Thomas is joined by writer, trained Buddhist monk, and meditation teacher, Jack Kornfield. They discuss how Buddhist meditation and mindfulness practices, in combination with more traditional forms of therapy, can help to heal individual and collective trauma. Jack explores how his own traumatic experiences led him to Buddhism, and how the relationships in his adult life both brought his trauma to the surface and gave him the opportunity to heal.
Early in Jack’s spiritual journey, he spent extensive time in highly traumatized environments, including a refugee camp for those displaced by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. There, he learned the importance of creating safe, ritual containers where people can come together to share and process their trauma. He believes that mindful, loving awareness is a skill that anyone can learn, and it’s an essential practice for anyone seeking to heal their own trauma or have the capacity to be a compassionate witness to the trauma of others.
Ultimately, Jack believes that love is our most powerful tool to address the world’s most dire problems.
