This Very Moment

Dream Yoga to Sleep Science | Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

In this episode of This Very Moment, we sit down with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, a revered master of the Bön tradition of Tibet. Rinpoche traces the distinctive qualities of Bön, from Dzogchen to astrology, cosmology, and elemental practices. Though often misunderstood and overshadowed, Bön’s core teachings share a common ground with Buddhist traditions, particularly the Nyingma tradition with Dzogchen as its core component. Rinpoche describes his unique upbringing, as he was raised by a Gelug father and a Bön mother, and how he was educated in a Christian boarding school. Later, he trained in a Bön monastery under his primary teacher, Yongdzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak. The highlight of the conversation is his exploration of the Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep. He introduces his newest concept of “Free Identity Zones,” explaining how sleep gives us the opportunity for true freedom and healing. During deep sleep, the body is temporarily free of the mind, allowing for deep restorative rest. Likewise, during REM cycles, the mind has a chance to be temporarily free of the body, allowing for cognitive growth and emotional healing. Both of these moments of Free Identity are essential for healing physically, emotionally, and mentally. Beyond the meditation cushion, Rinpoche shares his unexpected passions for longevity science, tracking health biomarkers, and breaking out of traditional boxes to embrace modern knowledge. Finally, Rinpoche reflects on his teachers, Yongdzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak and Lopon Sangye Tenzin, and the profound influence they had on him. After nearly 40 years of teaching in the West, Rinpoche remains an inspirational voice in the Bön Buddhist community, specifically Ligmincha International [https://ligmincha.org/], where he serves as the founder and director. In addition to his ongoing teaching and non-profit work, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will be teaching a special course on Tibetan Dream Yoga this summer. Click here to learn more [https://www.shambhala.com/courses/the-tibetan-yogas-of-dream-and-sleep]. Timestamps 02:38 – What “Yoga” Actually Means Breaking down the deeper meaning beyond physical practice 09:02 – What Is Dream Yoga? Foundations of dream practice and why it matters 10:37 – Using Dreams to Understand Yourself Lucidity, awareness, and interpreting dream experiences 14:07 – Sleep, Biometrics & Daily Awareness Tracking HRV, REM, and how habits affect consciousness 19:52 – Living Beyond Identity The idea of an “identity-free zone” and conditioning 31:12 – Letting Go of a Fixed Life Path Living without rigid goals and trusting what unfolds 34:47 – Fear, Upbringing & Human Potential How fear shapes (or limits) development 45:02 – Mortality & Living Fully Why awareness of death sharpens how we live

From Hardship to Heart-Opening | Diane Musho Hamilton

Episode 7 of This Very Moment features Zen teacher, meditator, and author Diane Musho Hamilton in a rich conversation about learning to be with life as it is. Diane shares how early encounters with loss and grief left her existentially overwrought. Despite being raised in a family with strong spiritual roots in the Mormon tradition and surrounded by a nurturing natural landscape, she felt that life’s deeper questions were left unanswered. Literature and philosophy were helpful guides, but she needed something more. That something was first discovered at the Naropa Institute (now Naropa University [https://www.naropa.edu/]), later deepened with her teacher Genpo Roshi [https://www.bigmind.org/Meet-Genpo-Roshi], and further expanded by her training and practice with Ken Wilber [https://www.shambhala.com/ken-wilber/] and the Integral Institute [https://integrallife.com/]. According to Diane, “If Trungpa Rinpoche revealed the Dharma world and Genpo Roshi introduced me to emptiness and to the depths of zazen, then I would say that Ken Wilber gave me permission to evolve and to consider questions and perspectives about spiritual practice that are really pertinent to our time.” Modeling the profound impact of her Buddhist training, Diane vividly describes how she uses life’s suffering and hardship as a path to awakening, relying on “the confidence that there is something profound, enduring, and inherent that knows how to be with what is.” In a final comment, Diane summarizes key themes of her newest book, Waking Up and Growing Up [https://www.shambhala.com/waking-up-and-growing-up.html], coauthored with her student Gabe Kaigen Wilson [https://www.shambhala.com/authors/u-z/gabriel-kaigen-wilson.html], explaining the importance of training in contemplative depth and relationship skills for contemporary practitioners. The conversation closes with her current focus on succession, community, and the simple, enduring happiness of tending a garden. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction   Host framing the conversation and Diane’s work. 00:00:56 – Childhood & Early Life in Rural Utah  First question begins about her upbringing and earliest memories. 00:02:10 – Mormon Culture & Family Religious Influence  Deeper shift into Mormon identity, family structure, and worldview. 00:08:36 – Discovering Buddhism & Naropa Institute  Clear transition into her exposure to Buddhism and formal study. 00:12:59 – Zen Practice & Spiritual Teachers  Shift into deeper training, including Zen lineage and mentorship. 00:16:03 – Mediation Work & Conflict Resolution Path  First explicit pivot into her professional work in mediation. 00:28:07 – Communication, Shadow Work & Facilitation  Expansion into applied work: communication, conflict, and integration. 00:50:52 – Presence, Awareness & “This Very Moment”  Conversation lands in core philosophy of awareness and lived practice.

Skepticism, Skateboarding, and Samadhi | Devendra Banhart

In this episode, musician and visual artist Devendra Banhart sits down with Ivan Bercholz for an intimate conversation about how Buddhist practice, books, and subculture have shaped his life and work, leading him to This Very Moment. From his early years of skateboarding (before it was cool) to his segue into indie-folk music, Devendra has always leaned into counterculture, providing the perfect foundation to esotericism and the Buddhadharma. Raised in a spiritual home, Devendra’s parents practiced and studied with a Hindu teacher; however, through his own exploration and experience, he discovered that the Buddhist teachings are the one true support for his life, art, and music. With honesty, depth, and humor, Devendra describes his interactions with his root teacher, Neten Chokling Rinpoche [https://chokling-tersar.org/neten-chokling-rinpoche/], as well as Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche [https://khyentsefoundation.org/who-we-are/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/], which pushed him to go beyond doubt, hardship, and insecurity both as an artist and a practitioner. Through winding storytelling, Devendra shares his deep appreciation of the universal spiritual principles that he’s encountered through books, teachers, and music, while returning again and again to his personal devotion to the Buddhist teachings. Watch this interview or read the episode show notes at shambhala.com/podcast [http://shambhala.com]. Timestamps 00:00 Devendra Banhart on Spirituality, Music & Creative Life 09:04 Religion, Culture & Finding Community 15:38 Skateboarding, Freedom & Everyday Joy 21:14 Stage Fright, Performing & Substances in Music 27:51 The Sacrifices of a Creative Life 34:00 Why Spiritual Certainty Can Be Dangerous 39:36 Laurie Anderson and Other Influences 54:00 Performing Against My Will & Working with Fear 01:03:46 Lamas Are Superheroes

The Nomadic Life of the Lazy Lama | Ringu Tulku Rinpoche

In this intimate conversation, eminent Tibetan Buddhist master and scholar Ringu Tulku Rinpoche traces his extraordinary life shaped by exile, rigorous study, a lifetime of practice and teaching across cultures, leading him to this very moment. He describes his early years studying and practicing under Khenpo Tsöndrü, the Sixteenth Karmapa, and his main teacher Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, as well as a variety of teachers from the Kagyu Nyingma, Geluk, and Sakya traditions lending to his rimé (nonsectarian) training. Rinpoche also highlights two major lay influences: Professor N. C. Sinha, who shaped his understanding of history and ethics, and Freda Bedi, who nurtured his English, cross-cultural awareness, and early teaching activity. Reminiscing on his early education, Rinpoche describes his experiences studying at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies [https://cihts.ac.in/] in Sarnath and later his unanticipated 8-year appointment translating textbooks into Tibetan for the education department in Sikkim, followed by 17 years of teaching Tibetan Language and Literature at the college level before “retiring” and continuing his teaching internationally. Since 1990, Rinpoche has been traveling and teaching Buddhism at over 50 universities, institutes, and Buddhist centers in Europe, Australia, Asia, and North America, as well as participating in interfaith dialogues and academic conferences, making him a true nomad and advocate of the nonsectarian impulse. Watch this interview or read the episode show notes at shambhala.com/podcast [http://shambhala.com]. *Photo of Rinpoche courtesy of Gerry McCulloch [https://www.darshanaphotoart.co.uk/Gerry]. Timestamps 00:00:38 – Growing up in Kham 00:05:19 – Early memories and inspiration 00:12:27 – Meeting his root guru, Digo Khyentse Rinpoche 00:25:32 – The friendship between Khyentse Rinpoche and the 16th Karmapa 00:27:41 – Non-Buddhist influences (Professor N. C. Sinha and Freda Bedi) 00:32:32 – The transition from student to teacher 00:41:06 – Teaching internationally 00:54:09 – The production of the Lazy Lama Looks at Buddhist Meditation book series 00:57:15 – Current projects and activities 01:03:50 – The most important teaching Books by the Author * Path to Buddhahood [https://www.shambhala.com/path-to-buddhahood.html]: Teachings on Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation * The Ri-me Philosophy of Jamgön Kongtrul the Great [https://www.shambhala.com/authors/o-t/ringu-tulku/the-ri-me-philosophy-of-jamgon-kongtrul-the-great-1265.html]: A Study of the Buddhist Lineages of Tibet * Confusion Arises as Wisdom [https://www.shambhala.com/authors/o-t/ringu-tulku/confusion-arises-as-wisdom-2073.html]: Gampopa’s Heart Advice on the Path of * Daring Steps [https://www.shambhala.com/authors/o-t/ringu-tulku/daring-steps-2199.html]: Traversing the Path of the Buddha * Mind Training [https://www.shambhala.com/authors/o-t/ringu-tulku/mind-training-2301.html]

