Zen on the Road: A Truck Driver’s Practice

Mindfulness for Teens, Retreat, and Real Connection with Devon Sangster Rath and Anthony Maes

In this episode of Mindful Mud, I speak with Devon Sangster Rath and Anthony Maes ("T") about mindfulness for teens, the deep support a retreat setting can offer, and the kind of authenticity that is needed when working with adolescents. We explore the work of Inward Bound Mindfulness, also known as I Be Me, and talk about how retreat can become a safe and powerful space for real transformation. Devon and Anthony share their personal paths into mindfulness, what makes teen retreats both deep and accessible, and why no tech can be surprisingly healing for young people. We speak about connection, the importance of feeling safe enough to be real, and the kinds of shifts that can stay with teens for life. We also talk about Dharma Homies, their daily relational mindfulness group on Zoom that is open to everyone. This is a heartfelt conversation about presence, belonging, and the healing power of mindful community.

Renshin Bunce, Hospice Chaplain and Zen Priest: The Sacredness of Living and Dying

In this intimate and unflinching conversation, I speak with Zen teacher and former hospice chaplain Renshin Bunce about life, death, and the tender space where they meet. We do not shy away from naming things as they are. Renshin shares personally from her own path, her years of hospice chaplaincy, and the many different ways people approach dying. With honesty, warmth, and a clear Zen flavor, this episode explores what it means to show up with presence at the threshold of death, how our culture often avoids this sacred reality, and why talking about dying matters so deeply. Renshin shares stories, reflections, and insights into the spiritual and practical dimensions of end of life, reminding us that death is not separate from life, but intimately woven into it.

Healing Together in a Time of Climate Crisis with Ecopsychologist Hanna Nielsen

In this episode of Mindful Mud, I speak with ecopsychologist Hanna Nielsen about how we can stay present, human, and connected in a time of climate crisis, grief, anxiety, and overwhelm. We explore what ecopsychology is, what an eco chaplain offers, and why so much of our suffering is rooted in our disconnect from nature, from each other, and from ourselves. This is a conversation for anyone longing for real hope and grounded tools. We talk about healing in community, nervous system support, the power of grief as an expression of love, nature meditation, and how resilience can grow through deep inner work and shared practice. Hanna also shares about the 10 step Good Grief Network approach and her own offerings that help people reconnect and not burn out in the work for climate justice. A rich and heartening conversation about healing together, and remembering that another way of being is possible.

Dr Yang Jwing-Ming: Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and the Meaning of Life.

On today’s Mindful Mud episode, I speak with Dr Yang Jwing-Ming, world-renowned martial arts master and founder of YMAA. I’ve been fortunate to train with him for over a decade in Qi Gong and Tai Chi Chuan. In this conversation, we explore the depth of these practices and the philosophy behind them. We begin with Dr. Yang’s own path into martial arts, then explore what Qi is, what Qi Gong is, and why feeling matters most in these practices. We talk about the Yin and Yang dimension of life, the role of breath, and the difference between true relaxation and collapse. From there we open into more explorations: the connection of our physical health and spiritual life, wisdom mind and emotional mind, and the deeper essence of Qi Gong and Tai Chi Chuan as a way to live with more clarity, steadiness, and joy. Come listen if you’re ready for less stress, more vitality, and a path that supports a wiser, more meaningful life.

Zen on the Road: A Truck Driver’s Practice

In this episode of Mindful Mud, we explore Zen on the road with long-haul trucker, musician, and longtime Zen practitioner Jim Spencer (Inaka Crackerbox Jimmy). With more than 3 million miles behind him, Jim shares what it’s really like to practice in the middle of long days, tight schedules, fatigue, and the steady stream of unpredictability that comes with life on the highway. We talk about what brought him to Zen, how he weaves mindfulness into the ordinary moments, long days behind the wheel, driving through stress, meeting irritation, resting at the end of a day, and how the road itself becomes a teacher. Jim also speaks to the heart behind his work and offers a line that stays with you: “Elevate people’s suffering, that’s my real job.” If you’ve ever wondered whether practice can live inside a busy life, this conversation will encourage you. You don’t need a monastery. You need sincerity, and the willingness to come back to this moment, wherever you are.