The Susan Piver Podcast: Recent Episodes
Susan Piver
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #24. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. Torsten from Berlin raises an excellent question, one for the ages. If mindfulness... READ MORE
The post How can I plan for the future and think about the past when I’m supposed to be in the present moment? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #23. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. Katia’s question is about figuring out the balance between kindness toward others and... READ MORE
The post How can I have compassion for others without ignoring my own needs? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The 15 minute meditation begins at 7:41 Audio only version is here. Hello! As you may know, for the last 8 weeks we have been looking at each of the steps along the noble eightfold path. (But if you’re just joining us, no worries. There is nothing you need to catch up on. Just jump... READ MORE
The post How to stop suffering: Step #8 appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #21. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week’s question is truly fascinating. Our questioner has discovered that since beginning... READ MORE
The post Could meditation be giving me insomnia? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 6:35 Audio only version is here. Hello! I hope you are enjoying a wonderful season, wherever you are. Here in the Northeastern US, we are seeing some lovely sunshine and warmth. Recently, we have been looking at each of the eight steps of the Noble Eightfold Path. These are the steps we... READ MORE
The post How to stop suffering: Step #7 appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 7:12 Audio only version is here. Hello, excellent Open Heart Project meditator. I am so happy we can practice together. In the last few weeks, we have been examining the steps outlined by the Buddha that lead away from suffering, aka the Noble Eightfold Path. Today, we look at the 6th step,... READ MORE
The post How to stop suffering: Step #6 appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #20. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week’s excellent question is about equanimity. Our lovely questioner wants to know... READ MORE
The post How can meditation help me with heartbreak? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #19. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. Ashley is planning to come on one of my retreats. YAY! This is... READ MORE
The post What is the best way to prepare for a meditation retreat? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 10:08 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project meditator. It is wonderful to see you! As you may know, I’m walking us through a very broad overview of the Eightfold Path in recent Monday videos. Today we discuss step #5, Right Livelihood. Enjoy! With love, Susan GET FREE WEEKLY MEDITATION... READ MORE
The post How to stop suffering: Step #5 appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #18. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. I love, love, love this question from Paula. Thank you, Paula! She has... READ MORE
The post Meditation is very boring. What am I doing wrong? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 6:00 Audio only version is here. Hello, wonderful Open Heart Project meditator. I am so glad you are here. I’m glad I’m here, too! In the last few weeks, I’ve been walking us through a very broad overview of the Noble Eightfold Path which lays out the eight steps along the... READ MORE
The post How to stop suffering: Step #4 appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #17. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. Hillary is accustomed to an eyes-open practice (as I teach it). But she... READ MORE
The post I find meditation to be irritating! My eyes feel dry and uncomfortable. Can I still get the benefits of wakefulness if I meditate with my eyes closed? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 12:46 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project meditator. Happy Monday! Or Tuesday or whatever day it may be for you right now. Before today’s meditation, I take us through an overview of the third step along the Buddhist eight-fold path, Right Speech. (In the last two weeks, we... READ MORE
The post How to stop suffering: Step #3 appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 8:45 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project meditator. If you had a chance to see last week’s video, you know that I am taking us through each of the steps on the 8-fold path. The first step is Right View. To recap simply: Right View means not overlaying our projections... READ MORE
The post How to Stop Suffering: Step #2 appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #16. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week’s question is about becoming a Buddhist. The ceremony for doing so... READ MORE
The post How and why would anyone become a Buddhist? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #15. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. Victoria from England is really interested in two different but equally meaningful spiritual... READ MORE
The post How do I know if this practice is “the one”? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 7:48 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project meditator! It is great that we can practice together. From a recent survey, I learned that many of you were interested in learning more about Buddhism, which is awesome. I am happy to share some of what I’ve learned over the... READ MORE
The post How to stop suffering: Step #1 appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #14. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. Fiona from Australia wonders what is going on when she feels a mix... READ MORE
The post Meditation makes me feel unsteady. Isn’t it supposed to do the opposite?! appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 6:18 Audio only version is here. Hello, excellent meditator. Before this week’s practice, I have the delight of continuing to answer the questions you have submitted to me. This week’s question is from Jacqui: As an over-thinker I struggle with thinking that occurs when I meditate. Somedays there seems to be a... READ MORE
