditation and psychology. Topics include his work with meditation teachers such as Culadasa, the “wake up, clean up, grow up, and look around” model, Wilber’s integral model. working with trauma and the dark night, and his system of emotional processing known as the Bio-Emotive Framework.Douglas Tataryn received his PH.D. in 1991 and worked as a professor for 10 years in epidemiology and psychosocial oncology. In 2001 he entered private practice where he applied and continued evolving what he now refers to as the bio...
2019-07-141h 20
Deconstructing YourselfLoch Kelly on Awareness, Freedom, and Effortless MindfulnessHost Michael Taft speaks with Loch Kelly on nondual practices, contemporary forms of ancient awareness techniques, dzogchen, mahamudra, advaita, the role of psychotherapy in awakening, the need—or not—for a guru, open-hearted awareness, internal family systems therapy, and more.Loch Kelly is an author, meditation teacher, psychotherapist, and founder of the non-profit, Open-Hearted Awareness Institute. Loch teaches in a non-sectarian lineage based in the earliest non-dual wisdom traditions, modern science, and psychotherapy.Loch Kelly’s WebsiteSupport the Deconstructing Yourself podcast via Patreon.Show Notes:00:43 - Intro03:0...
2019-07-031h 35
Deconstructing YourselfMeditation for the End of Civilization, with Rick Hanson, Ph.D.Host Michael W. Taft speaks with bestselling author and meditation teacher Rick Hanson about how to maintain resilience in the face of the coming potential collapse of civilization, the problem with agriculture, meditation methods to build inner strengths, Rick’s upcoming book Neuro-dharma, and more. Rick Hanson, PhD, is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and New York Times best-selling author. His books include Buddha’s Brain, Hardwiring Happiness, and the new book Resilient. Rick began meditating in 1974, has trained in several traditions, and teaches at meditation centers around the worl...
2019-04-211h 13
Deconstructing YourselfThe Liberating Practice of the Fire Kasina, with Daniel IngramAuthor and meditation teacher Daniel Ingram speaks with host Michael W. Taft about how the Fire Kasina practice can be used as an insight practice. Subjects include: the background of kasina practice in the Thervada tradition, using kasinas to go into jhana, how vipassana practice interacts with jhana practice, meditation on the Three Characteristics, and detailed instructions for doing the Fire Kasina practiceDaniel Ingram is an emergency medicine physician and long-time dharma practitioner. He is the author of the seminal text Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha — now out in its second edition- and also the...
2019-03-271h 15
Deconstructing YourselfMeditation, Madness, and Psychology, with Tucker PeckTucker Peck, meditation teacher and clinical psychologist, talks with host Michael Taft about how whether awakening (both in the traditional “stream entry” sense or in other definitions) actually “fixes” a person’s psychology or not. Topics include: the validity of the Progress of Insight model, Tucker’s hellacious Dark Night experience and the dukkha ñanas in general, when to switch from shamatha to vipassana practice, whether people who have mental illness should practice meditation, and much more.Tucker Peck, Ph.D., is a meditation teacher and clinical psychologist whose specialties include working with advanced meditators and using meditation to...
2019-03-081h 12
Deconstructing YourselfEmbodying Awakening, with MuktiNondual spiritual teacher Mukti talks with host Michael Taft about the debate between the Direct and Progressive paths of realization, working with energetics and embodiment, her childhood background in the Self Realization Fellowship of Paramahansa Yogananada, pointing out the sense of space in realization, her own experience of awakening, and more.Mukti is a spiritual teacher, whose name originates in Sanskrit and is most often translated as “liberation.” Mukti has been the Associate Teacher of Open Gate Sangha since 2004 and has been a student of her husband, Adyashanti, since he began teaching in 1996, when they founded Open Gate...
2019-02-1155 min
Deconstructing YourselfDeconstructing the Heart Sutra, with Jayarava AttwoodBuddhist scholar Jayarava Attwood speaks with host Michael Taft about the history of the Pali Canon, how ideas about karma & dependent arising contradict each other, the shifting grounds under the apparent solidity of the suttas, monism vs. pluralism, meditation as a subjective or objective practice, and the fact that the Sanskrit Heart Sutra is a forgery,Jayarava is a longtime member of the Triratna Buddhist Order, who writes about the history of ideas in Buddhism. Since 2012 he has been mainly focused on revising the text and history of the Heart Sutra, and also writes about karma and...
