The loudest voice in your head might not be telling the truth. When the world feels more divided and more cruel, it gets easier to assume other people are bad and to quietly suspect the same about ourselves.

I sit down with Buddhist teacher and author Lodro Rinzler to challenge that reflex with a grounded idea that’s both ancient and deeply practical: basic goodness. Not as a slogan, but as something you can recognise in real time, in your body, and in the most ordinary moments of your day.

We get specific about how shame and “not enoughness” take over, and why the stories we repeat can become a cocoon that blocks intimacy, courage, and joy.

Lodro shares simple mindfulness and meditation practices for seeing thoughts as thoughts, loosening identity labels like “I’m an anxious person”, and returning to what’s actually happening right now. We also explore a helpful bridge to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: acceptance is not giving up. When we meet the present clearly, we become more skilful, more honest, and more able to take action without burning ourselves out.

Then we zoom out to the culture we’re swimming in: subtle advertising, status pressure, and consumerism that profit from insecurity. We talk about why deeper practice and meditation retreats can “reveal the water” and restore perspective, compassion, and agency. If you’re searching for self-worth, emotional resilience, and practical tools for mindfulness, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with the moment that hit you hardest.

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Mindfulness Exercises with Sean Fargo is a practical, grounded mindfulness podcast for people who want meditation to actually help in real life.

Hosted by Sean Fargo — a former Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, and founder of MindfulnessExercises.com — this podcast explores how mindfulness can support mental health, emotional regulation, trauma sensitivity, chronic pain, leadership, creativity, and meaningful work.

Each episode offers a mix of:

Practical mindfulness and meditation teachings
Conversations with respected meditation teachers, clinicians, authors, and researchers
Real-world insights for therapists, coaches, yoga teachers, educators, and caregivers
Gentle reflections for anyone navigating stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, or change

If you’re interested in:

Mindfulness meditation for everyday life
Trauma-sensitive and compassion-based practices
Teaching mindfulness in an authentic, non-performative way
Deepening your own practice while supporting others

…you’re in the right place.

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