I am ending this podcast and starting a new one entitled 5 Minute Dharma. You can find it as 5MinuteDharma.comAgain, this is the last episode of this podcast.To continue listening to me you have to subscribe to my new podcast at5MinuteDharma

Our Thoughts Create Our Reality (Podcast)

Mar 20th, 2020 11m 26s

“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world” (Dhammapada 1 [tr. Thomas Byrom]). Our minds can be a help or a hindrance depending on whether it is in line we reality. Most of the time it

Impermanence and Coronavirus (Podcast)

Mar 13th, 2020 21m 4s

Covid-19 has hit the United States. This pandemic is causing a lot of anxiety for people. Panic has hit even my local Walmart, with no toilet paper left in stock. What does Buddhism have to teach us in this time of real world suffering? Can we

What is Natural Buddhism? (Podcast)

Mar 6th, 2020 12m 40s

Natural Buddhism is an approach to Buddhism without relying on supernatural explanations, such as rebirth. It is about awakening, transforming, and flourishing in this one life. As Thich Nhat Hanh said, “Buddhist systems of thought are guiding

What is Secular Buddhism? (Podcast)

Feb 27th, 2020 11m 24s

What is Secular Buddhism? Secular Buddhism is Buddhism without karma, rebirth, Nirvana, or other metaphysical claims. It is about awakening, transformation, and flourishing in this one life. Secular Buddhism accepts the Four Noble Truths, the E

019 Goodbye

Dec 27th, 2019 13m 16s

I am going on a long sabbatical in order to write my next book. I am guessing it will take me a year or so. I need complete dedication and focus, so I am ending the podcast today. This is my last episode. But I give hints of what’s to come. To

018 Martin Heidegger and Dasein

Dec 13th, 2019 13m 27s

Being and Time by Martin Heidegger is, in the words of William Large, “probable one of the most important books written in the twentieth century” (1). It influenced not only existentialism, but the whole of contentential philosophy. One of Heid

017 Thomas Aquinas and God

Dec 6th, 2019 20m 43s

Thomas Aquinas’ idea of God being necessary is false. The Cosmos alone has no cause, needs no cause. The Cosmos alone exists, from within rather than from without, by its essence rather than a cause. This only the Cosmos as a whole is necessary

016 The Jay Michaelson Interview Part 2

Nov 15th, 2019 28m 29s

In this episode we talk to Jay Michaelson about Bodhidaoism and Point 6 of the Naksha, which reads: “The Cosmos is Divine, being all there is or was or ever will be. We call the Cosmos the Divine because it is ourmother, our sustainer, and the

015 The Jay Michaelson Interview Part 1

Nov 8th, 2019 29m 49s

In this episode we talk to Jay Michaelson about his new book Enlightenment by Trial and Error: Ten Years on the Slippery Slopes of Jewish Spirituality, Postmodern Buddhism, and other Heresies. Jay Michaelson is a Rabbi, meditation teacher, and

014 Naturalistic Pantheism

Nov 1st, 2019 11m 58s

“The Cosmos is Divine, being all there is or was or ever will be. We call the Cosmos the Divine because it is ourmother, our sustainer, and the source of awe, reverence, and wonder. The word Divine is simply the metaphorwe use to speak of the

013 The John Vervaeke Interview

Oct 25th, 2019 1h 10m

In this interview I discuss Bodhidaoism and the meaning crisis with John Vervaeke. John Vervaek is a professor at University of Toronto, he holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy and a B.Sc. in Cognitive Science. His areas of specialty are Cognitive Scien

012 Bodhidaoism Explained

Oct 18th, 2019 50m 4s

Bodhidaoism is the way of awakening. It is a personal religion for the solitary practitioner that is based on scientific naturalism. Scientific naturalism is the view that, based on the evidence, the natural world is all there is, and science i

011 The George Kinder Interview

Oct 11th, 2019 36m 18s

Internationally recognized as the father of the Life Planning movement, the Harvard-educated George Kinder revolutionized financial advice for over 30 years by training over 3,000 professionals in 30 countries in the field of financial Life Pla

010 Vegetarianism Not Required

Oct 4th, 2019 26m 14s

The Summa Sophia said that a "vegetarian diet is required" for Bodhidaoists. But as of October 1, 2019, this is no longer the case. I would rather inspire people with my life than drive them by decree. I want people to become vegetarians becaus

009 Understanding Nonattachment

Sep 27th, 2019 12m 37s

Attachment is clinging to or grasping unto something or someone. Nonattachment is not clinging to or grasping unto something or someone. It is not detachment, which separates and closes off a person from reality. It is about staying connected t

008 Two Kinds of Religion

Sep 20th, 2019 26m 58s

The sociology of religion focuses on the social aspects of religion. Emile Durkheim is a good example of this. There are two basic structures for religion, a disciple centered religion and a community centered religion. Christianity, as well as

007 Phenomenology

1 Sep 13th, 2019 20m 13s

Phenomenology is the study of phenomena. Not a very insightful definition. My own definition is that phenomenology is the study of subjective experience. Edmund Husserl is considered the father of phenomenology. This is true in the West, but th

006 Stoicism 101

Sep 6th, 2019 16m 32s

This is an introduction to Stoicism. Stoicism was started by Zeno of Citium in about 300 BCE, in the city of Athens. Zeno was originally a student of the Cynic Crates, who was a student of Diogenes, who was a student of Antisthenes, who was a s

005 Daoism 101

Aug 30th, 2019 23m 2s

This is an introduction to Daoism (Taoism). Daoism is a philosophy and religion of China that arose in the 5th century BCE. The Daode Jing and Zhuangzi are two of the best known works of classical Daoism. The Dao is the way of nature, its rhyth

004 Buddhism 101

Aug 23rd, 2019 32m 45s

This is an introduction to Buddhism, the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Noble Path. The Four Noble Truths are the noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering being thirst, the noble truth of the ending

003 Nontheistic Religion

Aug 16th, 2019 25m 30s

Religion is a belief and value system with a way of life and spiritual practices for awakening, transformation, and flourishing, aiming to find meaning and significance in relation to the sacred. Religion two flavors: Theistic and Nontheistic,

002 Naturalistic Spirituality

Aug 9th, 2019 12m 50s

Can spirituality be defined naturalistically? I believe that it can and must be so defined. In Christianity, spirituality is about cultivating an awareness of one's connection with God. In Buddhism, and other naturalistic religions, spiritualit

001 The Importance of Skepticism

Aug 2nd, 2019 15m 19s

If you care about the truth, skepticism is the tool to discover it. "A skeptic," writes Paul Kurtz, "is one who is willing to question any claim to truth, asking for clarity in definition, consistency in logic, and adequacy of evidence." Skepti

039 An Important Announcement

Jul 26th, 2019 4m 36s

This the the last episode of the podcast, I am moving to a new domain – JayForrest.org – Please write that down. I will be ending this podcast and launching a new one. Please not that all links and old podcast episodes will eventually go away.