2019-01-2059 min
Deconstructing YourselfRobert Anton Wilson, High Weirdness, and Buddhist Meditation, with Erik DavisMichael Taft speaks with Erik Davis about author Robert Anton Wilson, anarchism in the 1970s, Terrence McKenna, P.K. Dick, psychedelics, cultures of awakening now and then, Zen practice, and more. Erik Davis is an author, podcaster, award-winning journalist, and popular speaker based in San Francisco. He is probably best known for his book TechGnosis: Myth, Magic, and Mysticism in the Age of Information, a cult classic of visionary media studies that investigates how our fascination with technology intersects with the religious imagination. And his podcast, Expanding Mind has long been a favorite of mine.T...
2018-12-141h 04
Deconstructing YourselfWhat Can AI Tell Us about the Human Mind? with Joscha BachHost Michael Taft speaks with Joscha Bach about artificial intelligence; the sense of self; building a civilizational intellect; what it is like to be a mind?; the relationships between motivation, emotion, and behavior; the “cargo cult” model of civilization; what is learning?; how artificial minds may be different from human minds, the enlightenment industry, the Tower of Babel myth; and much more.Dr. Joscha Bach is an Artificial Intelligence researcher at MIT and Harvard who works and writes about cognitive architectures, mental representation, emotion, social modeling, and multi-agent systems. Bach’s mission to build a model of the mi...
2018-11-181h 03
Deconstructing YourselfDoubt, Faith, and Fun in Meditation Practice, with Daniel IngramDaniel Ingram and Michael Taft talk about the Fire Kasina practice, how making mental objects the focus can lead to deep awakening, balancing wisdom and faith, processing trauma with meditation practice, and how beauty can be a great support and inspiration on the path. Daniel shares about his experiences and spiritual development with Fire Kasina work, co-teaching with Culadasa, the increasing numbers of people attaining stream entry, and the over-diagnosis of attainment. Also discussed is Michael’s experience with faith and guru based practice, the effects of of impermanence insight on concentration, “hindrances for smart people,” rapture, and more.D...
2018-10-231h 14
Deconstructing YourselfFeminism, Sexual Misconduct, and the Guru in Buddhism, with Chandra EastonChandra Easton and Michael Taft talk about gender and sexual misconduct in Buddhism, why compassion must be a part of spiritual practice, and the place of the guru in modern culture. Chandra shares her personal story of dealing with sexual misconduct at the hands of her teacher, tantric practices as a technology for awakening, internalized patriarchy, and how love and kindness is the whole point of spiritual practice. Also included are guidelines for choosing a teacher, reimagining Tantric practices in non-binary ways, and much more.Chandra Easton studied Buddhist philosophy, meditation, and Tibetan language at the Library...
2018-10-111h 22
Deconstructing YourselfDeconstructing Michael, with Erik NewtonTurning the tables on the usual show format, host Michael Taft gets interviewed by Erik Newton. They talk about the meaning of awakening, the paradox of suffering, the end of seeking, the value of personal experience vs. scriptural understanding, Erik’s awakening experience, new technologies of awakening, the genesis of the Deconstructing Yourself podcast, and more.Erik Newton is a lawyer and was the head of a successful family law firm, which gave him the opportunity to take part in 1000s of divorces. As the result of his experience, two things happened: one was that he created th...
2018-09-191h 02
Deconstructing YourselfEmptiness, Liberation, and Beauty, with Rob BurbeaIn this episode host Michael Taft speaks with Rob Burbea about Rob’s book, Seeing That Frees, the power of perception (ways of seeing), his creative methods of working with meditation practice, meditating with a more analytical vs more phenomenological focus, how analytical meditation works, Rob’s “soulmaking dharma,” the emptiness of conceptual frameworks, facing the end of life, and the meaning of emptiness.Rob Burbea is a meditation teacher, musician, author, who teaches at Gaia House in Devon, England. Rob is the author of the groundbreaking meditation practice book entitled, Seeing That Frees: Meditations on Emptiness and Depe...
