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What does true freedom really mean? In our milestone 20th episode, we unpack this deceptively complex question, revealing how our understanding of freedom often remains superficial until we achieve liberation from our own mental habits and patterns.

Freedom isn't simply doing whatever we want. From a Zen perspective, genuine freedom only emerges when we break free from the prison of our own thoughts—the rigid mental frameworks that filter every experience through our preexisting beliefs. As we demonstrate through candid conversation, most of us live in a state of mental captivity without even realizing it, mistaking our conditioned responses for independent thought.

We explore the fascinating concept of "Mupung Pado" (no wind but waves)—how our minds generate turbulence even in the absence of external stimuli. During meditation, when external inputs are minimized, unwelcome thoughts still intrude, proving we're not as free as we believe. Our reactions to life's circumstances often happen automatically, with little awareness of the complex causes and conditions that led to them.

Through relatable examples like household conflicts over cup placement and personal stories of monastic training, we illuminate a profound truth: freedom comes from acknowledging multiple perspectives beyond our own. When we cling to a single truth—our truth—we remain imprisoned by our expectations, disappointments, and emotional reactions. True liberation emerges when we develop the wisdom to move fluidly between different dimensions of understanding.

As we celebrate our 20th episode and over 1,000 downloads, we invite you to join us in this exploration of what it means to be truly free. Listen closely, and you might discover the subtle ways your mind has been creating its own captivity—and how the path to liberation begins with awareness itself. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from seeing their mental prisons in a new light.

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Dr. Ruben Lambert can be found at wisdomspring.com

Ven. MyongAhn Sunim can be found at soshimsa.org

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What happens when we numb ourselves to life's subtle symphony, constantly seeking louder experiences? This question forms the heart of our exploration into numbness—a concept that emerged from a casual conversation after Sunday service but quickly revealed itself as fundamental to understanding human suffering and awakening.

Numbness takes many forms in our lives. Sometimes we use substances to escape pain, moving from suffering toward a perceived "normal" state. Other times, we seek stimulation to elevate ourselves from boredom, chasing dopamine hits through increasingly intense experiences. Both paths lead away from genuine presence. As we discuss in this episode, self-harm can serve similar purposes—either escaping overwhelming emotions or creating physical sensation when emotionally numb. These represent the extremes that Zen philosophy warns against.

Our modern world has systematically designed ways to keep us from sitting with our thoughts. Look around at people standing in line, most plugged into devices, consuming content, avoiding stillness. Algorithms exploit our tendency to normalize experiences, requiring ever-increasing stimulation to maintain interest. This creates what we call "the algorithm of greed"—a progressive desensitization that pulls us further from subtle awareness and deeper into artificial stimulation.

Contrary to misconceptions, Zen doesn't encourage emotional detachment. Rather, it invites us through what initially feels like boredom to discover the richness beneath. Picture passing through a pinhole focus that strips away callouses, leaving us raw but wise—able to feel deeply while maintaining the ability to function without drowning in emotion. Like trained lifeguards jumping into suffering's ocean, we can be fully immersed in experience while possessing the skills to navigate safely.

Join us as we explore how numbness represents the opposite of wakefulness and how Zen offers a path toward complete participation in life—an attunement to reality as it is, not as we wish it to be. By breaking free from our addiction to stimulation, we might just discover that the subtle experiences we've been avoiding hold the key to awakening.

Have you found value in these discussions? Consider supporting our work by visiting Soshimsa.org/the-world-through-zen-eyes-podcast to make a donation that helps offset our production costs.

Support the show

Dr. Ruben Lambert can be found at wisdomspring.com

Ven. MyongAhn Sunim can be found at soshimsa.org

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The statement "everything is created by the mind" might seem deceptively simple, but as explored in this thought-provoking bonus track, it contains profound implications about how we perceive and interact with reality. Drawing from a personal experience teaching a meditation workshop, we witness the stark contrast between someone who immediately grasps this concept and another who actively resists it—highlighting how differently the same wisdom lands depending on who receives it.

Through vivid examples and unexpected humor, we challenge our romantic notions about nature, like how we anthropomorphize birdsong as beautiful melodies when birds are actually communicating about survival, territory, and mating. This pattern of mental projection extends to everything we encounter, revealing how our minds constantly construct the reality we experience, often without our awareness.

Yet this teaching carries a powerful duality. While it empowers us with the knowledge that we create our experience, it also humbles us by revealing our susceptibility to external influences. From the documented effects of full moons on hospital admissions and crime rates to the impact of physical conditions on mental clarity, we're continually shaped by forces beyond our conscious control. This paradox sits at the heart of Zen practice—recognizing both our creative power and our vulnerability.

The path forward isn't about immediate enlightenment but patient cultivation. Like traditional practices of swordsmanship and calligraphy that begin with simply holding position, meditation success comes not from achieving special states but from the consistent practice itself. Our realizations, like shy woodland creatures, don't appear when frantically pursued but arrive naturally when we create the proper conditions. Ready to explore how your mind creates your reality? Listen now and discover the profound freedom in this ancient wisdom.

Support the show

Dr. Ruben Lambert can be found at wisdomspring.com

Ven. MyongAhn Sunim can be found at soshimsa.org