The Imperfect Buddha Podcast
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast
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The Imperfect Buddha podcast explores the world of contemporary Western Buddhism mixing in banter with analysis, no holds barred discussion, and guest interviews. We shun Ted style talks in favour of in-depth discussion and interviews that have room to breathe.
The podcast has a host site which features articles and essays on contemporary Western Buddhism, as well as show notes for each episode.
Follow the link to find out more: http://imperfectbuddha.com
The podcast is sponsored by O'Connell Coaching. For support with any of the issues discussed in the podcast, check out the link for an approach that is perfectly suited to Buddhists, post-Buddhists, non-Buddhists, secular sceptics, and New Age refugees. I use Buddhist tools, modern counselling and coaching techniques and practices, along with neo-Shamanic practices and models to help folks rekindle their relationship with personal-growth, development and change work or re-evaluate a relationship with Buddhism or other spiritual paths. https://oconnellcoaching.com
You can leave comments at the Imperfect Buddha Facebook page or Twitter feed. Feel free to make suggestions for topics to cover and guests to interview.
Our original theme tune was provided by RSD (Smith & Mighty)from Bristol, UK. Check him out at: https://rsdbristol.bandcamp.com
Our new theme tune comes from Trieste and the artist Emerald Dream. Check out his work at: https://emeralddreams.bandcamp.com/releases
Original street art Buddha image by Bristol's Banksy: http://banksy.co.uk/menu.asp
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
Nov 25, 2021
Last Act @Soundcloud: Moving to a New Home
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast is moving on to new terrain and a new home over at the New Books Network, a location for intelligent conversations. Here's the link:
https://newbooksnetwork.com/category/academic-partners/the-imperfect-buddha
Past episodes will remain here at Soundcloud for the next six months. You can also listen to all episodes at the host site fro now and forever and catch writings and think piece too, as well as check out my work on coaching. Scroll down for the player:
https://imperfectbuddha.com/
It will also continue to be available through Stitcher, itunes and even Spotify.
To all those who signed up here to catch regular episodes, a big thank you. I hope you will continue to follow the podcast at its new home. New episodes coming out there continue with the theme of Secular Buddhism with an interview with Stephen Batchelor, followed by another with secular maestro Winton Higgins, and a think piece on Doubt.
What you waiting for. Head on over!
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Aug 10, 2021
82. IBP: Richard K. Payne on Securalizing Buddhism
From immanent Buddhism to cruel optimism, from secular subjectivity to the unconscious material running through your personal practice, today's episode features a returning guest in the figure of Richard K. Payne who is here to discuss his latest work and the contributions made by many great authors thinking deeply and critically about contemporary Buddhism.
Published by Shambhala Publications, Secularizing Buddhism was released on the 3rd August, so if you like what you hear, why not consider getting a copy. It features contributions from Ron Purser, David L. McMahan, Bikkhu Bodhi, Sara Shaw, Gil Fronsdal and many more.
Richard K. Payne's first interview with us on Critical Reflections on Buddhism https://soundcloud.com/imperfect-buddha-podcast/48-ibp-richard-k-payne-critical-reflections-on-western-buddhism
Links
The Imperfect Buddha site: https://imperfectbuddha.com
O'Connell Coaching: https://imperfectbuddha.com/authors-notes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Imperfectbuddha
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Jun 26, 2021
81. IBP: You need non-practice!
Something like a provocation, something of an introduction; this audio-cast presents a recent piece of work over at the Imperfect Buddha site on non-practice for all those interested in how to apply the non- to the practising life.
Built on Complex world, Complex Practice and prior to a series on applied practice, this is the audio version of an elaboration of the opening shots of a revolutionary practice.
See what you think, do the warm up and get ready for the main meal.
Background music by Funki Porcini
https://funkiporcini.bandcamp.com/
Accompanying texts;
Complex World, Complex Practice
https://imperfectbuddha.com/2021/03/24/complex-world-complex-practice/
You Need Non-Practice!
https://imperfectbuddha.com/2021/06/07/you-need-non-practice/
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Apr 4, 2021
80. IBP: Tina Rasmussen PhD Concentrating on Practice
Tina Rassmussen is one of our first meditation teachers on in a long while. Well, being a practice based series, this was inevitable. Tina was co-author of a book on jhana states and concentration that I have had on my shelf for a long time. Concentration is not the topic of our conversation, however. Here are some of the themes we explored;
• Compatibility issues between neo-Advaita and Buddhism
• Generational conceptions of practice; from Boomers to Millennials
• The need to evolve our understanding and ways of thinking about and describing awakening/enlightenment
• The phases and stages of a practising life
• Roadblocks, hurdles, maturation; limitations
• Critiquing the language we use to talk about self, ego, awakening
• The way belief shapes practice, perception, expectations and the contours of subjectivity
Enjoy the spring everyone and let’s all wish a swift end to this pandemic.
https://luminousmindsangha.com/
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Apr 4, 2021
79. IBP: Jane Affleck PhD on the Environment & Art as Practice
Who will think on Buddhism? Who has the chops to do so? What does it mean to place Buddhism in a configuration of contemplation alongside other thought and one’s personal experience of living a life in some way intimate with Buddhism as practice, as culture, as being and becoming?
Although this season of the podcast is practice focussed, this does not mean a return to the warm bosom of feeling, perception and awareness minus thought. The mind demands expression. We are thinking, feeling, acting beings. To think better is a desire that Buddhism has expressed and struggled with throughout its history. Western Buddhism, especially in the States, has evolved in a variety of expressions and forms, and in many ways that expression has channelled the wider anti-intellectual trend in American popular culture, as well as the return to feeling and intuition, and even the lingering New Age focus in on the self.
Sitting is doing is a view shared by today's guest Jane Affleck. An artist, occasional academic, and writer. My desire to get Jane onto the podcast was inspired by a piece she wrote for the Side View. It had a title that caught my attention; Meditative Awareness and the Symbiotic Real. The basic idea was that meditation and meditative relationships with the environment can behave as an antidote to anthropocentrism; an extension, if you will, of our over-focus on the selfing process that Buddhism is so concerned with. If ideology is collective selfing, anthropocentrism is species level selfing; this theme is set to be a central one in practice as this century unfolds so expect more guests on here to discuss it. With Jane, we talk about the intimate relationship with the environment that can be fostered and the way that relationship can challenge experiences of selfhood and many of the traps that accompany a self focussed approach to the practising life. We explore how art and the process of creation are integral to this process too.
https://www.jane-affleck.com/
P.S. I chatted with the Side View’s founder a while back and had a rather unusual conversation with him you might like to revisit after this one.
https://soundcloud.com/imperfect-buddha-podcast/64-ibp-adam-robbert-on-philosophy-as-a-way-of-life
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Feb 21, 2021
78. IBP: Glenn Wallis on Personal Practice & Anarchism
Down the country path we stroll for another practice episode, this time with our regular guest Glenn Wallis. We go through the personal questions I've been posing to all the guests this season, but we also make time to talk about the non-buddhism practice group, Incite events, and Glenn's new book An Anarchist Manifesto.
The episode has a written primer that you may find stimulating: https://imperfectbuddha.com/2021/02/20/nothin-exists-outside-the-podcast/
Links
Glenn Wallis: https://www.glennwallis.com/
The Imperfect Buddha site: https://imperfectbuddha.com
O'Connell Coaching: https://imperfectbuddha.com/authors-notes
Facebook: www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Imperfectbuddha
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Feb 8, 2021
77. IBP: Gregory Kramer on Practice
And so it goes on. This is our second episode in the new practice series. In the meantime, I had something of an allergic reaction to social media, and the internet more broadly. Despite a pretty disciplined relationship with digital life, I had something akin to an epiphany mid-January and realised that in my own way I had got caught up in maintaining what I am increasingly thinking of as the synthetic real. The digital life is seductive in ways that are not always easy to identify and like many insidious forces in this world, it can creep up on you in unexpected ways. What this means long-term is anyone’s guess. For now, I have reduced my internet time drastically, with time spent on social media cut by 90% and I am thrilled by the results. If such concerns orbit your life too, you may want to check out Jaron Lanier’s work on social media.
Our guest this time is Gregory Kramer, insight meditation teacher since the 1980s, he has developed a practice called Insight Dialogue; A sort of interpersonal meditation practice. Gregory teaches meditation, leads retreats and has written two books on Buddhist practice. The first on Insight Dialogue, and the second released in 2020 called A Whole Life Path.
Gregory was candid in his answers. There are powerful moments in this episode that arise as we venture down the path of the deeply personal nature of practice. Gregory’s work is rooted in early Buddhist traditions yet he lives a house-holder’s life. His commitment to the practising life is evident throughout.
In his own words;
“...my own life experience have led me to emphasize an integrated path of development, where individual and interpersonal meditation are joined with contemplation, ethical inquiry, and a commitment to kindness.”
Other point of interest, Gregory’s been married for over forty years and has three sons and five grandchildren. He was once a music composer, performer and taught composition at NYU while scoring films, video and dance works. He also developed devices for the music and recording field, and was even a founding figure in the science of auditory display and data sonification.
Links
The Imperfect Buddha site: https://imperfectbuddha.com
O'Connell Coaching: https://imperfectbuddha.com/authors-notes
Facebook: www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Imperfectbuddha
https://gregorykramer.org/
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Jan 18, 2021
76. IBP - Chenxing Han: Be the Refuge, Asian Buddhism in America
Asian and Buddhist and living in America: Does any of that matter? Those focussed in on practice and not much else regarding Buddhism might proclaim a resounding no. Others, all too aware of the tendency of western practitioners to ignore culture, and Buddhism beyond the meditation cushion might instead bellow forth with a resounding yes! Whatever your take, today’s guest Chenxing Han has written a book that fills a gap in our collective understanding, and appreciation of the role of Asians in making, shaping and living western Buddhism.
