Melanie Moser – Shakti Hour – Ep. 24 – Roshi Joan Halifax

Melanie Moser - Shakti Hour - Ep. 24 - Roshi Joan Halifax

Roshi Joan Halifax visits the show. Sharing a conversation with Melanie about her spiritual journey and finding freedom where fear and courage meet.

Keep up with the Shakti Hour Summer Reading Series featuring Roshi Joan’s latest book, Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet, on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Show Notes

Compassionate Action (Opening)

Roshi Joan Halifax shares some of the circumstances that led her to her spiritual practice. We learn about the solitude. Due to an unusual medical condition, that introduced Roshi Joan to her inner life and imagination at a young age. She talks about the insight that Zen Buddhism and her teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, brought to her passion for social action and end of life care.

“I think it was even more important in the 1960’s. When we were so polarized against our government. I saw an opportunity in meditation for actually transforming a quality of mind which was pretty outraged at the harm our government was doing. I looked on meditation as an experience of mind training. And I have been doing it ever since.” – Roshi Joan Halifax

At the Edge of Fear and Courage (7:20)

Roshi Joan and Melanie talk about the edge states of altruism, empathy, integrity, respect, and engagement. And how all of that can be better navigated through contemplation and spiritual practice. They discuss the power that these edge states. Where fear meets courage. And the need to wield them with careful balance.

“How do we actually care for people? How do we care for people in a way that doesn’t destroy us? There are so many of us out there who are doing the best we can as educators, clinicians, as mothers and people in business trying to live in a principled and loving way.” – Roshi Joan Halifax

Roshi Joan and Thich Nhat Hanh, 1993

Taking Pause (20:10)

Melanie and Roshi Joan talk about the importance of self-inquiry and its role in our service to others. They discuss the loving wisdom and generosity that is cultivated with meditative practice.

Learn more about the three jewels of refuge and how we can find a safe place within ourselves with Roshi Joan Halifax on Ep. 7 of the Be Here Now Guest Podcast 
Service and Practice (24:20)

How do service and practice affect our capacity for compassion? Roshi Joan talks about the boundless love that arises when we do what we can to help others and end suffering.

“Dharma is the ocean of wisdom and compassion.” – Roshi Joan Halifax