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), later deepened with her teacher Genpo Roshi, and further expanded by her training and practice with Ken Wilber and the Integral Institute.

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, coauthored with her student Gabe Kaigen Wilson, 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.

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, as well as Dzongsar 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.

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

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 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.

*Photo of Rinpoche courtesy of Gerry McCulloch.

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: Teachings on Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation
• The Ri-me Philosophy of Jamgön Kongtrul the Great: A Study of the Buddhist Lineages of Tibet
• Confusion Arises as Wisdom: Gampopa’s Heart Advice on the Path of
• Daring Steps: Traversing the Path of the Buddha
• Mind Training

This episode features author, theologist, and Community Dharma Leader, Pamela Ayo Yetunde. 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. 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 followed by Insight Meditation teacher Gil Fronsdal 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, 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.

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
• Black and Buddhist

This episode features Dungzin Garab Dorje Rinpoche, the son and dharma heir of his father, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche. Learn about his upbringing and early introductions to the deepest layers of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. From his early studies to empowerments and teachings from some of the most revered Buddhist masters, Rinpoche shares stories about how the Buddhadharma took root in his heart, leading him to become a renowned throne holder in the Dudjom lineage in This Very Moment.

In this interview, Rinpoche recalls early memories of living and studying Buddhism in Darjeeling at Kangyur Rinpoche’s gompa as a young boy, followed by intensive study at Mindrolling and Palyul. He describes how his connection with his father developed as he matured. Slowly he began to witness his father’s teachings and the vision he had for him with more clarity, transforming their relationship from father and son to teacher and disciple. Likewise, he reminisces his remarkable familial connection with Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche (paternal grandfather) and Sonam Zangpo Rinpoche (maternal grandfather), as well as the challenges and auspicious connections required to build the Rangjung Woesel Choeling Monastery and his extensive dharma activities seen today.

Watch this interview or read the episode show notes at shambhala.com/podcast.

Timestamps

• 00:00 — Intro & guest overview: Garab Dorje Rinpoche, Throma Nagmo/Chöd, and his remarkable family lineage.
• 05:00 — Early life in Bhutan: strict upbringing, morning prayers, and how his father shaped his discipline.
• 20:00 — Entering monastic life: being sent to monastery/retreat settings, adapting to training, and first major influences.
• 30:00 — Formal studies & turning points: philosophy training, teachers, and the weight of responsibilities amid personal loss.
• 40:14 — Building for the sangha: renting land, plans for temples/hostels, and the Singapore fundraising story tied to his mother’s passing.
• 54:24 — Founding Throma lay groups: how and why he began organizing Throma/Krodhikali practice communities in Bhutan.
• 60:17 — Propagating Dudjom lineage today: vision for temples, nunneries, monastic education, and challenges like fewer young monks.
• 70:02 — Initiations explained: Root vs. Supreme Initiation, samaya commitments, and why practitioner cards are required.
• 80:00 — Teaching on the road + stories: traveling to students, benefits/miracles of practice, and reflections on lay vs. Dharma perspectives.

Join Ivan and Sara Bercholz (co-owners of Shambhala Publications) in conversation with the renowned yoga teaching couple Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor. From the ‘60s music scene to transcendental philosophy, Eastern thought, holistic psychology, and integrated health, through their first discoveries of yoga and meditation and travels to India and Iran, we get a glimpse into the early experiences that carried them forward to becoming the revered yoga practitioners and teachers that they are in This Very Moment.

In this interview we learn about Richard and Mary’s early upbringing and the environment that inspired them to embark on the spiritual path. With their signature warmth, hear how Richard and Mary found their way to the Buddhist and yogic tradition through the waves of hippy counterculture, revolt against the Vietnam War, and the growing tension in the Middle East. Learn about their early interactions with their teachers K. Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar, and the origin story of their relationship and how they became co-teachers.

Watch this interview or read the episode show notes at shambhala.com/podcast.

Timestamps

00:00 – Getting Started & Meet Richard and Mary

09:45 – How Breath Shapes Awareness

20:30 – Finding Balance Between Effort and Surrender

33:00 – The Mind-Body Connection in Practice

47:15 – Teachers, Mentors, and Keeping Yoga Real

59:20 – Relationships, Compassion, and Daily Life

1:12:10 – Emptiness, Wholeness, and Letting Go1:22:00 – Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts

In this inaugural episode, Ivan Bercholz (co-owner of Shambhala Publications) queries John Canti, a founding member of the Padmakara Translation Group, about the path that has led him to This Very Moment.

We learn about John’s family lineage and childhood, his spiritual roots and early skepticism toward religion, as well as the pivotal moments that led him to embrace Buddhist teachings. He reflects on the impact of early teachers, pop culture, and significant encounters with key lamas, ultimately emphasizing the importance in his life of having multiple teachers. The discussion highlights the ongoing quest for understanding the nature of mind and the winding path of the journey toward that end.

Watch this interview or read the episode show notes at shambhala.com/podcast.

Chapters:

00:00 Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche influence 

06:27 Wrapping up work in Nepal and Three-Year Retreat in France 

13:48 Lessons from the Retreat: Expectations vs. Reality 

25:19 Spending time with Dudjom Rinpoche at the end of his life 

30:01 Stories of the Kudung and bringing to Nepal

45:08 Personal Stories with Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

01:01:35 Core Teachings: Understanding Mind and Awareness 

In this inaugural episode, Ivan Bercholz (co-owner of Shambhala Publications) queries John Canti, a founding member of the Padmakara Translation Group, about the path that has led him to This Very Moment.

We learn about John’s family lineage and childhood, his spiritual roots and early skepticism toward religion, as well as the pivotal moments that led him to embrace Buddhist teachings. He reflects on the impact of early teachers, pop culture, and significant encounters with key lamas, ultimately emphasizing the importance in his life of having multiple teachers. The discussion highlights the ongoing quest for understanding the nature of mind and the winding path of the journey toward that end.

Watch this interview or read the episode show notes at shambhala.com/podcast.

Timestamps  

00:00 Introduction to Spiritual Upbringing 

06:29 Family Background and Early Influences 

10:03 Religious Perspectives and Family Dynamics 

16:30 Early Teachers and Inspirations 

21:00 Cultural Influences and Personal Growth 

29:03 Ignition of Spiritual Interest 

36:42 Exploring Buddhist Texts and Teachings 

40:24 First interactions with Lamas 

47:43 Meeting the Great Lamas: A Transformative Encounter 

51:27 The Path of Study: Balancing Medicine and Buddhism 

01:01:18 The Impact of Kangyur Rinpoche: A Lasting Impression