2018-08-271h 01
Deconstructing YourselfWalking, Nature, and Engaged Buddhism, with Christopher TitmussIn this episode, host Michael W. Taft speaks with senior dharma teacher Christopher Titmuss about yatra—meditative pilgrimage without a destination—the power of nature, the importance of deconstructing the self, the psychedelic 60s, Vietnam, engaged Buddhism, the role of spiritual practice in the current world crisis, and the central role of liberation in meditation.Christopher Titmuss is an insight meditation teacher, author, and former Theravada Buddhist monk. He is the co-founder of Gaia House, a large Buddhist retreat center in Devon, England, where he has been teaching since the early 1980s. A renowned proponent of engaged Budd...
2018-08-1453 min
Deconstructing YourselfLucid Dreaming, Meditation, and Consciousness, with Evan ThompsonIn this episode, philosopher, author, and meditator, Evan Thompson speaks with host Michael Taft. Topics include: the meaning of awakening; lucid dreaming and noticing the construction of the waking state; the 3-fold structure of Awareness, Contents of Awareness, and then Identification with Contents; The cosmopolitanism of Buddhism, and the myth of Buddhist exceptionalism; consciousness hacking and psychedelics; and much more.Evan Thompson, PhD, works on the nature of the mind, the self, and human experience. His work combines cognitive science, philosophy of mind, phenomenology, and cross-cultural philosophy, especially in Asian traditions. His most recent book, Waking, Dreaming...
2018-06-301h 13
Deconstructing YourselfAre More People Achieving Stream Entry These Days? with CuladasaIn this episode host Michael Taft speaks with meditation teacher, neuroscientist, and author John Yates, also known as Culadasa. Topics covered include: Are more people achieving stream entry these days?, a clear definition of stream entry, the Buddha’s concept of yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṃ or “seeing things as they really are,” reaching a tipping point of stream enterers to avert the coming world disasters, tips for meditation in action, using consciousness hacking and/or drugs to accelerate insight, paṭiccasamuppāda – the interpenetrating nature of phenomena, quantum entanglement and individual minds, the nondual viewpoint, an explanation of reincarnation and past life exper...
2018-06-111h 21
Deconstructing YourselfEmotions, Stress, and Heartbreak, with Eve EkmanIn this episode emotions researcher and meditation teacher Eve Ekman speaks with Michael W. Taft about embodied emotions, the difference between suppression and healthy expression, impermanence of sensation and moment by moment contact with emotion, emotion-laden cognitions, HH the Dalai Lama, punk rock and Gilman St., surfing, being nice to cats, the Vagus nerve and kundalini, the epidemic of stress and burnout, modern dystopia, struggling with cynicism, the embedded ethnography of heartbreak, and much, much more.Eve Ekman PhD, MSW designs, delivers and evaluates trainings on the development of emotional awareness and the cultivation of deep seated...
2018-05-291h 28
Deconstructing YourselfWhy Good Teachers Go Bad, with Shinzen YoungIn this special one-year anniversary episode, Shinzen Young talks with host Michael W. Taft about becoming a meditation teacher, the unrealistic paradigm about what meditation delivers, Shinzen’s codependency disaster, Bill Hamilton, the great unsung hero of vipassana in the Western world, homology theory, how science can influence meditation in the West, sociopathic teachers, and what we can do to make sure that good teachers don’t go bad. Who is a teacher? What’s the family test? These questions and more.Shinzen Young is an American mindfulness teacher and neuroscience research consultant.His systematic approach to catego...
2018-05-181h 28
Deconstructing YourselfDeconstructing Dependent Arising, with Leigh BrasingtonLeigh Brasington speaks with host Michael W. Taft about Dependent Arising. Dependent Arising, also called Dependent Origination, is a Buddhist theory of reality that is famously complex, arcane, important, and fascinating. In this episode they discuss early Buddhist metaphysics, Pratītyasamutpāda—the “curious old rune”, the four noble truths version of Dependent Arising, the Vedic Hymn of Creation, Leigh’s model of SODAPI (Streams of Dependently Arising Processes Interacting), and how to use the teaching of Dependent Arising in practice and in life.Leigh Brasington has been practicing meditation for decades and is the senior American student of...
