Senior teacher at the Insight Meditation Community of Washington and co-founder of the Meditation Teacher Training Institute, Jonathan Foust share weekly talks, guided meditations and inquiries that explore how to cultivate an awakened heart and mind.
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Jeff Fajans on the Flow State and Creativity: Conversations with Depth Practitioners
44:51
44:51
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44:51This conversation is with Jeff Fajans—a creative momentum coach, seasoned musician, and PhD‑backed creative performance researcher—who helps creative people bring their biggest ideas to life. Whether you’re drafting a feature film script, launching a new business, or building a product from scratch, Jeff blends flow science, mindfulness, and creati…
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As your practice deepens, you may begin to notice you are less identified with your thoughts. 'Observing without judgement' can open all kinds of new possibilities. This talk explores some strategies for shifting your relationship to thinking.By Jonathan Foust
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Mindfulness practice can get dry and rote. When you remember why you are practicing you'll reconnect with your passion and deepest intention. When you can sustain your practice, you may notice a number of benefits. Beyond the physiological and emotional boosts you'll feel, ultimately you'll notice the arising of two distinct faculties. Wisdom is yo…
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Skillful Effort: Maintaining Wholesome States of Presence
40:33
40:33
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40:33This talk explores how to manage your energy as you pursue your aspirations. You’ll learn about four guidelines: How to prevent unwholesome states before they arise, how to let go of unwholesome states when they have arisen, how to cultivate wholesome states that have not yet arisen and how to maintain wholesome states that are already here.…
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Conversations with Depth Practitioners: “This is the New Normal” with Ray Manyoky and Tara Cassidy
52:25
52:25
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52:25This interview with Ray and Tara explores how to work with the deepest challenges of sickness, old age and death. You’ll learn how Ray and Tara are working with Ray’s diagnosis of glioblastoma a year ago. They speak beautifully of how the practice deepens, how to find steadiness and how to open again and again to love.…
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The Art of Yes: Mindfulness and the Power of Allowing
47:43
47:43
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47:43The talk explores some fundamentals of a meditation practice and how (sometimes) saying 'yes' to what is present can dramatically shift your relationship to the here and now. You'll learn my favorite definition of mindfulness, the art of 'saying yes,' how every 'no' actually means yes - and the classic instructions to more intimately deepen your mi…
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Let Go Now: The Path of Release and Renewal
48:12
48:12
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48:12The classic teaching "Be Here Now" requires that we "Let Go Now" - of everything and anything that is not present. How do we do this? I share some guiding principles of the art of renunciation with practical examples and teachings through the ages. This is the first talk on my podcast, from the fall of 2011.…
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Four Phrases That Heal: Loving the Unlovable
44:13
44:13
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44:13This talk explores how to consciously direct the inner process of healing and release. Drawing on the classic teachings of Ho’oponopono, it introduces four phrases that guide your attention to: • Taking responsibility for your inner experience • Attuning to the process of release • Reflecting on gratitude and the opportunity to grow • Resting in lo…
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Beyond the Witness: From Watching to Being
45:39
45:39
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45:39This talk explores the power of self-observation and what lies beyond the sense of self. You’ll learn how the witness can free you from the tyranny of the mind and your reactivity as well as what can happen when you explore being aware of the witness and what lies beyond.By Jonathan Foust
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How to Awaken the Witness: From Identification to Observation
47:49
47:49
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47:49This talk explores the liberating factor of self-observation. You’ll learn about how you can cultivate the optimal environment to develop the witness, the near-enemy of the practice and what it means to be aware of the light behind the observer.By Jonathan Foust
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Meditation, Psychedelics and the Allure of Spiritual Awakening
43:03
43:03
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43:03This talk explores the theme of ‘ancient future technologies,’ in particular the role of psychedelic-assisted therapy and meditation. You’ll learn about research currently being done, a bit on the history of psychoactive substances in the west, what happens when we alter our consciousness and some of the very real precautions when exploring these m…
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Practice Questions with Tara and Jonathan, Part 1 [archive]
58:40
58:40
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58:40Given these wild times, it's more important than ever to find ways to keep your practice rich and engaged. Tara Brach adn Jonathan Foust take on a number of real-time questions on practice in challenging times.By Jonathan Foust
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Your Obstacles Are the Path: Finding Grace in Difficulty
42:24
42:24
