Spiritual Journey

When a Sensory Pleasure Hedonistic & When a Beautiful Experience

The distinction between a sensory pleasure being hedonistic and a beautiful experience lies in the depth and nature of the encounter. While both involve a heightened sense of enjoyment, they diverge in their underlying qualities and the impact they have on one's well-being.A sensory pleasure is often hedonistic when it prioritizes immediate gratification and indulgence in sensory stimuli. This could include the enjoyment derived from taste, touch, sight, sound, or…

How to Take Life Seriously

Q: Dear Todd, how to take life seriously?TODD ANSWERS: When we wonder whether we are taking life too seriously or not enough, we are stuck in the middle of two polarities. The key to breaking free is to not take life at all. That's right. Just leave it be. None of us are so powerful as to be able to control the many forces of the universe that were set…

How to Release Resistance in Your Spiritual Journey

Q: Dear Todd, the more awareness I have, the more I see the resistance towards the situation, the people, the work, and the place. I meditated and changed my attitude case by case, bit by bit. Recently my depression is coming back, and I can't even sit still to meditate. Just started the medication. Any advice?TODD ANSWERS: First off, that's incredible that you were able to do that and see…

What Does It Say About Me When I See Cruelty in the World

The idea that everything outside of oneself is a projection can be a complex concept to grapple with, especially when faced with the harsh realities of crime, suffering, and cruelty in the world. It's essential to approach this perspective with nuance and recognize the interplay of various factors.Q: Dear Todd, if everything outside of me is a projection of myself, then what does it mean when I see the crime…

How to Free Your Mind From Emotional Attachments

What is the nature of attachments? Why do we develop them if they only cause suffering? How do we break free from the grip of attachments and how do we still form healthy and loving bonds? These are the questions we delve into in today's podcast.

How to Meditate Without a Motive

Q: Dear Todd, how to meditate without a motiveTODD ANSWERS: Meditation doesn’t need to come with any motive or goal in mind. We may be driven to learn and practice meditation to quit an addiction or to become happier or more focused. But even if it’s just curiosity, that’s a motivation. Something inside you made you wonder if there was more to life, if a greater level of happiness was…

A Monk’s Guide to Living a Conscious, Meaningful Life

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”On trial for corrupting the minds of his students, for which he was sentenced to death, Socrates defended himself by saying, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”While many scholars may see this phrase as evidence that he meant we should sit around lost in thought, I believe Socrates was pointing to something much deeper. To examine, we must observe. To observe, we must…

How to Exhaust Your Ego

Q: Dear Todd, how to exhaust your ego?TODD ANSWERS: I gotta say, trying to exhaust the ego sounds... exhausting. I think the way to quiet the ego isn’t to battle against it, as the internal conflict will disturb our inner peace. Instead, I like to play with my ego, not work against it. If it’s behaving like an immature child, it’s still MY immature child, so I’m going to love…

My Experience at Himalayan Monastery — Buddhism Podcast

Without knowing hardly anything about Buddhism, Todd Perelmuter decided to jump in with both feet by going to live at a Buddhist monastery as a monk in the Himalayan mountains in India.After months of living in complete silence, without technology or a phone, and even without books except for Buddhist texts, Todd discovered a wisdom and philosophy that would totally change his life as it had for countless Buddhists for…

Does Believing in Spiritual Oneness Means Rejecting God?

Whether a person is religious or an atheist, it is common to wonder if spirituality, Buddhism,  yoga or meditation go against their beliefs. Some worry they are sinning or that they will be punished in some way. And still others fear this will lead them into atheism.So, does oneness conflict with any religions? Is it compatible with no religion? Does it clash with science?  And can I keep my old…