Gil Fronsdal

Resting in the field of love that ‘just is’, Gil Fronsdal explores how to live for the benefit of both self and others. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal explores: Resting in the field of love without expectations Love that does not require anything of others Appreciating the simplicity of love through the simplicity of awareness What the Buddha said about becoming a wise person Living for the benefit of both self and others The selfless nature of parenting Understanding the circle of ‘we’ and the dynamics of family, society, and being a part of a whole Taking time to be with reality rather than immediately responding and reacting This episode was originally recorded at a family retreat and published on Dharmaseed About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011, he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma . “Love that just is, it’s not something that requires something of others. It doesn’t require them to be any particular way, to perform, to reciprocate, love is just there.” –Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Drawing on the wisdom of The Four Resolves, Gil Fronsdal discusses finding our own inner strength to remain committed to the path of practice. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal illuminates: Gil’s own introduction to Vipassana practice How sickness, old age, and death motivated the Buddha Spiritual support and determination at Zen monasteries Why cultivating your own inner resolve is one of the greatest challenges on retreat The Four Resolves of Buddhism: truth, wisdom, generosity, peace How Vipassana practice is dependent on allowing the truth to reveal itself Discovering truth in the smallest moments through mindful awareness How everyday mindfulness builds the resilience needed for life’s most challenging moments Letting our hearts be generous and stepping out of self-preoccupation Surfing the ways of life without drowning: becoming one with the ocean This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011, he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma . “It does take some inner resolve, determination, to keep hanging in here sometimes. It’s so easy to come down for tea, go to your room, go for a hike, all of which is appropriate at times, and inappropriate at others. What we’re asked here at Spirit Rock is more challenging than at a Zen monastery. It’s up to you much more. You have to find it in yourself.” –Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Drawing on the wisdom of The Four Resolves, Gil Fronsdal discusses finding our own inner strength to remain committed to the path of practice. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal illuminates: - Gil’s own introduction to Vipassana practice - How sickness, old age, and death motivated the Buddha - Spiritual support and determination at Zen monasteries - Why cultivating your own inner resolve is one of the greatest challenges on retreat - The Four Resolves of Buddhism: truth, wisdom, generosity, peace - How Vipassana practice is dependent on allowing the truth to reveal itself - Discovering truth in the smallest moments through mindful awareness - How everyday mindfulness builds the resilience needed for life’s most challenging moments - Letting our hearts be generous and stepping out of self-preoccupation - Surfing the ways of life without drowning: becoming one with the ocean - This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed “It does take some inner resolve, determination, to keep hanging in here sometimes. It’s so easy to come down for tea, go to your room, go for a hike, all of which is appropriate at times, and inappropriate at others. What we’re asked here at Spirit Rock, it’s more challenging than at a zen monastery. It’s up to you much more. You have to find it in yourself.” –Gil Fronsdal About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011, he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma. “The truth will liberate you because when you keep showing up moment by moment to what’s true, you have to confront and meet all of the forces inside you that want to veer off from what is true, to not stay present.” –Gil Fronsdal

Gil Fronsdal explores practicing in accord with nature, showing how mindfulness and honesty help us release resistance and move with the natural flow of the Dharma. This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal lectures on: - Being in accord with the dharma, with truth, and with nature - The painful attitudes that we often bring to change - Accepting our feelings rather than pushing them away - How resistance to reality causes more suffering - Mindfulness: creating the ideal conditions for the natural process of healing - Floating down the stream of Dharma rather than struggling up a mountain - Studying nature rather than rushing into conclusions - Becoming an observer of our own lives with child-like openness and adult-like resolve About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma. This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed "We're in this stream of the dharma, this stream of practice. It is not fighting up a mountain and struggling so much. It is finding a place to rest in the stream and we find ourselves being carried along beautifully into the ocean. The ocean is so big it can hold all of us. Isn't that nice? It's not like you're going to be king of the mountain. We're all going to be brothers and sisters in this great ocean of the dharma." –Gil Fronsdal