2018-04-291h 00
Deconstructing YourselfSeeing Your Blind Spots, with Kelly BoysKelly Boys talks with Michael Taft about integral restoration, nondual awakening, the work of Kahneman, spiritual bypassing, gendered aspects of awakening and spiritual teaching, when knowing less is better, engaged Buddhism, Christianity and the experience of being held, digging into illusory egoic material, and how to see your own blind spots.Kelly Boys is a consultant with the United Nations Foundation where she helped to create and works to deliver a mindfulness and well-being program for UN humanitarian aid workers on the front lines in the Middle East and beyond. She is also a freelance producer at...
2018-04-1544 min
Deconstructing YourselfPopping the Bubble of Projection, with Daniel IngramDaniel Ingram talks with Michael W. Taft about teacher-student models, graduate school models of practice, creating meditation peer groups, working with “co-adventurers” on the spiritual path, overcoming projection as a teacher, and more.Daniel Ingram is an emergency medicine physician and long-time dharma practitioner. He famously exploded the Buddhist world when he declared himself to be an arhat and published the seminal text Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha: an Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book in 2008. He is also the main force behind the radical Dharma Overground website, that specializes in a brand of unusually-frank discussion of medi...
2018-04-0258 min
Deconstructing YourselfStanding at the Edge, with Roshi Joan HalifaxRoshi Joan Halifax speaks with host Michael W. Taft about her new book, Standing at the Edge, the shadow sides of altruism, empathy, integrity, respect, engagement, and rays of hope in current times.Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D. is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, anthropologist, and pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. She is Founder, Abbot, and Head Teacher of Upaya Institute and Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A Founding Teacher of the Zen Peacemaker Order and founder of Prajna Mountain Buddhist Order, her work and practice for more than four decades has focused o...
2018-03-1545 minDeconstructing YourselfDiving Deep into the Jhanas, with Leigh BrasingtonConcentration master Leigh Brasington talks with Michael W. Taft about the jhanas, a Buddhist system of eight altered states of consciousness that arise in states of high concentration. The conversation dives deep into practicing each of these eight states, how the jhanas relate to vipassana practice, ways to work through major challenges that may arise, the so-called "powers" that are often attributed to concentration practice, and much more.Leigh Brasington has been practicing meditation since 1985 and is the senior American student of the late Ven. Ayya Khema. Leigh began assisting Ven. Ayya Khemma in 1994, and began teaching...
2018-02-051h 18
Deconstructing YourselfConsciousness, Spirituality, and Intellectual Honesty, with Thomas MetzingerThomas Metzinger and Michael W. Taft discuss having moral integrity with yourself, intellectual honesty in the pursuit of spirituality, the overlapping goals of science and spirituality, the possibility of a fully secularized spirituality, neurofeedback and virtual reality, mortality denial, the simulation hypothesis, and a whole bunch more.Thomas Metzinger is full professor and director of the theoretical philosophy group and the research group on neuroethics/neurophilosophy at the department of philosophy, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany. He is the founder and director of the MIND group and Adjunct Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute of Advanced Studies...
2017-12-291h 31
Deconstructing YourselfReality Let Loose, with A. H. AlmaasIn this episode, host Michael Taft speaks with spiritual teacher and author Hameed Ali, more often known by his pen name, A. H. Almaas.Almaas is the creator of the Diamond Approach to Self-Realization, which is a contemporary teaching developed within the context of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychology theories. Almaas has authored eighteen books about spiritual realization, including the Diamond Heart series, The Pearl Beyond Price, The Void, The Unfolding Now, and The Point of Existence.Michael writes: I met Almaas at his office in Berkeley, where we sat down for...
2017-12-141h 16
Deconstructing YourselfAttention, Awareness, and the Great Adventure, with CuladasaCuladasa talks with Michael W. Taft. After decades of Buddhist practice, Culadasa exploded on the scene a few years ago with his groundbreaking book The Mind Illuminated, an incredibly comprehensive guide to meditation. It’s an erudite mixture of neuroscience, traditional Buddhist practice, and Culadasa’s own ideas about how to gt the most out of practice. In this episode we talk about his definitions of attention and awareness, how his system compares to that of his friend teacher Shinzen Young, how the meditative brain works, dealing with aging and death, and much more.Lear...