Be the Refuge is not merely another book obsessed with race and social justice, however. Those themes do appear but it is more than another product in the polarised times we live in. Yes, some of the buzz words and concepts are there, but this book is as much a work of poetry as it is a research project designed to illustrate the often sidelined role of Asians in making and shaping Buddhism in the West.
If more than two thirds of U.S. Buddhists are actually Asian American, perhaps it’s worth becoming more aware of them, right?
Be the Refuge is both critique and celebration, countering the erasure of Asian American Buddhists while uplifting their stories and experiences. The Oriental monk, the superstitious immigrant, the banana Buddhist: dissatisfied with these tired tropes, Han asks, Will the real Asian American Buddhists please stand up? Her journey to answer this question led to in-depth interviews with a pan-ethnic, pan-Buddhist group of eighty-nine young adults.
Weaving together the voices of these interviewees with scholarship and spiritual inquiry, this book reenvisions Buddhist Asian America as a community of trailblazers, bridge-builders, integrators, and refuge-makers. Encouraging frank conversations about race, representation, and inclusivity among Buddhists of all backgrounds, Be the Refuge embodies the spirit of interconnection that glows at the heart of American Buddhism.
https://www.chenxinghan.com/
Links
The Imperfect Buddha site: https://imperfectbuddha.com
O'Connell Coaching: https://imperfectbuddha.com/authors-notes
Facebook: www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Imperfectbuddha
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Jan 9, 2021
75. IBP - George Haas on the Practicing Life
Happy New Year to one and all and welcome to this new season (proper) of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast. Focussed on practice, this season engages Buddhist teachers, long-term practitioners, and creative innovators engaged in the practising life. Interspersed with regular interviews, this practice focussed season finally gets the podcast off of the couch and responding to the long stream of listeners calling for a practice focus.
Our first guest is meditation teacher, artist and author, George Haas. George moved to Los Angeles from New York in 1992. He started practising Vipassanā at Ordinary Dharma in Venice, and studying Buddhist texts extensively. In 1998 he began study with his current teacher, Shinzen Young, at Vipassanā Support International, where he is now a senior facilitator. He began teaching meditation in 2000, founded Mettagroup in 2003, and became an empowered teacher through Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, where he taught from 2007 to 2016. Along with his daily Morning Meditation and full schedule of one-on-one students, he continues to teach weekly classes and intensives in Los Angeles, and offer day-long, weekend and extended retreats around the country. He's also an artist with works in the permanent collections of the Hammer Museum, the Library of Congress, MoMA and the American Irish Historical Society.
Mettagroup
Founded by George Haas in 2003 and named the Best Online Buddhist Meditation by Los Angeles Magazine in 2011, Mettagroup uses insight meditation to help students live a meaningful life. Drawing from Buddhist teachings and John Bowlby's Attachment Theory, the Mettagroup techniques serve as a model of how to connect with other people, and how to be completely yourself in relationships with others and with work.
https://www.mettagroup.org/
Links
The Imperfect Buddha site: https://imperfectbuddha.com
O'Connell Coaching: https://imperfectbuddha.com/authors-notes
Facebook: www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Imperfectbuddha
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Oct 30, 2020
74. IBP: Being at Large with Santiago Zabala
Santiago Zabala was once described as a most ignorant philosopher by the American philosopher Brian Leiter: An interesting take that one will need to interpret for themselves in listening to this conversation on fake news, the role of interpretation, freedom, and being at large. Santiago is not at all ignorant, of course, and might be better understood as a pluralistic thinker in the stream of European philosophy, thus accompanying living thinkers such as Slavoj Zizek, and Simon Critchley; philosophers who aren’t afraid to risk controversy by expressing ideas and opinions on all manner of topic, from film to Covid. Thinkers that Mr Leiter no doubt dislikes, in fact he considers poor old Zizek to be a charlatan and bigot! American Imperialism indeed!
Santiago is rooted in the hermeneutic tradition of philosophy and we discuss the role and unavoidability of interpretation in our relationship with the world, and the latest phenomena of fake news, online battles, and the wider sphere of social life, politics, and, that topic so fundamental to western Buddhists, freedom.
What is freedom today? What would it mean to use the concept of ’being at large’ to understand how we might or might not be free today? What does it mean to have a return to order?
We cover this and more in this conversation which stretches well beyond the world of Buddhism, but also philosophy, by looking at how society is evolving today. We discuss Santiago’s latest book, Being at Large: Freedom in the Age of Alternative Facts, but asides from his books you can also find his writing in The Guardian, The New York Times, and Aeon, to name a few.
This is the third in this trifecta of episodes signalling a return to podcasting for the Imperfect Buddha Podcast.
Links
The Imperfect Buddha site: https://imperfectbuddha.com
O'Connell Coaching: https://imperfectbuddha.com/authors-notes
Facebook: www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Imperfectbuddha
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Oct 26, 2020
73. IBP: Buddhism & Magic with Sam van Schaik
This episode involves a conversation with the Tibetologist Sam van Schaik. Sam wrote his original PHd thesis on Dzogchen and the work of Jigme Lingpa and has been involved in the International Dunhuang Project at the British Library, where he currently works, and also teaches at the SOAS University in London. He also happened to write one of my favourite books on Tibet, called appropriately, Tibet: A History. Well-written, entertaining and informative, Sam’s overview of the history of the country that has lived larger than life as a place holder for all manner of western fantasy is a book with academic chops but aimed at a general audience. If you like Donald S. Lopez’s work on Tibet and Buddhism, this is one for you for sure. We discuss it as well as his book Tibetan Zen but the lion’s share of the conversation concerns his latest work on Buddhist Magic. Something of a companion piece to Tibet: A History, it looks at the role magic has played throughout the history of Buddhism a…
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Oct 23, 2020
72. IBP: Non-Philosophy with John Ó Maoilearca
In an attempt to make more sense of non-Philosophy, and therefore non-Buddhism, I interview Irish philosopher and academic John O Maoilearca, the author of All Thoughts Are Equal, an exceptionally accessible introduction to the work of that pesky French philosopher Francois Laruelle, who we’ve been name dropping on the podcast for quite some time.
Laruelle's work navigates an interesting paradox. On the one hand it can be incredibly straightforward, perhaps more so for those who have not been indoctrinated into philosophical thought. On the other, it presents a wide range of challenges to established philosophy and systematic modes of thought, including those found in Buddhism.
We talk about non-philosophy as a heuristic in this regard, therefore as a kind of practice that people can engage in, and experience certain kinds of liberation through. A practice, I would argue, that compliments Buddhist ideals and fits perfectly well into the practicing life for those intrigued by post-tr…
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Oct 19, 2020
71. IBP: Podcast Resurrected
"How do animals think? What does it mean to be at large? What is Buddhist Magic or even Tibetan Zen? These are questions posed by the three guests to follow in a rather lovely triad of interviews and conversations for the Imperfect Buddha Podcast; each one unique and diverse, each with a European guest, each tackling a topic that has long interested me: from non-Philosophy to Freedom in our age, from seeing Tibet without the romanticism, to the role of interpretation as a fundamental facet of existence. Mysticism, Fake News, and animals all get a look in too."
Taken from this intro to the new season of a resurrected podcast. To be fair, it had never really been assigned to the tomb, but rather, was resting.
With three episodes being released back to back, this super short intro provides an overview of what's to come and will help you to decide what to listen to.
Links
The Imperfect Buddha site: https://imperfectbuddha.com
O'Connell Coaching: https://imperfectbuddha.com/authors-notes…
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Jul 12, 2020
70. IBP: Incite Seminar - Rethinking Practice at the Great Feast (You're all invited)
Rethinking Practice at the Great Feast @INCITE Seminars
Saturday, July 25th, 10am-2pm EST / 4-8pm Europe /3pm-7pm UK. Online via Zoom.
Come and join us on the 25th at Incite Seminars for an original workshop on Buddhism at the Great Feast for Incite Seminars. Pay what you can and dive into this experimental event online through Zoom.
Description below.
Western Buddhism and spirituality more broadly provide us with a rich menu of practices, messages and visions of the human condition and what is possible and even desirable to do, avoid, and strive for within a human life. Yet, as many of us have come to realize, these practices, messages and curative fantasies do not always live up to expectation. The overly prescriptive ideals of what it means to be human, what practice is, and what we should be doing with it all too often reduce the Buddhist practitioner to the role of a passive performer of tradition and can lead to a loss of faith, disenchantment, and the feeling of having been c…
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Jun 26, 2020
69. IBP: The Wonkiness One (Preamble ahoy)
Ok, I went and did something a little bit different. I spoke directly to the time we live in. It may work. It may not.
This is the first in a short series of audio articles. You can read the text version if you prefer over at the Imperfect Buddha site.
It steers a path towards the practising life through the tumultuous times we inhabit...in stages.
This is the preamble...and this is the intro to the it from the site;
"And so it begins. This is clearly the preamble, but to what? A short series on the world we currently inhabit with a view to ho the practising life might engage it. Can we think away from the enticing polarised landscape we are often pulled into by social media, the media and the politics of the moment. It's not enough to remain aloof, or indifferent, so what do we do? Not, what should we do, that's not up to me, but how could we relate, openly, with curiosity, with presence, with care, with intellectual honesty, with a refusal to kowtow to the unthinking games of pol…
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May 8, 2020
68. IBP - Conspiracy Afoot
A new episode is here. The lingering challenge of conspiracies, fake news, and the emergence of information silos means that we as a global society are being confronted with a major challenge to our relationship to information, to facts, and to the epistemological challenges we have always been burdened with regarding knowledge and the act of knowing. Conspiracy Theories are with us to stay and if you look at them for longer than a glance, they begin to mutate, twisting into odd shapes that can appear familiar and alien all at once. We cannot afford to look down our nose at them any more, they are part and parcel of the world we inhabit, and we must contend with the wider issues they raise.
