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What if “new year, new you” is the wrong frame—and what you really need is a revolution against your own autopilot? We open the door with a tour of many new years—solar, lunar, and the 24 seasonal nodes—and show how older cultures tied renewal to nature’s rhythms, community responsibility, and gratitude for the chain that feeds us. Those rituals weren’t quaint; they were operating instructions for a sane life, where appreciation and awareness weren’t optional but essential.

From there, we tackle the modern drift into convenience and distance: running taps, effortless heat, stocked fridges. When stakes are hidden, attention fades, and we only wake up during extremes—injury, conflict, crisis. We share practical Zen tools to reverse that drift, bringing focus back to the ordinary moments where choice actually lives: a turn signal, a breath, a step. That presence is the tiny hinge that swings big doors.

Our central claim is bold and simple: trade resolutions for a personal revolution. The opponent is within—fixed views, reflexive reactions, and identity stories that masquerade as “just who I am.” These programs feel like thinking, but they are habits running the show while we sleep, and karma still lands whether we acted mindfully or not. We unpack how to spot these inner regimes, trace their causes, and “cut the fuse” between trigger and blowup. Drop by drop, attention fills the jar; little by little, milk sours. Your choices can compound either way.

If you’ve ever asked why change slips away or feared who you’d be without your familiar struggles, this conversation offers a path: clear, compassionate, and doable. Join us for a grounded take on renewal that blends ancient seasonal wisdom, community ethics, and practical mindfulness. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s ready for their own revolution, and leave a review to help others find us.

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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 if “selfless caring” isn’t the ideal we think it is? We return from a short hiatus with a provocative lens on compassion, questioning why so much giving feels like loss and how burnout sneaks in when the mind keeps score. Instead of turning care into a transaction—time out for thanks in—We explore a Zen-infused view where helping is not a heroic sacrifice but the natural movement of one body. Think of the candle that lights a thousand candles without dimming, and the hand that scratches an itchy knee without applause. No fanfare. No invoices. Just the right action, arising on its own.

We trace the common stages of caring: starting with duty, graduating to “selfless” sacrifice, and finally stepping beyond the subtle duality that still divides helper and helped. Along the way we unpack the “calculating mind,” the hidden ledger that breeds resentment, and we contrast it with the lightness of flow—what athletes describe as being in the zone and what seasoned caregivers embody on tough nights. Heart Sutra insights help us unhook from rigid labels like gain and loss, while keeping both feet on the ground with clear boundaries and practical sense.

A story from a hospital cleaner reveals the quiet power of attention that includes both floor and patient—an undercover bodhisattva at work without seeking credit. We celebrate a living sangha that responds like an organism, not a spreadsheet, and we offer simple ways to practice: notice the tally-keeper, return to what’s needed, and let gratitude be free. If you’ve ever felt drained by doing good, this conversation reframes compassion as oxygen, not fuel you must burn.

If this resonated, subscribe, share it with someone who could use a lighter way to care, and leave a review to help others find the show. Got a topic you want us to explore? Send it our way.

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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 if impermanence isn’t a reason to detach, but a reason to care more deeply right now? We take a clear-eyed look at grief, loss, and the practice that carries us when ideas don’t. A surprising story at a garbage dump becomes a Zen lesson: repulsion is a label, value hides in messy places, and steady effort—keep digging—reveals what cynicism would abandon.

From there, we tackle the “Zen disease” of trying to end worry by hating it. Instead of fueling the loop, we lay out a practical rhythm: see it, throw it aside, and keep going. We reframe death through a simple incense metaphor and a richer view of transition over annihilation. The pain of lost access is human; the leap to helplessness is optional. Prayer matters. Even if you can’t “receive,” your “broadcast” still carries. That’s why the 49-day period is so meaningful—consistent petitions can illuminate merit, soften karma, and remind us there are no good or bad people, only actions shaped by conditions.

We also open the door to the wider support network in Buddhist cosmology: guardians who prefer rescue over retribution, Jijang at the thresholds, Amitabha presiding with compassion. Much of our suffering is the friction of forcing earthbound rules onto subtler realms. A more honest stance—understand that I don’t understand—keeps us flexible, kind, and effective. Think of departure and arrival as simultaneous, like a newborn leaving water for air in a single breath, or a cut branch blooming when the tree blooms. Relationship remains.

Join us to reorient grief around presence, practice, and power: care fully while it’s here, let go when it’s gone, and keep digging. If this moved you, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs a steadier way to face loss.

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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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Grief can make the world feel smaller, louder, and strangely unreal. We open that tight space with a clear, compassionate tour of how Zen teachings and modern psychology help us face loss without sliding into nihilism. Rather than treating death as an ending, we talk about change as the constant of life, and how that perspective—grounded in the three seals and the four noble truths—can make love and presence more vivid, not less.

We dig into the Kubler-Ross stages to show how movement, not mastery, matters. Then we get practical: element meditation as an antidote to denial, not a shortcut to “nothing matters”; the second arrow and how to step out of it; and why broken plans, traffic jams, and even a snapped hair clip are small rehearsals for adaptability. If we can practice unhooking in the little moments, we become steadier when the big moments arrive. Along the way, we tackle common misreads of “no-self,” explain why context and teachers matter, and share the mustard seed lesson that proves no house is untouched by loss.

