Nothing hurts the same way forever, though sometimes it seems right that it should. Gauge your pain by monitoring its intensity, frequency, and duration.

When we are emotionally triggered, we get tunnel vision and only see things from our perspective. We feel so wronged that our brains actually rationalize irrational behavior (like aggression) when we most need to remain calm and patient.

It's not literally about the people upstairs, it's about the few who make decisions that affect the many.

Is it possible to pay too much attention and lose perspective? Let's not miss the forest for the trees, nor the trees for the forest.

Understing what's going on with people who don't walk the talk. Are they hypocritical or reasonable? Is it possible for us to be driven by conflicting intentions, or is it our old friend Cognitive Dissonance? Does doing this create turmoil within? Only you can answer that for yourself.

Get curious about the many paths up this mountain of life, not just the trail most traveled. Neurodivergents are also known as being on the autism spectrum, processing data and feelings in ways that neurotypicals don't always understand, let alone accept. It's an operating system that works just fine, though not always compatible with others (like Android and Apple). This was one of the most difficult episodes for me to record, thank you for receiving it with gentle grace and kindness, I appreciate you.

Why do some survive when others don't? Is it just luck, or is there a bigger reason behind it? Do we look for the meaning behind a second chance, or do we give it meaning by what we do with it?

Answering the question "Who Am I?" (without confusing identity with personality) is a lifelong journey of development, creation, and realization.

We either actively create the balance we seek or we are creating the imbalance we try to escape. To listen with captions, watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/N80LPA6mN3U

Are you what the Buddha called a Hungry Ghost? If you expect the world to run according to you, that expectation is the source of your misery, not anybody or anything else. And if this accountability feels like an attack to someone, they are not yet ready to acknowledge their own behavior. This episode is about the entitlement, the greed, the self-centeredness, and general preoccupation with our own desires at the expense of others.

How far must you go off the path before you realize you are off of it? If you define it well enough and frequently check, the reward of being on the path is enough motivation not to veer off.

Buddhism is called a practice, and we are practitioners. As such, we exercise mindful conduct, speech, resolve, livelihood, effort, and so on, the same way athletes exercise their skills between games. We are not perfect, but even professional basketball players don't make every shot.

It's impossible to stop wanting things, but there is a difference between wholesome desires and being blinded by greed. Buddhism is a practice of discernment with the intention to reduce suffering (for ourselves and others). It's easy to spot greed out in the world, but if we are mindful, we can spot it in our own thoughts and actions as well.

This is a call for us to rise as Soldiers of Peace in the Army of Love and put mindfulness into action, which instills a sense of purpose into our every thought, word, and action, because our beliefs alone don't make us "better people," our behavior does. So.. buckle up!

The defense mechanisms we developed during one time in our lives in order to protect ourselves can work against us if we don't let them go when they no longer serve their initial purpose. If you find value in these videos, please show your support at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support or with as little as $1/month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp

Liberate yourself from anguish and anxiety by embracing uncertainty. After all, anything else is an illusion, isn't it? ?

Nobody will choose to let go of what they still believe has value. We often get stuck thinking something improves our lives, we lose sight of how our lives might improve if we let go of it completely. And some people don?t let go of what is detrimental to them because they don?t know how; they don?t have the tools or skills or.. the screwdriver with which to unscrew themselves. To keep the podcast sponsor free, show your support at https://patreon.com/buddhistbootcamp

Most of us like being in control, yet the only thing we actually CAN control is the one thing we don't: our composure. Imagine responding to emotions and events with grace instead of reacting with rage. To listen with captions, visit https://youtu.be/XQzFCsqRq8I

Is it a big deal? Well.. that depends... Getting into the habit of asking yourself this question throughout the day will change the way you eat, drink, argue, text, relate to others, and dare I say... it will change your life (it's changing mine).