In this episode, recorded under quarantine, the Imperfect Buddha podcast explores the wider, hidden implications of the conspiratorial mindset and the challenges it represents. We look at its close relationship with spirituality, religion, and the New Age. We go deep into the psychology, the episte…
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Apr 11, 2020
67. IBP: Dr Ashley Frawley on Happiness & the Present
“In a society that has no future, the present gains exponentially in importance.”
In the time of Corona, what are we to do with happiness? Today’s guest is an expert on the subject and the well-being industry. Dr Ashley Frawley studies the relationship between the ideology of self-care, technologies of the self and wider social policy and practice. In her book, The Semiotics of Happiness, she explores the roots of happiness and its inclusion as a goal of wider society. We discuss Mindfulness, its rise, and possible wane, and the ideas that underpin the culture of self-development, as well as what might come after the Mindfulness fad. We talk about the current pandemic and the impact if might have on the obsession with the self.
“If your purpose in life is emotional well-being then any upset is an attack on your whole purpose in life.”
Topics covered include;
• Is happiness increasing or decreasing after decades of experimentation with practices such as self-esteem, self…
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Mar 22, 2020
66. IBP: Facing the Coronavirus: the practising life in a time of crisis
The Practising Life in many ways starts when there is a crisis. Our capacity to walk the talk, make our practice more than a mere means for survival, or for managing the banality of our existence is tested. Buddhism has many resources for facing crisis, but there is another tradition that is just as good, if not better; Stoicism. And some of its proponents lived through their own pandemics, and faced them head on. Albert Camus makes an appearance too.
In this short, improvised episode of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast, I provide a dispatch from Italy and life at the start of a third week under quarantine. I also provide thoughts, suggestions and ideas on the practising life in a time of crisis.
There are also a number of predications on the sort of future we might face at the end.
This is my small act of kindness, a theme that is fundamental in making sure that we live this crisis rather than merely survive it, and I hope you find something of value in this topical episode and live well…
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Mar 11, 2020
65. IBP: The Ideological Turn (a pedagogical platter)
This Turn takes us deep, deep down into the deep dark world of ideology to show why it's such a fundamental concept for understanding ourselves and the world, and the entanglement between the two, in an articulation of the concept of interdependence that rarely gets explored by Buddhists or spiritual folks alike.
Three Europeans will help us on our way and after regular requests, I provide some practice tips, a new Bodhisattva vow and more. Though practise tips are actually present throughout and the more discerning listener will see just how much gold dust and nuggets can be sifted from this enduring topic: too often dismissed or merely articulated in its grossest form.
If it’s all too much, you might want to listen in more than one sitting and ponder the goods served up by these great thinkers and my own humble attempt to make their ideas as relevant and contemporary as possible to practitioners like you, and why not, if needed, wash it all down with a nice cup of Ted Meissner te…
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Feb 11, 2020
64. IBP: Side View's Adam Robbert on Philosophy as a Way of Life
Podcast meets Podcast. Adam Robbert from the Sideview boards the Imperfect Buddha to discuss the work of Pierre Hardot, author of Philosophy as a Way of Life, along with a long list of our shared favourite topics. We get into the nitty-gritty of the practising life, contemplation, reflection, embodied consciousness and martial arts, the path ahead, challenges on the way, and more.
This is most definitely a Great Feast conversation.
Links
The Imperfect Buddha site: https://imperfectbuddha.com/
O'Connell Coaching: https://imperfectbuddha.com/authors-notes/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Imperfectbuddha
More on Adam's philosophically minded work can be found at the Sideview: https://thesideview.co/
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Jan 23, 2020
63. IBP: Daniel Ingram on Integral Theory
Off we go with our first long-form interview/conversation for 2020, and it’s with returning guest Daniel Ingram! Are you ready for more? It seems that many of you are. Back in 2019 when Daniel was visiting here in Trieste, we discussed a range of material we might cover on the podcast and one topic that repeatedly came up for Mr Ingram was his take on Integral Theory. We finally got the conversation done before Christmas and here it is. For this one I play the devil’s advocate somewhat as my knowledge on Ken Wilber’s work was quite limited and I had heard mainly complaints about it from our more educated listeners. As always, however, it was a pleasurable conversation and Daniel’s take on Wilber’s core theory seems pretty attractive as a model for understanding stages of growth, both for individuals and groups. We cover sex scandals, power grabs, groupy love, spaced-out gurus, religious fundamentalists, and how we are all too human.
See what you think, and don’t forget to…
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Jan 9, 2020
62. IBP: Introducing 2020
What's coming up in 2020 in the coming months? Find out by listening to this tidy little introduction and update on the podcast.
Music provided by Funki Poricini: https://funkiporcini.bandcamp.com/
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Dec 5, 2019
61. IBP: Dr Michelle Haslam & her psychological report on the controversial New Kadampa Tradition
This is our fourth foray into the land of Buddhism, Cults and Cult-like behaviours across mainstream Buddhist groups. Let’s be honest, this topic is always perversely interesting. If you missed out on our past episodes covering these topics, there are links and short intros below to those past episodes, which were a lot of fun.
For our latest journey, we interview Dr Michelle Haslam, PhD, a clinical psychologist who ran afoul of the machinations of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) and has since written a psychological report on their tactics and set up a resource site filled with testimonies from ex-followers along with articles to warn the general public about their often dysfunctional behaviour. She shares some of the horrendous tactics employed against her after leaving the group and discusses some of her psychological analysis of the NKT, their practices and group dynamics. She is also currently working in an undisclosed location despite mentioning that she has worked in safegu…
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Nov 5, 2019
60. IBP: Brooke Lavelle & Zach Walsh on the Great Transition
In a time of environmental meltdown, political and economic crisis, what should we do? What role can practice play? How are we to envision our place in the world, as protagonists in the destruction of our home, and mere bit part players in global conflict? Can we make a difference, or should we retreat to our personal spaces and meditate and be done with it?
This new episode of the podcast explores such big themes and the work of Brooke D. Lavelle and Zachary Walsh, our two guests, as we take a look at the bifurcated road ahead of us; a Great Transition, or a Great Collapse await. While many of us may like to see life continue on as usual, I think most folks are starting to realise that business as usual is killing us slowly. It is time to make change move in a direction that sees us and the many species surviving this century, but practice remains, as Sloterdjik would remind us, and the big picture is always grounded in the lives of practitioners in this conversation.
We discuss suc…
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Oct 19, 2019
59. IBP: Clair Brown on Buddhist Economics
Our year long-series on practice continues and we stray further into the world of politics and economics with this episode's guest. Economics is a form of human practice of course, and not a solid, eternal fixed inevitability. Like politics, it's a topic often resisted by spiritual and religious folks. In a democracy, we would all do well to educate further on this topic, so why not combine a conversation on Buddhism and economics?
That's just what we have done in this episode with Clair Brown, who is an economist at U.C. Berkley. In this episode we discuss Buddhist Economics, the name of her book on the topic. Clair has been active in seeking to construct and teach alternatives to the free market, neo-liberal economic model we are still living under and Buddhism, along with the work of E.F. Schumacher, plays a role.
Using real world evidence and data, she has been developing policies towards an economics more suited to our 21st century plight and a reduction of suffering globally.…
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Sep 29, 2019
58. IBP: Sam Mickey on Co-Existentialism & the Practising Life
Professor of philosophy, religion and integral ecology, at San Francisco University, Sam Mickey is our guest in this episode. We tackle many a topic but return throughout to the theme of the Great Feast, and embodiment, in facing existential threat, and environmental decay. We tackle the theme of justice too. Many of the themes connect to titles of his books including; On the verge of a Planetary Civilisation: A Philosophy of Integral Philosophy, and the wonderfully demanding title, Co-existentialism and the Unbearable Intimacy of Ecological Emergency. Do not panic, however, Sam is a wonderful conversationalist and shares my own hopeful outlook on our future, and this is evident throughout. He also anticipates a future conversation with the ever-present Daniel Ingram in which we will tackle integral theory and the work of Ken Wilber.
Links
Imperfect Buddha Site with Coaching info: https://imperfectbuddha.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Impe…
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Aug 12, 2019
57. IBP: The Political Turn (The Great Feast)
It took a long time to get this one done and I hope it was worth it. Please note that the creative extras took up very little of that time, rather, it was finding a way to talk about big issues as a living practice beyond partisan politics and ideological capture.
This podcast episode tackles politics as living culture and suggests that complexity marks our age in a way that we cannot ignore, but almost always do. From Twitter to CNN and Fox News, very little thought seems to go into public discourse these days. It's all about the hits, whether emotional or site visits.
This podcast episode invites you to change games and provides you with some tools for doing so. It also offers some meta positions on it all & doesn't forget to include Buddhism in the discussion.
It will no doubt disappoint some, excite others, anger a few, and turn off others. For some of you, it may be a small act of sanity in a world going increasingly off the rails.
There are extensive show-notes covering the m…
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Jul 18, 2019
56. IBP: Cleo Kearns on Ritual & Resistance
It's been another busy period but finally it's time for Cleo Kearn's interview to be released into the world before I head off on holiday.
