Practical Guidance On Mindful Living & Overcoming Common Obstacles – Joseph Goldstein
Practical Guidance On Mindful Living & Overcoming Common Obstacles – Joseph Goldstein
Joseph Goldstein has been a pioneer in bringing eastern wisdom to the west and is certainly one of the worlds most respected Buddhist teachers. Joseph has studied and practiced meditation for over 40 years under the guidance of eminent teachers from India, Burma, and Tibet.
Joseph is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and the Barre Center for Buddhist studies in Massachusetts. He is the author of several practical and powerful books about Mindfulness, Meditation and Buddhism.
In this interview Joseph offers us practical guidance on walking the path to mindful living with more wisdom ease and lightness. You will discover today…
- The common challenges and pitfalls on this path and how to overcome them.
- What ‘waking up’ really means.
- The stages on the path of mindful living
- The common misconceptions and misunderstandings people have about what meditation is and what it can deliver.
- Profound and simple advice for those starting out with mindfulness practice.
Plus enjoy a 15 minute practice of mindfulness led by one of the worlds most respected teachers.
Show Notes
Join the ’31 days of mindfulness challenge’ here
Come and join the community discussions at any time on our Facebook page
Learn more about the Barre Centre For Buddhist Studies.
Check out Josephs upcoming retreats and the Insight Meditation Society.
If you want to explore Josephs books you can also check them out here.
Audio
Video
Transcript
Buy full access pass
Purchase a full access pass to unlock downloads for the full interview transcripts, audio, video and separate audio meditation tracks.
Buy full access pass
Purchase a full access pass to unlock downloads for the full interview transcripts, audio, video and separate audio meditation tracks.
Buy full access pass
Purchase a full access pass to unlock downloads for the full interview transcripts, audio, video and separate audio meditation tracks.
Leave a Comment
About Post Author
585 Responses
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Thank you so much for these resources. I have thoroughly enjoyed the last two interviews. The first speaker was great because I really like how mindfulness has been incorporated in the medical field (I am a RN). I also enjoyed the second speaker today. It shows the depth and breadth of mindfulness. He comes to it from a different angle, which I think gives us a wider lens to see it from. I think we will continue to see mindfulness from different angles as the days progress, at least I am hoping this will be the case. Thanks Melli for organizing and leading the charge! This is wonderful. I am excited for tomorrow’s talk!
Hi Stacia, I really appreciate your comment. We’ve worked really hard putting this together and nothing makes me happier than knowing you’re gaining some benefit : )
Thank you for putting this summit together.
Thank you for tis beautiful insight and experience. Thank you for the exposure to the wealth of knowledge in this particular field. Thank you for the opportunity , thank you for making this happen. Thank you so much for everything.
Having trouble with the audio for the meditation, really ruined the experience for me, however I did pay for the entire summit, so hopefully I can get all this later after the 31 days.
I think each guest so far has been very informative.
Thank you, I’m enjoying these sessions and have found them to be very informative and credible ☺️
🙁 The video sort of freezes at the very beginning and stops; I am not able to move forward…:( Anybody the same problem?
I could only get the sound yesterday, today its fine..
Yes me too
I SO appreciate that Day 1 was left up, as I was not able to access it on Day 1. And I really enjoyed the Day 2 interview–being able to see Joseph Goldstein as he responded to the questions I think will very much add to my further reading of his work. I love the warmth the two of you created.
Thank you so much for providing this opportunity at no charge, since I am not able to pay for downloads at this time. Your generosity is heart-warming, and your enthusiasm absolutely shines–I think I was smiling the whole time I watched 🙂
Another great teacher. An more valuable lessons learnt. Thank you!
As a newcomer to Mindfulness I am finding this summit a FABULOUS experience. It’s only day 2 and I am learning so much. Today I connected with the “mindful communication”, I find that sometimes my mouth runs away with itself and I find myself agreeing too often with the person that I am with. That is something I have been working on for a while but never felt I had the right technique. Now, after Joseph’s talk and meditation it is something that I believe I can practice, practice practice and practice – begin, being and re begin. THANKS. As for the host, well I feel that she has a soothing sense of respect and understanding for her guests. I for one CONGRATULATE the team for putting on this FREE summit for ALL to enjoy and learn from. THANK YOU.
Thank you Joseph for a wonderful meditation .
