Starting Over: Meditation for Mystics

Starting Over: Meditation for Mystics

Author: Susan Piver May 8, 2026 Duration: 31:52
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I reflect on a recent conversation in the Open Heart Project sangha about scientific research on meditation. Yes, meditation can improve brain function and mood. But if we stop there, we may miss the point. There’s a much older, deeper body of “research” drawn from lived experience over thousands of years. Meditation is not just about feeling better. It’s about waking up, opening fully to life, and discovering a freedom that goes far beyond conventional thoug...

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: 56

Buddhism Beyond Belief with Susan Piver
Podcast Episodes
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…
How to Choose a Meditation Teacher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:24
Send us Fan Mail Thinking about working with a meditation teacher? It’s a powerful step—but how do you choose the right one? In this episode, I offer a framework based on the three Yanas (vehicles) of Buddhist practice.…
Transcending Insanity, Part Five: Meditative Absorption [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:18
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I explore the fifth of the six paramitas, or transcendent actions of the bodhisattva path: Meditative Absorption—sometimes just called meditation. But this isn’t your typical “sit on the…