Ritual and Resistance is the title of our conversation as we tackle ritual, religion, Buddhism, resistance and change. We discuss the following topics in the first half; Continental Philosophy, Anthropology and Religion, religious sacrifice, Shamanism and Catholicism, Durkheim and Lacan.
And then go deep into discussing ritual; its ubiquity, its role in societies, why some survive and others don't, its role in social formation and dissolution, freeing and managing desire, selfhood, challenges to ritual in our age, Buddhism and Tantra, death, activism, innovation and more.
Enjoy!
Links
O'Connell Coaching: https://oconnellcoaching.com
Post-Traditional Buddhism: https://posttraditionalbuddhism.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Imperfectbuddha
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Jun 24, 2019
55. IBP: Daniel Ingram Down the Rabbit Hole
Are we all going down it too? Daniel Ingram returns to the podcast for a third and final conversation and what a rich one it was. I believe it is well worth your time. After reading some Trash Theory, Daniel accepted Glenn Wallis’s challenge to read his book and after exploring the infamous SNB heuristic, based on the work of the rascally Frenchman Francois Laruelle, he came in for round three. We go back to the heuristic that started off the Trash Theorising, touching on Decision, Sufficiency, and the Great Feast of Knowledge, before exploring novel takes on refuge, philosophy and practice.
The first two recordings have solicited quite a lot of reaction from folks on Facebook and Twitter and at the Post-Traditional Buddhism blog. This includes Tom Wooldrige who has a new blog dedicated, it seems, to critiquing Daniel’s Pragmatic Dharma approach from a psychological perspective that has stimulated reaction too. Subsequently Evan Thompson has chimed in on Daniel’s views, as has D…
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Jun 17, 2019
54. IBP: Daniel Ingram Meets Trash Theory
You’ve had the initial goods and as promised here’s the second helping of Mr Daniel Ingram. This conversation gets right to the point and tackles, in a rather condensed and humble manner, a work of collective, creative production over at the Speculative non-Buddhism site called Trash Theory; an exploration of practice beyond decision, beyond enchantment, beyond capture. Well, that’s the plan anyway.
We start out with a quick chat about the SNB, x-Buddhism and non-Buddhism, before going through a number of postulates, or principles for practice, that have been explored and are continuing to be developed by Glenn Wallis and company. We went through it pretty quickly as we just had an hour to play with, but it was fun and an interesting exploration that will be continued in a follow up conversation to be recorded this Thursday.
You’ll find a link to the original post we worked from below, though there are, at the time of writing, six posts on the theme at hand. This one is a goo…
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Jun 17, 2019
53. IBP: Daniel Ingram on the Practicing Life
After the creative wonders of the Critical Turn #1, we have the magical appearance of Daniel Ingram in two conversations covering a great deal of ground. Our first conversation covers a wide range of topics from practice to waking up, from generation-X to cynicism. The second covers a series of posts from the Speculative non-Buddhism site called Trash Theory. We discuss the SNB briefly and then tackle some weird and wonderful postulates those boys have been playing with of late. That second episode will be released within the next 24 hours.
Both episodes feature the same introduction and will be released in the same week. This is because folks will likely get more out of one episode than the other; though I shall post them in the order we recorded them.
The second episode is also incomplete and Daniel and I will be recording its follow up this coming Thursday (20th June, 2019), which means you have the opportunity to chip in with your own comments, complaints or curiosities, though…
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Jun 3, 2019
52. IBP: The Critical Turn (Buddhism & Beyond)
Critical turn #1
On a deep dark night in a deep dark wood, something strange happened over at the Imperfect Buddha podcast. Was it a moment of folly? Was it a moment of genuine madness? It remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure is that a critical turn took place and in good company too. For in that deep dark wood there was a gathering and a fire and those who turned up were Samuel Beckett, Peter Sloterdjik, Francois Laruelle, and Evelyn Underhill. Animal presences could also be heard amongst the trees and in the undergrowth, whilst the fire crackled away providing the warmth that would stimulate a rather atypical exploration of recent themes to appear on the podcast.
This is the first of perhaps many critical turns, or, if it is deemed a forest fire like disaster by listeners and critics, it may be consumed as a one-off event, just like a Tibetan sand painting. As I have been saying for several episodes now, the creative and the critical are great bedfellows and this is my expre…
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May 24, 2019
51. IBP: Ken McLeod & Hokai Sobol on Practice & Mysticism (p.2)
This is the second instalment of my wide-ranging conversation with Ken McLeod and Hokai Sobol. It features an extended introduction that is, in part, a response to feedback from episode 50, and I invite our more critically leaning listeners to gift feedback on what is an ongoing experiment in crafting conversations that will increasingly respond to the challenges raised and explored throughout the life of this podcast.
The conversation was largely unplanned and improvised & this means it features free-flowing exploration, rather than a programmed engagement with a few straightforward ideas. We journey into the terrain of mysticism and practice and most of the topics covered are explored within the context of these two. Here's just some of what we cover;
- Mysticism
- Sloterdjik & Jonathon Haidt (Žižek too!)
- Ethics V Morality
- Social duty & mystical practice
- Universal human rights & authority
- Transactional & utilitarian approaches to practice
- Verbing outcomes: nirvana & fre…
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May 9, 2019
50. IBP: Ken McLeod & Hokai Sobol on Practice (p.1)
This is a quick introduction to help you on your way through the new season of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast. After a year of traipsing the globe with academics in an outrageous attempt to address the anti-intellectualism rife across Buddhism, and spirituality more generally, we have landed with both feet on the ground in the terrain of practice.
The challenge for this season is clear: to approach the whole concept of practice afresh. Not ignoring the past, but looking at it all in as contemporary a lens as possible, whilst bringing the great wealth of knowledge gained from our academics to bear on the personal, the subjective, the intimate, and the phenomenological.
Our first foray into such terrain is carried out in Kostrena, Croatia with Ken McLeod and Hokai Sobol and together we discussed all manner of topic from practice to culture wars, from Peter Sloterdjik to Jonathon Haidt, from non-conceptual mind to evil, from social duty to the great themes of our time, and the way they al…
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Apr 3, 2019
49. IBP: Donald S. Lopez on the Buddha, Tibet, Myth, & Context
We have come to the end of our series engaging with academics from the world of Buddhist studies and other relevant disciplines and what better way to complete it than with an interview with Donald S. Lopez Jr. Donald is the Arthur E. Link distinguished professor of Buddhist and Tibetan studies at Michigan University and the well-known author of many books on Buddhism. He specialises in late Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism and his books include Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West, The Madman’s Middle Way, Buddhism and Science: a Guide for the Perplexed, The Tibetan Book of the Dead: a Biography, and two titles that will be coming out this year with one on the Lotus Sutra that I am looking forward to. Donald’s books are aimed at the general public as well as fellow academics and they are entertaining and very well written. He draws on rich historical analysis and contemporary analytical tools for understanding complex religious phenomena and the West…
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Mar 25, 2019
48. IBP: Richard K. Payne, Critical Reflections on Western Buddhism
We reach our penultimate episode in this series with Buddhist academics. Richard K. Payne is former Dean of the Institute of Buddhist Studies and Yehan Numata Professor of Japanese Buddhist Studies at the Institute of Buddhist Studies at Berkley. Richard also trained as a Shingon Priest, and provides interesting insight into Buddhism at his blog, Critical Reflections on Buddhist Thought.
We get stuck into a whole range of topics in the conversation, from White Buddhism to perennialism, from Robert Wright's Why Buddhism is True? to mind-body dualism. We also touch on popular themes to the podcast such as transcendence, ideology and anti-intellectualism. You will find the article on Traditionalist Representations of Buddhism at the podcast site, along with further links: http://posttraditionalbuddhism.com
This article is discussed and it is is a must read for contextualizing some of the odd fantasies Westerners still hold onto regarding Buddhism.
There is also a slightly longer introdu…
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Mar 5, 2019
47. IBP: Ann Gleig on American Dharma & Buddhism Beyond Modernity
Here we are, the last in our three-part series on Buddhist Modernism, post-Modernism, and what comes after. We hope you've enjoyed it and found it educational and are ready for the final run.
Professor Ann Gleig joins the podcast from sunny Florida for a discussion of her brand new book 'American Dharma: Buddhism Beyond Modernity'. Our discussion centres on her text and expands out to touch on issues such as social justice, recent sexual scandals in Buddhist communities, the loss of boundaries between the academic and practitioner, and obviously, lots more. A big theme in Ann's book is the development of post-modern influences in the current western Buddhist landscape, she explores multiple modernities and the ways scholars are attempting to make sense of the changes afoot, which you dear listener are part of. Ann's book is as new as can be, surveying the current landscape of American Buddhism and beyond.
Find out more about Ann at: https://philosophy.cah.ucf.edu/faculty-staff/?id=56…
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Feb 19, 2019
46. IBP: David L. McMahan on Buddhism, Science & the Humanities, & Modernity
In this second part of the series on Buddhist modernism, Buddhist post-modernism, and what comes next, I interview David L. McMahan, who is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies at Franklin & Marshall College in the US. David is the well-known author of The Makings of Buddhist Modernism, which had a serious impact on more learned, thinking Buddhists in the West who were willing to challenge some of their assumptions about Buddhism and its development here. David’s book acted as an analysis of the Western influences on how Buddhism was shaped and showed that they had an insipid influence in ways that practitioners were generally oblivious to. From the role of romanticism, to secularism, to notions of selfhood, David’s book was an incredible journey into the underlying structure of Western Buddhism itself, revealing how this often described ancient wisdom tradition was actually in great part the creation of Westerners.
We touch on the book and discuss how he views it tod…
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Feb 11, 2019
45. IBP: [Incite] AK Thompson on The Culture of Revolt
Date: Saturday, February 23, 9am-1pm, at Culture Works in Philadelphia
Cost: Pay what you can, upwards to $90.
