Dougie's Twitter beef! THEY SAID WHAT!?

Dougie's Twitter beef! THEY SAID WHAT!?

Author: Pod Pond September 27, 2021 Duration: 33:11

Socials:

@d0ug7a5

@intralocal


News and social media are more divisive than ever.  Covid has exposed a lot of mis- and disinformation and conspiracy theorists. It's a natural response to be reactive and combative. This is leading to the breakdown of relationships. What can we do about it? 


Parable: The Wild Elephant

One of the many lives of the Bodhisattva was spent as an ascetic. This one time, he came back as the most superior ascetic in the whole order and everyone used to follow him. There was another ascetic in the same order who was jealous of the Bodhisattva. So, to remove the Bodhisattva from his path, he asked some elephant keepers to intoxicate a ferocious elephant by giving it liquor and then letting it loose on the Bodhisattva’s path. The ferocious and drunk elephant was let loose on the street and people ran in every direction to save their lives. The Bodhisattva continued walking down the path and looked calm. Suddenly, a woman, who was very frightened, accidentally dropped her child at the feet of the Bodhisattva. The wild elephant walked up to them and as it was about to trample them, the Bodhisattva placed his hand on its forehead and gently stroked it. Suddenly, the wild elephant became calm and bowed in front of him. Everyone was amazed to see this miracle. 


Questions: 

- From Max in Newton Aicliffe  - “Where do you think psychedelics fit into the picture of Buddhism & spirituality? Some people cite them as catalysts for spiritual growth & great tools for personal development whereas others would argue they’re a lazy attempt to by-pass the work required to gain spiritual enlightenment & peace. Please share your thoughts.” 

-  Joao from Pará - “You talk a lot about meditation practice. Are there things you do in your day to day lives - other than literally sitting down to meditate - where you think some of the same benefits of meditation might apply?” 

- Luke in London - what kind of microphones are you using? 


Links: 

https://bit.ly/3izpZNb Kidsgen: Stories from Buddha Teachings (The Wild Elephant) 

The location of the short version of the wild elephant story, along with many others 

 

https://wapo.st/3BtkiJh The Washington Post: Elephant Walk tests the Buddhist principles of a trained mind and inner peace 

A medium length examination of the relevance of the wild elephant to the concept of  mindfulness and the importance of meditation 

 

https://bit.ly/3wMsTmy Wikipedia: The Noble Eightfold Path 

A basic summary of the Eightfold Path


Ever find yourself curious about mindfulness or meditation but immediately turned off by any mention of the supernatural or dogma? That’s exactly the space where Secular Buddhism for Skeptical Atheists lives. Hosts Cal Hoffman and Dougie Robertson, from Pod Pond, have built a conversation for those who value evidence and rational thought but are still drawn to the practical, psychological insights found in Buddhist philosophy. They strip away centuries of cultural and religious ornamentation to examine the core ideas: impermanence, suffering, and the self, all through a contemporary, fact-based lens. In each episode, you’ll hear a straightforward breakdown of these concepts, discussing how they apply to modern stressors, relationships, and the general pursuit of a more grounded, contented life. The tone is more like a thoughtful chat between friends than a lecture, often punctuated with laughter and genuine curiosity. This isn’t about converting anyone; it’s about exploring whether these ancient tools can work in a secular toolkit for living well. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at spiritual jargon but wondered if there was something useful underneath, this podcast offers a refreshing, no-nonsense place to start that exploration.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 12

Secular Buddhism for Skeptical Atheists
Podcast Episodes
"Good is a point of view, Anakin..." [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:36
Socials! @intralocal @d0ug7a5 podpondpods@gmail.com In Buddhism, the main duality considered is generally "suffering" and "enlightenment". Quite different to "good" and "evil" or the "good" and "bad" lens through which w…
#bekind - A guide to metta loving kindness meditation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:04
Socials, you say!? @intralocal @d0ug7a5 podpondpods@gmail.com Issue: - The traditional Buddhist notion of "metta" is often translated as 'loving kindness' or 'compassion'. If you do Headspace meditations and do visualisa…
Not your problem? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:29
With so much flux right now, the world can feel like it's getting on top of us. How many of these problems are actually truly ours? Are we defined by our problems? Concepts:Ego (See season 1 episode Big Ego)Inner and out…
Why me? :( [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:45
Cal: @intralocalDougie: @d0ug7a5A lot of people have found themselves suffering from conditions and situations they didn't expect, such as long covid, the loss of many loved ones, other health issues and personal catastr…
There go my plans! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:04
Cal: @intralocalDougie: @d0ug7a5Issue:Everything is changing all the time! Cal and Dougie talk about letting go in the face of disappointment and we have a tough listener question about the shootings in Plymouth and the…
Intro bonus: Death. And how to move on* [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:11
*Spoiler - we never really do move on. Recorded before the covid-19 pandemic hit the West hard, but more relevant now than ever, Dougie and Cal examine what it means to accept the death of a loved one, as well as how to…
Intro 4: The Science of Meditation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:32
Mindfulness - what's it all about? Turns out its about your brain. Dougie and Cal explore mindfulness, meditation, and the observable changes that they can bring about in the human body.
Intro 3: Anxious? The world doesn't revolve around you! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:50
...or: how to stay sane in the apocalypse! Cal and Dougie take apart their own neuroses and put their brains back together using buddhist principles and practical techniques.
Intro 2: Karma's a Bitch, So Don't Be One! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:53
What goes around comes around... or does it? Cal and Dougie take a look at one of Buddhism's best-known ideas - the principle of Karma, and the Eightfold Path.
Intro 1: Big Ego? How To Get Over Yourself [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:39
Cal and Dougie explore the Four Noble Truths, what suffering is and how to avoid it (clue: we can't) and consider what we can do to start questioning the stories we tell ourselves. Can we be more flexible about how we pe…