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Bob Thurman Podcast:A Tibet House US Menla Conversation with Ganden ThurmanIn this episode Robert A.F. Thurman is joined by Ganden Thurman, his son, for a conversation on the work and mission of Tibet House US. Ganden Thurman is the Executive […]2025-04-111h 03Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!A Tibet House US Menla Conversation with Ganden ThurmanIn this episode Robert A.F. Thurman is joined by Ganden Thurman, his son, for a conversation on the work and mission of Tibet House US.
Ganden Thurman is the Executive Director of Tibet House US and its upstate retreat and conference center, Menla. He has served in this capacity since 2014 after working as THUS’ Director of Special Projects from 1996-2013.2025-04-111h 03
The Howard Thurman PodcastSing Your Own Song (1964-03-06); The Right Thing This Day (1958-05-23)In this recording within the We Believe Series, Howard Thurman speaks to what it means to live a life that is truly one's own. Drawing from Catherine Coblentz' "Blue Cat of Castle Town," and a story of a dog who has lost its bark, Thurman challenges the listener to discern what their true voice is, how one comes to singing their own song. Thurman agrees that the process of finding one's own song is difficult; however, Thurman maintains that finding your own song is one of the most integrous journeys that one can take. In this recording within the...2024-10-3027 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThe Moment of Truth (1963-04-19); Pearl without Price (1971-12-4)In this recording within the We Believe Series, Thurman reads from a letter that his friend from Canada sends him. Within the letter, the listener hears of a young boy who makes the decision to participate in a blood transfusion for his sister. In agreeing to participate in the transfusion, the boy misunderstood, and assumed that he would have to die in order to save his younger sister's life. Thurman sees this boy's misunderstanding as a "moment of truth." The moment of truth speaks to one's sense of courage, responsibility, creativity, and sacrifice. Embedded into this moment of truth...2024-10-3026 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThe Blind Man (1958-10-03); Heaven, Heaven (1958-11-21)In this recording within the We Believe Series, Thurman reflects upon the spiritual, "The Blind Man Sat By the Way," which he calls a "sorrow song." When holding this song in tension with the biblical narrative of Jesus healing the blind man, Thurman comes to the conclusion that the blind man in the sorrow song was never healed. Drawing from the experience of people who were enslaved in America, Thurman reveals that there is no mentioning of the blind man being healed in the song because there was no healing upon the horizon for those who were singing the...2024-10-3027 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastBalm in Gilead, Part 1 (1958-10-10); Balm in Gilead, Part 2 (1958-10-17)In this recording within the We Believe series, Howard Thurman reflects upon the negro spiritual, "There is a Balm in Gilead." Rather than echoing the moan of the prophet Jeremiah, this song provides an answer to the prophet's cries. Rather than asking," Is there a balm in Gilead," Thurman notes that the early singers of this spiritual are affirming that there is indeed a balm in Gilead. From Thurman's perspective, this balm is the moral law which rests within all of humanity. Moral law is the restraint one has in themselves to take the raw material of pessimism and...2024-10-3028 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThe Light In One's Path: Parts 1 and 2 (1971-12-3),In this recording within the We Believe series, Howard Thurman draws from a quotation written by Kabir, who is a Hindu Mystic. The line Thurman repeats from the Kabir quotation throughout this reading is, "I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty," which is utilized as a way of speaking to our deepest longings resting within ourselves. Thurman notes that if one is seeking truth destructively, it will disintegrate one's inner life, and eventually, collapse one's outer life. While seeking the truth, Thurman challenges the listener to seek their own truth within themselves, as...2024-10-3026 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastBoundaries of the Self (1961-11-24); Confidence in God (1958-06-13)In this recording within the We Believe series; Howard Thurman reads from James Cane Allen's "The Choir Invisible," in order to reflect upon the ways in which one can come to understand community. He notes that in one's own quest for identity, that relationships can become utilitarian, only being aware of community "at points of relevancy to our purposes." What Thurman is insisting in this recording, is that when one pushes past the superficial boundaries of separateness, that one can find the "deep, hidden springs of magic" which informs one's understanding of the divine. In this recording within the...2024-10-3026 minThe Howard Thurman Podcast"How Precious Are Thy Thoughts..." (1961-01-13); Try Me and Know My Thoughts (1961-03-17)In this recording within the We Believe series; Howard Thurman reflects upon the line "How precious are thy thoughts, O God," found within Psalm 139. Thurman uses this verse in order to poetically wax the miracle that is having a mind. In this recording, Thurman suggests that because the mind orders the body, that it is significant to discern what the mind of God consists of. It is in the discerning of God's mind that one finds the content of devotional posturing: wisdom, tenderness, and love. In this recording within the We Believe series; Howard Thurman reads from a Gaelic...2024-10-3029 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThe Meaning of Love (1958-03-07); A Sense of What is Vital (1959-01-30)In this recording within the We Believe series, Howard Thurman reflects upon a passage from 1 Corinthians to elaborate on his understanding of love. He defines love as "the experience of being dealt with at a point in oneself that is beyond all the good and beyond all the evil. He notes that the love of God functions as the exemplary love to which humanity should strive towards. Thurman's conception of love is not possessive nor transactional, rather, it is interdependent and comes from the heart. In this recording within the We Believe series, Howard Thurman reflects upon the Apostle...2024-10-3029 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastGrowing Apprehension in Life (1963-09-13); Human Life in Perspective (1964-05-22)In this recording within the We Believe Series; Howard Thurman reflects upon Jane Steger's "Leaves From A Secret Journal," to reflect upon the significance of personal experience. He reflects upon a dog, from Jane Steger's writing, who is blind but slowly is able to see light, to which Thurman asks the question, "Did you ever dream that this universe of light was waiting for you?" From this question, Thurman dives into the significance of human experience, revering relationship as the driver for shifting one's own perspective which allows a new light to shine upon one's understanding of life. In...2024-10-3026 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastMysticism and Social Action, Part 2 (Panel discussion with Howard Thurman, continued), 1978 October 14In this final installment of Mysticism and Social Change, Thurman gives a final word to the relationship between the inner life and social action in response to a questioner who wonders if mysticism is a luxury for the comfortable and the elite. Thurman begins by saying that he has little hope for institutions to change the social order of things, rather each person must choose where they stand and live out their dream for the world they want to live in. Thurman says that he chose the church to be the place where he decided to live out his...2024-10-3018 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastMysticism and Social Action, Part 1 (Panel discussion with Howard Thurman, continued), 1978 October 14This recording is a continuation of the Q&A discussion on Mysticism and Social Action. Thurman begins by fielding a question about the relationship between innocence and knowledge, and the tension that one feels between inner reality and outer reality. Thurman also gives his thoughts on death as an experience of life, saying that death is not the final extinguishment of life, but rather an event that is a part of life. Thurman insists that there is a life-continuity rhythm just as there is a life-death rhythm. Lastly, Thurman speaks to the experience of religion, and the experience