Episode 11 — Indulging in Worthless Chatter

Join Ringu Tulku Rinpoche in a captivating conversation as he delves into the impact of worthless chatter and the significance of using speech constructively. Explore the quest for inner balance amidst disturbing news and the art of mindful communication to avoid gossip and disharmony. Tune in for this thought-provoking episode and anticipate future discussions on wholesome and unwholesome actions of the mind.

It can be hard to use our language skills mindfully during emotionally intense times. And failing at that may create further complications.  In this episode, Ela Crain asks Ringu Tulku Rinpoche how to increase our mindfulness to avoid creating further conflicts. Ringu Tulku Rinpoche touches on how we can tell the truth without being harsh, and shares the 3 types of speech according to Nagarjuna - an Indian scholar-saint, often referred to as "the second Buddha". Tune in to hone your communication skills even during times of turmoil.

In this episode, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche answers Ela Crain's questions about why to avoid sowing discord between friends and family members and how to resolve them when disagreements show up. With his deep wisdom, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche also sheds light on topics such as people-pleasing and not identifying with others' negative thoughts.

In this episode, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche answers Ela Crain's questions about speech-related actions that may hurt our relationships, such as lying. Rinpoche describes how misinforming others may damage trust and cause long-term issues in our personal and professional relationships. He also touches on some gray areas around lying, such as misinforming others due to being misinformed or withholding bad news to prevent others from hurting. If you are wondering how to deal with such gray areas, this episode is just for you.

In this episode, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche talks about the last bodily unwholesome action: sexual misconduct.  Rinpoche describes how we might harm our loved ones and ourselves by cheating and lying. He underlines the importance of maintaining honest actions between couples to live together harmoniously. He also explains the Five Precepts – not killing, not stealing, not committing sexual misconduct, not lying, and not indulging in intoxication – and explains the difference between the precepts and the unwholesome actions. Finally, Rinpoche emphasizes the importance of the middle way and encourages us not to burden ourselves by trying to be always perfect.

In this episode, Ela Crain and Ringu Tulku Rinpoche discuss different types of generosity and their opposite: stealing.  Ringu Tulku Rinpoche describes generosity as a state of mind that can be cultivated. He mentions that there are three kinds of giving and that they go beyond donating money. He also describes how we trouble ourselves by giving for selfish reasons. Later on, Rinpoche taps into our responsibility as we give advice. As well as a sense of responsibility, he emphasizes the importance of our intentions as we advise others. Tune in to see how you can support your loved ones and contribute to your immediate environment by practicing all three types of generosity.

In this episode, Ela Crain brings up a deep topic for discussion. She asks Rinpoche about what kind of actions are beneficial or harmful to us and our loved ones.  Ringu Tulku Rinpoche begins by giving an overview of how our actions are grouped into three areas: body, speech, and mind. He then goes on to explain the first bodily action, which involves doing our best to avoid killing other beings and harming our environment.  Rinpoche also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a good balance and not seeking perfection in our actions. He also explains how being kind-hearted can help us to keep our actions in balance.

Ela Crain brings up a popular topic in this episode and asks Ringu Tulku Rinpoche about meditation. Ringu Tulku Rinpoche explains what meditation is, how you can meditate, and what kinds of benefits you could expect from this ancient practice.

In this episode, Ela Crain asks Ringu Tulku Rinpoche about how we can use our awareness throughout the day to deal with our responses to life's events. Ringu Tulku Rinpoche explains what awareness, consciousness, and mindfulness are and how they differ from each other. He dives into describing how we can use mindfulness to deal with strong emotions and override our habitual tendencies. He also mentions how to train our awareness to understand how we function in our minds and hearts. Finally, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche touches on the difference between information and wisdom and how wisdom can guide us in our lives and save us from addiction or feeling guilty unnecessarily.

In this episode, Ela Crain brings fundamental questions around a popular topic to discuss with Ringu Tulku Rinpoche: spirituality. Ringu Tulku Rinpoche explains his understanding of spirituality and whether Buddhism fits together with the popular understanding of spiritual practices. He also explains what the mind is from a Buddhist perspective and how we can train our minds and work on our actions. And through such training, how we can improve our lives and avoid harming our environment through destruction and war.  Finally, Rinpoche zooms into what we can do as individuals in our day-to-day lives and gives us tips to transform self-criticism into self-awareness.