At a recent event in support of Dharma Moon's Yearlong Buddhist Studies program on January 6th, Ethan was joined by the great Roshi Joan Halifax, to discuss the practice, history and theory of Engaged Buddhism. Why is this integrated approach to the dharma so crucial now? Ethan begins with an impassioned plea after the ICE murder of the Renee Good in Minneapolis to come together as sangha and practice engaged dharma this year. And every time the thought arises "I could do something but it won't really make any difference," please label that thought thinking.

Roshi Joan Halifax is Founder, Abbot, and Head Teacher of Upaya, a center which focused on Engaged Buddhism in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her vision for the Zen Center embraces comprehensive Buddhist studies, meditation, service, dharma art, and environmental action as integrated paths cultivating peace and interconnectedness. She is also the author of multiple books including Standing at The Edge and Being With Dying.

In 2025, 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 below

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).

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.

Ethan welcomes back bestselling author and Buddhist Astrologer Juliana McCarthy (Ethereal Culture, The Stars Within You) to dive headfirst into a discussion of the momentous year ahead. They break the discussion into four areas: spiritual practice, creative practice, technology and politics. Juliana predicts big personal and collective moments ahead in February, April and especially in July 2026, including a massive revolutionary placement of planets that coincides directly with July 4th, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence (Which Ethan wishes was called the Declaration of Interdependence!). Juliana also talks about why "thick karma" is not a problem. These conversations are always fun, and this one might have been the most impactful of them all. Enjoy!

In 2025, 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.

Paid subscribers 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).

Check out about upcoming live events like a New Year's Eve Intention-Settingworkshop and a live talk with Ethan and Roshi Joan Halifax January 6th!

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

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.

After a heavy weekend on Earth, Ethan discusses violence and gun violence via the mass shootings at his alma mater of Brown University and the Jewish community in Sydney at Bondi Beach, along side the movie One Battle After Another and the murders of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer. Ethan contemplates the first precept (to refrain from killing) as both a personal and a political practice. He also argues that the American love of "free speech" and our widespread addiction to guns are directly at odds with each other, and as a society, we must either choose guns or speech and can't have both. How can our mindfulness practice lead us toward an actual end to violence? Can it? Or will it just be "one samsara after another?"

Please support the podcast via Substack and subscribe for free or with small monthly contributions. Additional links and show notes are available there. Paid subscribers 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).

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

Check out about upcoming live events like a New Year's Eve Intention-Setting workshop and a live talk with Ethan and Roshi Joan Halifax January 6th! 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.