Wild Heart Meditation Center

In this episode, Andrew discusses the practice of Metta, "Loving-Kindness Meditation", as a way of inclining one's practice to reach beyond self-centeredness and into connection with others. This is the highest aspiration of practice, to move beyond defense and separateness and into connection with others.

Katie offers a guided meditation on Metta towards self, loved ones, neutral people, difficult people, and all being. 

Borrowing the title, "No Self, No Problem", from author Chris Niebauer's most recent book, Andrew discusses the Buddha's teaching on Anatta, the teaching of "not-self". What happens when we learn to take the mind less personally & see the present sensory experience unfold without identifying with feelings, perceptions, or thoughts as self? We find more space to creatively engage with our world.

If we are interested in living a more wakeful and intentional life, it's important that we consider the elements that serve as the foundation for a spiritual path. The Buddha calls these "The Five Spiritual Powers" or "The Five Spiritual Faculties". These are: faith, energy, mindfulness, stillness of mind, and wisdom.

“People have suffered in one place, so they go somewhere else. When they have suffered there, they run off again. They think they are running away from suffering, but they are not. It goes with them. They carry suffering around without knowing it. If we don’t know suffering, then we can’t know the cause of suffering. If we don’t know the cause of suffering, then we can’t know its release.” – Ajahn Chah

Mikey offers a guided meditation on compassion towards self. 

In this episode Mikey Noechel discusses the story of Angulimala, the serial killer who became a follower of the Buddha. 

In this episode, Andrew discusses the traditional Buddhist practice of the "Five Reflections". This practice helps us to remember the preciousness of this human life, to not sweat the small stuff, to approach our spiritual practices with urgency, and to live with more acceptance of the natural laws of aging, sickness, death & separation. 

In this episode, Andrew discusses the 3rd factor of the Buddha's eightfold path (wise communication). He discusses the importance of mindful listening, as well as some guidelines for how to bring wisdom into our speech.

Why do we keep doing things that cause suffering in our lives? Usually, it's because those destructive habits temporarily provide us with comfort, even though they don't serve our long-term wellbeing. When we practice letting go of destructive habits or thoughts, there is often a fear of losing the temporary relief that those thoughts and behaviors provide. In letting go, it requires that we practice resting in the faith of our spiritual practice- the faith to persevere through the discomfort and into the liberation that comes from letting go of things that no longer serve our happiness.

Mikey Noechel explores the question “What is insight?”. He specifically covers the three characteristics of impermanence, suffering, and selflessness as they relate to insight meditation practice. 

Andrew offers a guided mindfulness of breath meditation.

Andrew offers a guided meditation on Metta, lovingkindness towards self.

Andrew discusses the 3rd Foundation of Mindfulness (Mindfulness of Mind). He talks about developing "inner space" through mindfulness, and how we can begin to understand our mind states so that we don't have to enact our emotion's demands.

In this episode Andrew discusses a term coined by Alan Watts as "The Backwards Law". The backwards law states, "the desire for more positive experience is itself a negative experience. And, paradoxically, the acceptance of one’s negative experience is itself a positive experience”.

Recorded live in Nashville, TN! Asked to introduce Zen and share his own personal journey Dave goes bare bones honest with a talk about giving up and giving in to disillusionment and the liberation that comes when the bottom drops out on life and reality turns out to be nothing like what you asked for. Dave drops some history with Zen's beginnings amid the chaos of 9th century China and the worst disaster in human history and how Zen gave the only honest answer to that moment with its great promise of nothing. He goes on to tells his own story of giving up at the bottom of the barrel and the happy hopelessness you find when you finally admit to what you don't know. Along the way the sangha discusses how to help people in a world where no one wants your help, how to be angry without getting angry, and why you would never recommend Zen to a friend you want to keep.

In this talk, Andrew discusses some common hang-ups around the topic of "concentration" in mindfulness practice & some practical tips for steadying the mind in meditation practice.

Andrew offers an overview of two fundamental aspects of the Buddha's teachings on meditation - non-reactive awareness (clear seeing) & skillfulness (wise responding). Meditation practice entails both the ability to step back from automatic perceptions and impulses & the ability to respond wisely to meet life on life's terms. In this talk, Andrew details both of these aspects of mindfulness, focusing specifically on an overview of the heart practices. This episode includes a guided meditation practice.

In this talk, Andrew discusses "The Five Hindrances". These are 5 frequently occurring mind states that obstruct clarity & often lead to reactivity in our lives. Andrew talks about how to view the hindrances as a pathway into practice rather than an obstacle to practice, as well as discussing some skillful ways to work with these commonly occurring states of mind.

Mikey Noechel & Andrew Chapman tag team a talk on "The 4 Noble Truths & R.A.I.N Meditation".