Reflections on Buddhism
HOSTS
Patrick McGinn has worked as a civil rights attorney, also with animal rescue organizations in various roles, and for the last six years has been living and working at Buddhist retreat centers in the western United States. He moved to Land of Medicine Buddha in January 2018, first as a member of the Service Study residential program, then served as Spiritual Program Administrator, and is currently serving as Operations Manager. Patrick enjoys fostering homeless dogs, hiking, writing, listening to KSQD radio and has been hosting “Reflections on Buddhism” since early 2020.
Brigitte Reardon is a licensed Massage Therapist, Yoga instructor, musician and world traveler. She has a strong passion for holistic health, volunteerism, music and travel. Throughout her travels she’s learned about various philosophies and religions and found her deepest calling in Buddhist and Hindu practices. Brigitte is originally from Southern California and migrated up to the Bay Area in 2015. Brigitte piloted “Reflections on Buddhism,” which was picked up by KSQD and launched in February, 2019.
EPISODES
NEXT EPISODE: Off the cushion and into the streets: the impact of Buddhism on our daily lives (Airs Sunday, 2/21 6:00 p.m. PST)
In this discussion we will talk about the different ways a Buddhist practice can be much more than a few minutes or hours spent meditating. Where do the teachings we study and the insights from our...
LATEST EPISODE: New Year’s Resolutions in Uncertain Times
Our cultural tradition of making “New Year’s resolutions” shares some similarities to the Buddhist practice of setting a motivation before any practice, yet there are also important differences....
Silent Mind, Holy Mind: A Buddhist Perspective on Christmas.
Christmas is a cultural holiday celebrated here in the United States by many people of various religious traditions, including Buddhists. But does the life of Jesus and the holiday of Christmas have...
The Experience of Diversity in American Buddhism
Many Buddhist centers in the United States have a membership that is mostly white, middle-class and heteronormative. What are the experiences of Buddhist students who identify as BIPOC or LGBTQIA+...
Why Buddhism? Buddhist Practice on Western Ground
Buddhism is a rich philosophical tradition, but also survived for hundreds of years in Asian countries with cultures very different from those in the countries to which Buddhism has been introduced in the last 100 years, the so-called West. What are some of the challenges in this process of transplantation, and how do we separate the philosophy and practices from the cultural overlay that often accompanies them? We will discuss the evolution of Buddhism in modern times and cultures, and the benefits and the pitfalls of this transformation.
Environmental Activism through a Buddhist Lens
This episode was conceived and recorded in the wake of the devastating wildfires that were still burning in California and other parts of the West during the late summer of 2020. We discuss the climate crisis and the role of Buddhist practitioners and the relevance of Buddhist philosophy in meeting this challenge.