For more than a decade, movement-based scholar AK Thompson has worked with Benjamin to weigh in on the key debates of our crisis-filled era. From engagements with pop culture’s latent promise to critiques of the cherished certainties that guide movement struggles, he has foregrounded the operational value of Benjamin’s insights. In Premonitions: Selected Essays on the Culture of Revolt (2018), Thompson reveals how we might do things with Benjamin today.
https://inciteseminars.com/the-culture-of-revolt/
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Feb 6, 2019
44. IBP: Scott Mitchell on American Buddhism, Global Buddhism
“All Buddhism is Cultural Buddhism.” Scott Mitchell is the Rev. Yoshitaka Tamai Professor of Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Studies at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley and the author of "Buddhism in America: Global Religion, Local Context"(2016). His research interests include Buddhism in Western contexts, Buddhist modernity, Pure Land Buddhism, translocal religions, ritual studies, and media studies.
Scott and I had a lively conversation and covered a variety of topics including; what are the live issues in American Buddhism right now, what is the relationship between America, Europe and the rest of the world in terms of innovation in Buddhism, S. N. Goenka & the practice of meditation in Asia, the rise of China and its potential influence on global Buddhism, the lingering problem of a single/true Buddhism, post-modernism & Buddhism, heritage Buddhisms and decolonisation.
This is the first episode in a three-part series on Buddhist Modernism, Post-Modernism and what comes af…
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Jan 21, 2019
43. IBP: Dr Mikel Burley on Reincarnation, Rebirth & Wittgenstein
Does western philosophy lack imagination when thinking about rebirth and reincarnation? What would Wittgenstein say?
This episode features Dr Mickel Burley, a philosopher of religion from Leeds university in the UK. He wrote a fascinating book called Rebirth and the Stream of Life, which inspired me to have him on. He’s a big fan of Ludwig Wittgenstein too and we get to talking about a man who is widely considered the greatest philosopher of the 20th century as well as his thought and its uses for thinking about spirituality, Buddhism, rebirth and more. We also bridge the episode to our earlier discussion of karma and rebirth with Jayarava.
Mick has also written on cannibalism, animal sacrifice, Hatha-Yoga, and the lack of imagination in philosophy surrounding rebirth and reincarnation. We manage to discuss philosophy East & West too.
Many of Mick’s article are freely available and curiously titled so check out his university page for further links;
https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/phi…
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Jan 9, 2019
42. IBP: 2019 Seasonal special with guest host Gavin McCloskey
Hey, it’s 2019 and we’re off to a bang with two new episodes! The first one is quite the experiment with our first guest host filling in for the mysterious, ephemeral stranger that is Mr Stuart Baldwin. Our first intrepid visitor is Gavin McCloskey from Northern Ireland has been China based for quite some time. He is his own man of course, and he brought some fine questions along for us to discuss. I’m afraid I did most of the talking, but Gavin had some great contributions to make and it was good having him on.
Our conversation touches primarily on practice and some of my more far out ideas emerge. You can hear Gavin’s views on Goenka and Mahasi Sayadaw and his experience of retreats with those lineages. We talk about innovation in practice, enlightenment, reincarnation, and much more.
See what you think and let us know how it goes in this experimental conversation. Feedback would be appreciated!
Links
O'Connell Coaching: https://oconnellcoaching.com
Post-Traditional Buddhi…
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Dec 21, 2018
41. IBP: [Incite] Joshua Ramey on Money & Metaphysics
Date: Saturday, January 19, 9am-1pm
Cost: Pay what you can: Suggested amount: $90
Facilitator: Joshua Ramey is a writer, teacher, and activist who studies political economy and anti-capitalist political theory. He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Villanova University (2006) and is currently Visiting Assistant Professor in the Interdisciplinary Concentration in Peace, Justice, and Human Rights at Haverford College. He is the author of The Hermetic Deleuze: Philosophy and Spiritual Ordeal and Politics of Divination: Neoliberal Endgame and the Religion of Contingency.
What is money? Money functions as a unit of account, a medium of exchange, and a store of value, but this is what money does, not what money is. There is a very deep paradox at the heart of money, because money is not itself, but what it represents. Money is the representation of social agreements—agreements about who is obliged to whom, about what is more or less valuable, about what can be changed or altered in t…
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Dec 21, 2018
40. IBP: Jason Josephson Storm on the Myth of Disenchantment
Jason Ānanda Josephson Storm received his Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Stanford University in 2006 and is tenured at Williams College in their Religious Studies Department. He has three primary research areas: Japanese Religions, European Intellectual History, and Theory more broadly. He has been working to articulate new research models for Religious Studies in the wake of the collapse of poststructuralism as a guiding ethos in the Humanities.
Jason and I discuss his book 'The Myth of Disenchantment: Magic, Modernity, and the Birth of the Human Sciences' from 2017 as well as his text on inventing religion in Japan. We delve into the role of enchantment and the myth of disenchantment, the role of enchantment in science and the fascinating indulgences of many of the great scientific thinkers in spiritualism and enchanted beliefs. We cover East & West philosophy, The Kyoto School, Metamodernism, and more. Our conversation also joins up nicely with previous guests and the desire to g…
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Dec 10, 2018
39. IBP: Dale S. Wright on Buddhist Enlightenment
Dale S. Wright is distinguished Professor of Religion at Occidental College in Los Angeles. He is author of The Six Perfections: Buddhism & the Cultivation of Character, and Philosophical Meditations on Zen Buddhism. He is also coeditor with Steven Heine of The Koan: Text and Context in Zen Buddhism, The Zen Canon: Textual Foundations of Zen Buddhism, Zen Classics: Formative Texts in the History of Zen Buddhism, and Zen Ritual: Studies of Zen Buddhist Theory in Practice.
More importantly for our podcast, Dale is author of 'What is Buddhist Enlightenment?' A text that forms the basis for a good chunk of our conversation. We explore the notion of enlightenment in Buddhism and in particular the pluralism of definitions, a secular reframing of the thing, how western philosophy challenges Buddhist notions of enlightenment, myth and myths that are encased in different interpretations of enlightenment.
As with so many of our podcast conversations, this one heads off into places unknown, exp…
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Nov 16, 2018
38. IBP: William Edelglass on Shantideva, Levinas, & philosophy for Buddhists
Our year long jaunt through the world of academic engagement with Buddhism continues. In this episode of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast, we talk to William Edelglass, professor of Philosophy, Environmental Studies, and Buddhist Studies at Marlboro College. William has been a teacher in a variety of settings, including a federal prison in New York, a Tibetan refugee settlement in Nepal, and for many years as a wilderness guide at Outward Bound. Before going to Marlboro, William taught Western philosophy at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, Dharamsala, India, to Tibetan monks, and Buddhist philosophy to American college students on a Tibetan studies program. William also teaches a range of fascinating courses at Barre Centre for Buddhist Studies.
William and I cover quite a bit of ground in our 2-hour long conversation spanning Buddhism, Philosophy, and our current political climate. Here are just some of the questions we tackled;
What stand out lessons have each phase of your professi…
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Oct 30, 2018
37. IBP: Yves Citton on the Ecology of Attention
What is attention? Where are the boundaries between 'my' individual attention and that of those around me? Whose paying attention to what? And, what are the consequences of how attention is manipulated and manufactured by the media and by ideology?
Yves Citton explores these questions and many more on the podcast today with special attention paid to his fantastic book "The Ecology of Attention" which analyses attention-related phenomena emergent at a number of levels from the individual to the social arguing throughout that there are high stakes for how we understand and work with these phenomena: for teaching, performance, the environment, and freedom itself.
Yves Citton is professor of Literature and Media at the Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint Denis and executive director of the Ecole Universitaire de Recheche ArTeC. He taught for 13 years at the Université Grenoble Alpes and for 12 years in the department of French and Italian of the University of Pittsburgh, PA. He got his…
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Oct 11, 2018
36. IBP: Zack Walsh on the Contemplative Commons, Ecological & Revolutionary Practice
This week, you lucky listeners get two episodes for the price of one! Unusually for the podcast, we recorded two episodes back-to-back in just two days and for this reason they are kin, intimately connected, and shall go forth into the world as such. Each one shares the same intro, but don’t panic, it’s relatively short. Both conversations were less structured than usual. I did have questions, but allowed both conversations more space to evolve and flow, and there may even be a bit of rambling on both sides from time to time, but never enough to bore: We are exploring new creative spaces after all!
Our two guests are at opposite ends of the career spectrum and their interests and concerns mirror generational shifts towards contemplative practices. Zachery Walsh is finishing up a Ph.D. programme, while Robert Forman has retired from teaching Religious Studies at University.
Robert Foreman isn’t a typical guess for the podcast. Much of our work has been critical of Western spirit…
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Oct 11, 2018
35. IBP: Robert Forman P.hD on Enlightenment, Mysticism, Pure Consciousness & Yogic Flying
This week, you lucky listeners get two episodes for the price of one! Unusually for the podcast, we recorded two episodes back-to-back in just two days and for this reason they are kin, intimately connected, and shall go forth into the world as such. Each one shares the same intro, but don’t panic, it’s relatively short. Both conversations were less structured than usual. I did have questions, but allowed both conversations more space to evolve and flow, and there may even be a bit of rambling on both sides from time to time, but never enough to bore: We are exploring new creative spaces after all!
Our two guests are at opposite ends of the career spectrum and their interests and concerns mirror generational shifts towards contemplative practices. Zachery Walsh is finishing up a Ph.D. programme, while Robert Forman has retired from teaching Religious Studies at University.
