Buddhist Geeks

This talk, titled "Contemplating the Anomalous" was given by Vince Fakhoury Horn on a Buddhist Geeks retreat in July, 2023. It explores the stages of a paradigm shift in understanding, going from ignoring the anomalous, to encountering anomalies and experiencing resistance, to exploration, and finally toward genuine transformation. Using examples from both Science and Meditation Vince attempts to illustrate the learning process as it’s experienced from each point of view. This talk also touches on the topic of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) and the potential for a collective paradigm shift in our understanding of the Universe and our place in it, that includes both interiors and exteriors.Episode Links:

Meditatewith.ai is a web app prototype, aimed at demonstrating the possibility of learning Multiplayer Meditation–an out-loud, social, interactive, & trauma-informed protocol–with an AI partner first. The purpose of the company behind this prototype, Interbeing Inc, is to improve the mental health and well-being of all humans using interpersonal meditation practices. In this episode, recorded during an event inside the Buddhist Geeks Network, co-founders Vince Fakhoury Horn & Chris Ewald introduce what they’ve been working on for the first time in public, and then field a wide variety of questions from participants.Episode Links:

The Vimalakīrti Sūtra is a Mahayana Buddhist text from the 2nd century CE that explores the nature of enlightenment and the teachings of the Buddha. In this contemporary commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, Pragmatic Dharma teacher Kenneth Folk shares his personal understanding of what he refers to as “a magical spell.”Episode Links:Watch the Video Version of this Talk on YoutubeKenneth Folk DharmaThe Vimalakīrti Sūtra, translated by Burton WatsonPragmatic Dharma TrainingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

Vince Fakhoury Horn is joined by long-time teacher, Kenneth Folk, to share about his beloved teacher, Bill Hamilton, who American dharma teacher Shinzen Young referred to as "an unsung hero of Western Mindfulness." Bill was an enigmatic dharma teacher who practiced in the Insight-Theravada tradition. He was the founder of the Dharma Seed library, did more than 7 years of silent retreat practice, and wrote an excellent contemporary dharma book called "Saints & Psychopaths."Episode Links:

Vince Fakhoury Horn is joined by dharma teacher Trudy Goodman, founder of InsightLA, to share reflections on her beloved teacher, Seungsahn. Seungsahn Haengwon (Sungsan Haeng'weon Daeseonsa, August 1, 1927 – November 30, 2004), born Duk-In Lee, was a Korean Seon master of the Jogye Order and founder of the international Kwan Um School of Zen.Episode Links:

In this episode, hosted by Vince Fakhoury Horn, we kick off a new series called Our Beloved Teachers. In this episode Vince explains how this a new kind of community podcast series, aimed at exploring the true nature of the teacher-student relationship, while preserving the oral history of BuddhaDharma, in the digital era. We call it a "community podcast series" because anyone can submit a recording to the series–all you need are the production skills to pull off the recording, and the connections to find a suitable guest. Episode Links:

“‘To be’ is to inter-be.” – Thích Nhất HạnhIn this episode–taken from a Dharma Talk at the Garrison Institute in 2022–Vince Fakhoury Horn teaches on the complexity of Interbeing, looking at "it" from 3 distinct perspectives:Interbeing within OurselvesInterbeing with OthersInterbeing inside NatureTaken together, these three form a great network of Interbeing, one which opens us to the self-similar & fractal nature of interdependence. At every scale, we inter-are.Episode Links:Thích Nhất HạnhWhat is Social Meditation?The Roots of 'Radical'Networkologies: A Philosophy of Networks for a Hyperconnected AgeHolon (philosophy)Overview effectSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

Emily West Horn teaches that we can learn to apply both mindfulness & heartfulness toward liberating ourselves from the "trance of unworthiness." What do you most want to realize? Relax, and you will know.Episode Links:

In most modern contexts the topic of magic is taboo, because it isn’t Rational. Here, Vince Fakhoury Horn makes the claim that magic can also be understood and practiced in a Transrational way. He does this by unpacking several perspectives on magic, and then links those with the Buddhist teachings on the open heart: The Four Immeasurables.This episode was recorded during a recent Buddhist Geeks Retreat on Heart Magic. Join us from August 3–10, 2022 at the Garrison Institute in NY for a week-long retreat on the same topic!Episode Links:

We're joined in this episode by Writer-Director-Actor-Comedian-Songwriter and run of the mill fucked up human, Stuart Davis, as he shares his deep experience of navigating what is generally referred to as "the phenomenon." Both in his work as the host of the Artists & Aliens Podcast and as the convener of The Experiencer Group–a virtual learning community for people who've had anomalous experiences–Stuart is helping people confront and confer with the high strangeness of our shared reality.Episode Links:

In this episode of Buddhist Geeks, Vince Fakhoury Horn is joined in dialogue with Kaira Jewel Lingo, mindfulness meditation teacher, mentor, and author of the recently released book, "We Were Made For These Times". Here they discuss the unique times of peril and opportunity that humanity current faces, and how the teachings on equanimity, or inclusiveness, might just be the only thing that we can reliably fall back on.Episode Links:

In the 2nd part of our conversation with the Evolving Ground crew, we talk about the importance of comparing and contrasting what we're up to in our respective Sanghas. We explore some of the obvious overlaps between Evolving Ground and Buddhist Geeks, in terms of our mutual commitment to meta-systematicity, bringing up the tantalizing question of why MetaSangha–a Sangha of Sanghas–matters today.Episode Links:

In 2020 Charlie Awberry & Jared Janes came together to start a new kind of Vajrayana Sangha, called Evolving Ground. In this conversation, Vince Horn, was joined by both Charlie & Jared, as well as by Charlie's partner David Chapman–who has been becoming more involved in the project as of late–to explore what they've been up to this past year. In addition, they discuss some of the similarities between what is happening in Buddhist Geeks and with Evolving Ground, both of which are communities that are striving to approach things from a meta-systematic point of view.Episode Links:

In this episode of Buddhist Geeks, we're re-sharing a conversation that happened on the Meta-Perspective show, hosted by James Landoli, in which James invited Vince F Horn and Daniel Ingram into a far-ranging dialogue, exploring some of the meta-perspectives and real human complexity that goes along with discussing dharma lineage in the 21st century.Episode Links:

In this dharma talk–taken from a Pragmatic Dharma Retreat–Kenneth Folk speaks about Bahiya, the best student in the history of the world, and about the worst student in the history of the world, none other than the Buddha himself. At the end, Kenneth leads this 4-part practice:1) Inventory - Ask yourself: is there any unpleasant tension in the body? "Yes, there's tension in my neck, forehead, arm pits, mid-back, right hip, etc."2) Release tension consciously3) Surrender fully to the experience4) Releasing & surrendering are last ditch efforts to control. Things are as they are, "in the sensed is only the sensed."Episode Links:Kenneth FolkBahiya SuttaMemorable Quotes:"Mara doesn't get to have an opinion about that." – Kenneth FolkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

In this dharma teaching, given to a cohort of teachers-in-training, Vince F. Horn gives a broad strokes introduction to the 2nd Great Turning, or Iteration, of Buddhism, known as Mahayana Buddhism. Vince speaks about the 2nd Iteration's emphasis on emptiness (sunyata), the understanding of emptiness as interdependence, and the two equal wings of liberation: emptiness & compassion. Finally, he explores the primary ideal of the Mahayana tradition, the Bodhisattva.Episode Links:

In this dharma teaching / guided meditation–given during a Pragmatic Dharma Retreat in 2018–Kenneth Folk re-enacts the Anupada Sutta, an early Buddhist text in which the Buddha recounts a tale of Sāriputta moving through each of the 8 jhanas (meditative absorptions), completing the series with the attainment of nibanna. May you awaken while contemplating these instructions!Episode Links:

Kevin Owocki, founder of GitCoin–a decentralized platform & organization focused on building and funding the open web–joins Vince Horn co-founder of Buddhist Geeks, to explore the potential of bringing together the world of Dharma and the world of DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations).Episode Links:

In this pragmatic dharma retreat talk Vince Fakhoury Horn explores Meditation Track A–the gradual track–and Meditation Track B–the sudden track. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Get full access to Buddhist Geeks at www.buddhistgeeks.org/subscribe

In this conversation, Vince Fakhoury Horn is joined by Buddhist meditation teacher Kate Johnson, author of Radical Friendship, a newly released book which found its roots in a talk that Kate gave in 2013 at an in-person Buddhist Geeks Conference, entitled Waking Up to Power & Privilege in Our Communities. Vince & Kate speak about a variety of topics related to practicing dharma and living together in an unjust world.Episode Links: