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PODCAST

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast

The Kind Heartfulness podcast arose from the wisdom of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche in concert with the activities Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Austria-Germany. Each year many brilliant Buddhist teachers, scholars and sublime meditators grace the programs and seminars of our meditation center nestled atop the beautiful hillside above Scharnstein Austria. Therefore, this podcast is a way to share some of their insight and wisdom with you. In each episode we will explore the inner reaches of the heart, the mind,

religion & spirituality buddhism

All Episodes

37:53

He Spent Six Years in Retreat. He Says Start With a...

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2026/09/11

Lama Gerry Prindiville is a teacher in the Chokling Tersar tradition of Tibetan Buddhism with nearly two decades of experience leading retreats. He studied Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan language for five years at Rangjung Yeshe Institute before completing two traditional three-year meditation retreats under the guidance of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. At Rinpoche's request, much of his time since the first long retreat has been spent teaching — including more than fifteen Vajrasattva retreats across

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34:36

Bringing Shantideva Home with Verena Pfeiffer

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2026/08/22

What happens when a text written a thousand years ago starts to change how you speak to a colleague, or how you meet your own mind at three in the morning? This episode we're joined by Verena Pfeiffer, a senior teacher in the Rigpa community, to talk about Shantideva's Bodhicharyavatara — why a text like this still speaks to us, and how to actually work with it in the middle of an ordinary day: at work, in traffic, in the small frictions of family life. Verena's path began in 2005 and deepened

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56:57

Breaking the Script: The Art of Awakening with Juri...

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2026/05/16

How can ancient wisdom be lived in the middle of family, creative work, and the chaos of modern life? In this episode of The Kindheartfulness Podcast, we sit down with Juri Henley-Cohn, an actor working across film, television, and theater. While many recognize him as Shimon in The Chosen, Juri is also a father, a dedicated student of Phakchok Rinpoche, and a key member of the Samye Institute. Together, we explore his unique journey of "Breaking the Script." Juri shares how his work as an

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58:51

Mapping the Meditative Moment: Exploring...

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2026/04/17

What actually happens in the "micro-moments" of your meditation? We often use broad terms like awareness or presence, but the fine-grained texture of our practice often remains a mystery—even to ourselves. In this special episode of Kind Heartfulness, we are joined by Dr. Martijn van Beek, Associate Professor at Aarhus University and Board Member of Mind & Life Europe. Martijn is an expert in micro-phenomenology—a unique interview technique designed to uncover the hidden dynamics of our

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58:14

Beyond the Brain: Amy Cohen Varela on Sense Making,...

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2026/03/13

What happens when we stop seeing the mind as a computer and start seeing it as an emergent, relational system? In this episode, Erric sits down with Amy Cohen Varela, Chairperson of Mind & Life Europe, to discuss the past, present, and future of contemplative science. Recorded following their meeting at the European Summer Research Institute (ESRI) at Gomde, this episode moves beyond the "history" of the Mind & Life Institute to explore what these teachings mean for us today. Amy shares her unique

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45:52

A Home for Kindful Wisdom with Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2026/02/01

Welcome to another episode of the Kind Heartfulness podcast, where we explore the path of living with an open heart and a wise mind. Today we have the distinct honor of welcoming back a very special guest, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Rinpoche joins us to share a truly vast and inspiring vision. He has recently overseen the acquisition of the historic Kremsegg Castle in Austria—a magnificent 'antique' of European culture—with the intention of transforming it into a University and School dedicated

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50:37

Buddha and Bach with Cellist Barbara Bogatin

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2025/05/27

Today on the Kind Heartfulness Podcast, we’re honored to welcome Barbara Bogatin — a world-class cellist and long-time practitioner of Buddhist meditation. A member of the San Francisco Symphony since 1994, Barbara’s musical career has taken her from the stages of the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera to intimate chamber ensembles across the world. But Barbara’s path is more than music. She’s also a dedicated student of Buddhism, with over three decades of Vipassana practice and deep

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43:29

Dynamic Dharma: How Modern Meditators Are Shaping...

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2025/04/23

In Tibetan Buddhism, lineage is everything — a sacred thread connecting teacher to student across generations. But what happens when modern meditators enter the mix? Anthropologist and Buddhist practitioner Dr. Ana Christina Lopes joins us to explore how tradition evolves when it meets real lives and real practice. Is lineage just about preserving the past, or can it also be a living, creative force? Tune in as we unpack how today’s practitioners are not only inheriting the Dharma, but actively

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35:15

Buddhist Temptation: What Buddhism is offering to the...

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2025/03/24

Once again, we have the great honor to have Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche as our guest. In this episode, Rinpoche talks about why Buddhism is so appealing in today’s world, the confluence of Buddhist philosophy and modern science, and what we can do to ensure Buddhism is able to continue to thrive. Rinpoche, recently inaugurated a spectacular new temple in Lubini, the birthplace of Buddha. It was selected the 9th most important place to visit in 2025 by the New York Times. Rinpoche explains why he felt it

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01:03:45

Neural Nirvana: The Neuroscience of Meditation and...