Robert Foreman isn’t a typical guess for the podcast. Much of our work has been critical of Western spiritu…
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Sep 20, 2018
34. IBP: Unlearning with Glenn Wallis [Incite extended]
Our second podcast episode for the week is for Incite Seminars with regular guest Glenn Wallis. As per usual, our conversation takes many interesting and creative turns, and is longer than the usual Incite seminar podcasts. We discuss the topics of Unlearning, education versus learning, and introducing radical ideas into Dharma halls, as well as much more. As indicated in the introduction to this podcast, Glenn will be returning soon for a regular podcast discussion of his brand-new book A Critique of Western Buddhism, out now for Bloomsbury.
For those interested in engaging with Glenn directly, his Unlearning Seminar takes place in Philadelphia September 29th and is a must for educators looking to think about educating differently. Click on the link to find out more: Incite Seminars: Unlearning & Radical Education
https://inciteseminars.com/unlearning-radical-education-theory/
Links
O'Connell Coaching: oconnellcoaching.com
Post-Traditional Buddhism: posttraditionalbuddhism.com
Facebo…
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Sep 16, 2018
33. IBP: Charles S. Prebish on American Buddhism & Buddhist Studies
This week regular listeners to the podcast will be fortunate enough to get two episodes in a single week. The first will be with Charles S. Prebish, a figure well known in Buddhist studies. Charles has written classic volumes in Buddhist studies such as Luminous Passage: the practice and study of Buddhism in America and masses of articles. He was also a pioneer in the establishment of the study of Western Buddhism. He co-founded the Journal of Buddhist Ethics and the Routledge, Critical Studies in Buddhism series, and he is emeritus professor at both Utah State University and Pennsylvania State University.
In the podcast Charles talks about his own personal relationship with Buddhist practice and the field of Buddhist studies, how it has developed since its inception to today, the current scandals in Buddhist communities, his experience with a number of prominent Buddhist teachers including Chogyam Trungpa, and some potentially controversial thoughts about the future of this academic…
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Aug 30, 2018
32. IBP: [Incite] John Paetsch on Deleuze & the Larval subject (+extended intro)
John Paetsch joins us for a short chat about his upcoming seminar for Incite. We discuss Deleuze, philosophy, freedom and what you might expect from the event. I also add an extended introduction for listeners so that that they can contextualise the topic and understand better why we are promoting Incite.
The event page: https://inciteseminars.com/gilles-deleuze-larval-subjects-lost-time/
Links:
O'Connell Coaching: oconnellcoaching.com/
Post-Traditional Buddhism: posttraditionalbuddhism.com/
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Jul 31, 2018
31. IBP: Ron Purser on neo-Liberal Mindfulness, neo-Liberal Buddhism
In this episode, Ron Purser comes on to the imperfect Buddha podcast to talk about neoliberalism and its impact on mindfulness, Buddhism, spirituality, and the experience of all these in the individual and the impact is greater then you likely believe. You are a neoliberal subject to some degree and the ethics and manner of practice of this insipid ideology has seeped into almost all contemporary spiritual practice. Such practice can be a site of resistance to the excesses of individualism, goal achievement, productivity, and self-serving interest. Such practices can reconnect us to a social and environmental vision and experience of ourselves in the world. But this is only possible if you become aware of how neoliberalism has participated in shaping your practice in certain ways. The Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek was not wrong when he stated that Buddhism, among all the world’s religions, is the greatest companion to neoliberalism, which would prefer you to keep focusing in and…
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Jul 20, 2018
30. IBP: [INCITE] Glenn Wallis on Darkness, Sloterdjik, & more
In this episode of the imperfect Buddha podcast I speak with Glenn Wallis again. We cover a range of topics but at the core of our discussion is darkness: a topic that many folks shy away from and yet in our problematic times is a theme that needs looking at more closely and more deeply. Glenn will be leading a workshop on darkness on 4 August in Philadelphia. If you’re interested in participating, take a look at the webpage dedicated to the event at the Incite seminars websites: https://inciteseminars.com/darkness/
We talk about the motivations behind Incite seminars and why they are an important response to the challenges of our times, as well as the need for creativity in approaching practice, whether Buddhist or philosophical, and theory. We also touch on the work of Peter Sloterdjik and in particular his book ‘You must change your life’ which I for one found challenging. We also talk about the Speculative non-Buddhism website and what’s happening there. We also touch on t…
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Jun 18, 2018
29. IBP: [INCITE] Ulrich Baer on Rilke & Heidegger
Welcome to a new project.
The Imperfect Buddha podcast is collaborating with Incite seminars by bringing you short podcast interviews with workshop facilitators at their upcoming events. This is done to promote such seminars, but more importantly, to spread the good word, and collaborate with like-minded folks.
Incite seminars act as a breeding ground for intense engagement and enquiry into the humanities. They feature a range of speakers who are experts in their field.
These podcast interviews will be shorter and feature just 10 questions with some space for discussion. They will give you a sense of what you will find by participating in the Incite seminars as well as an introduction to an important topic that you may wish to go off and read about on your own afterwards.
The first podcast features Ulrich Baer introducing listeners to the themes of his seminar: Rilke & Heidegger and notions of being and presence. The themes are all wonderfully relevant to Buddhists, traditional or…
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May 31, 2018
28. IBP: Sex, Desire, & Karmamudra with Ben Joffe
So what about sex?
The latest episode of the imperfect Buddha podcast touches on an area that I've wanted to discuss for some time on the podcast: sex, sexuality, and desire. These are such complex topics and still surrounded by taboos that it can be difficult to have a frank conversation about them. The discussion with my guest Ben Joffe explores topics such as gender equality, the use of sex as practice, and more in drawing on the work of Dr Nida Chenagstang and his recent book Karmamudra: The Yoga of Bliss (Sexuality in Tibetan Medicine and Buddhism), which Ben edited and did much of the translation for. Needless to say, the area is so vast that we could only really just get things started. For this reason, you’ll find that the introduction is far longer than usual and I hope this doesn’t put you off: it provides an overview of Buddhism's historical relationship with desire and sexuality.
Ben and I touch on homosexuality too as well as the issue of sexual abuse by gurus and the…
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May 7, 2018
27. IBP: Why not join a cult? Stuart & Matthew go deep into cult-land.
Why wouldn’t you want to join a cult? That’s a question Stuart and I get round to addressing in the latest episode of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast. We also find time to cover Alison Mack and life after Smallville in a sex cult, Miranda, the latest Maitreya, and a number of other cults we missed out the first time round. Stuart brings his new found insights into super-powered hypno-wonder, and I reveal my disappointing IQ as we skirt around topical issues such as...IQ and the Alt-Right, existential crises and why being in a cult can actually be fun. We get in some conspiracy theories, give a mention to Michelle Pfeiffer, and even manage to spend a few words on Buddhism in the process.
We had fun on this one and may offend a person or two. Please take this as a trigger warning. This episode features blasphemy, swearing, mention of S...E...X, Sam Harris, mind control and other topical human wonder.
If you missed our first bash at cults, click here: https://soundcloud.com/post-traditi…
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Jan 19, 2018
26. IBP: Evan Thompson on Philosophy, Buddhism, & Embodied Consciousness
Welcome back to the Imperfect Buddha Podcast. After our lively discussion of theory and practice, we embark on a new series of interviews for all you Imperfect Buddhas. Our first for 2018 features Evan Thompson, professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia, well known for his books “Waking, Being, and Dreaming: Self and Consciousness in Neuroscience, Meditation, and Philosophy”, “The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience”, co-authored with the late Francisco Varela, “Mind in Life: biology, phenomenology and the sciences of mind” as well as “Self, No Self?: perspectives from analytical, phenomenological and Indian traditions”.
Evan was invited onto the podcast due to his 2016 closing address to the ISCS and what appeared as a critical turn from Evan in the form of a critique of the fetishisation of mindfulness and its co-option for neo-liberal ends. Evan also argued for an embodied view of consciousness in his talk and critiqued the idea,…
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Jan 5, 2018
25. IBP: Going critical! Theory, Practice & New Year show
Happy New Year folks!
Stuart finally makes his return to the Imperfect Buddha podcast in an in-depth discussion of the role theory and practice might play in a post-traditional engagement with Buddhism. This topic was inspired by a recent series of posts on exactly this topic over at the Post-Traditional Buddhism blog.
Our discussion goes critical as Stuart and I take our usual meander down the rabbit hole of taboos, and biting critique of the dysfunctional face of contemporary Western Buddhism. This may just be our most controversial, critical issue yet! So, start 2018 with a bang and listen in.
Any criticisms can be posted at the usual locations: here, Twitter, Facebook, or in the comments section at the blog.
Links
O’Connell Coaching: https://oconnellcoaching.com/
Post-Traditional Buddhism on Theory and Practice: https://posttraditionalbuddhism.com/2017/12/04/theory-and-practice/
Post-Traditional Buddhism on Performance: https://posttraditionalbuddhism.com/2017/12/11/theory-an…
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Oct 27, 2017
24. IBP: Unfettered Mind's Ken McLeod on many things
In this episode, I spoke to Ken McLeod, in person, in Croatia and we discussed a variety of topics, including; Vajrayana Buddhism, issues of language and his appreciation for Wittgenstein, direct experience V the conceptual mind, challenges for advanced practitioners, his ongoing relationship with practice, and more.
Ken McLeod is a senior Western translator, author, and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. He received traditional training mainly in the Shangpa Kagyu lineage through a long association with his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, whom he met in 1970. McLeod resides in Northern California, where he founded Unfettered Mind. He has currently withdrawn from teaching, and no longer conducts classes, workshops, meditation retreats, individual practice consultations, or teacher training.