Gil Fronsdal explores practicing in accord with nature, showing how mindfulness and honesty help us release resistance and move with the natural flow of the Dharma. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal lectures on: Being in accord with the dharma, with truth, and with nature The painful attitudes that we often bring to change Accepting our feelings rather than pushing them away How resistance to reality causes more suffering Mindfulness: creating the ideal conditions for the natural process of healing Floating down the stream of Dharma rather than struggling up a mountain Studying nature rather than rushing into conclusions Becoming an observer of our own lives with child-like openness and adult-like resolve About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma . This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed "We're in this stream of the dharma, this stream of practice. It is not fighting up a mountain and struggling so much. It is finding a place to rest in the stream and we find ourselves being carried along beautifully into the ocean. The ocean is so big it can hold all of us. Isn't that nice? It's not like you're going to be king of the mountain. We're all going to be brothers and sisters in this great ocean of the dharma." –Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Gil Fronsdal invites us to see Buddhism not as a doctrine but as a lived experience where insight, trust, and letting go give rise to genuine freedom. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal dives into: How the twelve steps of dependent origination fit into the schema of Buddhist practice The stark difference between an insight and a belief Buddhism as a path to walk rather than a doctrine to believe in Turning from suffering and clinging to peace Finding out how Buddhism is meaningful to us individually How we have all been liberated from something in our lives Appreciating the relief and clarity that comes from letting go of clinging The profound act of trust that it takes to be open and present The door of the wishless, when the mind stops desiring Looking at things exactly as they are rather than trying to conceptualize About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma . This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed "How deep and thorough can we let go? Can we liberate ourselves? The challenge that Buddhism offers us, more than a doctrine, it offers us a challenge that it is possible to get into the very deepest roots of the clinging in our hearts and uproot it, to become free from it." –Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Gil Fronsdal, a prominent teacher in the Insight Meditation tradition, draws on Buddhist psychology to make a clear and practical distinction between guilt and regret/remorse. This distinction is central to his guidance on emotional experience and developing a skillful response to past actions. Guilt is Unskillful (Aversion and Self-Identity) Fronsdal's teachings view guilt as an unskillful or unwholesome state that is ultimately counterproductive to spiritual development and inner peace. Aversion/Ill Will: Guilt is fundamentally seen as a form of aversion or ill will directed toward the self . It involves a harsh self-judgment or self-condemnation ("I am wrong," "I am bad"). Self-Identity Issue: He identifies guilt as a kind of self-identity issue. It moves beyond acknowledging a harmful action and becomes entangled with identifying the self as inherently flawed or wrong. This aversion to the self is a source of suffering. Not Useful: From a Buddhist perspective, Fronsdal asserts that it is never useful to feel guilt. It weighs a person down with the past and does not serve as a genuine motivator for positive change; instead, it is a form of suffering (the "second arrow" of reactivity). Remorse/Regret is Skillful (Registering and Forward-Looking) In contrast to guilt, Fronsdal teaches that regret or remorse can be a healthy, appropriate, and skillful emotion. Registering Harm: Healthy regret is an acknowledgment that an action has caused harm or "wasn't right." It serves to register deeply that the action was unskillful and that one wishes they had not done it. It is an honest reckoning with the consequences of one's actions. Non-Clinging: The practice is to feel this regret without clinging to it—without "drowning in the feelings." One sits with the feeling, applies mindfulness to it, and observes it as a natural, passing emotional experience. Forward-Looking Motivator: This regret then becomes a powerful, forward-looking motivator for ethical conduct. It is a registration of the past that inspires one to "do better in the future" and to resolve to act differently. It allows the past to serve as a guide for inspiration rather than a weight of condemnation. Practice: Mindfulness and Non-Reactivity Fronsdal encourages a mindfulness practice to skillfully navigate the experience of these emotions when they arise: Permission and Ease: When regret or guilt arises, one should simply sit with it, giving it permission to be there without needing to pick it up, push it away, or judge its presence. Mindfulness of Emotions: Bring mindfulness to the experience. Feel the sensation in the body and observe the emotion without reacting to it. The key is freedom from complicating the emotion with secondary judgments (the "second arrow"). Releasing Grasping: The fundamental task of mindfulness is to help release grasping. Guilt is a form of grasping or clinging to a negative self-identity; by observing it non-judgmentally, one can relax the grasping hand and allow the emotion to move through without inhibition. The goal is to cultivate uncomplicated regret that leads to repair, learning, and renewed ethical resolve, while realizing that the associated baggage of self-judgment, or guilt, is an unnecessary and unwholesome addition. You can listen to one of Gil Fronsdal's guided meditations that touches upon related themes in Guided Forgiveness - A Guided Meditation by Gil Fronsdal . This video is relevant as forgiveness, both of self and others, is a key practice for moving beyond the heavy self-condemnation associated with unskillful guilt.