The post Thoughts are endless and keep distracting me when I meditate. How can I have less? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #13. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week’s question comes from Edith in Scotland. She is curious about the... READ MORE
The post How do you find a spiritual teacher? Are you, Susan, my teacher? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 10:06 Audio only version is here. Hello, dear meditator. Before this week’s practice, I have the delight of continuing to answer the questions you have submitted to me. This week’s question comes from Kim: I’ve been meditating regularly now for 6 years. It has changed my life and made me a much... READ MORE
The post This week’s video is for you if you’re struggling with our current political situation. appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 8:58 Audio only version is here. Hello, excellent meditator. Before this week’s practice, I have the delight of continuing to answer the questions you have submitted to me. This week’s question comes from two people: Marsha: Recently, I’m experiencing anxiety and know that regular meditation helps, but am wondering if there... READ MORE
The post The secret practice for quelling anxiety (spoiler alert: it is not tequila) appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #12. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. Fran participated in the Open Heart Project’s 21-Day meditation challenge and was good... READ MORE
The post Meditation is so much easier with eyes closed. Why do you teach an eyes-open practice? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #11. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. Claudia’s meditation practice was going really well…until she developed tinnitus. Is it possible... READ MORE
The post Can you practice meditation while you are experiencing physical discomfort? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #10. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week’s questioner has struggled with feelings of betrayal and abandonment. One of... READ MORE
The post My marriage ended and friends abandoned me. How can I trust that people are good? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 5:17 Audio only version is here. Hello, dear meditator. A few weeks ago, I asked you all what your questions were and have been rewarded with fabulous inquiries! Thank you so much. It is a joy and a delight to answer your questions as part of this free weekly newsletter. This... READ MORE
The post Can Buddhists and Christians find common ground in discussing their beliefs? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. This is episode #9. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week’s question is about deciding on a particular technique. Is it necessary?... READ MORE
The post Is it important to commit to a particular meditation technique? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 9:27 Audio only version is here. Hello, dear meditator. A few weeks ago, I asked you what questions you had that I could answer in future videos. It turns out that I am a genius because you got back to me with great questions. This week I answer a question from... READ MORE
The post What is meant by emptiness? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. Our practice teaches us how to remain present…but we still have to make pragmatic and skillful choices... READ MORE
The post Ask Susan podcast episode #8:How Can Meditation Help Me Make Important Life Decisions? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. In this week’s episode, our caller reports that her meditation practice brings her face-to-face with difficult emotions,... READ MORE
The post Ask Susan podcast episode #7:Meditation is Not About Becoming Perfect, It’s About Becoming Genuine appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 9:35 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project meditator! Thank you for your willingness to look at your own mind through this profound practice. I am so happy to practice with you. My friend Michael Carroll is an author and executive leadership coach. When he is working with clients who... READ MORE
The post This changes everything. No, really. appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week’s Ask Susan question is a very practical one! When Marsha sits down to practice, her... READ MORE
The post Ask Susan podcast episode #6:What Should I Do if My Foot Falls Asleep? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week’s excellent question is about meditation during times of great upset. When we are angry, sad,... READ MORE
The post Ask Susan podcast episode #5: When will Meditation Make Me More Peaceful? appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week the question is about showing compassion for others and also protecting our own boundaries, which... READ MORE
The post Ask Susan podcast episode #4: Compassion and boundaries appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week’s question comes from a listener in Amsterdam. The question is What is meant by basic... READ MORE
The post Ask Susan podcast episode #3: Basic goodness appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 4:14 Audio only version is here. Hello wonderful meditator and even more wonderful human being. If you are feeling great about the world and happy about the direction you are going in personally, I celebrate and applaud you! I also urge you to skip ahead to the meditation itself which begins... READ MORE
The post The key to discipline (and happiness, love, and everything else) appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast. I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. This week’s question is one many of us share. It is about discovering deeper wells of patience... READ MORE
