(Episode available here now, or wherever you get your “pods,” Apple, Ethan’s Website, and every other pod place after 12pm ET on Tues June 9th).

Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your support. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here.

Subscribe now

Show Notes and More cool resources:

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course from Ethan on Metta (lovingkindness) meditation is now available at this link. Sign up for our Fall retreat at the Garrison Institute at this link. Sign up for the August Daylong Retreat on Visualization Meditation at this link.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed the obstacle of resistance to meditation practice, and Ethan also offered instruction in Metta meditation toward yourself. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Subscribe now

You can now order personally signed copies of Ethan’s books at his website.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes like this one and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and a guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed a mindful take on intuition, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

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devon + nico hase serve as guiding teachers of the online dharma community Refuge of Belonging. They teach at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock, and other centers, offer online and in-person retreats, and speak with students in one-on-one sessions. They are the co-authors of How Not to Be a Hot Mess and This Messy, Gorgeous Love: A Buddhist Guide to Lasting Partnership (2026). Find out more at www.devonandnicohase.com

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(Episode available here now, or wherever you get your “pods,” Apple, Ethan’s Website, and every other pod place after 11am ET on Wednesday May 27th).

Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your support. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here.

Show Notes and More cool resources:

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course from Ethan on Metta (lovingkindness) meditation is now available at this link. Sign up for our Fall retreat at the Garrison Institute at this link.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed the obstacle of resistance to meditation practice, and Ethan also offered instruction in Metta meditation toward yourself. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Subscribe now

You can now order personally signed copies of Ethan’s books at his website.

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Bryan’s substack is here. His book can be ordered here.

Subscribe now

(episode available here now, or wherever you get your “pods,” Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc after 3pm ET on Wednesday April 29th).

Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your support. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here.

Show Notes and More cool resources:

The piece Ethan wrote about losing his childhood friend to addiction is here.

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course from Ethan on Metta (lovingkindness) meditation is now available at this link. Sign up for Ethans May 2nd Windhorse Meditation workshop at this link.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed the obstacle of resistance to meditation practice, and Ethan also offered instruction in Metta meditation toward yourself. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Subscribe now

You can now order personally signed copies of Ethan’s books at his website.

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Attached is a 30 minute sit, beginning with a body scan and mindfulness, with a progression through the seven stages of practice for self, beloved, friend, neutral person, and difficult person, and then expanding the practice to include our experience of “all beings.” Please make the time for lovingkindness in your practice. Below the fold, a few more thoughts on lovingkindness in this more expansive progression. Reminder that paid subscribers are always invited to join the Thursday morning meditation group (8-8:50am ET). See more below.

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The Road Home is available here now, or wherever you get your “pods,” Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc after 3pm ET on Mon, May 11).

You can order signed copies of Ethan’s books sent to you directly from his website as well.

Check out all the latest free events and offerings from our sponsor A Mindful World as well!

Subscribe now

Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your subscriptions. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed the obstacle of resistance to meditation practice, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

If you’re looking for a great in-person retreat, check out our annual Fall retreat at the Garrison Institute Sep 30 - Oct 5.

More cool resources:

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course from Ethan on Metta (lovingkindness) meditation is now available at this link. Sign up for a free discussion on why you might want to consider attending a meditation retreat this year on June 11th!

Oneika Mays is a yoga and meditation teacher and storyteller who leads with joy, passion, and wisdom. With deep roots and knowledge in Buddhist and yogic teachings, Oneika delivers practical application and authentic connection through her teaching. Oneika has been practicing yoga for more than 20 years, and teaching yoga and meditation for more than a decade. She has used her knowledge to support social justice nonprofits and historically excluded communities. She served as the Mindfulness Coach at Rikers Island Correctional Facility for 4 years, and volunteered there for over a decade total. She teaches at Yoga International, Embodied Philosophy, New York Insight and leads retreats at Kripalu. Oneika's literary debut, Sit With Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation (HarperOne, March 2026) explores metta practice as a tool for personal and collective liberation. Connect with her at www.oneikamays.com.

Oneika’s substack is here.

Subscribe now

(episode available here now, or wherever you get your “pods,” Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc after 3pm ET on Wednesday April 29th).

Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your support. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here.

More cool resources:

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course from Ethan on Metta (lovingkindness) meditation is now available at this link. Sign up for Ethans May 2nd Windhorse Meditation workshop at this link.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed the obstacle of resistance to meditation practice, and Ethan also offered instruction in Metta meditation toward yourself. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Subscribe now

You can now order personally signed copies of Ethan’s books at his website.