2017-12-041h 06
Deconstructing YourselfThe Craving Mind, with Judson BrewerWhat do the neurocorrelates of enlightenment, the activation of the posterior cingulate cortex, and the extinction of craving all have in common? They relate to the work of Judson Brewer. Jud talks with Michael W. Taft about his brain biofeedback machine, the neurophenomonolgy of effort vs. non-effort, the feedback loop of reward-based learning, working with the black hole of anxiety, self-referential thinking as a kind of addiction, and much more.Judson Brewer is an MD-PhD and a thought leader in the field of habit change and the “science of self-mastery”, having combined nearly 20 years of experience with mind...
2017-10-251h 06
Deconstructing YourselfMeditation, Magick, and the Fire Kasina, with Daniel IngramIn this session, host Michael W. Taft and radical dharma author and practitioner Daniel Ingram discuss the Fire Kasina practice, meditation and magick, working with archetypal forces and entities, Daniel’s description of a fruition experience, siddhis and visionary experiences, Daniel’s wizarding worldview, and much more. We also discuss the second edition of his classic work Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha, as well as his new book on the Fire Kasina.Daniel Ingram is an emergency medicine physician and long-time dharma practitioner. He famously exploded the Buddhist world when he declared himself to be an a...
2017-09-271h 27
Deconstructing YourselfEnlightenment’s Evil Twin, with Shinzen YoungMeditation teacher and neuroscience consultant Shinzen Young and host Michael W. Taft talk about what mindfulness teachers are getting wrong, Shinzen’s Periodic Table of Happiness Elements, informed consent for awakening, effective strategies for dealing with the Dark Night of the Soul, and the phenomenon that Shinzen calls “Enlightenment’s Evil Twin.”Learn more about Shinzen Young at Shinzen.org.Also here is a pdf of Shinzen’s Periodic Table of Happiness Elements.Show Notes0:25 – Introduction and overview2:38 – Defining mindfulness, and what mindfulness teachers can improve on15:20 – Fulfilling the e...
2017-09-081h 40
Deconstructing YourselfPattern and Nebulosity, with David ChapmanScientist, programmer, and author David Chapman talks with Michael W. Taft about metarationality, emptiness and form, nihilism, tantrism, dzogchen, Kegan’s stages of development applied to meditation, vampire romance novels, and the importance of being able to switch reality tunnels.David Chapman is a writer, computer scientist, engineer, and Buddhist practitioner. He’s been practicing Vajrayana Buddhism in the Aro Ter tradition for 20 years. David is a leading proponent of metarationality—a subject we’ll go into in some depth in this episode—and writes about it on his website Meaningness.com. Show notes
2017-08-071h 13Deconstructing YourselfFeather Light & Paper Thin, with Shinzen YoungMeditation teacher Shinzen Young and host Michael W. Taft talk about the relationship between mindfulness practice (as it is usually defined) and nondual-type practices (or non-practices, if you like), the way that focusing on the details of experience relates to focusing on awareness itself, micro-sessions & nano-nirvanas, the thinness and lightness of the screen of awareness and much more. Learn more about Shinzen Young at Shinzen.org.Show Notes0:25 – Intro 4:12 – How does Advaita/Nonduality relate to Mindfulness? 7:45 – Shinzen defines modern mindfulness and the component parts of contemplative practice (concentration, clarity and equanimity)...
2017-06-141h 29
Deconstructing YourselfMasters of Oblivion, with Kenneth FolkPragmatic dharma teacher and host Michael W. Taft feel the power of the dark side, talk about nirvana, deconstruct the concept of nirvana, dive deep into the reality of death, look at the denial of death, and probably scare away all listeners.Kenneth Folk is an instructor of meditation who has received worldwide acknowledgement for his innovative approach to secular Buddhist meditation. Learn more about him and his work at Kenneth Folk Dharma.Show Notes0:25 – Introduction and overview 2:20 – Preferring to be conscious or not conscious 5:28 – Avoiding eternalism and entertaining the po...
2017-05-221h 16Deconstructing YourselfThe Cosmic Joke, with Kenneth FolkPragmatic dharma teacher Kenneth Folk and host Michael W. Taft discuss what it means to be mindful, various definitions of being mindful in the moment, the trouble with remaining mindful during an entire sit, and more.Kenneth Folk is an instructor of meditation who has received worldwide acknowledgement for his innovative approach to secular Buddhist meditation. Learn more about him and his work at Kenneth Folk Dharma.Show Notes0:48 Introduction and overview 4:00 Deconstructing “mindfulness” 11:47 Kenneth’s new mindfulness practice 15:02 Mindfulness vs. checking the box; auditor vs. meditator...