I really enjoyed the interview, too, thanks so much for making this summit available to all <3
I love the layers of understanding that are coming through from this summit experience, from the intellectual and rational through to the deeply spiritual. With thanks
I agree with all comments, I,ve enjoyed the conversation and the meditation, deeply, and I,ve watched it after reading all the comments (criticism included). All I can say is, yes, the host was sometimes talking nervously, at times maybe too much, but what about if we could hear her with a deep yes, with mindful compassion, as saying yes to the experience of the present moment as it was?, Nothing missing, no more no less, observing it unfolding perfectly as it was.. This is what I was able to experience during this conversation, observing both my critical mind and connecting to my expansive heart. And this is what I invite you to do to enjoy this summit, being compassion a key ingredient of mindful and so important for our everyday lives and our relations. After all, we,re all truly one and what I see and critizice in others is what I don,t like and tolerate about myself.. Thank you all (commentors and organizers of the summit) for allowing me to have this beautiful mindful experience. Namaste
Much love in your words. She’s having an experience with the goal of adding another source of light and clarity. Sometimes the challenge is not to listen as we want, but to listen as it is. Namaste and thank you!
Well-said, Belen. I couldn’t agree more!
Thank you, Belen, for your thoughtful comments. I struggle with my own perfectionism and find my critical mind is judging the host’s performance to the detriment of absorbing the words of the interviewee. So I have recognized what a perfect opportunity this is to practice the skill of mindfulness: Observing my thoughts and judgements, acknowledging them and then releasing them. When I can put aside my judgements, I can appreciate Melli’s genuine commitment to this project, and her warmth and generosity towards her guests. There are lessons to be had everywhere if only we can open our hearts and minds to seeing them.
Thank you very much mr. Goldstein, I enjoyed the interview. Really loved the spinning cat as well. Sounded very simple and easy ????. First thought it was my own, sitting beside me.
Very interesting and education interview thank-you! Loved the meditation too 🙂
Really nice talk today. I think that the idea of living in the moment without letting your dramas and your self-criticism get in the way and interrupt the experience is so enlightened. And if we’re to make one’s self more aware and more compassionate, it gotta start from within. I’ll take a moment to think about this today. Thank you, professor.
I think the comments that are made by the hostess – with has done an amazing job by putting all of this together – are aimed to ease a bit the guests speak. Maybe sometimes she gets carried away by the great opportunity of sharing and relating her own experiences with them, but in fact I prefer the warm environment they create with the real exchange. These 2 days have been quite special.
Looking forward to our next session – without forgetting to practice!
Goldstein is very grounded and I like his ‘simple & easy’ advice! I only wish something like this had been around for me when I was 20!
Those of you who are coming to this for the first time aare so lucky!
Thank you Josepth for pointing out the practice of noticing our words, since all is spiritual energy we are all creating all the time, the less judgemental we are with are thoughts and words the more love is shared in the world. Thank you for the compssionate interview Millie and for the oppotunity of participating in Josepth’s insightful meditation. Peace
Thank You! 🙂
Enjoyed the first two days and really looking forward to the rest. Thank you so much for all your efforts on our behalf and for organising this wonderful summit
this interview is great. i really enjoyed it. thank you.
I just wanted to say thank you so much for organising his summit. I really appreciate it!
Many thanks to Melli O’Brien and to Joseph Goldstein for the talk yesterday. Your time and wisdom are very much appreciated. I look forward to every one of your interviews and am grateful to you and your team Melli O’Brien, for organizing this amazing summit! Keep up the great work.
I am really enjoying this, but can I mention that Melli could do less ‘um hm’ and other affermatives. It is quite distracting.
I liked Joseph Goldstein’s comments about an early mantra he learned – “simple and easy” and how practicing this (and reminding oneself) can lead to acceptance and less self-judgment, The idea is closely similar to tenets of Alcoholics Anonymous – “keep it simple” and “easy does it.” Enjoying the summit so far; I immediately fell behind on Day 1, watched Day 1 on Day 2 and Day 2 on Day 3. Hoping to catch up over the weekend.
Thank you Meeli for all the work you put into this project that is teaching me so much to enhance and support my practice. Heartfelt thanks to the experienced teachers for choosing to share their wisdom and again to Meeli for your thoughtful and insightful direction. I’m enjoying this one day at a time. So much to learn.
My apology for the misspelling Melli.
