The Modern Buddhism Podcast

In today’s episode, Gen Chogma shares her personal journey of working with anxiety and panic attacks, explaining how meditation transformed her relationship with her mind. Drawing on her lived experience and the teachings of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, she explains how intense feelings can seem overwhelmingly real, even when nothing is actually wrong externally, and why it is so important to control our mind—otherwise, it can easily deceive us.
Through clear, honest examples from everyday life, she explores how learning to watch the mind helps us recognize the early stages of anxiety, create inner space, and gradually regain a sense of control. Rather than suppressing difficult emotions, this episode shows how gently pacifying the mind allows thoughts and feelings to settle naturally, like waves calming on an ocean.
This conversation highlights a deeply practical approach to meditation and mental training that many people will find beneficial.

Chapters
00:00 Panic, Anxiety, and First Meditation
05:30 Learning to Watch the Mind
11:00 Feelings, Fear, and Deceptive Appearances
16:30 Acceptance, Impermanence, and Loss
22:00 Using Suffering to Grow Compassion
27:30 Anxiety, Modern Life, and Mental Tools
32:30 Watching the Mind in Daily Life
37:45 Shifting from Self to Others

Book References


In this episode Gen Kelsang Chogma references :


How to Understand the Mind https://kadampa.org/books/how-to-understand-the-mind
Modern Buddhism 
https://kadampa.org/book/modern-buddhism
How to Transform Your Life
 https://howtotyl.com/

Gen Chogma is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide.



Want More?
Find a meditation center near you

https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en
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#NewKadampaTradition #KadampaMeditation #GesheKelsangGyatso #MentalHealthAndMeditation #AnxietyRelief #PanicAttacks #WatchingTheMind #BuddhistPsychology #InnerPeace #MeditationPractice #AcceptanceAndHealing #CompassionTraining #ModernBuddhism #MentalWellbeing #FindingPeace

WHY OUR OWN THOUGHTS THAT SCARE US - & HOW TO FACE THEM
In today’s episode, Kadam Lucy James explores the challenges of modern life and the difficulty many people face in keeping their mind peaceful. Drawing on her experience and the teachings of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, she explains how our minds are often dominated by uncontrolled, anxious, or judgmental thoughts - a state that has become normalized in today’s fast-paced, distraction-filled world. She points out that most people are unable to sit quietly with their own thoughts, and so are forced to fill their life with busyness and distraction, which creates a vicious circle of mental pain.
Using the powerful analogy of the mind as a vast, clear sky and thoughts as passing clouds, she demonstrates how meditation helps us step back from our delusions, gain perspective, and cultivate a deeper sense of self. This episode emphasizes that peace is already present within us, and by gently letting go of distracting thoughts, we can develop the space to be able to deal with things in a more constructive way.
Chapters:
00:00 Peace and Letting Go
02:00 The Basics of Meditation
06:26 Modern Life and Distractions
11:03 Experiment on Sitting with Thoughts
15:45 Fear of Our Own Mind
20:12 Uncontrolled Thoughts and Judgment
24:40 The Mind as a Sky
29:10 Breathing Meditation Practice
34:25 Experiencing Inner Peace
39:00 Building a Healthy Sense of Self
43:50 Long-Term Benefits of Meditation


Book References

Modern Buddhism:

https://kadampa.org/book/modern-buddhism
How to Transform Your Life
:
https://howtotyl.com/

Kadam Lucy James is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide.