2017-05-221h 15Deconstructing YourselfAm I Mindful Right Now? with Kenneth FolkPragmatic dharma teacher Kenneth Folk and host Michael W. Taft discuss what it means to be mindful, various definitions of being mindful in the moment, the trouble with remaining mindful during an entire sit, and more.Kenneth Folk is an instructor of meditation who has received worldwide acknowledgement for his innovative approach to secular Buddhist meditation. Learn more about him and his work at Kenneth Folk Dharma.Show Notes0:48 Introduction and overview4:00 Deconstructing “mindfulness”11:47 Kenneth’s new mindfulness practice15:02 Mindfulness vs. checking the box; audito...
2017-05-221h 17
Teach VietnamPodcast Example - Music from the Era<a href="http://middle.usm.k12.wi.us/faculty/taft/podcasts/teachvietnam/music.mp3">Music excerpts</a><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">iPods</span> are all about music, and music was all over the Vietnam era. Excerpts from songs can be presented, along with information about the artists and timing of the song. With copyright restrictions often a concern, the safest way to do this is send students to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">iTunes</span> sites with song excerpts...
2007-07-1247 minTeach VietnamPodcast Example - Primary Source Readings<a href="http://middle.usm.k12.wi.us/faculty/taft/podcasts/teachvietnam/whatshouldwetell.mp3">What Should We Tell Our Children?</a><br /><br />The words of the Vietnam era can come to life through recordings and postings of selections from letters, diaries, memoirs, and other collections. An interesting technique is to involve different voices to give the characters some individuality (if multiple perspectives are used). Context for each of the primary sources must <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">also</span> be provided, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="...
2007-07-1147 minTeach VietnamPodcast example - Interview<a href="http://middle.usm.k12.wi.us/faculty/taft/podcasts/teachvietnam/interview.mp3">Example interview</a><br /><br />Interview with someone from the Vietnam Era. In this example podcast, a student interviews his father about his experiences as a platoon leader in Vietnam. Digital oral history is obviously a powerful method of understanding the Vietnam War as well as storing and sharing the memories of the people who lived through the times. Ideas and gudielines for conducting oral history are avaialble on the main <a href="http://middle.usm.k12...
2007-07-1147 minTeach VietnamPodcast Example - Historical Speech<a href="http://middle.usm.k12.wi.us/faculty/taft/podcasts/teachvietnam/MLKonvietnamese.mp3">Historical Speech - Beyond Vietnam</a><br /><br />Historical Speech. In this example podcast, an excerpt of “Beyond Vietnam -- A Time to Break Silence” by Martin Luther King Jr. is provided. When an historical speech is assigned, students should be given the context of the speech, either in class, as part of the assignment, or as part of the podcast. A written script of the speech is also helpful to many students. Students should also have some focu...
2007-07-1147 minTeach VietnamPodcast Example - Historical Fiction<a href="http://middle.usm.k12.wi.us/faculty/taft/podcasts/teachvietnam/fallenangels.mp3">Historical Fiction excerpt</a><br /><br />In this example podcast, an excerpt of <em>Fallen Angels</em> by Walter Dean Myers is presented. Historical fiction has the ability to inform, entertain, move, and capture the interest of even the most reluctant students. The number of young adult titles devoted to the Vietnam era is growing. By choosing action-packed, or poignant passages from a literary work, students may be drawn to read the book or...
2007-07-1147 minTeach VietnamIntroduction to Teach Vietnam Podcasts<a href="http://middle.usm.k12.wi.us/faculty/taft/podcasts/teachvietnam/intro.mp3">Intro</a><br /><br />Welcome to the Teach Vietnam podcast. Podcasting is an easy, informative, exciting, and effective medium for learning in the social studies classroom. These podcasts should serve as examples for teaching Vietnam and the Vietnam era to middle school and high school students. The podcasts were created as part of a presentation entitled “Using Technology to Teach Vietnam” at the 2007 Teach Vietnam Teachers Network Conference, hosted by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
2007-07-1147 min