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Episode 145!

Oneika Mays is a yoga and meditation teacher, author, and former Mindfulness Coach at Rikers Island Correctional Facility, where she taught for over a decade. Her debut book Sit With Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation (HarperOne, March 2026) explores metta practice as a tool for personal and collective liberation. With deep roots in Buddhist and yogic teachings, Oneika specializes in making mindfulness accessible to marginalized and excluded communities.

For more information about Oneika and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links:

https://www.oneikamays.com/

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/sit-with-me-oneika-mays?variant=43876134387746

https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/changemakers-2026/

https://www.youtube.com/@OneikaMays

We discussed:

*Extending unconditional love to all, accountability, and the lessons of metta (lovingkindness) in Stevie Wonder’s song “As”

*Understanding meditation and yoga as trauma-informed practices, keeping your eyes on your own test, and the experience of teaching mindfulness and meditation to people that are incarcerated

*Agency, identifying as Buddhish, and the practical and timeless teachings of the Buddha

*And the importance of recognizing that anything can be your teacher and to root your practice in a safe space with safe teachers

See link in bio for YouTube channel!

#pathsofpractice #metta #steviewonder #buddhish #buddhism by @pathsofpractice

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a day ago

Episode 144!

An Tran is the author of the short story collection, Meditations on the Mother Tongue, and a practitioner in the Lieu Quan lineage of Vietnamese Zen. His fiction and essays have previously appeared in The Southern Humanities Review, New South Journal, The Carolina Quarterly, Gargoyle Magazine, The Literary Hub, and elsewhere, and has received “Notable Work” distinctions from Best American Short Stories and Best American Essays. He has been involved with the parkour community in North America for over twenty years in various coaching and leadership roles and currently lives in San Francisco.

For more information about An and the resources mentioned in this episode, please visit the following links:

https://www.an-tran.com/

Pho Giac Pagoda (Enlightenment Buddhist Center)
https://phogiacca.com/

We discussed:

*The challenges involved with growing up Vietnamese American in Virginia as well as the journey of reconnecting with Vietnamese culture and identity through language

*Developing an interest in Buddhism in college, grief and attending to the 49-day period after a death in the family, and having an intense visionary experience after a bout of food poisoning

*The Dual Cultivation tradition, the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, meditation, and incorporating a Pure Land approach into a Thiền (Zen) practice

*Parkour, awakened insight, encountering the two buddhas, as well as the joy and play of embodiment

*And the importance of learning the language of your heritage

See link in bio for YouTube channel!

#pathsofpractice #pureland #Thiền #VietnameseBuddhism #buddhism by @pathsofpractice

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4 days ago

Episode 143!

Ayya Marajina Bhikkhuni received pabbajja (2010) and upasampada (2012) at Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, California, with Venerable Tathaloka Maha Theri as pavattini. She has practiced meditation for over 15 years, now seeing the Dhamma as the highest blessing. Dedicated to practicing and teaching the Satipatthana and Brahmaviharas, she shares the transformative power of the Dhamma in Spanish and English.

A Cuban-American, Ayya is working to establish the first Theravada temple in Cuba. She leads a Sunday morning meditation and Dhamma talk livestream in Spanish. Her first book Pa’ alante es pa’ lla is currently being edited. Residing at Bhava Nirodha Nilaya in Florida, she also cares for her mother.

For more information about Ayya Marajina Bhikkhuni and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links:

Bhava Nirodha Nilaya
https://bhavanirodha.org/

Theravada in Cuba and in Colombia
https://theravadacuba.org/

We talked about:

*The extraordinary efforts behind the development of the Bhava Nirodha Nilaya hermitage as well as engaging with critters and letting nature recover

*Theravada in Cuba and offering Dhamma resources for people that are experiencing profound hardship

*The Brahmaviharas and remaining close to the teachings of The Noble Eightfold Path as a teacher

*and the importance of remembering the verse from the Dhammapada: “abandon all evil, cultivate the good, purify the mind: this is the teaching of all the buddhas.”

See link in bio for YouTube channel!