Links
Unfettered Mind: http://unfetteredmind.org/
Ken’s Musings: http://musingsbyken.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1
Tricycle articles by Ken: https://tricycle.org/author/kenmcleod/
David Chapman’s review of…
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Jul 21, 2017
23. IBP: Hokai Sobol answers listeners' questions
Here it is folks, the latest episode of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast and the last in our series on post-traditional Buddhism. It is also the final part of our series with Hokai Sobol.
In this interview, Hokai tackles listeners question, well, at least some of them. We had over 18 to get through and although Hokai inadvertently covered some of them whilst answering others, we didn’t get through them all. I think listeners will find something of real value in Hokai’s answers and thoughts as we cover a wide terrain. Some of the questions covered include;
1. Has Hokai played around with any word instead of mystic/mystical?
2. What are the axioms that underlie the mystical approach as you define it? Or, what are the assumptions that drive the mystical approach as you’ve defined it?
3. Can someone pursue all three approaches at the same time? What are some of the possible adverse consequences of doing so?
4. Are religious and therapeutic approaches necessary starting points for a mys…
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Jun 6, 2017
22. IBP: Hokai Sobol on practice
Hokai Sobol joins us for an in-person chat in Trieste. Our conversation was a second attempt at a podcast episode and this time it all worked out and there was enough content to span two episodes.
Before lunch, we discussed Buddhism in the West and approaches to it. You can find out more about that in episode 11.3. After lunch we tackled the topic of mysticism and practice and that's what you will hear in this episode.
Hokai is welcoming questions and queries from listeners for a follow-up episode. So, if you have thoughts, questions or doubts after listening to either episode, please leave a comment or question below or on the Imperfect Buddha Twitter feed so that Hokai and I can discuss them.
So who is he? Hokai is a practitioner, pathfinder and mentor. Besides guiding a local Buddhist group gathered in the Mandala Society of Croatia, he works with a number of individual practitioners around the globe whom he meets regularly over Skype for mentoring. Hokai proposes that deep pract…
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May 26, 2017
21. IBP: Hokai Sobol on Buddhism
Hokai Sobol joins us for an in-person chat in Trieste. Our conversation was a second attempt at a podcast episode and this time it all worked out and there was enough content to span two episodes.
Before lunch, we discussed Buddhism in the West. After lunch we tackled the topic of mysticism and practice, which you can find out more about in part two.
Hokai is welcoming questions and queries from listeners for a follow-up episode. So, if you have thoughts, questions or doubts after listening to either episode, please leave a comment or question below or on the Imperfect Buddha Twitter feed so that Hokai and I can discuss them.
So who is he? Hokai is a practitioner, pathfinder and mentor. Besides guiding a local Buddhist group gathered in the Mandala Society of Croatia, he works with a number of individual practitioners around the globe whom he meets regularly over Skype for mentoring. Hokai proposes that deep practice can be pursued in the midst of one's life, as long as it is clear…
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Apr 12, 2017
20. IBP: introducing post-traditional Buddhism (P.2)
Oh what fun we had...in putting this episode together, which is actually our twentieth!
This episode takes forward our exploration of post-traditional approaches to Buddhism but we begin with a discussion that touches on a variety of topics including Jordan Peterson, Sam Harris, archetypes, political correctness, and more. We then move onto the discussion and exploration of post-traditional Buddhism, drawing on the original ideas of Hokai Sobol, and tying together all of the themes into a wonderful unitary whole...of sorts.
This episode represents change, not only for the content of our discussion, which is more serious than usual, but also for a number of sound bites which bring Sam, Jordan and Slavoj Zizek into the conversation. We hope you enjoy these and that they don’t upset the flow of the conversation which goes deeper down the rabbit hole than usual. Let us know what you think.
Who knows? Perhaps a revolution is brewing.
Episode is sponsored by O’Connell Coaching: https://…
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Jan 25, 2017
19. IBP: introducing post-traditional Buddhism (P.1)
This episode starts off our exploration of post-traditional Buddhism, or better, post-traditional approaches to Buddhism. This might just be a major feature of the future of Buddhism in the West, if Buddhism actually manages to survive the rest of the century here as a powerful source for personal and social change. David Chapman may not think so, but who knows? If Buddhism was to benefit from a sufficient degree of cultural innovation, there's no reason why it shouldn't find itself once again providing meaningful responses to some of our wider concerns.
After a short preamble and our usual silliness, we get into a serious discussion of the power and appropriateness of post-traditional approaches to Buddhism, even touching on how traditional Buddhists might explore such an approach themselves. Stuart gets in yet another dig at Shambhala...but if you are a good ol' Shambhalian, do try to avoid taking it all too seriously.
We also include our end of year awards for 2016. A strictly ton…
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Jan 6, 2017
18. IBP: David Chapman on stages of maturation, Dzogchen & the future of Buddhism
In this episode of the imperfect Buddha podcast, we finally get round to speaking to David Chapman. For those familiar with David’s work, there is so much that could have been discussed as he writes on all manner of fascinating topics ranging from Buddhism to philosophy, psychology to Vajrayana, artificial intelligence and more. Our interests converged on the topic of maturation outside of religious and spiritual discourse with David’s recent exploration of adult development and maturation just the sort of topic that we like to explore here on the podcast.
David has built on the work of Robert Keagan, an important living psychologist, in exploring adult development and maturation through five key stages. David focuses on three of them, aligning the final stage with Buddhism, in particular Dzogchen. An understanding of these stages has important consequences for Buddhists, especially considering the potential conflict between self-development, maturation and concepts such as no self…
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Sep 22, 2016
17. IBP: Glenn Wallis on the Immanence & Transcendence Divide in Buddhism
In this episode, writer, critic, Buddhist scholar and Philadelphia punk legend punk Glen Wallis returns to the Imperfect Buddha podcast for the second part of our discussion on non-Buddhism and its consequences. We go deep into an issue at the heart of contemporary western Buddhism: the seemingly irresolvable division between immanence and transcendence, which in lay man's terms is the distinction between spirituality as escape or as embodiedness. You may not know how deep these two go down the rabbit hole of modern spirituality and how they sit right at the dysfunctional heart of Buddhism. Applying constructive critique, we look at how Buddhists and teachers avoid the consequences of thinking them through to the very end and how that lack of insight leads to all manner of escapism and confusion.
This is an episode full of much of what Buddhists admire; compassion, wisdom, insight, perception, generosity. For those who don’t know Glenn, they will find the voice of a rare intelligence…
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Sep 16, 2016
16. IBP: Glenn Wallis on non-Buddhism
(Note: please be aware that the sound quality is not at its best in this episode. Skype was apparently having a bad day! We did our best to make it listenable. The second interview has much better sound quality)
Why would a modern day Buddhist engage with the work of non-Buddhism? Why bother to be forced to question your relationship with Buddhism? Why risk destabilising the status quo? Why not carry on as usual? If the last episode didn't convince you, maybe the man who started the thing will.
The instigator of the non-Buddhism project graces the Imperfect Buddha podcast with his presence and with such rich material and such a sharp mind, we couldn’t contain everything in a single episode. The humanity shines through and for those who may have been unsettled when approaching the revolutionary work at the Speculative non-Buddhism site, will find the content of the podcast surprising.
This is not to say there has been any loss of the sharp critique many will be familiar with, non-Bud…
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Aug 29, 2016
15. IBP: the liberating force of non-Buddhism
This episode tackles a complex but thoroughly important topic, namely non-Buddhism. A theoretical project/applied critique of Buddhism as ideology; as an unintentional prison. This work gets at the heart of what’s missing in Buddhism and Buddhist discourse; a failure to understand the collective formation of selves. Due to such, Buddhism operates at the level of the individual and the abstract mythical landscape that is the six realms. It fails to understand the collective formation of selves and the omnipresent role of ideology in the mass suffering and ignorance that grips our species. Non-Buddhism is here to wake Buddhists up to this ignored and uncomfortable reality.
Glenn Wallis is the architect of this wondrous and terrible journey into the heart of darkness. He is a wordsmith and profoundly insightful corrupter of all that is beloved and pure in Buddhism in its guise as escape from reality. He is also a punk rock driven despiser of conformity and liberal ignorance. Glenn may…
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Jul 27, 2016
14. IBP: Ben Joffe on the paranormal, Tibetan Buddhism, UFOs & the Ngakpa
What do the Dalai Lama, the X Files, UFOs, Sex Magic, Tibetan singing bowls, Yeti-Monsters, demons, dharma, wizards, Tantra & Darwin have in common? Why, Ben Joffe of course, the latest guest on the Imperfect Buddha podcast.
Ben Joffe is a cultural anthropology PhD candidate from South Africa currently based at the University of Colorado. He specialize in the anthropology of contemporary Tibet, Tibetan exile, and Buddhism; in the study of religion, magic, witchcraft, esotericism(s), neo-paganism(s), neo-shamanism(s); and long, dangle-y earrings. His research is focused on Tibetan Buddhist non-celibate tantric ritual specialists, or ngakpa/ma who live outside of Tibet, and the globalization of Tibetan Buddhism. He is interested in how the esoteric knowledge and charisma of these long-haired tantric Buddhist wizards is currently being mediated, circulated, appropriated and contested as part of increasingly transnational networks of exchange, and as part of Tibetans’ efforts to make le…
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Jul 14, 2016
13. IBP: After Enlightenment, Coaching, Support & Ongoing Development
So, what is After Enlightenment?
Here it actually means something quite specific; it means after the myths, stories, and fantasies have failed us or fallen apart.