Gil Fronsdal's Teachings on Working with Anger ​Gil Fronsdal, a highly respected Buddhist teacher in the Insight Meditation tradition, offers extensive guidance on understanding and transforming anger, drawing heavily from the Buddha's teachings. His approach centers on mindfulness, self-understanding, and cultivating non-hostility, viewing anger as a signal rather than an enemy. ​1. Anger as a Signal for Suffering ​Fronsdal emphasizes that the presence of anger is a symptom, a signal of an internal disharmony or conflict, and ultimately, a sign that someone is suffering—most often, ourselves. ​Internal Origin: A key teaching is the importance of taking responsibility for our reactions. While another person or event may create the conditions for anger, our reaction to those conditions is our own. Nobody "makes" us angry; the direct causes of hostile anger are found within the person who is angry. ​The Deeper Pain: Often, anger is a secondary reaction, a way we express or deflect deeper, more vulnerable feelings like sadness, loneliness, fear, disappointment, or hurt. Learning to explore this underlying pain through mindfulness is a vital step toward freedom. ​2. The Power of Restraint and Non-Reaction ​Fronsdal stresses the importance of not acting out the anger, as this dramatically increases the danger and pain—ruining relationships and causing regrettable actions. ​Restraint: The Buddha taught to guard against anger erupting in the body, speech, and mind. This involves restraining impulsive actions and words. ​Dissipation: A practical initial step for managing intense anger is dissipation, which involves discharging the raw energy of the emotion so it doesn't harm us. This can be achieved through physical activity like walking or exercising, or through calming actions like taking a shower or talking about the anger in a way that is designed to calm, not inflame. ​The MADLESS acronym is one framework Fronsdal has taught for diffusing anger and its expression. ​3. Mindfulness and Investigation ​Mindfulness meditation is the core practice for transforming anger. It offers a safe place to experience the emotion without judgment. ​Witnessing without Clinging: The goal in meditation is to witness the anger without pushing it away (aversion) or engaging with it (grasping). This non-reactive mindfulness allows us to let the emotion flow freely. ​Turning Inward: Anger's tendency is to be directed outward, at an object, person, or event. In mindfulness, we turn the mind away from the object and the "story" we tell ourselves about why we are angry. We focus instead on the subjective experience of the anger—the physical and mental sensations. ​Physical Sensations: Bringing attention to direct, immediate bodily sensations (tension, heat, agitation) helps lessen the preoccupation with the object of anger, which in turn helps us be more fully present with the emotion itself. ​4. Cultivating Antidotes and Wise Action ​Transformation involves moving beyond mere acceptance to cultivating the opposite of anger. ​Non-Hostility and Patience: The ultimate antidote to anger and aggression is the cultivation of qualities like patience and non-hostility. This doesn't mean avoiding anger entirely, but guarding against hostility—the closing off of our hearts to others. ​Wise Speech and Action: When anger is a compelling frustration over an injustice, it can potentially be appropriate, but only if it is acted upon with wisdom and care, and without hostility. ​5.