of...2024-10-3044 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastMysticism and Social Action, Part 1 (Panel discussion with Howard Thurman), 1978 October 14This section of the Mysticism and Social Action collection contains a brief talk by Thurman followed by Q&A discussion. Thurman grounds the discussion in the paradox of religion: How does one keep their inner life uncluttered whilst not using the inner life as an escape from involvement in the world? Thurman insists that these two rhythms are actually part of one pulse beat. One questioner asks Thurman about the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness and how this might reflect the dynamics of withdrawal and return in religious life. Another questioner asks about the discipline of centering, in...2024-10-3044 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastFreedom and Suffering, Part 4, 1959 November 29In the fourth and final sermon of the Freedom and Suffering series, Thurman takes his exploration of suffering a step further. Thurman suggests that we must learn to be worthy of our suffering. We should not seek out suffering, but when it comes to us, we must search for the meaning and dignity in it. Thurman also considers that human beings can only suffer because we are capable of loving. To love is to identify with another's suffering, to enter into it and yet remain as ourselves. Religion, he says, is our wrestling with the pain and helplessness of...2024-10-2731 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThurman on Thurman (continued), 1959In Part Two of the "Thurman on Thurman" recording, Howard Thurman speaks about the story of the Syrophoenician woman in the Gospels. Thurman says that this story means a great deal to him because, for him, it is a clue into the inclusiveness of the faith. For Thurman, seeking out God's inclusivity is a responsibility to his own religious experience. Thurman says that the Syrophoenician woman's ultimate message to Jesus and to us is that the world is one, and that Jesus could not do for Israel without doing for others. Thurman finishes saying that this i the only...2024-10-1412 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThurman on Thurman, 1959In Part One of this two part recording, Howard Thurman shares a series of readings and stories that have been significant to him throughout his life. Put alongside one another, one can get a sense of Thurman's concerns and interests, ranging from God's mysterious hand in the working of history, the dynamics of life and death, to the insistent search for truth against all other temptations. Ultimately, this recording offers us a window into Thurman's thought and reflection by way of those things that Thurman himself claims to be in conversation with.Part of...2024-10-1446 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastYour Life's Working Paper, 1954 October 10In this 1954 sermon, Thurman takes on the topic of commitment. Every expression of life is ordered around some structure or design, and Thurman reasons that human life is no different. To be committed is to put the demands of one purpose above all else, which in turns put all the resources of the universe at the disposal of the individual. Thurman says that the universe is in fact so life-giving and dynamic that even evil commitments are nourished, but they are not ultimately sustained. Thurman ends saying that we must organize our lives around some hard core of purpose...2024-10-1433 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastMen Who've Walked With God: Plotinus, 1953 May 10In this fifth lecture on "The Men Who've Walked with God," Thurman speaks on the Greek philosopher Plotinus. For Thurman, Plotinus's insight is the "double search" of mystical experience – the idea that as we seek out God, God also searches for us. Through this journey, one comes to share in the divine mind, or as Thurman says, "thinking God's thoughts after Him." However, Thurman is describing a thinking process, but rather an experience of ecstasy that expands beyond our sense of personality. This is the result of God spilling over into the mind and finally communing with the soul Go...2024-10-1432 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThe Divine Encounter, Part 2, 1953 March 16In Part 2 of this series on the Divine Encounter, Thurman continues to claim that all of life is supported by God's order, including life's crises. Thurman asserts that it is better to experience crisis than to have no crisis at all, for it is crisis that summons up the depth of the human spirit. For Thurman, all the universe shares the rationality of God with the human mind, and thus the mind is capable of finding revelation and understanding in any circumstance. By this connection, Thurman says that we should expect "highest revelation," even in our "littlest places."2024-10-1427 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThe Divine Encounter, Part 1, 1953 March 9In the first lecture of this series, Thurman discusses the Divine Encounter in the context of crisis. All living beings experience crisis in some form. These crises force us out of familiarity and comfort. Thurman suggests that, in the face of crisis, we have the option to retreat or move towards this challenge. Using examples ranging from biblical Jacob to Beethoven, Thurman offers that, even in seeming chaos and disorder, there is an "orderliness of rationality of God." Ultimately, Thurman invites us to demand revelation from crisis, as there is no crisis that is outside of God.2024-10-1429 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThe Meaning of Commitment: Sons of God, 1951 February 4Thurman focuses on one of the central affirmations of Fellowship Church: "I affirm my need of a growing understanding of all men as sons of God." A growing understanding is one in which there is no total answer, but rather it is a response that is creative and in process. It is a present state that contains the potential of the future. Thurman says that the "sons of God" contains two meanings. On one hand, we are children of life deeply involved in our own self-preservation, which leads us into conflict, competition, and the destruction of other lives. But...2024-10-1431 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastParables of Jesus, Part 3: Prodigal Son, 1951 September 23In Part 3 on the Parables of Jesus, Thurman explores the Parable of the Prodigal Son. For Thurman, God is like the story's father, and the brothers represent the ways in which we can fall out of relationship with God. In his interpretation of the younger brother, Thurman comes to two insights. Firstly, there is a relationship between the internal and external: the outside famine that the son suffered through was also an internal famine. Secondly, the son's story shows that the door to God must be opened deep within ourselves. For Thurman, when we come to ourselves, we come...2024-10-1439 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThe Sound of the Genuine (Baccalaureate ceremony) (Spelman College), 1980 May 4Thurman delves into the profound understanding of the human soul’s intrinsic value. Drawing on biblical passages, Thurman emphasizes the omnipresence of God and the importance of recognizing the "sound of the genuine" within oneself. He recounts the story of a man possessed by demons, highlighting the man's inability to identify his true self. Thurman urges us to find our unique identity and the genuine sound within, warning that without this self-awareness, one may live life as if controlled by external forces. This internal discovery, he asserts, is vital for personal fulfillment and authentic living....2024-10-1438 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastMen Who've Walked With God: St. Augustine, 1953 May 24In this sixth lecture on "The Men Who've Walked with God," Thurman examines St. Augustine as a source of mystical insight. Thurman describes Augustine's search for God through the senses, the mind, the feelings, until finally finding "that which is" inside the soul. Thurman says that this is a union with God that is beyond thought, analysis, and spelled-out feelings. This mystical experience releases energy for the undertakings of life in which we might deal with our various difficulties and burdens. Thurman ends with a quote from Augustine: "Our souls are restless until they find their rest in thee."2024-10-1433 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastA Faith to Live By, Part 7: Democracy (continued), 1952 October 26In this final sermon of the series, Thurman binds together faith and the dream of democratic living. Drawing upon the language