Podcast
Pragmatic Buddhism
Hosted by Pragmatic Buddhism · EN
Welcome to Pragmatic Buddhism, a podcast offering down-to-earth Dharma talks, mindful reflections, and unscripted conversations for curious minds. We explore the intersection of ancient insight and modern life, weaving together Buddhist teachings, psychology, neuroscience, and lived experience.
Whether you're new to meditation or a longtime practitioner, this podcast invites you into a path of authentic awareness, compassionate acceptance, and wise action without dogma, jargon, or perfectionism.
19episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Prayer as Practice: Listening, Compassion, and Interdependence
2w ago00:35:18Tap to summarizeIs prayer a Buddhist practice? More than we might think. In this dharma talk, Joe shares how his work as a chaplain transformed his understanding of prayer — from something he scoffed at to something he now considers a doorway into mindfulness, compassion, and the lived reality of interdependence. The Columbus sangha joins in a rich discussion about the Serenity Prayer, the Bodhisattva Vow, and what it means to meet people exactly where they are.
Transcribe →Right Attitude: Sitting Without Chasing
3w ago00:35:07Tap to summarizeAaron returns to lead the St. Louis Sangha through the second part of Shunryu Suzuki's Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, this time exploring "right attitude." The group reflects on the paradox of sitting without seeking, the practice of "leaving no trace," and what it means to build the cushion without chasing it. Discussion turns to early misconceptions about meditation, the layered noise of the mind, and the quiet micro-thoughts that surface only when we stop trying so hard.
Transcribe →Bach, Forest Bathing, and the Zazen You Didn't Know You Were Doing
4w ago00:30:58Tap to summarizeWhat does Bach's organ music have to do with sitting zazen? For Glenn, everything. In this talk from the Columbus sangha, he shares a realization that struck him during morning physical therapy: truly listening to Baroque music is its own kind of meditation. The conversation winds through Suzuki Roshi's "don't serve them tea," the eightfold path as guidelines rather than commandments, forest bathing as prescribed medicine, the tyranny of sleep trackers, and why walking into a Buddhist temple on the other side of the world can make you think, "wait, is this even Buddhism?" A warm, wide-ranging discussion about finding presence when the cushion isn't working, and learning to hear the whole field instead of just one line.
Transcribe →You're Doing It Wrong (And That's the Point): Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
Apr 1700:38:16Tap to summarizeWhat if the hardest thing in the world is simply sitting still? In this episode, Aaron from the St. Louis sangha leads our community through the opening of Suzuki's classic Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, and the conversation ranges from the pressure to always be productive to what it means to just observe without acting to why being terrible at something might actually be your greatest advantage.
Transcribe →Buddha Nature in a Distracted World
Apr 1000:24:51Tap to summarizeWe live in a world built for distraction — scrolling, streaming, multitasking, always doing something else. But what if awakening isn’t somewhere far away, but right here in this moment? In this talk, Glenn explores Buddha nature and the practice of presence with the Columbus sangha, asking a simple but powerful question: What are you doing with your time?
Transcribe →Change, Dissatisfaction, and the Self: The Three Marks of Existence
Apr 300:13:55Tap to summarizeThe Three Marks of Existence can sound stark: everything is impermanent, clinging leads to dissatisfaction, and there is no fixed self. But these teachings aren’t pessimistic; they’re liberating. In this episode, monks from the Order of Pragmatic Buddhism explore how recognizing change reduces fear, how understanding dissatisfaction shifts craving, and how seeing the fluid nature of identity softens defensiveness. Far from nihilism, the Three Marks offer a clear-eyed way of relating to life as it is.
Transcribe →What Does “No Self” Really Mean?
Mar 2700:37:34Tap to summarizeThe Buddhist teaching of “no self” can sound confusing or even alarming. Does it mean we don’t exist? That our personality is an illusion? In this talk, Douglas and the St Louis sangha unpack what “no self” actually points to and why it’s considered one of the most liberating insights in Buddhist practice. Rather than denying our experience, this discussion invites us to look closely at how identity forms, solidifies, and creates suffering. By understanding the self as a dynamic process rather than a fixed entity, we open the door to greater flexibility, compassion, and freedom.
Transcribe →A Talk on Winter Solstice: Turning Toward the Light
Mar 2000:37:43Tap to summarizeThe solstice marks a turning point—either the longest night or the longest day—and invites us to pause. In this episode recorded on the solstice, Glenn and the Columbus sangha reflect on what it means to stand at a threshold in our own lives. What are we carrying forward? What are we ready to release? Drawing from Buddhist practice, this talk explores the solstice not as superstition or ritual obligation, but as a moment of awareness: a reminder that change is constant, that darkness and light coexist, and that each turning holds possibility. Whether you observe the solstice formally or not, this episode offers space for reflection and renewal.
Transcribe →What is Pragmatic about Pragmatic Buddhism?
Mar 1300:46:53Tap to summarizeWhat’s actually pragmatic about Pragmatic Buddhism?In this talk, Danielle and the St Louis sangha explore the ways that spiritual practice doesn’t have to be about adopting rigid beliefs or signing on to metaphysics. It can be about learning skills. Testing what helps. And building a way of living that holds up in real life.
Transcribe →What Do We Mean by Karma?
Mar 600:38:40Tap to summarizeThe word “karma” gets used everywhere from social media to pop culture but what does it actually mean in Buddhist practice? In this talk, Joe and the Columbus sangha unpack karma as a teaching about intentional action and the patterns that follow from it. Rather than framing life as predetermined, this perspective highlights how each moment contains the seeds of future experience. When we understand karma clearly, we see both the weight of our habits and the possibility of change. This episode invites listeners to consider karma not as fate, but as a path toward responsibility and liberation.
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