Inner Peace in a World We Can’t Control

Inner Peace in a World We Can’t Control

Author: The Modern Buddhism Podcast January 31, 2026 Duration: 48:49

In today’s episode, Gen Demo shares her journey of working with the mind through Kadampa Buddhism and how this practice has transformed her experience of happiness and meaning. Reflecting on her early encounters with Buddhist teachings, international festivals, and meeting Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, she explains how learning to observe and train the mind gradually shifted her priorities and sense of fulfillment. Gen Demo describes how ordination and daily practice helped her see that unhappiness is not caused by external conditions, but by the way the mind responds to them.

Through practical examples and personal insight, she shows how difficulties can become opportunities for inner growth, and how cultivating a peaceful, flexible mind leads to a stable happiness that does not depend on circumstances. This episode highlights the Kadampa approach to modern life - using meditation, reflection, and compassion to turn everyday experiences into a meaningful spiritual path.




Chapters



00:00 Introduction to Training the Mind


05:40 Discovering Kadampa Buddhism


11:05 Meeting Geshe Kelsang Gyatso


17:10 Ordination and Kadampa Nun Life


23:20 Daily Meditation and Inner Change


29:15 Overcoming Problems with Buddhism


35:10 Mind Training in Everyday Life


41:05 Using Difficulties as the Path


47:00 Finding Meaning and Lasting Happiness





Book References


Modern Buddhism:


https://kadampa.org/book/modern-buddhism

How to Transform Your Life:


https://howtotyl.com/


Gen Kelsang Demo is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide.



Want More?

Find a meditation center near you


https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en

Listen to teaching clips


https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z

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There’s a quiet space between the rush of daily life and the ancient wisdom of Buddhist teachings, and that’s where you’ll find The Modern Buddhism Podcast. Rather than presenting philosophy as a distant theory, this series focuses on tangible, practical application. Each episode features conversations with individuals who are actively integrating meditation and Buddha’s insights into their modern routines, demonstrating how these practices foster genuine resilience and a more steady sense of contentment. The discussions are grounded in real experience, exploring how inner peace isn’t about retreating from the world but engaging with it more skillfully. You’ll hear from a variety of voices within the New Kadampa Tradition, who produce the podcast, sharing their personal journeys and the subtle shifts in perspective that come from consistent practice. This isn’t about abstract ideals; it’s about the texture of daily life-managing stress, navigating relationships, and finding moments of happiness amidst ordinary challenges. Tuning into this podcast feels like joining a thoughtful dialogue where timeless principles meet contemporary questions, offering listeners a resource for cultivating a stronger, more peaceful mind right where they are.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 36

The Modern Buddhism Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Mastering Your Mind Is The Only Way To Be Free [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In this episode, host Agnes sits down with Kelsang Sama, a Buddhist nun, to delve into the deeper concepts of freedom and personal transformation. Together, they explore the difference between cutting ties with the exter…
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In this episode, we sit down with Gen Thekchen, a Buddhist monk who was invited to teach meditation to prisoners in Canada. He shares his remarkable journey of teaching controlling the mind behind bars, revealing how the…
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Bonus Episode: Meditation on Our Precious Human Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Bonus Episode: Meditation on Love and Kindness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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While we take a brief break over the festive season, please enjoy this bonus episode: a beautiful guided meditation on love and kindness called equalizing self with others.Full conversation episodes will resume in mid Ja…
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Duration: 32:24
In this episode, guest host Agnes Bednarczyk is joined by Buddhist monk Gen Doryning to explore the deep sense of searching many young people feel in today's world. Surrounded by uncertainty and overwhelmed by modern cha…
How Your Meditation Can Go So Much Deeper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:18
Meditation is a popular method to achieve a calm, peaceful state of mind. In this podcast, International meditation teacher, Kadam Morten Clausen, explains how meditation is so much more than just breathing meditation an…
I Wouldn’t Wish This On Anyone - But I Wouldn’t Change A Thing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:19
In this Podcast Gen Demo, a Buddhist nun who is dealing with the chronic disease of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), explains how she is learning to let go of worry and accept her illness. Worrying makes everything worse and has…