Zen Commuter

Have you ever wondered whether your meditation practice is making a difference? In today's Zen Commuter, I share Zeenat Potia's Tricycle article, "Live the Questions," exploring the doubt that can arise even when we practice sincerely. Understanding develops through experience, sometimes revealing itself when life asks us to meet a difficult moment. Join me as we explore how staying curious about our questions can deepen our practice and help us recognize the wisdom quietly taking root. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

Yesterday, surrounded by sunshine and vibrant autumn trees, I found myself missing my dad while also feeling happy and at peace. Sunday used to be our day together, and his absence was present alongside the beauty. Neither feeling canceled the other. There was room for both. In today's episode, we explore how meditation can help us welcome feelings that seem contradictory. We don't have to push sadness away to appreciate joy, or feel guilty for enjoying life while missing someone we love. By noticing what's here without insisting it be different, we can allow our experience to be as full and varied as it is. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

Have you ever been so focused on saying something impressive that you lost touch with what you wanted to share? Today on Zen Commuter, I explore "On Wanting to Sound Good" by Satya Robyn, from the Spring 2024 issue of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. Through an encounter with her dog and an honest teaching from Shinran, Robyn recognizes how easily the desire to offer wisdom can become tangled up in wanting to be admired. Her reflection invites us to meet those moments with humor and compassion. Recognizing our ego at work doesn't have to become another reason to judge ourselves; it can open us to kindness, connection, and the teachings within everyday life. Join me as we explore how acknowledging our imperfect humanity can loosen the need to impress and help us return to the moment with a more open heart. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

A missed day becomes a week, and before you know it, your meditation cushion feels like an old friend you've lost touch with. But returning to your practice doesn't require making up for lost time or judging yourself for stepping away. It begins with a willingness to sit again, even for just a few minutes. In today's episode, we explore how to restart your meditation practice with kindness, curiosity, and realistic expectations. Whatever brought you away, this moment offers a place to begin again. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

There was a word I knew, or at least I thought I knew; equanimity. For the most part, I got it right. But there was a deeper meaning that I was missing, so I figured we could learn about it together. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

What happens when our desire to enjoy something becomes a need to hold on to it? In today's episode, we explore Venerable Thubten Chodron's Tricycle article, "Taking the Ache Out of Attachment," and the ways clinging to people, possessions, and expectations can disturb our peace. Through thoughtful reflection on change and the stories we tell ourselves about happiness, we discover how loosening our grip allows us to appreciate what we have, cultivate compassion, and meet life with greater balance. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

An airport might seem like an unlikely place to find stillness, but meditation doesn't require a quiet room or perfect conditions. In today's episode, we explore how the bustle of travel can become an invitation to practice—listening to the sounds around us, noticing our reactions, and returning gently to the present moment. Whether we're waiting at a gate or sitting at home, we can meet what's happening with awareness and discover that a place to practice is wherever we happen to be. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

Our culture tells us that happiness and joy are to be chased…are acceptable, and that anything that is not those things should be avoided or changed. Today I talk about being okay with not be "okay". THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

Life brings challenges, and meditation can help us meet them with greater awareness, steadiness, and kindness. In today's episode, we explore how our practice supports resilience by helping us recognize stress sooner, create space before reacting, and allow difficult feelings without becoming lost in them. Each gentle return to the present is an opportunity to practice beginning again—a skill we can carry into the moments when life asks us to find our footing. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

Grief is deeply personal, and there is no single right way to experience it. In today's Zen Commuter, I share "Approaching Grief" by Roy Remer, from the Summer 2026 issue of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. Through his compassionate insights and my own reflections, we explore how awareness can help us recognize our responses to loss and meet ourselves with greater kindness. This episode is an invitation to give yourself time, honor your experience, and consider what it means to make room for grief in your life. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

