Living Clarity

Why do relationships sometimes hurt?

In this episode, Gen Kelsang Leksang explores one of life’s great mysteries — why do the people we care about most sometimes cause us the greatest pain? She begins by drawing a clear distinction between two things we often mistake for the same feeling: love and attachment. One is a source of lasting peace; the other, she explains, is like chasing a mirage. Through relatable examples she exposes the negative emotional mechanics functioning in our closest relationships. And offers a way out. Further reading in the following book: How to Transform Your Life [https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-transform-your-life]

What are we really afraid of?

In this episode, Gen Kelsang Lhachog, talks about our fears — of failure, loss, loneliness, or rejection. First she explains the difference between fear that can help and protect us, such as fear of deadly Australian snakes! And fears that paralyse our happiness and wellbeing. She then drills down to what is under those fears — the root fear that affects us all. Further reading in the following books: The New Eight Steps to Happiness [https://kadampa.org/book/eight-steps-to-happiness] How to Solve Our Human Problems [https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-solve-our-human-problems]

Small Actions That Change Everything

Kadam Bridget explains how we can actively shape our future through small, everyday acts of kindness. She shares a story about someone living in a community whose quiet contributions were only noticed after her death showing that creating positive karma doesn’t require world-changing heroics, just a good intention to benefit others. Everyone can transform their lives. Further reading in the following book: How to Transform Your Life [https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-transform-your-life]

Taking the pain out of loss

The sadness we feel when we go through loss or separation is not coming from the loss itself, it’s coming from the irrational mind of attachment. Buddha gives scientific teachings on how our pain is created by this and other negative states of mind. Based on Understanding The Mind by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Gen Gomlam explains that by understanding the distinction between love and attachment and realising how Buddhist wisdom overcomes this irrational and painful mind, we can heal our emotional pain. Further reading in the following book: How to Understand the Mind [https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-understand-the-mind]

Committed to happiness

In this episode, Kadam Adam Starr explores why, even when we try to slow down, our minds remain busy and easily pulled into distraction. Reading from The New Eight Steps to Happiness by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, he explains that although our deepest wish has always been to be happy and free from suffering, we often look for happiness only in external conditions, which leaves us feeling stressed, restless, and unfulfilled. In this excerpt, Kadam Adam explains how by committing to the inner work of training the mind, while continuing our normal lives, we can gradually reduce distraction, restore balance, and discover the deeper, more stable happiness we have been searching for all along. Further reading in the following book: The New Eight Steps to Happiness [https://kadampa.org/book/eight-steps-to-happiness]