The post Ask Susan podcast episode #2: Patience and kindness appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 4:14 Audio only version is here. I am very happy to practice with you. Happy new year! Today marks the first day of a new year according to the Tibetan Buddhist calendar. Welcome to the year of the female fire bird. Before today’s sit, I say a few words about what... READ MORE
The post A new energy cycle is beginning! appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Welcome to the Ask Susan podcast! I’m really excited to be able to offer this to you. Each week, I will answer a question about spirituality and meditation practice. Please click here to ask me your question. Our first episode answers a question from Lisa, How do I stay focused during my meditation? How... READ MORE
The post Ask Susan podcast episode #1: Staying focused appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 2:42 Audio only version is here. Hello and welcome to your practice. I am very happy to practice with you. Before today’s 10 minute sit, I share a few thoughts about the meaning of patience and how to hold your mind in difficult situations so that your patience does not run... READ MORE
The post Patience…and working with emotion on the cushion. appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 4:41 Audio only version is here. Hello and welcome to your practice. Sometimes we can feel powerless to create the changes we want to see in the world. Before today’s practice, I offer you a suggestion for recovering your sense of personal power. Let me hear your thoughts and reflections. We... READ MORE
The post The antidote to feeling powerless is… appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 3:17 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project. When I woke up this morning, I wasn’t sure what I should pay attention to first. The problems of the world? My practice? My giant to-do list? The more I tried to figure it out, the more anxious I became…until I... READ MORE
The post Simplicity is peaceful appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 5:18 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project. Welcome to a new week! It has been quite a week here in the United States and elsewhere. There has been an upwelling of concern for others, rejection of hatred, and a longing for peace, justice, and tolerance. No matter what... READ MORE
The post Protect your peace of mind. appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 3:15 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project. Welcome to a new week! I hope that, no matter how great last week was, this week will be better. Before today’s 10-minute sit, I offer a few thoughts on how to expedite the meditative process. Spoiler alert: it’s not about... READ MORE
The post Simplicity is fuel appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 4:39 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project. Welcome to a new week! I hope it will be the best week of your life. Today’s short talk before our 10-minute sit is about the importance and power of simplicity. In Buddhist thought, simplicity has to do with being with... READ MORE
The post Keep it Simple appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
The meditation begins at 4:28 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project. As I write this, it is just about 8:00 a.m. on January 1. Happy new year! A new day is here. May it be peaceful, loving, and fiercely wise. May 2017 be the best year of your life, exceeded only by... READ MORE
The post Happy New Year! appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
“Start Here Now; Creating a Sustainable Meditation Practice” from Susan Piver’s talk at the New York City Shambhala Center on November 11th, 2014. Susan offers her tips for creating a meditation practice that is rewarding and realistic. [social_share/]
The post Start Here Now; Creating a Sustainable Meditation Practice: a podcast appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Given at the Shambhala Mountain Center’s “Awake in the World” conference in October 2014, Susan Piver discusses relationships, buddhism and the dharma.
The post Susan Piver on relationships; from 'Awake in the World': a podcast appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
In this podcast, drawn from a talk in the Spring of 2014 at the New York Shambhala Center, Susan discusses the intelligence of depression, how to differentiate depression from sadness, and how depression can become a part of your spiritual path.
The post The Dharma of Depression: a podcast appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
A new podcast!
The post The Power of Loving Kindness appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
In this podcast, drawn from a talk in late 2013 at the New York Shambhala Center, Susan discusses some of the sources of the biggest problems we face: speed and stress; fundamentalism; fear–and how reconnecting with our innate softness reverses them. She draws the connection between mindfulness meditation and the softening of our hearts.
The post The Fierce Power of Vulnerability: a podcast appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
In this podcast, Susan discusses some of the most basic points about the Buddhist path: the Four Noble Truths, the three yanas (or teaching cycles), the ceremony by which one becomes a Buddhist, the main types of meditation practiced in the West, and more.
The post An Overview of the Buddhist Path: a podcast appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
How is it that two people can stand up in front of the same room and say the same thing–but only one person gets heard? What creates magnetizing speech? Join Buddhist teacher and author Susan Piver for this discussion of Right Speech.
The post The Dharma of Communication: a podcast appeared first on The Open Heart Project.
Hello and welcome to the first Open Heart Project podcast! Personally, I’m very psyched. The first topic is: “The Dharma of Love.” To listen and subscribe on iTunes, click here. This podcast is about falling in love, being in a relationship, and breaking up—from a Buddhist point of view. As a student of Buddhism and someone who has... READ MORE
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