#pathsofpractice #theravada #dhamma #cuba #sati by @pathsofpractice

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7 days ago

Episode 142!

Kody Muncaster, PhD, is an ocswssw Psychotherapist and Clinical Director of Pink Lotus Counselling & Psychotherapy, specializing in trauma therapy, mindfulness, gender, and sexuality. They are queer and non-binary. They have taught at the Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health program at the University of Toronto: New College as well as at Western University’s Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. They began a three-year training to become a Zen priest under Venerable Bhikkhuni Thích Nũ’ Tinh Quang in 2024. They are also the author of Queer Engaged Buddhism (2025) as well as Queer Resistance and Education for Suicide Prevention HIV/AIDS Activism and Structural Change for 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities (2026).

For more information about Dr. Muncaster and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the links below:

https://www.youtube.com/@LittleHeronZenHermitage

https://www.youtube.com/@iqbc570

6th International Queer Buddhist Conference (IQBC) 2026 runs from October 30th to November 1st. More info at: https://iqbc.org/

https://sumeru-books.com/products/queer-engaged-buddhism?srsltid=AU7gw4WhOAy11Csspj9YKvZ8BcQCzQWZN4QIkVD0fm0pMzeyl8JvzATV

https://www.routledge.com/Queer-Resistance-and-Education-for-Suicide-Prevention-HIVAIDS-Activism-and-Structural-Change-for-2SLGBTQIA-Communities/Muncaster/p/book/9781041127062

We discussed:

*The Diamond Sutra, the instruction to see “everything as a miracle,” and the parallel paths of studying Buddhism and gender

*Training to become a Zen priest, Infinite Heart practice, and the reflective and aspirational elements of a dharma name

*The capacity of the True Heart, formal/lay daily practice, and offerings of queer-focused meditations

*Queer Engaged Buddhism, Tonglen, Queer theory and linguistics, and interests in developing a queer online Zen temple

*And the importance of finding and operating from the deep sense of care that lies underneath our emotions

See link in bio for YouTube channel!

#pathsofpractice #queerbuddhism #zen #diamondsutra #tonglen by @pathsofpractice

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9 days ago

Rev. Dr. Enrique Galvan-Alvarez introduces us to Pure Land Buddhism, an accessible, living practice that people can easily incorporate into their lives. @jodoshinshu_org & @pathsofpractice

Listen to BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 274 – Pure Land Buddhism with Rev. Dr. Enrique Galvan-Alvarez & Vincent Moore 🎧on your favorite podcast app.

“I was thinking, ‘there must be another way of living Buddhism that doesn’t involve long retreats and intensive practice everyday’ That’s when Jōdo Shinshū started appearing on the horizon somehow.” –Rev. Dr. Enrique Galvan-Alvarez

#podcast #beherenow #betterhelp #buddhism #practice by @pathsofpractice

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11 days ago

Douglas McLean is the author of the blog “Gleanings in Buddha-Fields: Buddhism, Japanese culture and History all in one!”

For more information about Doug and his blogs, please visit the links below:

https://nembutsu.cc/
https://100poets.com/

We discussed:

*The beginnings of the “Gleanings in Buddha-Fields” blog, Rinzai Zen, and identifying how Japanese and English translations of Buddhist texts can differ from each other in emphasis

*The Shushōgi and the need for more manual-like texts that offer lay Buddhist practices for daily life

*Absorbing Buddhist teachings rather than trying to do Buddhism “correctly” and the Lotus Sutra

*Never staying still on the path, attending to the occasional crisis of faith, and branching out to explore the variety of Buddhisms out there

*And the importance of not being complacent and to push yourself to keep learning

See link in bio for YouTube channel!

#pathsofpractice #tendai #pureland #nembutsu #buddhafields by @pathsofpractice

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17 days ago

Very grateful to have my response to the question “How has practice changed the way you relate to anger?” included in Lion’s Roar’s November 2026 issue, among several other meaningful reflections. Not mad about it! Thank you @lionsroarbuddhism by @pathsofpractice

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19 days ago

Just put some fresh paint on my website! Please have a look if you’re interested (link in bio). And feel free to reach out if you’d like to work with me to develop helpful and lasting creative habits that can lead to a more meaningful connection to yourself and the world around you. Or if you work for a company that could use my services. Or if you just want to say hi. Whatever works! Have a great day.