Calm often begins with coming back to where we are. When our minds are caught up in yesterday's conversations or tomorrow's uncertainties, we can miss the quiet moments available to us right now. In this episode of Zen Commuter, we explore how present moment awareness can help us loosen our grip on those thoughts and meet life with greater ease. By gently noticing our breath, our surroundings, and the sensations in our bodies, we give ourselves a place to rest our attention—and an opportunity to respond to life with more clarity, kindness, and calm. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

What can the ocean teach us about awareness? In today's episode, I share "Ride the Waves," a Lion's Roar article by C. J. Bahnsen, exploring what his experiences as a novice bodysurfer taught him about spacious awareness. It's an invitation to consider how we meet the changing moments of our own lives, and how meditation can help us make room for what arises with greater curiosity and openness. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

On today's Tricycle Tuesday, I explore "Helping Yourself Helps Others" by Bhikkhu P. A. Payutto, from the Spring 2026 issue of Tricycle. The article reminds us that caring for ourselves and caring for others aren't competing paths: as we cultivate wisdom, steadiness, and compassion within ourselves, we become better able to bring those qualities into the world. Our practice doesn't end when we rise from the cushion—it becomes meaningful in how we speak, act, and use what we've learned to ease the suffering of those around us. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

Having a consistent practice is a good thing, but it's not the only thing.  Today I share my own experience with the recent time when my practice became irregular. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

Today I continue my warm and wonderful chat with Jen Kalawur. In this segment, we talk about the importance of listening to your intuition when it let's know what your body and mind truly need. To that end, we also talk about the importance of a healthy diet: not food, but information. And finally, Jen talks about the important work she does in helping her clients see their lives in a fuller, more expansive way. Come Listen. Connect with Jennifer kalawur Website: navigatelifetransitions.net An incredible guide to help you begin nurturing a loving relationship with yourself. Click Here THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

On today's episode, I sit down with Jennifer Kalawur, a mindful leadership coach whose work blends emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and grounded presence. Together, we explore how mindfulness reshapes the way we lead, communicate, and care for ourselves in a world that often pulls us in every direction. Jennifer shares her own journey, the practices that keep her anchored, and the powerful ways we can bring more clarity and compassion into both our personal and professional lives. If you've ever wondered how calm can inform courage — or how awareness can transform connection — this conversation will speak directly to that place within you. Connect with Jennifer kalawur Website: navigatelifetransitions.net An incredible guide to help you begin nurturing a loving relationship with yourself. Click Here THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

Getting distracted during meditation doesn't mean you're doing it wrong—it means you've just become aware. In today's episode of Zen Commuter, I share three simple steps for meeting that moment: recognize that your mind has wandered, respond to yourself with kindness rather than judgment, and gently return to your breath or chosen anchor. Each return is not a failure but a repetition that strengthens awareness. The goal isn't to stop thinking; it's to notice when you've drifted and begin again. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

On today's Tricycle Tuesday, I explore "Helping Yourself Helps Others" by Bhikkhu P. A. Payutto, from the Spring 2026 issue of Tricycle. The article reminds us that caring for ourselves and caring for others aren't competing paths: as we cultivate wisdom, steadiness, and compassion within ourselves, we become better able to bring those qualities into the world. Our practice doesn't end when we rise from the cushion—it becomes meaningful in how we speak, act, and use what we've learned to ease the suffering of those around us. THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!

Many people feel like they don't have time to meditate, especially during a busy commute. But what if that commute became part of your practice? Today on Zen Commuter, we'll talk about how to use your car as a space for mindfulness. While safety must always be the priority, there are ways to incorporate stillness and presence even while driving. Whether you're parked or driving, there are ways to become still. What we'll cover: When it's safe and not safe to engage in meditative techniques while in your car 3 important things to note when meditating in your parked car Turning red lights and traffic into mindfulness bells THANKS FOR LISTENING! Become a Super-Fan of the Show If this conversation inspired you, please share it using the social media buttons on the page. Be a part of the show!