of covenant, Thurman says that we are morally bound to God as God is morally bound to us. Furthermore, this covenant relationship brings us into unique relationship with others who share the same covenant, the same religion, the same culture, etc. But this binding-together risks exclusion and conflict with others outside those bounds. Thurman says that the true challenge of democracy is the constant expansion of boundaries, to include more and more diversity and difference. Without this, democratic...2024-09-2634 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThe Meaning of Loyalty, Part 3: The State, 1951 May 20In this third lecture on loyalty, Thurman discusses the conflict between the individual and the state. For Thurman, loyalty to something supremely worthy is the ultimate basis for self-respect and significance. Thurman's word for this ultimate cause is God. Thurman posits that the state can either make itself a vehicle of this human striving, or it can become a competitor to it; the state can attempt to move into the space that only God should occupy. At best, political expression is a vehicle for proving one's loyalty to God, the ultimate basis of personhood....2024-09-2634 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastInner Life, Part 1, 1951 January 18On this first sermon on the Inner Life, Thurman speaks to the varying levels of the inner life. Thurman walks us through the thinking mind and our ability to nourish it. Next, he examines the "vast continuum" of the unconscious, and how we might relate to it. And finally, Thurman says that there is an even deeper level, "the group soul," that Thurman refers to as God. Thurman urges that we must tunnel all the way down to this "eternal residue," like the great Sahara trees that bathe their roots in deep waters to survive the pressures of the...2024-09-2634 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastConversations with Howard Thurman, September 1980, Parts 9 and 10, Side BThis recording is a part of a wider series of conversations from September to October of 1980 where Howard Thurman met with a variety of young men and women who were discerning their calling to ministry. Thurman poses the intent of this group as an opportunity to "open up for one's self the moving, vital, creative push of God, while God is still disguised in the movement of God's self." In this recording, Thurman explores what it means to participate on a spiritual journey in a pluralistic world, noting that "religious experience is a carbon copy of the way by...2024-09-2645 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastConversations with Howard Thurman, September 1980, Parts 7 and 8, Side BThis recording is a part of a wider series of conversations from September to October of 1980 where Howard Thurman met with a variety of young men and women who were discerning their calling to ministry. Thurman poses the intent of this group as an opportunity to "open up for one's self the moving, vital, creative push of God, while God is still disguised in the movement of God's self." In this recording, Thurman explores what it means to live one's life with a robust sense of responsibility and freedom. He notes that there is a crucial decision to be...2024-09-2644 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastConversations with Howard Thurman, September 1980, Parts 5 and 6, Side BThis recording is a part of a wider series of conversations from September to October of 1980 where Howard Thurman met with a variety of young men and women who were discerning their calling to ministry. Thurman poses the intent of this group as an opportunity to "open up for one's self the moving, vital, creative push of God, while God is still disguised in the movement of God's self." In this recording, Thurman warns those learning with him of the dangers of setting a distinction between the outer life and the inner life, the profane and the sacred. Drawing...2024-09-2644 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastConversations with Howard Thurman, September 1980, Parts 5 and 6, Side AThis recording is a part of a wider series of conversations from September to October of 1980 where Howard Thurman met with a variety of young men and women who were discerning their calling to ministry. Thurman poses the intent of this group as an opportunity to "open up for one's self the moving, vital, creative push of God, while God is still disguised in the movement of God's self." This recording opens with one student's reflection on the inner life, which is followed by a discussion on dualism, in relation to the inner life, from Thurman. Thurman explores the...2024-09-2644 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastConversations with Howard Thurman, September 1980, Parts 3 and 4, Side BThis recording is a part of a wider series of conversations from September to October of 1980 where Howard Thurman met with a variety of young men and women who were discerning their calling to ministry. Thurman poses the intent of this group as an opportunity to "open up for one's self the moving, vital, creative push of God, while God is still disguised in the movement of God's self." In this recording, Thurman reflects upon the significance of a robust inner life, noting, "The deeper I go into me, the more I come in a primary, naked, raw exposure...2024-09-2644 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastConversations with Howard Thurman, September 1980, Parts 1 and 2, Side BThis recording is a part of a wider series of conversations from September to October of 1980 where Howard Thurman met with a variety of young men and women who were discerning their calling to ministry. Thurman poses the intent of this group as an opportunity to "open up for one's self the moving, vital, creative push of God, while God is still disguised in the movement of God's self." In this recording, Howard Thurman reflects with the participants what it means to live into one's calling as an offering of Thanksgiving to God. At the center of navigating his...2024-09-2644 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastConversations with Howard Thurman, September 1980, Parts 1 and 2, Side AThis recording is a part of a wider series of conversations from September to October of 1980 where Howard Thurman met with a variety of young men and women who were discerning their calling to ministry. Thurman poses the intent of this group as an opportunity to "open up for one's self the moving, vital, creative push of God, while God is still disguised in the movement of God's self." Thurman's introductory remarks in this recording mention the tension that rests between isolation and solitude, noting that the "spiritual root" of breaking out of isolation is the "great built-in desire...2024-09-2645 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastConversations with Howard Thurman, Part 2, 1980This recording is a part of a wider series of conversations from September to October of 1980 where Howard Thurman met with a variety of young men and women who were discerning their calling to ministry. Thurman poses the intent of this group as an opportunity to "open up for one's self the moving, vital, creative push of God, while God is still disguised in the movement of God's self." The majority of this recording is a group of young people working through the nature of temptation, and Jesus' understanding of his sense of self as it pertains to Luke 4:1...2024-09-2119 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastConversations with Howard Thurman, Part 1, 1980This recording is a part of a wider series of conversations from September to October of 1980 where Howard Thurman met with a variety of young men and women who were discerning their calling to ministry. Thurman poses the intent of this group as an opportunity to "open up for one's self the moving, vital, creative push of God, while God is still disguised in the movement of God's self." This recording consists of preliminary introductions from various participants in the conversation, responding to questions such as where one is studying, what has led one to a life of ministry...2024-09-2122 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastReligion of the Prophets: The Message of Micah, 1952 August 17"To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with that God." In this ninth sermon on the prophets, Thurman explores the notions of justice, mercy, and humility as they are recounted in Micah. We often think of justice as a balance sheet, the "eye for an eye" logic. But Thurman invokes Jesus who teaches that mercy is more important than justice. Mercy and kindness is an act that cannot be paid back, and in fact continues to multiply itself in the recipient. This, Thurman says, is what it means to do justly, "releasing people from prison in...2024-09-1334 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastParables of Jesus, Part 7: Rich Young Fool, 1951 October 28In this final entry on the Parables of Jesus, Thurman examines the Parable of the Rich Fool. The overarching question for Thurman is this: How do we relate to the money and resources that we have? We aspire to protect ourselves and make flourishing lives with our resources, but we also find ourselves measuring our value by these things. Thurman suggests that we measure our lives by our commitment – not by how much we have, but rather if we use our goods for things in which we truly believe. Thurman invites us to ponder whether our possessions are more va...2024-09-0843 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastReligion of the Prophets: The Message of Ezekiel, 1952 August 11In this eighth sermon on the prophets, Thurman gives a thorough exploration of Ezekiel. First, Thurman returns to the topic of responsibility through the lens of holiness. In Ezekiel, though environment affects our choices, we each must reckon with ourselves and our own actions. The action is ultimate in determining our holiness, and our good acts might save us from the weight of our bad acts. Thurman also suggests that we might bear responsibility, not through some profession, but simply as ourselves taking ownership of our own living. This includes when our lives are under great threat and consequence...2024-09-0844 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastReligion of the Prophets: The Message of Hosea, 1952 June 1In this second sermon on the prophets, Thurman talks about God's unwavering faithfulness to human beings even in the midst of hardship. Through Hosea's writings, Thurman illustrates the ways in which crisis tempts us into abandoning our faith in God, the true source of our security. Thurman suggests that God's punishment and redemption is carried out through the logic of cause and effect. The world is not full of war because God is evil, but because our social processes lead to war. Nevertheless, Thurman insists that we must hold the faith that "the ultimate destiny of man is a...2024-09-0836 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastThurman on the Howard Thurman Educational Trust, 1975 February 7In this audio recording, Howard Thurman shares the background and the intentions of the Howard Thurman Educational Trust. Thurman traces his own educational journey through the hardships of segregation and financial struggles, which were only overcome by the support of friends, family, and strangers. After a fateful encounter with a man that helps pay his ticket to high school, Thurman makes a promise to God: for every year of his life, he will try to do for some student that that man had done for him. The Howard Thurman Educational Trust is the manifestation of that promise. The Trust...2024-09-0837 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastMartin Luther King Service (Santa Cruz), April 8, 1968In this recording, Howard Thurman honors the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. , giving perspective to his "life and martyrdom." Thurman describes King's greatest contribution to be his ability to speak ethical insight from the center of his religious experience. Thurman says that this was a new development: to denounce racism, not just as un-American and undemocratic, but as a moral sin against God. Thurman assures us that King's work is unfinished, and that it is us who determine the meaning and significance of his life by how we respond. Thurman sees King as one who lived out his...2024-09-0246 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastOn Mysticism, Part 16 (University of Redlands Course), 1973This recording is the tenth lecture in our collection of ten that Howard Thurman gave at the University of Redlands in 1973 on the topic of mysticism. Thurman indicates that this lecture functions as a means to point the listener towards practical approaches to mysticism through lenses of psychology, philosophy, and religious experience. In this recording, Howard Thurman is asking the question, "What do I have?" He poses this question in relation to the mystical traditions that strive to empty themselves of the material world for the sake of transcendental relationship with God. Engaging this question, Thurman struggles with the...2024-09-0245 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastOn Mysticism, Part 13 (University of Redlands Course), 1973This recording is the ninth lecture in our collection of ten that Howard Thurman gave at the University of Redlands in 1973 on the topic of mysticism. Thurman indicates that this lecture functions as a means to point the listener towards practical approaches to mysticism through lenses of psychology, philosophy, and religious experience. In this recording, Thurman responds to the question: "Can I work out, in my private journey, the implications of my moment of vision?" In classic Thurman form, he gives no clear answer to this question; however, he points to Jesus' ministry, and Greek philosophical conceptions of the...2024-09-0245 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastOn Mysticism, Part 12 (University of Redlands Course), 1973This recording is the eighth lecture in our collection of ten that Howard Thurman gave at the University of Redlands in 1973 on the topic of mysticism. Thurman indicates that this lecture functions as a means to point the listener towards practical approaches to mysticism through lenses of psychology, philosophy, and religious experience. In this recording, Thurman reflects upon the life of Jesus, and an encounter he had with the author Margaret Rhodes, in order to make sense of what it means to heal. Here, Thurman indicates that the primary function of healing rests in the healing of one's "identity...2024-09-0245 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastOn Mysticism, Part 11 (University of Redlands Course), 1973This recording is the seventh lecture in our collection of ten that Howard Thurman gave at the University of Redlands in 1973 on the topic of mysticism. Thurman indicates that this lecture functions as a means to point the listener towards practical approaches to mysticism through lenses of psychology, philosophy, and religious experience. In this recording, Thurman explores the question "How must I relate to the natural order in which I must work out my life?" This question is met with the significance of the Temptation of Jesus in relation to Jesus' baptism. Thurman suggests that Jesus' transcendental experience in...2024-09-0245 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastOn Mysticism, Part 9 (University of Redlands Course), 1973This recording is the sixth lecture in our collection of ten that Howard Thurman gave at the University of Redlands in 1973 on the topic of mysticism. Thurman indicates that this lecture functions as a means to point the listener towards practical approaches to mysticism through lenses of psychology, philosophy, and religious experience. In this recording, Thurman reflects upon what it means to make sense of one's own transcendent "center." The center to which Thurman is referencing is held in relation to the placement of Jesus' baptism in the context of the arc of scripture; heralding this event as the...2024-09-0245 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastOn Mysticism, Part 4 (University of Redlands Course), 1973This recording is the fourth lecture in our collection of ten that Howard Thurman gave at the University of Redlands in 1973 on the topic of mysticism. Thurman indicates that this lecture functions as a means to point the listener towards practical approaches to mysticism through lenses of psychology, philosophy, and religious experience. Drawing from Olive Schreiner, Elmer O'Brian, and his own encounters, Thurman reflects upon God's (or The Ultimate's) sovereign providence. Thurman communicates this idea via the designation of "God's giveness." He notes that it is in personal "spiritual exercises" that one has the potential to be opened to...2024-09-0246 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastOn Mysticism, Part 3 (University of Redlands Course), 1973This recording is the third lecture in our collection of ten that Howard Thurman gave at the University of Redlands in 1973 on the topic of mysticism. Thurman indicates that this lecture functions as a means to point the listener towards practical approaches