What we focus on, grows, and I made the mistake of focusing on what I wanted to change about myself, which only made it worse. What we think about, we bring about! So, what I needed to do (and will start doing from now on), is promote what I love instead of bashing what I hate (about myself and the world), because we see what we seek. I know there is beauty in the world (and in me), so if I don't see it, it's because I'm not looking at it. Seems so obvious now, but I failed to apply it to myself. The spiritual path is not linear... we zig-zag our way up this mountain, pause, re-evaluate, and keep going. Thank you for walking beside me on this journey

Give yourself the gift of depth by elaborating to better understand yourself and others, and strengthen your connections. 

Love and attachment are not the same thing, they are the healthy and unhealthy versions of the same thing. We get attached to items, people, ideas, beliefs, and opinions. The more attached we are, the less free we are. This episode is an abbreviation of a talk I gave on Sunday about the beauty of love without attachment, not because the love will last forever, but because nothing ever does. 

These principles are helpful guides to ensure our actions are aligned with our beliefs. You can either accept these guidelines or reject them, amend or append, uphold or release; there is no wrong answer. The Buddha never told us WHAT to think, he told us to think! His intention was for us to contemplate WHY we do what we do. This is so we aren't even tempted to do certain things in the first place, not because we are told not to, but because doing them would be incongruent with mindful living. I hope these principles enrich your life as much as they have mine. If you find value in these videos, please show your support at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support 

People seldom ask themselves if they are ready to love before they decide to get into a relationship or to have kids, they just want to BE loved and simply assume they will be able to love in return. For some, loving comes easily because they aren?t judgmental, but for many, judgment comes easily, making love difficult to find. What?s in question is no longer whether or not we can love freely, it is suddenly a discussion about us judging compulsively. Thankfully, we are not limited, restricted, or confined by our past, we are shaped by what we decide to do in the present. Have a listen to this 5-minute episode, and here is the link to the episode with captions if you want to share it with others: https://youtu.be/cjsslmpdHDI

It's a huge relief to distinguish between what is for us to decide and what is out of our hands. Some things are not up to us, yet we try to control every step of the process AND the outcome, which causes unnecessary stress and anxiety. The simple mantra "It's not up to me," keeps me grounded, and I hope it helps you as well.  To listen to the episode with captions, visit the Buddhist Boot Camp YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/jE9l6FHocH4

In celebration of Pride Month, many people ask "What is the Buddhist view on homosexuality?" Here is the answer you can share with everyone you know: https://youtu.be/9WP3534V83Y

Fear will run and ruin your life if you let it. The trick is to see fear as a speed bump, not a dead-end street. This episode is only five minutes long, but it can stay with you for a lifetime. The Buddhist Boot Camp Podcast is commercial-free without ads or sponsorships thanks to listeners like you who donate as little as $1 a month through patreon.com/buddhistbootcamp Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

What does "Normal" even mean? To what lengths are we willing go to fit in? From a very young age, I was told something was wrong with me simply because I was different. Would you pretend to be someone you're not in order to be liked and admired, celebrated or accepted? Would you commit a crime? Do drugs? Work 80 hours a week? Wear certain clothes to fit-in? Have kids? Sign a 30-year loan? Would you do what feels unnatural to you simply because it's expected of you? To what end? As Ani DiFranco said, "I was four years old when they showed me a picture of three oranges and a pear. They asked me which one was different and does not belong? They taught me that different was wrong." This short podcast episode is a glimpse into my own journey to where I am today.

Have you ever wondered why you have the urge to share your opinion with people without being asked? Even some of the information we THINK is helpful, caring, and kind, is actually demoralizing, hostile, and reeks of a superiority complex lurking behind our urge to share. All too often, we have ulterior motives when we dump our opinions on others unsolicited.

All sorts of random thoughts show up during the day and even while meditating, so we need a bouncer to decide which thoughts get to enter our minds, which have to stand outside, and which are banned for life. To listen with captions, visit: https://youtu.be/XnUAJB3Y0Xk

We think happiness will result from accumulating one instant gratification after another, but each gratifying moment is so brief, we spend more time chasing happiness than being happy. Practice not giving the mind everything it wants. 