#goodfornothingideas #buddhism #zen #zenart #practice by @pathsofpractice

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a month ago

Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin of the Nichiren Shu Buddhist Order, explores how she has cultivated community and diversity through interfaith dialogue, spiritual practice, and a commitment to making Buddhist teachings accessible while honoring tradition with @pathsofpractice

Listen to🎧 BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 270 – Bridging the Gap: Faith, Diversity, and Community with Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin & Vincent Moore 🎧on your favorite podcast app.

“Everything about us is perfect, whole, and complete for the path that we’re walking. It may be horrible, some of the things that have happened to us, but they’re a preparation for us to walk the path in the way we need to walk it. We have to be able to look at everything that happens to us as a benefit. There is a purpose to this happening to us. We can be a gateway for others to walk a better path for themselves. We are perfectly gifted by the experiences we have had.” –Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin @lionsroarbuddhism

#podcast #beherenow #buddhist #spiritual by @pathsofpractice

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a month ago

Episode 140!

Paula Arai, PhD, was raised in Detroit by a Japanese mother and did Zen training in Japan. She obtained her PhD in Buddhist Studies from Harvard University in 1993 and is now the Eshinni & Kakushinni Professor of Women and Buddhist Studies at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, California. She is the author of Bringing Zen Home: The Healing Heart of Japanese Women’s Rituals, Women Living Zen: Japanese Soto Buddhist Nuns, and Painting Enlightenment: Healing Visions of the Heart Sutra.

For more information about Dr. Arai and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the links below:

https://www.shambhala.com/authors/a-f/paula-arai/of-mud-and-lotuses.html

https://www.zenhealing.org/

https://www.shin-ibs.edu/

We discussed:

*Friendship in scholarship, Dogen and “One Bright Pearl,” and understanding the Tathāgatagarbha as “Buddha womb”

*Pregnancy as an expression of Buddhist practice, motherhood, and the importance of taking time to recognize the contributions made by women throughout Buddhist history

*The Blood Bowl Sutra, misogyny, and the impact of writing empowering narratives

*Imagination, scholarship, and creative histories

*And the reminder to be kind to yourself and acknowledge your place in benefiting others along the path

See link in bio for YouTube channel!

#pathsofpractice #buddhism #onebrightpearl #dharma #Eshinni by @pathsofpractice

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2 months ago

This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, @gullu.s.singh and Vincent from @pathsofpractice chat about:
* Living in Los Angeles during times of unrest
* The power of awareness and befriending our emotions
* The RAIN technique, a 4-step mindfulness practice for difficult emotions
* How lawyers and other professionals in high-stakes fields can benefit from mindfulness
* Shifting our society and creating a culture of wellness versus productivity
& so much more!

Listen to🎧BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 266 – Creating a Culture of Wellness with Gullu Singh & Vincent Moore 🎧on your favorite podcast app.

“I don’t think we as human animals were designed for the kind of professions that we’ve created where people work 14-16 hours a day on stop. We end up being in a state of constant adrenaline, which has all kinds of negative health impacts.” –Gullu Singh

#podcast #beherenow #betterhelp #mindfulness #practice by @pathsofpractice

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2 months ago

In a culture that values productivity over wellness, lawyer and teacher @gullu.s.singh explores how to navigate stress and high-pressure careers with mindfulness with Vincent Moore from @pathsofpractice

Listen to 🎧 BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 266 – Creating a Culture of Wellness with Gullu Singh & Vincent Moore 🎧 on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app

“I don’t think we as human animals were designed for the kind of professions that we’ve created where people work 14-16 hours a day on stop. We end up being in a state of constant adrenaline, which has all kinds of negative health impacts.” – Gullu Singh

#podcast #beherenow #betterhelp #lawyer #teacher by @pathsofpractice

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2 months ago