Do Buddhists Pray?

Do Buddhists Pray?

Author: Susan Piver May 1, 2026 Duration: 17:04
Send us Fan Mail Here is a new episode after an unexpected pause. I’m moving to a new house and that has stirred disorientation, emotional complexity, and a break from familiar patterns. The truth is, I just didn’t know if I had anything of use to say. Also, I was in a bad mood? Needy! It happens! It turns out that this unsettled place provided a good context to consider a question raised in our Open Heart Project sangha: do Buddhists pray? If so, to whom? In a non-theistic tradition, rather ...

In Buddhism Beyond Belief with Susan Piver, the ancient wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism meets the messy reality of modern living. Susan Piver, drawing from three decades of personal practice and her role guiding a large online meditation community, acts as a thoughtful companion rather than a distant teacher. Each conversation in this podcast moves beyond theoretical doctrine to explore how core teachings-from the four noble truths to the practice of the paramitas-can be woven into the fabric of daily experience. You’ll hear discussions that feel applicable whether you’re dealing with stress, navigating relationships, or simply seeking a more grounded sense of purpose. The tone is accessible and personal, focusing on direct experience over dogma. This approach makes the podcast a resource for anyone curious about integrating contemplative practice into areas of health, fitness, and personal spirituality, regardless of their background. It’s about finding practical clarity and an open heart amidst life’s constant changes, with Susan offering insights that feel both timeless and immediately useful.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 59

Buddhism Beyond Belief with Susan Piver
Podcast Episodes
The Way of Listening: Songs That Stayed With Me [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:56
Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m doing something a little different. Lately I’ve been ending each show with what I called the Podcast After-Party—I share a song I love, along with a few words about why it matters…
When Practice Isn’t Enough: A Buddhist Look at Panic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:29
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak directly to a question I’m often asked: what can we do when anxiety or panic takes over? While many people associate Buddhism with calming the mind, the path is far more layered…
Lessons on Right Speech from a Chaotic Morning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:26
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I explore what I believe to be one of the most urgent Buddhist teachings for our current moment: Right Speech. Many people associate Buddhism with stress reduction or calming the mind, a…
Keeping Practice Sacred (Without Getting Weird) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:21
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Buddhism Beyond Belief, I explore how we can keep our meditation practice genuinely spiritual without making it complicated, performative, or “weird.” After more than thirty years of p…
The Seven Characteristics of a Dharmic Person [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:58
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Buddhism Beyond Belief, I explore how we truly enter the path—not through esoteric or “advanced” practices, but by grounding ourselves in simple awareness and presence. After more than…
A Guided 10-Minute Meditation Practice (plus music) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:43
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I offer a guided meditation and explore what it really means to not be trying—not striving to get somewhere, even in practice. Rather than exerting effort or resisting, meditation invite…
Transcending Insanity, Part Six: True Wisdom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:30
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I explore the sixth and final pāramitā—prajna, or wisdom—the one beyond words and concepts. True wisdom isn’t about knowledge but about recognizing the interdependence of all things and…
Meditation is for Mystics (it’s not a life hack) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:00
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I talk about something that’s been making me a little grumpy: how meditation is often reduced to stress relief. While that’s a real benefit, it misses the deeper purpose — waking up to r…
Buddhism and the Enneagram (with a musical aside) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:20
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I share why I wrote The Buddhist Enneagram and how two life-changing systems—the Buddha Dharma and the Enneagram—can support your journey toward wisdom, compassion, and self-understandin…
The Antidote to Anxiety: A Buddhist View (With Drugs) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:18
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I share something very personal and deeply resonant for the times we’re living in: how we vacillate between hope and fear, and how the Buddhist path invites us to wake up beyond either o…