to mysticism through lenses of psychology, philosophy, and religious experience. Building upon Thurman conception of being a "time binder," he notes that utopian conceptions of harmony are not unobtainable. Drawing from his wider work of "racial memory," Thurman indicates in this recording that humanity's restorative relationship with the animal kingdom provides an inkling for God's participation with...2024-08-2146 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastOn Mysticism, Part 1 (University of Redlands Course), 1973This recording is the first lecture in our collection of ten that Howard Thurman gave at the University of Redlands in 1973 on the topic of mysticism. Thurman indicates that this lecture functions as a means to point the listener towards practical approaches to mysticism through lenses of psychology, philosophy, and religious experience. Thurman's emphasis in this recording is the centrality of one's identity, and conception of self in relation to the world and creation. He does this by drawing upon stories of and experience he has with a Sioux tribe in Canada, and his interpretation of a Robinson Jeffers...2024-08-2146 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastFriends Five-Year Meeting, Part 3: Jesus and the Natural Order (continued), 1969 July 22In this brief add-on to Thurman's sermon on Jesus and the Natural order, Thurman discusses the paradox that human beings are at once a part of the natural order, and yet also seem to be over and against nature. Human beings always feel themselves to be threatened by the impersonal forces of nature, which ultimately feeds the fear that perhaps we are alone, cut off, isolated in this world. If only the world could acknowledge us, to know our private world of hopes, dreams, and aspirations, perhaps we would feel comforted and assured. For this reason, Thurman says we...2024-08-0212 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastFriends Five-Year Meeting, Part 3: Jesus and the Natural Order, 1969 July 22In this second sermon from the Friends Five-Year Meeting, Thurman returns to the temptations of Jesus. The tempter urges Jesus to jump off a tower. Thurman says that the logic behind the tempter's dare is that there is no order or structure to existence; the tempter tries to convince Jesus that he is above the natural order. However, the truth is that if we do not act in accordance with the order, the order itself will destroy us. "Thou shalt not tempt God." Thurman relates this to America and the empires of history that have deemed themselves favored and...2024-08-0240 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastFriends Five-Year Meeting, Part 2: Jesus and the Gothic Principle, 1969 July 21In this second sermon from the Friends Five-Year Meeting, Thurman parallels the insights of Jesus with the principles of Gothic architecture. In the iconic Gothic arch, Thurman sees pillars that are grounded in the earth, and yet stretch up into infinity. This, he says, reflects human beings in both our earth-bound creatureliness and the reality of the human spirit which seeks trust, understanding, and love. Thurman ties this insight to the temptation story in which the tempter urges Jesus to turn stone to bread, to which Jesus responds that man does not live by bread alone. Here, Thurman says...2024-08-0242 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastIn the Garden, 1962 September 16In the final sermon of this series, Thurman affirms that Jesus does not struggle with the fact of death but the fact of finality swallowing all future possibilities. When Jesus asked God whether the cup before him might pass, what he possibly considered, Thurman notes, is whether more time living might be better than dying. The test of faith, Thurman says, comes when life’s agony is not relieved. In Jesus’ yielding expression, “Thy will be done,” Thurman interprets God’s ability to intervene “in the midst of the breaking heart and the anguishing spirit” and inspire peace and resolve.2024-07-1832 minThe Howard Thurman PodcastJesus and the Disinherited, Part 1, January 11, 1959Part 1 of Jesus and the Disinherited. Begins by referring to Jesus' "working paper." Thurman's book was written about ten years prior, and he wants to take another look at these issues with consideration of all that has happened. He tells the story of his father's death and funeral when he was seven. As he grew he found he had a very intimate relationship with Jesus, even verbally discussing things with Jesus at night in the sand dunes. Jesus was a real personality to Thurman. However, he couldn't square this intimate, real "personality" Thurman had come to know with the...2024-07-1041 min
Polish the MirrorHow a broken neck saved me - Amy ThurmanSeason 1, Episode 1: Meet our host, Amy Thurman, who has lived nearly a decade with a broken neck and has gone from being completely incapacitated to living an empowered life.Request to be on the show at: amy@getamyshelp.comConnect with Amy:Website:https://www.getamyshelp.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amythurmanFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/amy.thurman1Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/amycthurman2024-01-0416 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Tibet House US Menla Conversation with Philip Goldberg and Robert ThurmanOpening with a recommendation of “Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times” by Philip Goldberg, Robert Thurman in this episode sits down with its author for a far ranging discussion on Western Spirituality, Meditation, climate change, Paramahansa Yogananda, and Tibet’s Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
In this episode Robert Thurman and Philip Goldberg share reflections on: the San Francisco Renaissance, the effect of the counter culture of the 1950s on modern spirituality and stories from their time in India, and lessons from studying Buddhist and Transcendental meditation.
Podcast Includes a discussion of the 75th publication anniversary of Paramahansa Yogana...2021-11-2551 minBob Thurman Podcast:Tibet House US Menla Conversation with Philip Goldberg and Robert ThurmanOpening with a recommendation of “Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times” by Philip Goldberg, Robert Thurman in this episode sits down with its author for a far ranging discussion on Western […]2021-11-2551 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Tibet House US Menla Conversation with Laura Galloway & Robert ThurmanIn this heart centered conversation spanning from the remote Arctic communities of Norway to the compassionate wisdom contained in everyone, Robert Thurman is joined by author and explorer of inner and outer landscapes, Laura Galloway, to discuss the creative inspiration of interdependence found in nature, our world and in every day relationships.
Opening with a recommendation of Laura’s book “Dálvi: Six Years in the Arctic Tundra“, Robert Thurman leads a dialog exploring the value of contemplation, study, writing, and why supporting the remaining nomadic cultures of Tibet, Mongolia, Russia, and Scandinavian is vital to planetary surviva...2021-10-3158 minBob Thurman Podcast:Tibet House US Menla Conversation with Laura Galloway & Robert ThurmanIn this heart centered conversation spanning from the remote Arctic communities of Norway to the compassionate wisdom contained in everyone, Robert Thurman is joined by author and explorer of inner […]2021-10-3158 min
Bob Thurman Podcast:A Tibet House US | Menla Conversation with Kalu Rinpoche & Bob ThurmanIn this first part of their extended conversation Robert Thurman and His Holiness the Second Kalu Rinpoche share personal stories from their years of studying and practicing Buddhist Vajrayana meditation […]2021-05-3056 minBob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!A Tibet House US | Menla Conversation with Kalu Rinpoche & Bob ThurmanIn this first part of their extended conversation Robert Thurman and His Holiness the Second Kalu Rinpoche share personal stories from their years of studying and practicing Buddhist Vajrayana meditation exploring the impact of Tibetan Buddhism in exile and the global influence of the Buddha’s teachings of wisdom & compassion.
To enjoy the full video please visit: www.bobthurman.com.2021-05-3056 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Team of Rivals: Buddhism & Vajra PoliticsExploring the landscape of modern democracy as it relates to the election of American presidents through extended primary processes, Robert A.F. Thurman gives a teaching on the need for cooperation between candidates and what a team of rivals would look like.
