This podcast differs from the audios that have come before. In fact, it is the commencement address for a group of trainees who have just finished an 18-month teacher training program in MBSR and MBCT. We have all sat down to mark the end of a

MBTP 009: Mr. Chan: Don’t Dumb Down

Jan 2nd, 2017 17m 48s

Titled Mr. Chan: Don’t Dumb Down, the podcast recalls my earliest days of training in 1979 with my first Qigong teacher. In addition, I have added a text about Mr. Chan, as well as a picture of us from 1989 and a link to a video about him. Ther

MBTP 008: When Everything Falls Apart

Jun 2nd, 2016 12m 37s

I adapted the title of this podcast from the classic meditation book by Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart. The self-empowerment of facing one’s own demons as squarely as one can with kindness and clarity, one of Pema’s basic themes, has help

MBTP 007: Finding One’s Authentic Voice

May 30th, 2016 11m 30s

In this episode I tell the story of my struggle as a doctoral candidate to find my authentic voice. I go on to explore the question of what it means to be authentic as a teacher and the ways this can present itself. For example, I know that I’m

MBTP 006: On Guided Meditations

May 26th, 2016 16m 34s

It is part of the work of a mindfulness teacher to create audios of exercises such as the body scan or sitting meditation. Most teachers underestimate the amount of time and energy they’ll need to prepare their guided meditations. They’ll spend

MBTP 005: Taking off One’s Shoes

May 23rd, 2016 13m 17s

In this episode, I comment on a story told by Sister Joan Chittister about a man who removes his own shoes in the dead of winter and gives them to a homeless person wearing only open-toed sandals. I offer this story to encourage us, as teachers

MBTP 004: Because You’re Not Sure, I Trust You

May 19th, 2016 18m 43s

It can be uncomfortable for teachers, even paralyzing, to question whether we’re competent enough. We experience periods when we doubt if we have what it takes to be a teacher, often feeling doubt as a sign we’re not ready to work with others.

MBTP 003: Not Knowing Is Most Intimate

May 16th, 2016 12m 38s

Many mindfulness teachers find the process of mindful dialogue, or inquiry, challenging. They feel a self-imposed pressure to “perform.” In this podcast I share a famous Zen koan that has helped me to let go of the idea that I have to control t

MBTP 002: Thank You for Not Making It Easy

May 12th, 2016 12m 13s

In this story from my early days of teaching Tai Chi in the 1980s, I tell about a woman who, despite all the odds of a poor memory and even less body-coordination skills, refused to accept any offer to make things easierFind more at mindfulne

MBTP 001: The Flamenco Player

May 9th, 2016 11m 41s

We all have periods where we want to really give the best that we can and that can be, again, a wonderful motivation behind teaching,... But doing the very best we can and feeling so paralyzed that we cannot go on is a very different story.Fin

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