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Ep. 2: Learning to Listen to Your Breath

Ep. 2: Learning to Listen to Your Breath

FromBeyond the News


Ep. 2: Learning to Listen to Your Breath

FromBeyond the News

ratings:
Length:
10 minutes
Released:
Feb 21, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

Dr. Ward invites us to study our breath as we encounter the news, noticing how it changes based on the story. By paying kind attention to our respiratory system, we can learn how to calm our breathing in the very moment that we experience a shift. With time and practice, we can learn to let go of stories that harm us.Practice homework:In a notebook, write down a few lines that describe the characteristics of your breath as you consume the news. Was the breath long or short?...fast or slow?...excited or flat?...hot or cold?...violent or peaceful? Use this journaling exercise as a way to begin recognizing and naming the different types of breath so that over time you intuitively know when it is time to change the channel.References:Titration: Consciously controlling what you receive and consume. To make sure you do not take in more than you can handle. This is a common reference in chemistry and regulating practice in psychology.The news stories mentioned in this episode took place during January 2023. The teachings and underlying principles behind the stories are universal.Support the podcast making a donation at thelotusinstitute.org/donate. Your generosity is a gift that supports not just our programming, but also the Lotus Institute's community and the larger sangha body.
Released:
Feb 21, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (11)

Join host Dr. Larry Ward as he explores current events through the lens of Buddhism and neuroscience, sharing practical skills for how to engage with the information we receive from the wider world. While we cannot ignore the news or modern media, we can learn new ways to shift our perspective from reactivity to reflection. And gain a deeper understanding of our own body and mind along the way. Every news story mentioned, whether from the past or current, is a teaching example. Dr. Ward is the author of America’s Racial Karma, a senior teacher in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and the co-founder of The Lotus Institute. He brings an interdisciplinary approach to his "Deep Buddhism" teachings, incorporating elements of Buddhist psychology with neuroscience, trauma resiliency and social imagination.