Want More?
Find a meditation center near you
:
https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en
Listen to teaching clips
:
https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z
Subscribe to get notifications of new episodes.
#MeditationPractice #AnxietyRelief #InnerPeace #Mindfulness #Buddhism #KadampaBuddhism #MentalClarity #SelfAwareness #PeacefulMind #LettingGo #MindTraining #SpiritualGrowth #Contemplation #MindfulLiving #WisdomTeachings

In today’s episode Gen Kelsang Leksang shares her personal journey from a high-powered corporate career to a spiritual life as a Buddhist nun and teacher. Reflecting on her life, she reveals how experiences that once felt like failures were, in fact, profoundly beneficial—shaping her personal development and inner growth. She explains that when life appears to be falling apart, peace and purpose can be found by letting go of attachment, adjusting our expectations, and training the mind in acceptance.
Drawing on the wisdom of the New Kadampa Tradition, Gen Leksang explores how focusing on others, cultivating compassion, and developing inner acceptance can transform suffering into clarity and confidence. This episode offers heartfelt reflections on death, purpose, career pressure, and happiness — showing how even life’s most painful moments can become profound teachers. Insightful, practical, and uplifting, this conversation gently challenges modern ideas of success and invites us to discover a deeper, more stable happiness that comes from within.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction & Career Shift 
02:16 Searching for Purpose 
02:30 Father’s Illness & Death 
03:36 Refuge, Acceptance, and Peace 
05:33 Learning Through Helping Others 
07:20 Redefining Success and Happiness 
08:10 Finding Depth While Living Fully 
12:32 Pressure, Plans, and Life Direction 
15:13 Career Advice for Young People 
17:09Discovering True Motivation 
20:18 Letting Life Evolve Naturally 
26:46 Inner Peace Is Happiness 
28:02 Acceptance When Life Doesn’t Work Out

Book References
In this episode Gen Leksang references the following books by by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso:
How to Solve our Human Problems https://kadampa.org/book/how-to-solve... 
Modern Buddhism https://kadampa.org/book/modern-buddhism 
How to Transform Your Life https://howtotyl.com/ 

Gen Leksang is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide.

WANT MORE?
Find a meditation center near you:
 https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search... 

 #modernbuddhismpodcast #newkadampatradition #innerpeace #buddhistwisdom#meaningfullife #acceptance #compassion #findingpurpose #meditationpractice #mentalwellbeing

Is it really possible to fulfill your dreams?
Can you be truly happy all the time?
Agnes explores these profound questions with Buddhist nun Kelsang Sama, offering insights into how we can transform our lives by improving our minds with confidence and wisdom. Sama explains how inner change leads to a life that supports spiritual growth and lasting happiness.

Book references:How to Transform Your Life ~ https://kadampa.org/books/free-ebook-...Kelsang Sama is the Resident Teacher at Kadampa Meditation Center Manchester in the UK. https://kmcmanchester.org/The participants of these podcasts are practicing meditation according to the New Kadampa Tradition, which has over a thousand meditation centers worldwide. See more https://kadampa.org/WANT MORE?   • FREEDOM FROM ANXIETY: BUDDHIST MEDITATIONS...  Find a meditation center near you https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search...Listen to teaching clips:    / nktikbu   https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEy... Follow the Modern Buddhism PodcastFacebook:   / modernbuddhismpodcast  Instagram:   / modernbuddhismpodcast   TIkTok:   / modernbuddhismpodcast   #modernbuddhismpodcast #buddhism #podcast #myjourney #InspiringStories #meaningoflife #motivation #BuddhistPodcast #MeditationForChange #personalgrowth #mindfulnesspodcast #Freedom #truestories #emotionalfreedom #RealLifeStories #transformationstories

Buddhist teacher Kadam Morten Clausen talks with Agnes about his 30 years of living and teaching in the Big Apple: the challenges of modern city life and what they've taught him, and his experience of decades of practising meditation and mindfulness in New York City.
Morten is the National Spiritual Director of the New Kadampa Tradition for the Eastern United States and regularly teaches all around the world; he is the resident Teacher at Kadampa Meditation Center New York City: https://meditationinnewyork.org
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The guests of these podcasts are practising Buddhists who meditate according to the New Kadampa Tradition, which has over a thousand meditation centers worldwide. See more https://kadampa.org

WANT MORE?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U5J8JlJq2Y
Find a meditation center near you: https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en
Listen to teaching clips: youtube.com/nktikbu https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z

Follow The Modern Buddhism Podcast
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