The Backyard Buddhist Podcast

”Practice Like Your Hair is ON FIRE!”

Welcome to the Backyard Buddhist Podcast where we continually seek everyday enlightenment for the benefit of ourselves and all other beings.  I am Ronn Pawo McLane and I am here with my good buddy Danny Hobart.  Today we are getting right to the heart of our practice and talking about how to be enlightened and why we aren’t already.  
The wise master and celebrity drag queen Ru Paul says it best: "If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you going to love anybody else?"

”Walking With Wisdom Together - BLM”

Welcome to the Backyard Buddhist Podcast where we continually seek everyday enlightenment for the benefit of ourselves and all other beings.  I am Ronn Pawo McLane and I am here with my good buddy and path-mate Danny Hobart.  Today we are breaking down the Wisdom Path of Awakening.  
In Lama Surya Das’ New Millennium Prayer he says “May all beings everywhere, with whom we are inseparably interconnected and who want and need the same as we do. May all be awakened, liberated, healed, fulfilled and free.  May there be peace in this world and throughout all realms of existence, an end to war, violence, poverty, injustice and oppression and may we all together complete the spiritual journey.”
But It’s tough to think about someone who is acting out in unskillful ways as wanting and needing the same as we do.  My heart is breaking for this injustice, violence and oppression. 

”How to Meditate When Things Suck!”

Let’s face it, stress is not new to our lives, but this year has produced a few curve balls that are simply unusual.  Isolation for some and too much togetherness for others.  Finding and keeping a new rhythm that is healthy and fulfilling can be a daily challenge.  Today on the Backyard Buddhist we are talking about how to meditate and practice when things suck! 
Remember that meditation practice is not just taking a bliss break, we are working toward facing and understanding the nature of our discomforts.  By first recognizing that we are experiencing discomfort then seeking the underlying cause of that discomfort allows us to face that dissatisfaction with wise and compassionate action and then further allows us to find a state of calm abiding while simultaneously relieving our reactions.  Simply said:  awareness of our discomfort and the cause of the discomfort allows us the clear view to relieve that suffering. 

”Ignorance & Compassion Walk Into a Bar”

Today on the Backyard Buddhist were talking about cultivating compassion and love for those who oppose us. Kindness and compassion for those who seem to battle against what we feel is the “right” way of being is one of the biggest challenges in our daily experience.  Just turn on the news and it isn’t hard to find someone behaving in a manner that just grates against the grain of our own beliefs or path.
Who are we to say that one path is right over another? We have only our own nature and understanding to draw our conclusions.  The place where we shift is when we endeavor to understand another’s actions by looking deep within ourselves for the answer.  What draws fear in me?  What causes my protective ego to stand up and scream?  What causes aggressive and violent behavior in me?  What would it take for me to act through fear and emotion rather than rational thinking?  When you understand that in yourself, you will understand it in another.  Then you can respond with compassion and kindness rather than anger meeting anger.  Rage meeting rage and violence meeting violence.  The shift begins with me and you.  

”Your Karma is a Bitch!”

Today on the Backyard Buddhist were talking about your karma.  Your Karma is a Bitch! Why do all these bad things happen?  Shouldn’t all the good in the world counteract all the bad?  What happened to create all this chaos?
In our efforts to liberate ourselves from suffering we must address the law of cause and effect.  Every action and inaction has an effect as every heartbeat moves blood and every breath moves air.  Our responsibility lies within our own body, speech and mind.  Mindfully considering each of our contributing actions not through the discernment of like and dislike but instead with the knowing that each action, word and thought matter. 
It’s ultimately all up to you to stop the ways that will create bad effects, but the only way out is to see it, understand it and let it go, without responding with anger or other harmful feelings, but with understanding that you can prevent  the chain of future cause and or create good ones to make a more happier present and future.

”Everyday Pack Mentality”

Herd, mob or pack mentality describes how people can be influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors on a largely emotional, rather than rational, basis. Today on The Backyard Buddhist Podcast Ronn Pawo McLane and Co-host Danny Hobart are talking about this as an active element in our daily experience and pack mentality from a practical aspect. 
The wisdom of self-inquiry leads us to wise and complete action by having a wise and complete view and understanding of the truth.  Standing in your own confidence of having walked the road of introspection is unshakable.  Unskillful are those who stand on the opinions of others which lead us to misdeeds and negative karma.  Skillful are those who act on the reality of truth for the welfare and happiness of all. 

”Don‘t Fear The Trolls”

I am Ronn Pawo McLane here with my good friend and co-host Danny Hobart. Welcome to The Backyard Buddhist Podcast – Where we seek to bring calm introspection together with skillful action.   Today on the Backyard Buddhist were introducing our First HOT ON THE GRILL SEGMENT.  This is where we are talking about the relevant hot button issues that were faced with today. 
You would have to live in a remote cave to have missed the sharp twist of hatred and polar views these days.  No matter what part of the world you are in there are opposing viewpoints.  We sit and watch the news like we are watching a WWE grudge match. 
I find myself wondering what is staged, what is real and often ask myself “Is this real?”  Each day it just seems to get crazier and crazier, no matter if you are on one side or the other the behavior is simply appalling to see as a sane adult.  
 

”Feeding Your Demons”

Some days more than others we have trouble keeping our heads in the game.  Persistent thoughts continually knock us off our seat of awareness and the result is often depleted exhaustion and despair. Today on The Backyard Buddhist Ronn Pawo McLane and Danny Hobart are talking about feeding our inner demons and how to transform negative personal afflictions to positive daily growth.  

”How To Be a Better Person”

We are all trying hard to become better people.  We want to be better partners, parents and friends, but end up feeling exhausted and depleted.  So how do we balance all that? 
The struggle to be better humans in our daily experience gets knocked off track with seemingly every irritation and conflict.  By changing our perspective to first supporting ourselves through the tools of compassionate understanding and patience affords and allows us the strength of wisdom to interact with others in a way that is peaceful and understanding.  When we can learn to be kind and compassionate, patient and nurturing toward ourselves we then project that toward others without effort. 
 Ronn Pawo McLane and co-host and good friend Danny Hobart discuss how we can do that and not get run over by our own intentions. 
 

”Buddhism Demystified”

In this episode join Ronn Pawo McLane and Danny Hobart as they discuss the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, Impermanence, and interconnectedness.  How can we use ancient wisdom to help us with our anxiety and depression?