Today’s episode is about mental health, which was one of our most requested topics of the year. Because there’s so much to cover, it’s divided into four parts, which you can listen to all at once, or you can check the show notes for time stamps to skip to the section that most resonates with you, though they are best understood in total.

Buddhist Solutions for Life's Problems

A Buddhist Perspective on Mental Health

On this episode, we discuss what Buddhism calls “the creative life force,” an inner potential that exists in the life of every person to manifest their most authentic self and create art from that place. Often, self-doubt, perfectionism or arrogance can get in the way of creating great art. Special guests Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding, along with a few other artists, explain three concrete ways to use Buddhism to develop your creative life force.

Buddhism and Creativity

At its root, racism is born of a very human tendency that exists in all of us to discriminate against others, often out of fear. Combined with power, this discrimination becomes institutionalized and we see it in virtually every social system in America—economic, health, education, policing and so on. Buddhism directly addresses the root of this problem and many more. In this episode we speak with Dr. Lawrence Edward Carter Sr., dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College, as well as a number of Black Buddhists and other members in the SGI community about how they are using their practice to grapple with and speak out against racism in their own unique ways.

The Buddhist Perspective on Racism

The parent-child relationship is a truly universal one. We are all the children of someone, and our relationship with our parents impacts us forever. This episode explores what Buddhism says about being a parent and how to foster children who can blossom fully, just as they are.

Being Buddhist Parents

A special episode in response to listener requests for perspective on the global pandemic COVID-19. Specifically, we address what Buddhism says about why global crises happen and how we can stop them from happening in the future. And what you can do right now to generate hope and take positive action for yourself, your family and your community.

The Buddhist Take on COVID-19

There’s a lot going on in the world. Often, it can feel impossible to change: climate change, bullying, anxiety, racism, poverty and the list goes on. What do you do when you feel like the world is just too messed up to change? Where do you find courage or hope? In this episode, we speak with Congressperson Hank Johnson and examine what Buddhism says about changing the world.

Can I Change the World?

Human beings have a complicated relationship with money. It’s often the focus of our greed, jealousy or misery. But it can also be used as a tool to help us express our compassion, creativity and freedom. Contrary to popular belief, our desires don’t necessarily have to be extinguished in order to find peace. On this episode, we explore what Buddhism says about desire, wealth and attachment. Hint: it has a lot to do with recognizing and transforming ourselves.

Financial Karma

Today’s episode is about figuring out what to do with your life and making it happen against all odds. International Human Rights lawyer Tanya Henderson shares her journey of fighting through law school as a single mother of two. Comedian Ike Ufomado discusses how his Buddhist practice inspired him to preserve through the ups and downs of being a stand-up comedian in New York City. Find us at SGI-USA.org

Finding Your Dream Job

You meet someone, fall in love hard, and then one day it’s over. What does Buddhism say about overcoming heartbreak? In this episode, Amelia Gonzales, of New York City, shares how her Buddhist practice taught her that happiness lies in recognizing and cultivating her own dignity. So, how do you recover from heartbreak? In short, happiness is an inward event.

My Buddhist Breakup

We all have that one person who knows exactly how to get under our skin. In this episode, we explore what Buddhism has to say about navigating difficult relationships. Joe Peretti, of Long Island, shares his story of using his Buddhist practice to transform his relationship with his ex-wife, his co-workers and, ultimately, his father who abandoned him as a child. How do we change a thorny relationship? In short, it starts with changing ourselves.

You're Pushing My Buttons

A family rift. Debt. Finding a career you love. Heartbreak. Tap into 3,000 years of Buddhist wisdom to find real solutions to life’s problems. Journalist Jihii Jolly explores her own Nichiren Buddhist community through the lives of everyday people—mechanics, CEOs, mothers, artists—who are applying the teachings of Buddhism to win over their most aggravating problems. Jihii has written for The New York Times and The Atlantic, and is a member of the Buddhist community Soka Gakkai International (SGI).

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Buddhist Solutions for Life's Problems

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