Using the New York Times opinion piece by Thomas L. Friedman "Dems, You Can Defeat Trump in a Landslide" as a starting point, Professor Thurman opens this week's episode with an overview of his "Dream Team Cabinet" Call to action and the responsibility laid out in the Buddha's philosophy of wisdom, compassion and skillful means.2020-03-1000 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Past & Future Lives : Buddhism 101 Podcast BonusIn this extended recording Professor Thurman gives an introductory teaching on the centrality of reincarnation to the Buddha's philosophy and how an understanding of past and future lives is essential to becoming enlightened.
Using the teachings of Atisha, Tsongkhapa and the 14th Dalai Lama, Robert Thurman begins the teaching with a humorous thought experiment examining the materialist notions unpinning intellectual discussion about past and future lives.
Episode includes : a short history of Buddhism in India, Tibet and Asia, an exploration of the Christian traditions of reincarnation and explanation of the process of becoming enlightened as...2020-03-0700 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Hiking with the Medicine BuddhaIn this episode Robert A.F. Thurman gives an introductory teaching on the history and context of Buddhist Sutras and the Buddhist Medical Tradition as expressed in the mandala of the Medicine Buddha.
Using the second chapter of the "The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra : The Teaching of Vimalakīrti" Robert Thurman introduces the idea of a Buddhafield or Buddha-verse exploring the Buddha's revolutionary teaching that anyone can transform their mind, body and environment through wisdom and compassion.
Podcast includes: an introduction to non-dualism and it's relationship to karma and reincarnation, an elaboration of the...2020-02-0600 min
Bob Thurman Podcast:Preserving Tibetan Culture with Robert Thurman Podcast BonusIn this extended holiday episode Professor Thurman gives an introduction to the history and mission of the Dalai Lama’s cultural arts center Tibet House US in New York City and […]2019-12-1000 minBob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Preserving Tibetan Culture with Robert Thurman Podcast BonusIn this extended holiday episode Professor Thurman gives an introduction to the history and mission of the Dalai Lama's cultural arts center Tibet House US in New York City and its retreat center Menla in Phoenicia, New York.
Opening with a personal invitation to the Annual Carnegie Hall Benefit Concert Robert A.F. Thurman gives a detailed history of the event organized by Philip Glass and explains it's connections to Tibetan New Year and the precious culture of Tibet.
Podcast includes a discussion of the benefits of becoming a Tibet House US Member, a short...2019-12-1000 min
Fad or FuturePremiering New Show: Fad or Future with Joey Thurman - TrailerEveryday consumers are being bombarded with the next “big thing” in health, wellness, and fitness. What’s the future of keeping ourselves healthy and what’s just a passing fad? Fad or Future aims to provide clarity and understanding to some of today’s most difficult topics and leaves the listener with a decision to make at the end of each episode — Fad or Future? Join your guide, Joey Thurman, and get ready for a wild ride.2019-10-1501 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Tibetan Secrets of Longevity : Podcast Bonus RAFT ArchivesIn this extended recording from Menla’s “Tibetan Secrets of Longevity” Retreat in 2016, Robert A.F. Thurman and Dr. Nida Chenagtsang discuss the history of Buddhist Medicine’s origins in the teachings of the Buddha and elaborate how it found it’s synthesis with other medical traditions in Sowa Rigpa or the Tibetan Science of Health.
Introducing the Buddha as a physician of the body, mind and of wider society Robert Thurman gives a detailed history of the healing nature of the teachings and of the medicine tradition of Sowa Rigpa which they gave rise to.
Includes...2019-03-2600 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Tibetan Medicine : Yuthok the Elder & Sowa Rigpa – Ep. 199Professor Thurman and Dr. Nida Chenagtsang in this two part podcast discuss the history of Buddhist Medicine’s origins in the teachings of the Buddha and elaborate how it found it’s synthesis with other medical traditions in Sowa Rigpa or the Tibetan Science of Health as founded by Yuthok the Elder and carried on in Tibet, the Himalayas, and the Mongolias by Yuthok the Younger.
Opening this week’s episode with a recommendation of “The Mirror of Light” by Dr. Nida Chenagtsang and introducing the Buddha as a physician of the body, mind and of wider society Ro...2019-03-1000 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Lucid Waking & Mindfulness PracticesIn this two part podcast recorded for Losar (Tibetan New Year) Professor Thurman discusses the practices of mindfulness and lucid waking as taught by Buddha and passed down through the Buddhist cultures of Tibet, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Japan.
Opening this episode with a joyous introduction to the Tibetan New Year tradition of Losar, Robert A.F. Thurman gives a teaching on the value of developing and practicing wisdom along side mindfulness practices using stories from the Buddha’s life.
Using the stories of Buddha’s interactions with the six teachers and their unrealistic world view...2019-02-1300 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya – Podcast Bonus RAFT ArchivesIn this extended archive recording from the 2017 Tibet House US Benefit Trip to Bodh Gaya, India, Robert A.F. Thurman gives a teaching on the value of imaginative compassion as expressed in the cosmology, art and people found throughout the Buddhist sutras and tantras.
This archive recording includes: discussions of “Flower Ornament Sutra“, Kalachakra Tantra, the non-dual nature of the Shakyamuni’s time under the bodhi tree and introductions to Vairochana, Avalokiteshvara and the Eighth King of Shamabala.
“By tracing the Buddha’s steps, partaking in daily meditations in the very places where Buddha’s own life’s jo...2019-01-3100 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Swimming & Sitting Under The Bodhi Tree – Ep. 196Teaching from the bodhi tree the Buddha attained enlightenment beneath, Robert A.F. Thurman gives a teaching on the value of imaginative compassion as expressed in the cosmology, art and people found throughout the Buddhist sutras and tantras.
Opening this week’s episode with a reading of the “Flower Ornament Sutra” Professor Thurman introduces us to “swimming” in the fantastic sutra with its descriptions of multiple planes of existence and dimensions of reality as a gateway to unpacking the practical and esoteric lessons of Buddhism.
Contextualizing the non-dual nature of the Shakyamuni’s time under the bodhi tr...2019-01-2700 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Buddha Bliss & Kālachakra Yoga – Podcast Bonus RAFT ArchivesAn extended archive podcast from Professor Thurman’s annual holiday message and his monthly teaching for the ongoing Kālachakra Study & Practice Group.
Robert A.F. Thurman discusses the value of end of year celebrations, compassion and the Kālachakra yoga in helping individuals of any tradition or religious background to escape the terminal lifestyle of self centered materialism.