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

This week, in a solo talk, Ethan revisits the theme of The Eight Worldly Winds from his last book Confidence (you can always have Ethan send you a signed copy of Confidence or his other books). He specifically hones in on the valid experience of longing for success and fearing failure, and how the practice of confidence involves the willingness to fail repeatedly. Did you know, by the way, that even the great tennis players of all time only win (very) slightly over half the total points they ever play? Embrace your longing before you listen.

The Road Home is available here now, or wherever you get your “pods,” Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc after 3pm ET on Tues, April 21).

Subscribe now

Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your subscriptions. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed the obstacle of resistance to meditation practice, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

If you’re looking for a great in-person retreat, check out our annual Fall retreat at the Garrison Institute Sep 30 - Oct 5.

More cool resources:

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course from Ethan on Metta (lovingkindness) meditation is now available at this link. Sign up for Ethan’s May 2nd Windhorse Meditation workshop at this link.

Attached is a 25-30 minute sit, beginning with a body scan and mindfulness, with a solid 10 minute segment of self lovingkindness meditation using the support of the “Benefactor” in the middle portion. Please make the time for lovingkindness in your practice. Below the fold, a few more thoughts on lovingkindness for yourself. Reminder that paid subscribers are always invited to join the Thursday morning meditation group (8-8:50am ET). See more below.

Read more

Ethan welcomes his friend, contemporary folk musician and novelist Josh Ritter for a conversation about creativity, inspiration, spirituality and art-making. They discuss where great ideas come from, how the “protocols” of practice influence both creativity and the spiritual path, and the meaning of relative and ultimate truth found within Josh’s song “Truth is a Dimension (Both Invisible and Blinding)” off Josh’s most recent album I Believe in You, My Honeydew. They also discuss the mental health of an artist, and how fatherhood can lead you to very mixed opinions of Disney movies.

Josh Ritter is a renowned singer, songwriter, musician, artist and best-selling author. One of today’s most thoughtful and prolific voices, he has released twelve studio albums and was named one of the “100 greatest living songwriters” by Paste Magazine. His newest album ‘I Believe in You, My Honeydew’ is out now. About his music, The Guardian has said: “Ritter’s painstakingly simple but crafted songs establish his own identity in a terrain marked out by Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.” Two-plus decades into his celebrated career, Ritter has written music that has transcended generations including luminaries such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Bob Weir covering his songs.

Josh’s substack is here.

Subscribe now

(episode available here now, or wherever you get your “pods,” Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc after 3pm ET on Thursday, Mar 26).

Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your support. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed the obstacle of resistance to meditation practice, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Subscribe now

You can now order personally signed copies of Ethan’s books at his website.

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

More cool resources:

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course from Ethan on Metta (lovingkindness) meditation is now available at this link. Check out the free roundtable discussion on Mindfulness and Organizational Leadership at this link. Sign up for Ethans May 2nd Windhorse Meditation workshop at this link.

Show Notes:

Check out Josh’s recent interview with NPR’s World Cafe mentioned in the podcast at this link.

(episode available here now, or wherever you get your “pods,” Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc after 3pm ET on Weds, Mar 18) .

Subscribe now

Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your subscriptions. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed the obstacle of resistance to meditation practice, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

You can now order personally signed copies of Ethan’s books at his website.

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

More cool resources:

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course from Ethan on Metta (lovingkindness) meditation is now available at this link. Check out the free roundtable discussion on Mindfulness and Organizational Leadership at this link. Sign up for Ethans May 2nd Windhorse Meditation workshop at this link.

While sometimes disheartenment is considered a version of “laziness,” it’s really more a type of resistance that stops us from even showing up to the practices that help us progress. After all, if you want to get from New York to Los Angeles, and all you have is your feet, you’re never going to get anywhere unless you take one step, and then another, and then another, and let be all the doubting thoughts that scream at you “am I ever gonna get anything at all from doing this?”

Let’s contemplate disheartenment together.

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Ethan welcomes back Lou Sharma, a meditation teacher (and partner in the new A Mindful World community) for a open discussion of whether or not the path of the householder can also lead to awakening. This is a conversation for anyone who wants to engage with relationships, career, creative life, and social justice pursuits with more mindfulness, compassion and wisdom amidst all the hustle, bustle and chaos of life in the thick of the modern world.

Lou Sharma is a mindfulness meditation teacher based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has practiced meditation for over 15 years, as part of her ongoing studies of Buddhism within Tibetan Buddhist traditions, including the Magyu lineage of Lama Tsultrim Allione.

Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your subscriptions. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed a mindful take on intuition, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

You can now order personally signed copies of Ethan’s books at his website.

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course on a classic Buddhist contemplation called The Five Remembrances is available at this link. Check out the free roundtable discussion on Mindfulness and Organizational Leadership at this link. Sign up for the May 2nd Windhorse Meditation workshop at this link.

