Wild Heart Meditation Center

In this episode Mikey Noechel shares his personal story of how he found his path towards the Dharma. He discusses ways to find appreciation and motivation from the most terrible things that happen in our lives. No mud, no lotus.

Andrew continues the series on the Buddha's core teachings, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, speaking on the topic of the Second Noble Truth: Craving & Clinging. Although life is unpredictable and largely outside of the realm of our control, we can learn to meet these ups and downs with less reactivity, with less craving and clinging. When we become reactive, we make life harder than it has to be. Mindfulness helps us to step back and observe when reactivity arises, without taking the bait. I hope you enjoy!

In this episode Mikey Noechel discusses the refrain from the Satipatthana Sutta, "contemplating with a mind free from desire and discontent in regard to the world". Mikey further expands on this topic by introducing the five hindrances.The five hindrances are: greed, hatred, sloth, restlessness, and doubt. 

Andrew kicks off a series of talks on the 4 noble truths and the eightfold path, speaking on the first noble truth: dukkha!The first truth has often been misinterpreted as the Buddha making a claim that "life is suffering", but rather than a claim to be believed, the Buddha is offering a task to be put into practice centered around embracing the difficulty and vulnerability of our lives rather than running from it. His teaching captures the essence of the reality that when we resist pain, we suffer further, when we embrace pain, we experience freedom from the unnecessary layer of suffering that comes from reactivity and avoidance. 

In this episode Don Givens offers an overview of The Buddha's foundational teaching on the four noble truths.

In this episode, Andrew finishes off a series of talks on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, speaking on the Fourth Foundation: Mindfulness of Dhammas. He highlights the aspect of this teaching called the "Seven Awakening Factors". What do we need to cultivate in our search for more freedom in our lives? The Buddha says these seven qualities are key: mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy, tranquility, and concentration.

Andrew continues a series of talks on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. This is a 2600 year old teaching from the Satipatthana Sutta, which includes a comprehensive set of instructions on how to establish mindfulness in order to cultivate the liberating insights set out in the Buddha's teachings. This episode covers Mindfulness of the Mind, which look particularly at the three poisons of greed, hatred and delusion.

The second talk in a series on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. In this episode, Andrew discusses the Second Foundation of Mindfulness - Mindfulness of Feeling Tone. The Buddha instructs us to notice the reactivity that often arises around pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral feelings as a method of unhooking from the impulses of reactivity that often lead to suffering. 

In this episode, Mikey Noechel offers a talk on practicing kindness and acceptance to the thoughts, feelings, and emotions which may be viewed as wrong, bad, or evil. Mikey offering a loving kindness meditation with the phrases:May you be at easeMay you be at peaceMay you be kind and gentle with yourselfMay you be filled with loving kindness

Andrew kicks off a series of talks given on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, beginning with mindfulness of body. Establishing mindfulness of the body serves as the foundation for stilling the mind and assisting in the development of mental clarity that brings about transformative insight into the three characteristics: the impersonal, impermanent, and unreliable nature of our human experience.

In this episode, Mikey Noechel offers a talk on self compassion and the power of saying "yes!" to the less desirable parts of our experience. Mikey also offers a guided RAIN meditation.RAIN stands for:RecognizeAllowInvestigateNurture

Andrew concludes a series of talks on the 10 Paramis (only 5 are listed on the podcast), which are the spiritual principles that serve as the foundation for the Buddha's teaching. In this talk, Andrew speaks on the topic of "equanimity", which means even-mindedness, balance, and non-reactivity. Equanimity is all about finding peace amidst the worldly winds of life's 10,000 joys and sorrows.

In this episode Mikey Noechel explores Buddhist practices for working with depression.

Andrew continues a series of talks on the Paramis - The 10 Perfections of the Heart, speaking on the topic of Truthfulness. Enjoy!

In this episode Mikey Noechel offers a talk on the first foundation of mindfulness, mindfulness of the body. He presents  specifically what is outlined in the Satipatthana Sutta. First foundation of mindfulness:  Thus have I heard.At one time the Blessed One was living in the Kurus, at Kammasadamma, a market-town of the Kuru people.Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus as follows: "This is the only way, O bhikkhus, for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the destruction of suffering and grief, for reaching the right path, for the attainment of Nibbana, namely, the Four Arousings of Mindfulness."THE FOUR AROUSINGS OF MINDFULNESS"What are the four?"Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu lives contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending (it) and mindful (of it), having overcome, in this world, covetousness and grief; he lives contemplating the feelings in the feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending (them) and mindful (of them), having overcome, in this wor

In this episode, Andrew continues the series of talks on the 10 Paramis, discussing the topic of "Effort & Energy". It's said that the Buddha taught about effort more than any other topic in his Noble Eightfold Path, which is likely because of how essential it is for the development of wisdom and compassion, as well as the nuance of how to cultivate energy without becoming rigid or falling into the other extreme of lethargy or complacency. 

In this episode Mikey Noechel explores the 7th factor of the eightfold path which is wise mindfulness. 

In this episode, Andrew continues a series of talks on the 10 Paramis (The 10 Perfections), discussing the topic of "Renunciation". Enjoy!

In this episode Mikey Noechel introduces the second factor of the eightfold path, wise intention. He specifically outlines the 3 wise intentions, renunciation, non-harming, and good will. Enjoy! 

Andrew begins a series of talks on the 10 Paramis, starting with generosity. Generosity was often the very first teaching that the Buddha would give to folks interested in starting their spiritual search. In this talk, we discuss why the focus of service and generous giving is so essential to the Buddhist path.