Highlighting the common spiritual threads found in Christmas, Hanukkah, Losar & Pagan Solstice celebrations Robert Thurman discusses his upcoming program at Kripalu based upon his book “Infinite Life: Awakening to Bliss Within”, his long time New Year’s traditio...2018-12-3000 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Dharma and Yoga : Podcast Bonus RAFT ArchivesIn this extended archive recording from the Annual New Year’s Tibet House US Dharma and Yoga Retreat held at Menla Retreat Professor Thurman, Sharon Salzberg, Carolyn Christie, Brooke Myers and Paul Bloom lead a discussion with retreat participants on how the daily practice of Buddhist Dharma and all Yoga traditions can transform one’s life.
Opening with a group recitation of the “Heart Sutra” Robert A.F. Thurman and Sharon Salzberg share rare personal stories about their decades of studying Buddhism and meditation and a round robin of New Year’s stories of gratitude by each of the ret...2018-12-1400 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Land of the Thunder Dragon – Podcast Bonus RAFT ArchivesArchive recording from the Geo Ex and Tibet House US Membership Community Trip Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon led by Robert A.F. Thurman and Brent Olson in 2014.
Robert A.F. Thurman in this archive discusses how pilgrimage combined with study of Buddhist Philosophy can help anyone encounter the bliss at the core of his mind transformation practices and leads a guided meditation.
Using the colorful depictions of the Padmasambhava, Pema Lingpa and Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel Professor Thurman explains the role of meditation deities in Tibetan Buddhism, the different understandings of Iconography and of...2018-10-0300 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Pilgrimage : Encountering the Buddha’s Bliss – Ep. 185Robert A.F. Thurman in this two part podcast discusses how pilgrimage combined with study of Buddhist Philosophy can help anyone encounter the bliss at the core of his mind transformation practices and leads a guided meditation.
Using the colorful depictions of the Padmasambhava, Pema Lingpa and Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel Professor Thurman explains the role of meditation deities in Tibetan Buddhism, the different understandings of Iconography and of Idolatry that Western and Eastern viewers hold.
Podcast includes a short history of Bhutan, it’s relationship to it’s neighbor Tibet, a teaching on the difference betw...2018-09-3000 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!How To Build A Buddhaverse : Podcast Bonus RAFT ArchivesArchive recording from the introductory class “How To Build a Buddhaverse + Buddhist Non-Dual Physics” from the Force For Good on-going class series held annually at Tibet House US in New York City and online through live-stream broadcast.
Professor Thurman uses his translation of “The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti” to introduce the heroes of enlightenment (Bodhisatvas), the perfected worlds (Buddhaverses) they create through powerful arts and to the hidden meanings of the Heart Sutra.
Presenting the short text as an analogy of the Mahayana sutras Robert A.F. Thurman elucidates the practical instructions given to the Vimalaki...2018-09-1100 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Tsongkhapa’s Kindness + Four Keys of Selflessness – Ep. 181In this two part podcast Professor Thurman discusses the history of Tsongkhapa, the Ganden (Joyous) Community he founded and leads a guided meditation on the Four Keys of Selflessness.
Opening the podcast with a discussion of Eckhart Tolle’s personal discovery of relativity described in his best selling book “The Power of Now“, Robert A.F. Thurman explains how it relates to the teachings of Tsongkhapa and the Buddha’s Middle Way.
Podcast includes an introduction to the Buddhist conception of emptiness, it’s relationship to selflessness, meditation and the ‘royal reason of relativity‘ using stories from S...2018-08-3100 min
In RetrospectEpisode 022, "Camel Spiders and Desert Storms," an interview with Kevin ThurmanKevin Thurman describes his battle with a camel spider and other everyday events in this episode!2018-08-3049 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Science & Poetry of Sleep, Dreaming and Death – Ep. 179In this special edition of the Bob Thurman podcast Professor Thurman is joined by poet and scholar Gary Gach for an in-depth exploration of the Tibetan Science of Healing Sowa Rigpa‘s perspective on sleep, dreams and death using personal experience, Buddhist teachings and poetry.
Podcast begins with Robert A.F. Thurman discussing the place of sleep in a balanced lifestyle, the value of dream interpretation within Buddhist medicine diagnosis and treatment, his personal experience learning from the Dalai Lama’s physician, the renowned Yeshe Dhonden and a recommendation of the work and teachings of Dr Nida Chen...2018-08-1300 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Tsongkhapa’s Profound and Miraculous Wisdom – Ep. 177Studying the teachings of Tsong Khapa has been at the heart of Robert A.F. Thurman's personal translation work and professional teaching career. In this two part podcast Professor Thurman discusses the new edition of "The Life and Teachings of Tsongkhapa" by Wisdom Publications and leads a guided mindfulness meditation.
Opening this week's podcast with a short explanation of the Tsongkhapa's teaching history in Tibet, Robert Thurman highlights Tsongkhapa writings focusing upon the "Garland of Supremely Healing Nectars" the dialogue between Karmavajra, The Nyingma Master Lhobrag Khenchen & the Bodhisattva Vajrapana, discussing his relationship with the various schools of...2018-08-0500 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Buddha + The Yogis (2011) Podcast Bonus RAFT ArchivesUsing the teachings of K. Pattabhi Jois + Geshe Ngawang Wangyal Robert A.F. Thurman and Richard Freeman explore the symbolism and meditation practices centering on the Hindu Brahma, Shiva, and Buddha in the form of Vajradhara.
Podcast includes a discussion of Brahmism, Shaivism, Tantic Buddhism, the Chöd Charnel Ground Practice, Raja Yoga (King Yoga), a re-telling of the story of the Mahasiddha, Luipa The Fish-Gut Eater and how the non-Dualism found in both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions erode hierarchies and brought change about change within the rigid caste system of India.
Buddha and t...2018-07-3000 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Stunning the Mind with Yoga – Ep. 178Opening this podcast with an introduction to the Medicine Buddha and his long time co-teacher + friend Richard Freeman, Professor Thurman explore the connections between Hatha Yoga, Buddhist Philosophy + the Indic Inner Sciences through a close translation of the classic fifteenth-century Sanskrit manual on hatha yoga, “The Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā” by Svāmi Svātmārāma.
Using the teachings of K. Pattabhi Jois + Geshe Ngawang Wangyal Robert A.F. Thurman and Richard Freeman explore the symbolism and meditation practices centering on the Hindu Deities Brahmā, Shiva, and Buddha in the form of Great Vajradhara.
Podcast incl...2018-07-2900 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Pilgrimage: Psychosis, Mosquitoes + Compassion – Ep. 163Guiding a meditation and a traditional Dharma teaching from “the happiest place on earth” Professor Thurman begins this two part podcast discussing the Buddha’s insight into the psychosis at the heart the suffering of individuals, groups and in society as a whole.