Jeremy David Engels, Ph.D., is the author of six books, including the new On Mindful Democracy: A Declaration of Interdependence to Mend a Fractured World (Parallax, 2026), and the creator of the Zen and the Art of Democracy Substack. He is the Liberal Arts Endowed Professor of Communication and Ethics at Penn State University, co-founder of Yoga Lab, and a longtime mindfulness and yoga teacher. His work reimagines democracy as a communal practice rooted in care, deliberation, and shared responsibility, emphasizing mindfulness as a core civic skill. His essays have appeared in the Washington Post, Yoga Journal, Yoga Magazine, and The Conversation.

Last year, with your subscriptions, we were able to release more episodes than any previous year. This was only possible with your subscriptions. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber here.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed a mindful take on intuition, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

You can now order personally signed copies of Ethan’s books at his website.

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course on a classic Buddhist contemplation called The Five Remembrances is available at this link.

Note: the name of the book mentioned by Ethan authored by Thich Nhat Hanh where Thầy explored the morality of the bombing of Hiroshima using specific Buddhist questions is Good Citizens.

What happens when you experience classic resistance, or feel like a couch potato, or lack motivation for practice? I like to call this recurring state of obstacle: “Don’t Wanna” Mind.

Working with common resistance is an ongoing process, and a beautiful way to get to know how our mind resists showing up, not just to our meditation practice, but to every aspect of life. In this mini-talk and guided contemplation, we work with how to make friends with, and eventually transform, our relationship to resistance.

Written shamatha meditation instructions below, and guided audio and Thursday sit group are available to paid subscribers to The Road Home substack. Check it out!

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Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed a mindful take on intuition, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

You can now order personally signed copies of Ethan’s books at his website.

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Check out our sponsor platform, A Mindful World! A new free video course on a classic Buddhist contemplation called The Five Remembrances is available at this link.

Rima Vesely-Flad, PhD, is the author of Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation (NYU Press, 2022) and Racial Purity and Dangerous Bodies: Moral Pollution, Black Lives, and the Struggle for Justice (Fortress Press, 2017). She is the founder of the Initiative for Black Buddhist Studies and the recipient of grants from the Fetzer Institute, the Henry J. Luce Foundation, the Fredrick P. Lenz Foundation, the Crossroads Program, and the US Department of State Fulbright program. You can follow her work at www.blackbuddhiststudies.org.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and a guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed a mindful take on intuition, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

Check out our Free RAIN Meditation Workshop Feb 12th via A Mindful World!

A new free video course on a classic Buddhist contemplation called The Five Remembrances is available at this link.

Check out all the cool offerings at our podcast sponsor A Mindful World!

Sharon Salzberg is one of America's leading spiritual teachers and authors. A practitioner of Buddhist meditation for over fifty years, she is a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society.

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and a guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed a mindful take on intuition, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

2026 Yearlong Buddhist Studies program starts tomorrow! Find out about the 2026 Yearlong Buddhist Studies program at this link!

A new free video course on a classic Buddhist contemplation called The Five Remembrances is available at this link.

Check out all the cool offerings at our podcast sponsor Dharma Moon. Free video courses co-taught by Ethan and others, such as The Three Marks of Existence, are also available for download at Dharma Moon.

Find out about the 2026 Yearlong Buddhist Studies program—which begins next Tuesday—at this link!

Find out about the Advanced Buddhist Studies program—which begins next Wednesday—at this link!

Paid subscribers to The Road Home will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group happens each week at 8am ET on Thursdays, and guided audio meditations are released monthly. Another bonus podcast for paid subscribers discussed a mindful take on intuition, and Ethan also offered instruction in the RAIN method for working with emotions with self-compassion. These are all available to paid subscribers. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Ethan’s Website, etc).

A new free video course on a classic Buddhist contemplation called The Five Remembrances is available at this link.

Check out all the cool offerings at our podcast sponsor Dharma Moon. Free video courses co-taught by Ethan and others, such as The Three Marks of Existence, are also available for download at Dharma Moon.

What happens when you forget the instructions for your practice, or forget the reasons why you are practicing to begin with? You might feel like this is a rookie mistake, but the classic texts talk about it as a persistent obstacle throughout the meditative journey. In other words, forgetting that what and why of practice happens to the best of us. Just like an actor memorizing their lines, it’s crucial to deepen your ability to reflect on and recollect your intention, as well as to memorize the instructions.

Recollecting what and why we’re doing when we meditate helps to avoid getting bogged down with directionless practice sessions that feel spaced-out instead of spacious. We already worked with an intention-setting (for both the year in general as well as in the medative practice session. In this mini-talk and guided meditation, we work with how to get back on track when you forget what you're doing.

More below.

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