This conversation isn’t a command to care less; it’s a toolkit for caring better. Timing and tact matter when someone is raw, and philosophy without heart can wound. So we advocate for gentle exposure, daily practice, and using Buddhist insights to prepare the mind rather than trying to bend the world. The goal is simple and demanding: feel fully, avoid getting stuck, and let acceptance deepen love instead of erasing it. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so others can find these tools. What small practice will you try today?

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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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Missed us? We’re back with fresh momentum, an international precept ceremony under our belt, and a major access upgrade: live Zoom captions so students can follow teachings in their own language. We share how opening our doors wider reshapes practice—removing excuses, tightening community bonds, and letting curiosity turn into daily discipline no matter where you live.

A listener’s question sparks the heart of the conversation: Are there living Buddhas, and would we know them? What makes a bodhisattva different from the rest of us who have Buddha nature? We unpack the meanings of Buddha (original nature and the historical Shakyamuni), the role of vows in Mahayana, and why waiting for enlightenment before helping others is a trap. Instead, we explore how to embody compassion and right conduct now, so the spirit of the bodhisattvas shows up in ordinary life—emails, families, and crowded schedules included.

We also address a subtle danger: turning profound teachings into slogans. Calling Buddha “living” risks reducing the unborn to the realm of coming and going. Misreading emptiness as a void can feed complacency or nihilism, and spiritual ego loves to hide behind big words. Our antidote is simple and demanding: share only what you truly know, lift only what you can carry, and ask for help when the load is heavy. If each person offers a spoonful, the eleventh person eats. Practice becomes portable—like a tent you fold and move to higher ground as your understanding matures.

Join us for a grounded, practical, and compassionate exploration of Buddha nature, bodhisattva vows, and the everyday moves that keep the path alive. If this resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with a friend who could use a clear, kind nudge toward practice today.

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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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Support the show

Dr. Ruben Lambert can be found at wisdomspring.com

Ven. MyongAhn Sunim can be found at soshimsa.org

FAN MAIL - Send us a comment or a topic suggestion

The journey through wisdom begins where intellect ends. This episode explores the transformation of the five roots in Buddhism into active powers that can fundamentally change how we navigate life's challenges.

At its core, wisdom in Zen isn't merely intellectual understanding but a profound shift in perception. Host Myung Han Sunim unpacks the concept of Shilsang Banya – the silent, all-encompassing wisdom that exists within us, waiting to be accessed. Unlike Western notions of wisdom as clever problem-solving, this innate wisdom has stillness as its primary quality, serving as the source from which deeper understanding emerges.

What makes this teaching particularly valuable is the practical distinction between merely possessing wisdom as a dormant root versus wielding it as an active power in daily life. Through intentional practice (Suhing), we learn to transform these roots into powers that consciously inform our behavior and decisions. Myung Han Sunim offers a compelling analogy: reading a cookbook doesn't make a peach cobbler – only the actual practice of baking brings the recipe to life. Similarly, spiritual wisdom must be embodied through practice rather than merely intellectualized.

The most liberating aspect of cultivating wisdom is its ability to free us from unnecessary suffering. When we develop Kwanjo Banya – the wisdom that sees beyond surface appearances – we recognize the impermanent nature of all things. This understanding allows us to release attachment to permanence, significantly reducing our suffering when favorite possessions break or circumstances change. As Myung Han Sunim beautifully articulates, "Every favorite thing that I have will change... The thing, whatever it is, even one nanosecond later, is already different."

Share your questions and experiences with these teachings – there's no greater fortune-making in Buddhist tradition than helping alleviate the suffering of others by pointing to the path that has benefited you.

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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 prevents us from accessing the stillness that already resides within us? MyongAhn Sunim tackles this profound question in our continuing exploration of the Five Roots, focusing today on Jong Kun—the root of meditation, stillness, and quietude.

This episode unpacks a revolutionary perspective: we already possess everything needed for transformation. The root of meditation isn't something external to acquire but an innate quality waiting to be consciously activated. When we recognize and intentionally direct this inherent capacity for stillness, it transforms from a passive root into an active power (Orlyok)—specifically, the power of meditative absorption (samme).

MyongAhn Sunim illuminates a fascinating paradox of human experience: our minds can effortlessly leap between thoughts in ordinary circumstances, yet become paralyzed when gripped by strong emotions or rigid viewpoints. "I stand in my own way," he explains, pointing to the ego as the primary obstacle to accessing our innate qualities. This insight offers a liberating truth—we're not fundamentally blocked from our inner resources by external barriers, but by our own unconscious patterns of thinking.

The teaching extends beyond meditation to challenge how we approach spiritual growth itself. "You cannot read yourself into enlightenment," Myung An Sunim emphasizes, cautioning against mistaking intellectual understanding for embodied wisdom. True transformation requires practice, not just consumption of information—a timely reminder in our knowledge-hoarding culture.

Perhaps most practical is the discussion of noticing the subtle gaps of silence between thoughts, those hairline fractures in our mental chatter where stillness already exists. Meditation practice trains us to recognize these momentary spaces of quietude that have always been present but typically go unnoticed in our busy mental landscape.

Share your experiences or questions with us by submitting a recording for future episodes. How has this perspective on meditation as an innate quality changed your approach to practice? We'd love to hear from you as we continue exploring the transformation of roots into powers.

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Dr. Ruben Lambert can be found at wisdomspring.com

Ven. MyongAhn Sunim can be found at soshimsa.org