What a wonderful session. Thank you to both of you. I found this so uplifting.and positive. Also, Joseph is the spitting image of my dad which made listening to him so easy and pleasurable. What a wonderful summit to be part of. Melli, your questions are so lovely too and beautifully and respectfully asked. I think your presentation is excellent. Thank you.
Do the presenters have any advice to alleviate distraction during meditation for those of us who have uncomfortable sensations (I live with perpetual throbbing in my head) or pain .
Please stop interrupting the speakers with saying “right” “ok” “aha”.
Dear Melli, I wonder if you are able to remain silent while the speaker speaks? The mmm’s, um-hum’s, etc. are very distracting. Maybe this would be better if we had a visual, but voice only it is annoying, too.
Thanks
Loved this. Learned some and found the meditation to be quite nice. I will be posting this and then going straight to look up the book and add it to my nook!
It was really helpful. Thanks so much for bringing light to my path.
Great start to the Summit. Enjoying one day at a time !
I’m really happy to be here. I felt that a hughe peace is around us. Never forgot: esasy and simplicity…
Just wonderful and Melli is perfect. Thank you
Thank you for this month long retreat. I know I will benefit from it greatly!
Thank you Melli for all your work to put this amazing summit together, it is no easy task. What a beautiful experience you are sharing with all of us, for FREE. For those that continue to put less mindful and compassionate comments, please do try to be mindful of this wonderful offering. It would be so lovely to read grateful comments, compassionate comments and comments with loving intention. So grateful for this experience. Thank you Melli so very much
I am really enjoying the mindfulness summit so far. Rising early, it is a lovely way to start my day. As a meditative practitioner for 27 years, I know that every day is a new day, with new potentials for learning and growth. I never stop learning and approaching the practice with humility and gratitude. And so each day, we begin again.
What a great talk. My mantra today: “Be Simple and Easy.” Thank you!!
This talk was absolutely beautiful and enlightening. The key idea which would help me with my journey is the understanding that mindfulness is a practice, is a journey which is continual and on-going; it is not a destination or a quick fix. It is more like a way of life. Thank you so much, this summit has been a great experience thus far!
Cheers!
So so wonderful. Thank you Joseph, thank you Melli for reminding me of the mindfulness of speech and communication. Simple and easy will be my mantra.
Many thanks for this wonderful talking which radiates kindness and simplicity!!
I really deeply enjoyed it!! SO interesting!!
Thank you for having organized it!!
Thank you so much! It was so wonderful so far and allready searched for Joseph book that I was glad to found it in romanian translation. I am rogerian and found many similar key concepts in the two approaches. Stay blessed!
I first listened to Joseph’s talk last night when I was really sleepy and I couldn’t stay focused or engaged, and didn’t get a lot from it. I purposely re-watched it today and completed the meditation, and found Joseph a very warm and informing person. A lot of food for thought.
I also like the ‘conversation’ format as it creates a relaxed two-way process, which we are both observing and a part of at the same time, It’s like being in the same room.
Thanks for bringing such an amazing and much needed event in our lives.
Thank you Joseph for pointing out that there are several steps to Mindfulness. The becoming aware of a mind state and our reaction to it. Many times I have only been in stage one, now get to practice mindfulness of my reaction. Thank you also to those who have made this available on line and for free. With metta, Barb.
Loved this talk and love this summit. I had a question. Joseph was talking about recognising unease as step 1 but then needing to take step 2 of how we relate to this. And also the integrating of aha moments. I just really would like someone to tell me about how to go about that. As that is the bulk of our practice really. That is what we spend most of our time with. What is the best way to approach these?
Hi Melli,
Thank you so much for setting up and arranging this fabulous mindfulness summit. I am a mental health professional currently engaged in continuing education. This is an excellent opportunity in learning and practicing mindfulness. I have my wife with me watching the sessions everyday and practicing.
Keep up the great job!
Thank you Melli for organizing this summit. I am so grateful for being able to participate, to be exposed to so much wisdom and insight. Thank you, thank you and thank you!!
Thank you Joseph, I really enjoyed your interview and feel very peaceful and calm after the meditation.
I admire you for having created this summit! It’s beautiful, simple, informative, interesting, positive and helpful!!! Thanks to you and your guests:)
It’s comforting to know there are others breathing in and out as we practice mindfulness together, and learn from these lovely people. Namaste, I honor the light within each of you.