It means after peak experience/s, initial/later/accumulative experiential breakthrough and/or awakening like experiences have taken place, come and gone, or become too familiar.
It means after the illusion of escape, salvation, perfection, or happiness, has hit home and we are left wanting, or even bored.
What do we do after all this?
One issue that emerges when looking at contemporary western Buddhism in a critical post-traditional way is the lack of support and guidance available outside of mainstream Buddhism for those driven by a desire for some sort of spirituality, personal growth or self-development.
We are frail, we do need each other after all. So, where do we go? Do we give up on Buddhism or spirituality completely? Do we look for another balsam? Do we accept the contradictions and limitations of tradition and ke…
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Jun 18, 2016
12. IBP: super groovy Daniel Ingram interview
In this last episode in the enlightenment series, we interview Daniel Ingram, the Arhat. Dan created quite a bit of controversy when he came out and claimed enlightenment a few years back. For listeners of our previous episodes, you will know that such a claim is loaded with all sorts of assumptions and implications. Dan joins us in stripping away many of the romantic myths surrounding the ideal of enlightenment and presents his pragmatic model of awakening. We also discuss the future of awakening.
Dan is the author of Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha and one of the most interesting characters to come out of the pragmatic dharma movement. He stirred up a great deal of controversy when claiming Arhatship and was instrumental in setting up the Dharma Overground; a site dedicated to exploring progress in practice in a lively, peer-to-peer environment and a location where folks make often dramatic progress in their pursuit of awakening.
In this chat, we covered the following th…
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May 30, 2016
11. IBP: Professor Adrian Ivakhiv on Immanence & a world after enlightenment
In discussing enlightenment, it is necessary to consider the change in perspective that accompanies such a radical shift. We are beset by dualistic thinking and the way we frame our perspectives, our personal and impersonal experiences, is beset by this philosophical bedrock. So what are the alternatives to the subject-object dualism we inherited from Mr René Descartes?
In the latest episode of the Post-Traditional Buddhism Podcast, we interview Professor Adrian Ivakhiv, who shares his thinking around an alternative perspective, one based on viewing the world as process and as always in relationship. This view has much in common with Buddhism in which a truly separate self has no place and impermanence and inter-connection form the basis for our experience. The metaphors that emerge from viewing the world in this way lend themselves to the abandonment of anthropocentrism. This coupled with greater concern for the ‘us’ over the ‘I’ leads us inevitably towards greater environme…
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Apr 15, 2016
10. IBP: "The Big Enlightenment Show"
Stuart & I have made what may be our most controversial episode yet. We tackle "Buddhist Enlightenment" © and its taboos and do what many Buddhists would likely consider sacrilegious. A few of the questions we tackle include;
What is it?
Who’s got it?
Can it be understood, formulated in a way that could liberate the masses as a form of human practice?
Why bother? Is it the shiznit?
How would it look if unreliant on Buddhism?
What could a secular, humanist outlook as the basis for reconfiguring it produce?
Who are the top ten enlightened dudes?
How can you spot a fake?
It’s the sort of material that could drive masses of keyboard warriors to start quoting their favourite Buddhist books or teachers in a furious, emotive rant against all that is evil, for the first time encapsulated in an hour and twenty four minutes of a Soundcloud download.
If you are brave enough, download or stream the latest episode and enjoy a rather interesting take on Buddhism’s ultimate goal. We had fun…
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Jan 28, 2016
09. IBP: Shaun Bartone on Engaged Buddhism
This episode features a guest interview with Shaun Bartone, active in the field of activism in Canada and a follower of Engaged Buddhism, Shaun discusses why and how Buddhists could and should engage. We discuss the issue of diversity in Buddhism, including issues for minorities and transgender folks. Shaun has been involved with different forms of Buddhism over the years and is currently on the board of directors of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship.
See more of his work at the following links:
http://engagedbuddhism.net/
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Jan 2, 2016
08. IBP: Engaged Buddhism & the apolitical trend
In this episode Stuart & I discuss Engaged Buddhism. We look at whether Buddhism gives people an excuse to disengage politically, as well as the limits that Engaged Buddhists reach when they fail to critique the causes of institutionalised suffering. We discuss Ken Knabb's work in critiquing Thich Nhat Han and put forth some suggestion for meditation practice that could help individuals and groups overcome the trend of apolitical behaviour amongst western Buddhists. Our usual banter will help you through this Xmas/New Year episode & in spite of the subject matter, Stuart & I really had fun with this episode. Enjoy and Happy New year to one and all.
Show notes & links: http://posttraditionalbuddhism.com/
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Nov 3, 2015
07. IBP: Jayarava decimates rebirth & karma
In this episode, guest Jayarava hits the Imperfect Buddha podcast with some hard truths regarding the impossibility of rebirth & karma whilst drawing on the work of Sean Carroll & his own research into Buddhism. It's not an easy pill to swallow but it may just prove liberating to those braver Buddhists willing to confront the finality of death. Whatever you end up deciding, it's a fascinating topic and Jayarava's insights are not easy to dismiss.
The interview is straddled by a very short discussion on the challenges of the material and Stuart shares his own destabilising reactions, which will no doubt be shared by many a listener.
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Oct 19, 2015
06. IBP: on the limits of Secular Buddhism, on Buddhism & academia
In this episode, Stuart starts with a short interview of Ian Lawton, documentary film maker, and they look at his latest project The Dharma Bum. We then get stuck into a discussion of the academic world of Buddhist Studies and Secular Buddhism, exploring the role academia can play in informing Buddhist practice. We also look at the potential limitations of Secular Buddhism in its guise as Protestant Buddhism and end by making recommendations on where to go next in order to be enlightened by the more accessible academics.
It probably sounds less fun than it actually is bu in the process Matthew invents some wacky theories and Stuart finally sounds professional, so that has to be a plus.
Episode 5.2 will feature an interview with Jayarava, self-defined feral scholar, as a follow up and hopefully he will set us both straight on the role of academia in enlightening Buddhists.
Enjoy and leave feedback, criticisms, complaints and observations at our Facebook page, Twitter feed.
Show note…
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Sep 7, 2015
05. IBP: Tenzin Peljor on leaving a Buddhist cult
In this episode, we have our first interview at the Imperfect Buddha Podcast with the wonderfully insightful Tenzin Peljor, an ordained German Buddhist monk. Tenzin is no ordinary Buddhist monk, however, he is a crusader for clarity and right information, particularly in the world of Tibetan Buddhism, where he is committed to shining light on untruth. He runs two English language sites which provide a wealth of information and resources including interviews with noted Buddhist Studies academics, as well as exposes of the cultish behaviour that we discussed in our last episode. He is also one of the best informed individuals regarding the NKT and as an ex-member writes with great clarity in order to dispel the myths propagated by that group.
He tells his story of his involvement with the NKT and what it was that drove him to leave. We also discuss aspects of a monk's life and explore important texts that help with leaving behind the western romanticism of Tibet.
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Aug 15, 2015
04. IBP: cults, cultish shennanigans & Buddhist groups
In this episode Stuart & I discuss Buddhist cults and cultish behaviour in Buddhist groups. We look at cultish behaviours in particular and how they manifest in even innocuous Buddhist groups. We discuss the wider implications of the trade off between belonging and autonomy and the three core theories that explain why people get involved in Buddhist groups. We also look at the difference between cults and new religious movements and the difficulty in the academic world of defining a cult. To avoid such a trap, we focus on cultish behaviours instead and ask to what degree each of the organisations we discuss exhibits them. We invite listeners to consider to what degree their own Buddhist group may exhibit such behaviours and why they are present.
We cover the NKT, Rigpa, Shambhala, Michael Roach and HH, Maitreya Ron Spenser.
In this episode, someone is bound to get offended, but it's all good as Stuart and Matthew get culty.
Second additional note (07/09/2015):
Dear Listeners,
We rec…
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Jul 23, 2015
03. IBP: the Dharma Overground get enlightened & the non-Buddhists cause a stir
In this episode, the Dharma Oveground and Buddhist Geeks get enlightened, Francois Laurelle and the non-Buddhists speculate, Hokai Sobol and Kenneth Folk do their own thing. Matthew and Stuart cross the line and fumble over names.
This is part 2 of our first real episode exploring a number of innovative elements in contemporary western Buddhism. We move on in our discussion from Tibet to look at the Pragmatists that emerged from the Dharma Underground and the intelligent destruction of Buddhism fuelled by French and German speaking philosophers in the form of Non-Buddhism.
We also bring in some considerations of the significance of the claims of enlightenment made by a number of the Pragmatists and the importance of some of the critique made by Glenn Wallis and his cohorts.
Enjoy and leave feedback, criticisms, complaints and observations at our Facebook page, Twitter feed or even here.
The next episode will feature a special guest and discuss Buddhist cults!
All show notes can be…
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Jul 12, 2015
02. IBP: Tibetan Buddhism slowly innovates
The second episode of the IMPERFECT BUDDHA PODCAST has been released from its cage. This episode is split into two parts. 2.1 explores experimentation within Tibetan Buddhism in the West and discusses the work of Reggie Ray, Chogyam Trunpa's American student who is doing good work and opening Tantric Buddhism to the LGBT community. We look at the Wales based Tantric Buddhists known as the Aro-Ter, whose monks and nuns are married couples and wear long hair. We also explore Unfettered Mind and Ken McLeod's project of westernising Mahayana and Tantric Buddhism. Enjoy!
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Jul 11, 2015
01. Imperfect Buddha Podcast: introducing the why, the how, the intent of it all
This is our updated introduction for the podcast, recorded in May 2019.
Meet the host. Get to know the plans for the podcast & the intent behind it in under 7 minutes.
This is where it all starts.
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