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42:24This talk explores the possibility of ‘problems’ as profound opportunities for growth and expansion. You’ll learn the importance of equanimity, cultivating convergent and divergent thinking and deep investigation into the nature of attachment and the nature of self.By Jonathan Foust
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Do Unto Others: Mindfulness and the Golden Rule
35:58
35:58
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35:58This talk explores how to apply the Golden Rule in the context of mindfulness practice. You’ll learn how this timeless guidance ties into the practice of compassion (Karuna), interconnectedness (Dependent Origination), loving kindness (Metta) and non-harming (Ahimsa).By Jonathan Foust
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Seeing Clearly Into the Nature of Reality: Retreat Talk
1:00:01
1:00:01
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1:00:01This talk, from an IMCW Spring retreat, explores what happens when you deeply relax and pay attention to your moment-to-moment experience. You’ll learn about the process of settling attention in the here and now, how to recognize the characteristics of what is changing the subtlety of how you are relating to change and paying attention to awareness…
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The Illusion of Self: How Mindfulness Reveals True Freedom
38:18
38:18
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38:18This talk explores how the most simple mindfulness practices point to liberation. You’ll learn about the destination of cultivating present-moment awareness, understanding the nature of impermanence, recognizing inter-dependence and the power of non-attachment.By Jonathan Foust
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The Living Process Interview: A Conversation with Dr. Greg Madison
1:11:29
1:11:29
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1:11:29Dr. Greg Madison is the founder of “The Living Process” and in this interview we explore the fusion Focusing and how somatic inquiry runs through the traditions of yoga and meditation. I share a good bit on my personal history as well as exploring a wide variety of topics such as somatic inquiry and non-dual practices. The Living Process is a serie…
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The How Of Now: How to be More Present in Tumultuous Times
46:23
46:23
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46:23This talk from 2022 explores the doorways from moving from fear and pain to a sense of ease and freedom. You’ll learn how the conditioned self is dedicated to survival and self-preservation, the role of pain in waking up, how embodied presence opens new doorways to freedom and some thoughts on how to be present in these tumultuous times.…
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Aligning with Your Purpose: The Annual ‘North Star’ Review
40:26
40:26
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40:26What does it mean to live a life of integrity? You’ll learn the importance of defining your North Star and explore some helpful models that can help you refine what worked, what didn’t work and what most calls you forward in the year ahead. I also share a few highlights from my 2024 Annual Review.By Jonathan Foust
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How to Surf the Waves of Uncertainty, Part 2: Practices for Cultivating Steadiness
38:02
38:02
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38:02More on how to keep you keel in the water when navigating uncertainty. You’ll learn some practical strategies for finding ‘refuge,’ a place of presence, particularly accessing Wisdom - clear seeing, Compassion - a heart that can hold it all, Presence - the space of awareness itself, and Skillful Action - strategies for staying deeply present in the…
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How to Surf the Waves of Uncertainty, Part 1: Practices for Cultivating Steadiness
45:01
45:01
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45:01This talk explores how you might cultivate greater steadiness in turbulent times. You’ll learn some practical tools for finding refuge in present-moment awareness, in cultivating Witness Consciousness and in watching the flow of phenomena with awake awareness and an open heart.By Jonathan Foust
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Gratitude as a Gateway to Liberation: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks
42:19
42:19
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42:19This talk explores how tapping into gratitude can truly transform your life. You’ll learn how you can overcome your innate instinct toward self-centeredness and self-preservation and how you can change this in a way that can cultivate a greater sense of connectedness, resourcefulness and if nothing else, seriously stimulate your pre-frontal cortex.…
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This talk explores happiness as your essential nature. You’ll learn how the intention to be truly happy cultivates clarity, wisdom and the realization of the inter-connectedness of your life. This talk is live from the Unitarian Universalist Church in Arlington, VA in 2016.By Jonathan Foust
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This talk explores how to find the equilibrium between skillful action and skillful release. You’ll learn how much of meditation practice (and life) calls for focus and sustained attention. But too tight a grip on focus can lead to missed opportunities, fresh insights and new possibilities. Learning to rest in presence can open intuitive faculties …
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How to Keep Your Meditation Practice Alive and Thriving, Part Two
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46:01
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46:01This talk is a continuation of how to bring aliveness to your practice. You’ll learn some inner practices as well as the invaluable qualities of finding like-minded people and the impact community can have on being more awake in your life.By Jonathan Foust
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