What is Zen, really?

In this conversation, I sit down with Zen teacher Muho Nölke to explore the nature of mind, self, and reality through the lens of Zen practice. We talk about what Zen is (and isn’t), how meditation is approached in the Zen tradition, and what it means to live with awareness in everyday life.

Muho shares insights from years of monastic training, pointing toward a direct understanding of experience beyond concepts—where ideas of self, control, and separation begin to fall away.

I also had the opportunity to interview Muho previously in Osaka, Japan for my documentary Freedom From Suffering, where we explored similar themes of awakening and the end of psychological struggle.

In this episode, we explore:

What Zen actually is
Meditation in Zen practice
The nature of the self (and no-self)
Mind, awareness, and reality
Absolute vs. relative truth
Living Zen in everyday life
Liberation and embodiment

This is a wide-ranging, in-depth conversation for anyone interested in Zen, meditation, and awakening.

🔗 Learn More / Resources

🎬 Watch Freedom From Suffering: https://youtu.be/b0X3ibZCPLw?si=RR_YeOo8O1O2fa5y
🌐 Muho's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@MuhoZen⁩
📖 Muho's book: https://books2read.com/b/ZazenAndThePathToHappiness

In this interview, I sit down with Roman Hanis to explore healing, indigenous wisdom traditions, and what it means to walk an authentic spiritual path.

Roman shares his journey of coming to the Amazon in search of healing from Crohn’s disease, and how his relationship with the medicine, the jungle, and traditional lineages shaped his understanding of spirituality beyond concepts and identity.

We talk about the difference between genuine transformation and spiritual ego, the importance of presence and humility, and how awakening is less about peak experiences—and more about returning to the heart and learning the mastery of love.

Whether you’re interested in plant medicine, inner healing, or the deeper truths behind the spiritual path, this conversation offers a clear and sincere reflection on what real growth actually asks of us.

📚 About Roman Hanis:
Roman Hanis is an international bestselling author, healer, and co-founder of the Paititi Institute, which stewards 4,000 acres of essential rainforest buffer zone for Manu National Park in Peru.

Since 2001, he has immersed himself in Amazonian and Andean traditions, supporting thousands of people from around the world while continuing to study with and collaborate alongside Indigenous elders. His work was featured in the documentary The Sacred Science (2010), and his book Beyond Ayahuasca is a bestselling title in the Shamanism category.

📖 Roman’s book: https://a.co/d/07jbp5I0
✍️ Roman’s Substack: https://romanhanis.substack.com
🌿 Paititi Institute: https://paititi-institute.org/
🛖 Retreats with Roman: https://paititi-institute.org/retreats

In this heartfelt and illuminating conversation, I sit down with Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche to explore the essence of kindfulness—a union of mindfulness and loving-kindness that lies at the heart of genuine spiritual practice.

Rinpoche shares profound yet simple guidance on how awareness and compassion can transform the way we relate to ourselves and others.

🕊️ About Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche:
Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche is a renowned Tibetan Buddhist master, teacher, and author known for his warmth, humor, and wisdom. He serves as the abbot of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal, and has spent decades sharing the authentic teachings of the Buddha around the world.

Learn more about Rinpoche and his activities: https://www.shedrub.org
Learn more about the Dharma Gyan International Youth Association: https://gomdeca.secure.retreat.guru/p...