Gil Fronsdal's Teachings on Buddhist Patience (Khanti) ​Gil Fronsdal, a prominent American Buddhist teacher trained in both Zen and Theravada traditions, presents patience ( khanti , one of the Ten Perfections or Pāramīs ) not as a passive quality of 'gritting your teeth' or simply enduring, but as an active, engaged practice rooted in mindfulness, acceptance, and compassion. ​His teachings emphasize that true patience is a profound skill that supports the entire Buddhist path, especially the practice of non-reactivity to life's inevitable challenges, insults, and difficulties ( dukkha ). Core Facets of Patience ​Fronsdal often breaks down the traditional understanding of khanti into three interconnected dimensions: ​1. Patience as Gentle Perseverance (or Endurance): ​This is the patience required to stay committed to one's meditation and spiritual practice over time, especially when results don't meet expectations, or when one faces doubt and discouragement. ​It is a gentle, steady effort that keeps the mind from succumbing to despair, attachment to outcomes, or giving up. It allows the practice to sink deep. ​It involves accepting the slow, non-linear nature of development in wisdom and insight. ​2. Patience Under Insult (or Forbearance): ​This is the practice of non-reaction to provocation, criticism, anger, or perceived injustice from others. ​Instead of automatically lashing out, retaliating, or succumbing to inner turmoil (like anger or despair), patience allows for a pause. This pause, even momentary, is a powerful form of patience that creates space for mindfulness, understanding, and a wiser response to arise. ​It's about choosing not to respond reactively, allowing other, more wholesome possibilities to surface. ​3. Patient Acceptance of Truth: ​This facet refers to the willingness to face and accept reality ( what is ), including difficult truths about one's own suffering, the suffering of the world, and the inherent impermanence ( anicca ) and unsatisfactoriness ( dukkha ) of existence. ​Fronsdal teaches that impatience is fundamentally a resistance to the present moment or a battle with reality, driven by a wish for things to be different. Patience, conversely, is acceptance—a clear-seeing that does not cling to what we want but works with what is. Patience as an Active Virtue Contrary to common interpretation, Fronsdal stresses that patience is not passive resignation. Key elements of his teaching include: ​Patience is Compassion in Action: By choosing non-reaction and acceptance, we are being kinder—kinder to ourselves (by not fueling the inner suffering of aversion and anger) and kinder to others. Patience, therefore, is intimately linked with loving-kindness ( mettā ) and compassion ( karunā ). ​The Opposite of Impatience is Contentment: Fronsdal suggests that the ultimate perfection of patience is effortless, arising naturally from a deep contentment with the present moment. By not compulsively chasing the ego's whims or resisting reality, we discover a deep, abiding peace that manifests as great patience. ​Practicing Patience with Impatience: A crucial step in practice is to first apply patience to one's own impatience. Instead of judging or resisting the feeling of impatience, one is encouraged to bring mindful curiosity to it—to feel the restlessness, resistance, or aggression in the body and mind, and observe it gently until it passes. ​Patience is seen as

Explaining how imagination creates both beauty and suffering, Gil Fronsdal offers a skillful way to tap into inspiration without becoming lost in a dream. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal dives into: The poem “ Thursday ” by William Carlos Williams Transformation through presence during mundane experiences Dreaming as an important part of being human How the imagination helps to create connections The Zen principle of present moment awareness Allowing reality to move through the world of our imagination Not becoming lost or stuck in a dream The Buddha as a man of tremendous imagination Imagining the possibility of being freed from suffering This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma . “Dreaming, I think, is a very important part of being a human being. The imagination that can imagine possibilities, potential, that can create wonderful connections between things.” –Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Explaining how imagination creates both beauty and suffering, Gil Fronsdal offers a skillful way to tap into inspiration without becoming lost in a dream. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal dives into: - The poem “Thursday” by William Carlos Williams - Transformation through presence during mundane experiences - Dreaming as an important part of being human - How the imagination helps to create connections - The Zen principle of present moment awareness - Allowing reality to move through the world of our imagination - Not becoming lost or stuck in a dream - The Buddha as a man of tremendous imagination - Imagining the possibility of being freed from suffering This episode was originally published on Dharmaseed About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma. “Dreaming, I think, is a very important part of being a human being. The imagination that can imagine possibilities, potential, that can create wonderful connections between things.” –Gil Fronsdal

Connecting to the timelessness of the present moment, Gil Fronsdal offers practical steps towards the only source of true happiness: contentment. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal explores: Seeing the timeless present through photographs Enjoying the preciousness of our limited time here on earth How corporate, capitalist America prefers people who are discontent What the Buddha said about the vital importance of contentment How many desires often dissipate on their own if you ride them out The ways in which desire alienates us from ourselves The embodied quality of contentment and being in touch with ourselves Freedom in the Buddhist sense: freedom ‘from’ rather than freedom ‘to do’ Cultivating contentment by valuing it and seeing it as an important part of life Activities which encourage contentment versus remaining frantic Facing discontentment head-on so that it does not drive us This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed . “Contentment is a falling away of anxiety, restlessness, reaching forward, fear, being fragmented, and disconnected. It is a kind of settling. If we’re driven by desires, fears, preoccupations, or fantasies, often our energy, our center of attention, is upwelling in an unhealthy way. As we are contented, we feel the settling down, settling down into the center of gravity.” –Gil Fronsdal About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener norefe