The Intersection of Music and Spirituality | Pamela Ayo Yetunde

This episode features author, theologist, and Community Dharma Leader, Pamela Ayo Yetunde [https://www.shambhala.com/authors/u-z/pamela-ayo-yetunde.html?_gl=1*ddphrx*_gcl_au*MTIyMjA4NDE4OC4xNzYwOTkwNzMx*_ga*MjAwMzEyODEwNS4xNzM3NjQyNTQ1*_ga_S6ETLGBJ55*czE3NjU5ODk0MjYkbzQ4MSRnMSR0MTc2NTk5MDYwNSRqNDMkbDAkaDEyMTE4MzIzMjg.]. Hear about Ayo’s upbringing and early roots in the church and Black Christian community, and how her love of music and poetry spawned a deep appreciation of the spiritual and symbolic elements hidden within artistic compositions. Ayo discusses influential figures, authors, and musicians from Gandhi, bell hooks, and Audre Lorde to American singer and songwriter, India Arie. In particular, she cites the pop icon Prince as having a significant influence on her life and work, underscored in her recent book Dearly Beloved: Prince, Spirituality and This Thing Called Life [https://amzn.to/453o8Jo]. All these early experiences and more ripened Ayo to explore the heartfelt dimensions of healing and spirituality, starting with the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh [https://www.shambhala.com/thich-nhat-hanh/?_gl=1%2A15diibf%2A_gcl_au%2AMTIyMjA4NDE4OC4xNzYwOTkwNzMx%2A_ga%2AMjAwMzEyODEwNS4xNzM3NjQyNTQ1%2A_ga_S6ETLGBJ55%2AczE3NjU5ODk0MjYkbzQ4MSRnMSR0MTc2NTk5MDU4OCRqNjAkbDAkaDEyMTE4MzIzMjg.] followed by Insight Meditation teacher Gil Fronsdal [https://www.shambhala.com/authors/a-f/gil-fronsdal.html?_gl=1*25lnhn*_gcl_au*MTIyMjA4NDE4OC4xNzYwOTkwNzMx*_ga*MjAwMzEyODEwNS4xNzM3NjQyNTQ1*_ga_S6ETLGBJ55*czE3NjU5ODk0MjYkbzQ4MSRnMSR0MTc2NTk5MDE4MCRqMjIkbDAkaDEyMTE4MzIzMjg.] and her work early on with the Zen Hospice Project alongside beloved volunteer coordinator Eric Poché. The cumulation of these experiences and more are what brought her to This Very Moment. In addition to discussing her life and work, this interview focuses on the intersection of music and spirituality, aligned with Ayo’s current exploration of theolyricology [https://www.pamelaayoyetunde.com/about], a term coined by Ayo meaning “the study of song lyrics about God, gods, spirituality, and/or the divine.” Watch this interview or read the episode show notes at shambhala.com/podcast [http://shambhala.com]. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Ayo Yetunde and her work 00:52 – Early life, church roots, and spiritual beginnings 06:10 – Music, poetry, and creative expression as formation 13:45 – Hospice work and being with death and grief 22:30 – Black Buddhist organizing and community building 32:05 – Editing Black and Buddhist and shaping collective voice 41:20 – Theolyricology: studying song lyrics about the divine 52:10 – Wisdom, practice, and sustaining spiritual life 01:06:40 – Closing reflections and where to find Ayo’s work Books by the Author: * Casting Indra’s Net [https://www.shambhala.com/authors/u-z/pamela-ayo-yetunde/casting-indras-net.html] * Black and Buddhist [https://www.shambhala.com/authors/u-z/pamela-ayo-yetunde/black-and-buddhist.html]