Recounting the Dalai Lama‘s teaching on his personal experiences with the ethics of showing compassion for mosquitoes given to a panel of scientists Professor Thurman humorously elucidates the concept of Abhidharma– the categories of Buddhist scriptures, ontology and theories of consciousness within the framework of the theory of spiritual salvation.
Second part of th...2018-04-1500 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Pilgrimage : Deepening Wisdom and Compassion – Ep. 162Teaching from the pilgrimage sites in Bodhgaya Professor Thurman opens this podcast with a discussion of how the Buddha redefined the concept of truth and how modern language about Buddhism is influenced by it’s early translation by scholars attempting to frame it’s philosophy of mind training into Western religious equivalencies.
Guiding a close reading of Shantideva‘s “Guide to the Bodhisatva’s Way of Life” and the Centrist Commentaries on the Kalachakra tantra Robert AF Thurman in this two part podcast discusses how an understanding of non-dualism and emptiness can form the basis for deepening one’s wisdom...2018-04-0800 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Alcoholics Anonymous, Buddhism + Powerlessness – Ep. 161In this two part podcast Mark Epstein M.D. joins Professor Thurman for a dialog on the Buddhist & Alcoholics Anonymous perspectives on addiction, depression, recovery and their strategies on how individuals can change their relationship to feelings of powerlessness.
Beginning with a recommendation of BBC’s long running Science Fiction Fantasy program ‘Dr. Who’ and a humorous take on the culinary history of civilization Robert Thurman gives a teaching on karma, compassion + emptiness suggesting alternative solutions on dealing with anger and one’s enemies.
Second half of the podcast opens with an in depth discussion on the r...2018-03-3100 min
In RetrospectEpisode 007, "Dr. Thurman, I Presume?", an interview with Richard ThurmanDr. Richard Thurman almost fainted as a pre-med student during his first gallbladder surgery. Later, while in China, he ate snake gallbladder soup. More stories like this are ready for your enjoyment. 2018-01-261h 00
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Pilgrimage : The Four Transcendences – Ep. 83In this podcast Professor Thurman discusses a famous Buddhist concept of the “four transcendences,” or the “four thoughts that change the mind”: 1. The preciousness of the human life of liberty and opportunity; 2. Realization of immediacy of death, empowering one to live one’s best in the moment; 3. The inexorability of the effects of one’s actions; and 4. The suffering of the “wheel of samsara” or “the ignorance-dominated life form.”
This episode was recorded in Bhutan as part of the Geographic Expedition called “Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon” led by Professor Thurman in April, 2014.
“Pilgrimage : The Four Transcendences –...2016-09-1000 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Pilgrimage : Tolerant Patience – What is it? – Ep. 70In this podcast Robert A.F. Thurman talks about anger, patience and compassion. Explaining that the fuel for anger and intolerance is frustration and mental discomfort, Professor Thurman advises us not to let this build up, and instead learn how to use this energy skillfully.
Podcast includes an introduction to the history of Atisha, Shantideva & to Professor Thurman’s teaching on Creative + Humorous Rudeness.
This podcast was recorded during the Tibet House US + GeoEx Trip Indonesia trip “Spiritual Journey to Bali & Borobudur with Dr. Robert Thurman & The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi” on March 27, 2016.
“Pilgr...2016-06-1100 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Saints and Miracles : Tilopa, Marpa & Milarepa – Ep. 48In this podcast Professor Thurman shares the stories of great sinners transforming into great saints, of work-ability of the human mind and preciousness of human life. The miracle stories will go well with your celebratory New Year dinner!
Opening this podcast with an introduction to the Buddhist perspective human nature and on the individual's ability to transform themselves ethically through understanding and selfless compassion.
Podcast includes an exploration of the Tibetan saints (Bodhisattvas) Tilopa, Marpa & Milarepa lineage, the Six Yoga of Naropa, the use of channel grounds as meditative tools and a short history of...2015-12-3100 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Pilgrimage : Buddhist Soul – Ep. 21In this episode, Professor Robert A.F. Thurman responds to the question: “Does Buddhism believe in a soul?” Buddhism teaches that we have no inherent self, so how can there be life after death and reincarnation? In a concise and humorous way, Professor Thurman explains the Buddhist understanding of existence, non-existence, and what is reborn.
This episode was recorded in Bhutan as part of the Geographic Expedition called “Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon” led by Professor Thurman on April 23, 2014.
“Pilgrimage : Buddhist Soul - Ep. 21 of the Bob Thurman Podcast” is apart of the “Buddhist Pilgrimage Ser...2015-06-1900 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Uncreated Mind : Buddhist Inner Sciences – Ep. 20In this lecture, Professor Thurman explains the concept of non-duality, and that emptiness doesn’t mean we don’t have a mind. Emptiness means we have an uncreated mind—it has always been there and it can never be destroyed. What this means is that we’re already in nirvana, we’ve always been in nirvana, and we can’t leave nirvana. But we can fail to enjoy it for a really long time!
This episode is an extract from a lecture given at Sacred Stream in Berkeley, California, on June 5, 2015.
The Uncreated Mind Episode 20 the Bob Thur...2015-06-1200 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Buddhism 101: Reciting the Heart Sutra – Ep. 12Buddhism’s Heart Sutra is recited at the start of teachings, events & as a blessing. In this podcast Robert AF Thurman leads a recitation of The Heart Sutra and gives an introduction to it’s history.
Podcast concludes with Professor Thurman explaining how the practice of reciting The Heart Sutra is the key to understanding it’s teaching as a tool for mind transformation.
“The Transcendent Wisdom Heart Sutra, known as The Heart Sutra in all Mahayana Buddhist countries, and The Heart of Wisdom in Tibet, is a concise expression of the profound vision of reality...2015-04-1733 min
Bob Thurman Podcast: Buddhas Have More Fun!Bob Thurman Podcast Debut : My Early YearsIn the debut episode of the Bob Thurman Podcast Professor Thurman talks about his formative years & his own introduction to Buddhism. Includes personal stories about meeting Geshe Ngawang Wangyal a Kalmyk-Mongolian lama at his Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center Labsum Shedrub Ling in Central New Jersey in the 1960's.
Recorded at the 2014 Translation & Transmission Conference hosted by the Tsadra Foundation in Keystone, Colorado.
In 2014 Tsadra Foundation launched a series of large-scale conferences in order to provide an international forum for sustained dialogue and the sharing of ideas and experiences for translators of Tibetan texts, as well...2015-01-0914 minBob Thurman Podcast:Bob Thurman Podcast Debut : My Early YearsIn the debut episode of the Bob Thurman Podcast Professor Thurman talks about his formative years & his own introduction to Buddhism. Includes personal stories about meeting Geshe Ngawang Wangyal […]2015-01-0914 min