Dharma If You Dare

BONUS I Am Part of This Ecosystem

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Catherine Pawasarat Sensei and Doug Qapel Duncan on the importance of actually seeing ourselves as an integrated part of our ecosystems.

If you are looking to incorporate more activities into your life to support contemplation and introspection, we recommend our weekly reflection series called ‘52 Reflections’. Sign up for free and once a week you’ll receive a short passage and follow-up prompt that you can use to frame your day, your week, or a meditation session. You can learn more and sign up for free by visiting planetdharma.com/52reflections.

INTERVIEW What's in a Name? Transitioning from Doug Sensei to Qapel

Today we are introducing the first of what we hope will become a regular addition to this podcast: interviews with Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat. 

Given the pace at which the teachings can evolve and change, we thought it would be helpful to check in periodically about what is happening with our two root teachers so they can speak to a topic that’s currently at the fore for them.

Our first interview is with Doug Duncan, formerly known as Doug Sensei, about his recent decision to start using his zen name, Qapel. We talk about what led to his decision, the place names and titles have in the teachings, and how name changes can be leveraged by practitioners for their unfoldment. 

Note: the unedited/extended version of this conversation is currently available on our new Patreon page. For the next month, it will be available to the public as a taster of the sort of material that will be available to our patrons going forward. Visit patreon.com/planetdharma to learn more and access the extended recording.

BONUS Supporting Loved Ones Through the Dying Process

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan on how we can best support loved ones through the death process.

If you are finding the teachings of Planet Dharma resonate and are wondering how to explore them further, try the free online course called Wake Up: 4 Paths to Spiritual Awakening. This self-study course gives an introduction to the main approaches that Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat employ with students to help them find their speediest path to spiritual awakening. You can learn more and register for free by visiting planetdharma.com/wakeup.

Escape the Invisible Hand: Understanding the 4 Deep Ego Fears

In order to truly understand what drives our unconscious behaviour we have to understand the core fears of the ego. If we don’t, we are doomed to repeat behaviour that we may even realize is unwholesome as we are impacted by the invisible hand of these forces.

In today’s talk based on the section of their book Wasteland to Pureland entitled “The Pearl Without Price”, Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat explain the 4 Deep Ego Fears and why they hold so much power over us.

You can learn more about the 4 Deep Ego Fears and other topics by checking out Doug and Catherine’s bestselling book, Wasteland to Pureland: Reflections on the Path to Awakening. Visit planetdharma.com/purelandchapter to receive a free copy of the reflection entitled ‘Protecting Against Hurt Is What Hurts’.

BONUS Putting the Horse in Front of the Cart

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat on creating a harmonious relationship between absolute and relative truths through the cultivation of both a clear view and training.

Did you know that Planet Dharma also has a library of articles covering a wide variety of topics? We have over 100 blog posts on our website offering dharmic perspectives on all sorts of issues of interest to awakening beings. You can check them out at planetdharma.com/articles.

Systems & Training: Leaning into 21st-Century Awakening

In today's episode, Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat speak about what form the teachings will likely take in the 21st Century. Given how teachings of spiritual liberation have evolved through the millennia to speak to the cultural contexts in which they found themselves, in what ways will the expression of timeless wisdom evolve and adapt in the coming years? They also discuss ways that we can leverage feedback from teachers - as well as sangha members - to train ourselves to be more fully integrated.

Dharma If You Dare is now on Patreon! By becoming a micro-patron you can help us upgrade our equipment, expand our production bandwidth and grow our listening audience. This also gives us a chance to connect with our most enthusiastic listeners with monthly updates and extended cuts of recordings. You can learn more and participate at patreon.com/planetdharma.

Season 4 Trailer

Season 4 is launching soon!

Today producer Christopher Lawley takes the opportunity to introduce himself and to talk a bit about how Planet Dharma operates.

For more on karma yoga, visit www.planetdharma.com/what-is-karma-yoga/

For more on the practice of dana, visit www.planetdharma.com/what-is-dana/

And, as always, for more content from the cutting edge of spiritual awakening, including books, blogs, videos and a free minicourse, visit planetdharma.com/podcast.

An Economic Revolution: Untangling Ourselves from Capitalism

In this talk Doug and Catherine discuss how the current capitalist paradigm that is so focused on the individual creates all sorts of conditions in our psyches that lead to suffering. They explore how a shift in view and behaviour would allow us to build a society that will work for everyone, not just a handful of people.

 

The ideas in today’s talk are explored in detail in the chapter entitled 'Spiritual Energy Traders' in Doug and Catherine's bestselling book, Wasteland to Pureland: Reflections on the Path to Awakening.  If you’d like to read more about these ideas, you can visit planetdharma.com/crazywisdom to receive a free copy of a chapter from the book.

 

BONUS Why You Need a Retreat

We hope you enjoy this soundbite from Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat on why retreat work is unparalleled in its transformative potential: it allows us to access higher states of consciousness, to see the interconnectedness of our world and to live our lives more fully.

 

Have you checked out any of Planet Dharma’s online offerings? We have a range of options available to you on the Planet Dharma website, from small group Q&A Office Hours, to full online courses, some of which are taught live and some of which are study at your own pace. Take a look at what’s currently running or coming up soon by visiting planetdharma.com/events.

 

Uncover Your Secrets: Making Desires Conscious

In this talk Doug and Catherine discuss how we attempt to manipulate and control our worlds in order to get what we desire. They explain the importance of making these actions conscious in order to integrate our shadow. Through harnessing the energy of our desires by making them conscious we can power our spiritual transformation and exercise greater choice in our daily lives.

 

Today’s episode covers ideas that Doug and Catherine explore in detail in their bestselling book, Wasteland to Pureland. The second section of the book is entitled Riding the Dragon and covers a variety of topics, including awakening through action, creativity, career and relationships. Podcast listeners can download a free chapter from the book by visiting planetdharma.com/purelandchapter.