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2025/02/22

Our guest this month is the neuroscientist Dr. Clifford Saron, one of the world’s leading scholars of the tangible effects of mediation. We have a free and wide-ranging conversation about meditation, science, objectivity and spirituality from a pioneer in the field of neuroscience and contemplative science. Clifford Saron, PhD, is a Research Scientist at the Center for Mind and Brain Institute at the University of California–Davis. Cliff has had a long-standing interest in the effects of

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51:36

Tukdam: The Practice of Awakening at the Moment of Death

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2025/01/13

In this episode, Dr. Tawni Tidwell shares the latest research into the meditative state of Tukdam. Tukdam is the practice of realizing mind's innermost essence at the moment of death. Pratcitioner's who die in the Tukdam state exhibit minimal signs of bodily decomposition, sometimes for weeks. Tawni Tidwell is a biocultural anthropologist (PhD 2017, Emory University) and Tibetan medical doctor (Kachupa degree 2015, Qinghai University Tibetan Medical College). She is currently a Research Assistant

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45:44

How to keep peace during holiday season

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2024/12/08

In this episode, host Erric Solomon is joined by Gomde team member and mental health professional Birgit Meiche to explore how to approach the holiday season with greater ease and mindfulness. Together, they delve into practical strategies for managing family dynamics, dealing with stress, and responding skillfully to challenging conversations—like when a relative’s controversial opinions threaten to spark tension. Drawing on Buddhist-inspired wisdom and Birgit’s mental health expertise, they

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59:46

AI mind: The Artificial Intelligence search for...

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2024/11/04

AI is everywhere: it’s the hottest technology, this year’s fastest way to make money in the stock market, a new way to write, do research, make eye popping designs. But are we close to having machines that are conscious? In one sense, the search for the basis of consciousness is also vital part of Buddhist practice and realization. In this episode, join Buddhist scholar, Professor John Dunne, and our host, yogi/technologist Erric Solomon, as they explore the promise and implications of AI. John D

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42:46

Thriving in the Light of Death — Caring for others...

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2024/10/05

We try not to think about death, often until it's we have no choice. A loved one begins to pass, or we receive a difficult diagnosis from the doctor. In the Buddhist teachings, death is the ultimate opportunity for profound spiritual transformation. Join Author and teacher Kirsten Deleo as we explore how to best take care of ourselves and our loved ones during this important time of transition, whether Buddhist practitioners or not. Kirsten DeLeo is a long time Tibetan Buddhist practitioner,

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22:52

The Most Important Thing to Know - Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2024/09/02

Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche unfolds the key to living, especially valuable in today’s modern, chaotic, fast paced world. Erric begins by asking Rinpoche, “What is the most important thing to know?” Rinpoche leads us through a pithy, vital explanation that anyone, struggling to thrive in modern life, will want to hear. About Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche is a world-renowned teacher and meditation master in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. He was born in Tibet in 1951 as

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01:02:28

Compassion can Help with Everything - Dr Erika Rosenberg

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2024/08/04

In Buddhist practice is based on compassion, and so there are a body of practices devoted to it. But what is compassion really? How do we know we have it? Compassion isn’t a thing that you gather but a way of being in the world. In this episode, Dr. Erika Rosenberg discusses with Erric what the basis of compassion is, how it helps with every aspect of our lives, and gives practical, experientially focused exercises to help us have more compassion. Compassion is a revolution, both in how we view the

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32:25

Sacred Substances: Superstition or Revelation?

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2024/07/02

Sometimes at Tibetan Buddhist teachings or Tantric Initiations, attendees receive an envelop filled with sacred substances. Today we are joined by Dr. James Gentry to discuss the history, function and efficacy of one of the most famous substances—Mani pills. These pills are made through the process of meditation by special Buddhist Yogis and Yoginis, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama. So what are they and why should we care? James Gentry is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford

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45:00

Buddha’s Nuns Naughty or Nice - Dr. Annie Heckman

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2024/06/03

The Buddhist canon is filled with pithy teachings from and stories about Buddha. Many of the sutras, where Buddha gives profound answers to questions posed by his students have become very well known, even outside Buddhist circles. Lesser known to modern practitioners, are the stories that lead to the guidelines that support monastic practitioners on the path to awakening. In particular, there are many stories about his students misbehaving and how the Buddha was able to turn these situations into

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01:17:06

Navigating Modern Buddhism with Barry Boyce

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2024/05/03

In this Episode, Author, Writing Coach, Journalist, Mindfulness expert and Buddhist Meditator, Barry Boyce is our guest. He and Erric have a wide ranging conversation about Mindfulness Meditation and Buddhism in today's world. Is mindfulness a net plus or just a watered down version of Buddhist practice? Do modern urban Budhist centers meet the needs of people in today's chaotic fast moving world? Find out what Erric and Barry think in this thought provoking conversation. Barry Boyce is Founding

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50:25

Modern Insights into Ancient Wisdom with Erric Solomon

The Kind Heartfulness Podcast ·

2024/04/04

In this episode, our host Erric Solomon is interviewed by Sara Hindelang, a fixture at Rangjung Yeshe Gomde. Sara, as a 24 year old, asks for insights on anxieties common with those of her generation, such as ecoanxiety or cynicism. Erric Solomon offers some fantastic insights into how the Buddha's teachings can help. Bringing together decades of Buddhist practice, a high-powered Silicon Valley career, and an abundant sense of humour, Erric speaks with an authenticity grounded in experience. Drawing

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27 results

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