In this episode, I explore what I believe to be one of the most urgent Buddhist teachings for our current moment: Right Speech. Many people associate Buddhism with stress reduction or calming the mind, and while those benefits are real, the path is far more robust. It offers a way to wake up, to see clearly, and to live everyday life with more meaning, compassion, and courage.

I also share a story that unfolded early this morning at Austin’s Barton Springs pool—an unexpected confrontation between two dog owners that I somehow stepped right into. It wasn’t pretty. I wasn’t pretty! As I reflected on what happened, I realized it offered a lens for examining Right Speech, what it is, what it isn’t, and how challenging it can be to practice it in real time.

Right Speech is the third step on the Noble Eightfold Path, following Right View and Right Intention. It is essential. Speech is our bridge to one another and a central part of the path. In this episode, I walk through the four characteristics of wrong speech, the five questions to ask yourself before speaking, and the ways in which our words—and the intention behind them—shape the world.

I close with a song for our podcast after-party: “Wichita Lineman,” written by Jimmy Webb and recorded by Glen Campbell, one of the most beautiful and mournful songs I know.

Highlights

• Why Buddhism is more than mindfulness or stress relief
• Why Right Speech may be the most vital teaching for our time
• A real-life story about conflict, dogs, and my unplanned intervention
• The four kinds of wrong speech: lying, divisive speech, abusive speech, idle speech
• Five questions to ask before speaking:
  • Is it the right time?
  • Is it truthful?
  • Is it gentle or kind?
  • Is it beneficial?
  • Is it spoken with goodwill?
• Reflections on whether my own speech this morning met any of these criteria
• Why awareness of speech is a profound spiritual practice

Thank you for listening, for sharing the podcast with anyone who might enjoy it, and for being part of this exploration of the dharma. I’ll see you next week.

Music Segment

“Wichita Lineman,” written by Jimmy Webb and recorded by Glen Campbell in 1968, is a spacious, aching ballad often hailed as one of the greatest songs ever written. Its haunting melody, iconic six-string bass solo, and portrait of quiet longing make it a perfect companion for reflection.

Watch this episode on video
If you’d like to watch the podcast, the video version is available here.

Ask me a question
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If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode of Buddhism Beyond Belief, I explore how we can keep our meditation practice genuinely spiritual without making it complicated, performative, or “weird.” After more than thirty years of practice, I’ve learned that depth comes from sincerity, not technique. The simplest form of meditation—just sitting—can open profound dimensions of patience, clarity, confusion, authenticity, and genuine confidence.

I share a story from a long retreat in the Colorado Rockies, where I unexpectedly found myself helping to produce a classical music recording inside a sacred building called the Great Stupa. Unsure how to preserve the serenity of the space, I asked my teacher for guidance. He offered three simple instructions that continue to shape my practice today: make offerings, request blessings, and dedicate the merit.

In this episode, I talk about what each step means, how it can frame a daily practice, and why ritual helps us sustain a spiritual view without needing anything elaborate. I also reflect on how the effects of meditation show themselves–not during the practice, but in the rest of our lives.

I close this episode with music I love. This time, I share “Double Trouble” by the incomparable Otis Rush—one of the most haunting, emotionally searing blues artists of all time. I talk about his unusual left-handed, upside-down guitar style, the mystery of the track’s opening lyric, and my own early encounters with Otis Rush that left an indelible mark on me.

Highlights:

• Why approaching meditation as a ritual can deepen the spiritual dimension of practice
• A story from a Colorado retreat and making a recording inside the Great Stupa
  The three steps my teacher offered for keeping practice sacred:
  • Make offerings: Enter practice with generosity by offering your present-moment heart
  • Request blessings: Turn toward the sources of wisdom you hold in the highest regard
  • Dedicate the merit: Offer whatever goodness arises to benefit all beings
• How simplicity in meditation can lead to profound effects in daily life
• Reflections on Otis Rush’s unique sound and the emotional power of “Double Trouble”
• Memories of encountering his music and how it shaped my understanding of depth and authenticity
  
  
  

Music Segment

The episode ends with “Double Trouble” by Otis Rush—a dark, piercing, beautifully restrained blues performance that reveals how much can be said with very few notes.

Watch this episode on video
If you’d like to watch the podcast, the video version is available here.

Ask me a question
You can send your questions via Instagram DM or through

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project

In this episode of Buddhism Beyond Belief, I explore how we truly enter the path—not through esoteric or “advanced” practices, but by grounding ourselves in simple awareness and presence. After more than thirty years of practice and teaching, I’ve come to see that depth in meditation isn’t about complexity. It’s about sincerity—how fully we can find our breath, sit with our mind, and meet life as it is.

I share what the Tibetan Buddhist tradition calls the seven characteristics of a Dharmic person—qualities that guide anyone, Buddhist or not, toward wisdom and compassion. Together, they offer a map for living with steadiness, clarity, and an open heart, even when life feels messy or painful.

I also tell a story about grief, and how the seemingly simple quality of good conduct can become an act of warriorship—opening to heartbreak instead of turning away.

And as always, I close with music I love: this time, “Swim Away” by the late Toni Price—an artist of rare authenticity whose voice carries both ache and freedom.

Highlights:

• Why Buddhism is not just about stress reduction, but about liberation and living fully.
• Why “advanced” practices mean nothing without the ability to find your breath.
• The Seven Characteristics of a Dharmic Person:
  1. Passionlessness: Tolerating life’s small irritations without chasing perfection.
  2. Contentment: Slowing down to appreciate the everydayness of daily life.
  3. Fewer Activities: Creating space by loosening the grip of constant doing.
  4. Good Conduct: Living with care, attention, and courage to face what is painful.
  5. Awareness of the Teacher: Recognizing and honoring the sources of wisdom that awaken you.
  6. Propagating Prajna (Wisdom): Bringing what you’ve verified as true into daily life.
  7. An Attitude of Goodness: Trusting your inherent wholeness—your Buddha nature.
• Reflections on grief, love, and the courage to open to heartbreak.
  A story from Sharon Salzberg and the Dalai Lama on self-esteem and basic goodness.
• How Buddhist faith is not rooted in belief, but in living what you’ve discovered to be true.
  
  
  

Music Segment

The episode ends with “Swim Away” by Toni Price—a haunting acapella piece about longing to return home.

Watch this episode on video
If you’d like to watch the podcast, the video version is available here.

Ask me a question
You can send your questions via Instagram DM or through

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

©Open Heart Project