Inside of you there is a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time. If you find value in these videos, please show your support at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support or with as little as $1/month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp ? You can schedule a one-on-one session at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/meet ? Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Effort is a direct reflection of our dedication and commitment. If you find value in these videos, please show your support at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support or with as little as $1/month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp ? You can schedule a one-on-one session at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/meet

This is the recording of Timber's talk at a local church this morning, all about Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages, Clay Davidson's Unconditional Love, and an uncomfortable look in the mirror to see where we still hold judgment about how others do things, how we fail to love people the way they want to be loved (insisting instead on loving them the way we want), and how loving God fits into all this (since this was at a New Thought fellowship, after all, and Timber is all about incorporating anything we can learn from ancient teachings to modern psychology. There's value in it all). Enjoy. If you find value in these Podcast episodes, show your support at https://buddhistbootcamp.com/support

Have so many feelings and don?t know what to do with them? I?ve been taught to avoid identifying with them or even claim them as my own, just observe the feelings with curiosity from a place of serenity, because it?s the only place from which we can see things clearly. If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support or with as little as $1/month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp

? You can schedule a one-on-one session at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/meet

? Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Do your decisions reflect that you care about your well-being or that you don't? Why are we so dismissive of our own divinity and worth? If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Make anything that distracts you from your chosen path unappealing by adjusting your focus. If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Why meditate? What's the point? Directing our attention where we choose is how we learn to no longer get distracted by outside circumstances. That's enough incentive for me to make Sit Happen, because if you are easily provoked, you are easy to control. Determination and restraint can be your superpower. If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

If we have our claws so deeply embedded in the way we were, we get in the way of who we might become. Loosen your grip and rigidity to become more fluid. As Bruce Lee said, "Be Water, My Friend." If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Visibility leads to acceptance. Exposure to diversity opens our eyes first, our minds second, and our hearts third. When we understand and connect with one another, empathy and compassion become the inevitable end results. Let's talk about the problem with the Golden Rule and the importance of balancing introspection with outrospection. 

If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Why do we acknowledge that a single individual can make a big difference in our lives (or in the world), but we rarely credit ourselves for the ability to do the same? If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Everybody is privileged in at least one way or another, and that's not a bad thing. What is privilege? What is it not? And what can we do with it? If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Lao Tzu said, "Care what other people think, and you will always be their prisoner." Liberate yourself by getting to know who you are according to you, not anybody else. If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Do we now live in a world where we have to find non-physical ways to show affection? Let's talk about deeper methods of intimacy like vulnerability and transparency, and use tools like empathy and compassion to connect with one another when a hug isn't an option (and even when it is). If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Why do we so easily accept bad news but are reluctant to embrace good news? Maybe enlightenment is not about finding some truth that sets us free, perhaps it?s about recognizing which lies hold us hostage? If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

What if instead of expressing our feelings we explained which of our needs are not being met? This practice requires awareness and vulnerability, but it could put an end to the shame and blame games we play in our relationships. Growth isn't easy, but every step forward brings us more clarity, understanding, and connection. So don't proceed with caution, proceed with curiosity. Good luck!

Are you living in line with your values? Do you know what your values are? This month's intervention holds up a mirror for us to look at ourselves and question whether we claim to be one way but act another. It's an invitation to live a congruent life in our integrity, where what we think, what we say, and what we do is all in alignment. If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show your support through Venmo @TimberHawkeye or with as little as $1 a month through https://Patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp or a one-time contribution at https://www.buddhistbootcamp.com/support Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

Do you only show the ugliest side of you (the rude, mean, and nasty) to the people you love the most while strangers see the nicest side of you? Is it possible my dysfunctional family cutting people out of their lives left-and-right has a silver lining? Can we be kind to everyone? Even to our family members? If you find value in this Podcast, please show your support with just $1/month through https://patreon.com/BuddhistBootCamp Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love.

What you allow is what will continue, and what you put up with is what you end up with, so set your boundaries, communicate them, and stick to them with conviction because if you don't honor your own boundaries, why and how can you expect others to? Be tolerant and accepting, yes, but tolerant does not mean accepting what is harmful. Define what "harmful" means to you, and you'll be one step closer to setting healthy boundaries.