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9. On Spiritual Discipline, Success with Meditation, Countering Rigidity

Release Date: 07/11/2023

13. On Addiction Recovery based on Buddhist Practice (#69)

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - speaks about recovery from addiction in relation to Buddhist practice and responds to questions in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded at an online talk as the keynote speaker at an online summit conference of the international Buddhist Recovery Network. For more information: If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to . ...

12. On Ambivalence, Attention, Resistance on Pilgrimage and in a War Zone #68

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

- Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, peace activist, and author - responds to questions from students in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses on September 14th, 2025 after Claude AnShin Thomas' weeklong visit to Odessa, Ukraine and a 5-day pilgrimage in and around Cologne, Germany. For more information: If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please...

11. Claude AnShin Thomas with Veterans on Acceptance, Surrender, Balance, and Indecisiveness

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

- Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions from veterans based on his decades of Zen practice and his life experiences to include war. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a period of questions & responses during a 5-day veterans retreat in March of 2020 to address the consequences of military post-traumatic stress. For more information: If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to . Book recommendations: ...

10. Useful Responses on the War in the Ukraine (repost from March 2022)

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

- Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, peace activist, and author - responds to questions from students in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses in spring 2022. For more information: If you want to ask Zen monk Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to . Zen Book recommendations:- Bringing...

9. On Community, Self Esteem, Problem Solving, and Walking on Pilgrimage

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

- Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions from students in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to . Book recommendations: - Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice...

8. On Self Denial, Wisdom, Delusion, Chastity and Making Mistakes

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

7. Bearing Witness to War: Reflections on Violence, Identity, and the Path to Peace, Claude AnShin Thomas Speaks With Veterans

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

- Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - speaks with veterans on the themes of personal transformation, the complexity of war, and the deep moral and spiritual inquiry reflected in the questions—while remaining short, impactful, and thought-provoking. For more information: If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to . Book recommendations: - Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021) - AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003) - On...

6. On Silence, Arguing, Being Rejected, Arrogance, and Getting Older

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

5.On Manifestation, Loss, Communication, Passion, Expectations, and Daily Routines

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

- Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions from students in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind. This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: If you want to ask Zen monk Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to . Zen Book recommendations: - Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of...

4.On Sincerity, Working with: a Busy Mind, Powerlessness, Low Moods, Physical Pain, Rats, Real Teachers

ZalthoLIVE - Claude AnShin Thomas

More Episodes

These are questions and topics that Claude AnShin Thomas - fully ordained Zen Buddhist Monk in the Japanese Soto Zen tradition - reflects on. He reminds the listener of how to stay awake to life and how to understand more deeply the trappings of a deluded mind.

This episode was recorded during a zoom questions&responses session with a German-speaking audience.

For more interesting information: https://zaltho.org/

If you want to ask a question: info@zaltho.org

Want to read up on this topic? Book recommendations:

- Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021)

- AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003)

https://zaltho.org/en/media/our-books.html

Questions and Time Stamps:
1:30 In which way are your father and your mother present in your life now, if they are present?
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3:58 During sitting meditation, is it important to consciously slow down my breathing or do I just stay with whatever breathing pattern is natural at that time?
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5:58 Would you share something about your experience of discipline?
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8:16 This morning when you gave instructions for sitting meditation you said that it was best to not wear shoes and if it was cold to not wear socks. How come?
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10:16 When does discipline lead to feeling overwhelmed and tightness?
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10:50 What your saying is, if I am not enjoying, for instance getting up very early in the morning and getting on with my day and I’d rather be in bed because I don't’ like doing that, that’s not discipline?
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14:40 When does discipline lead to more serenity and freedom?
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18:50 In my meditation practice I do experience on certain days I am busy with quite intense feelings which I usually reject internally and am fighting with it, and then I am not succeeding in meditating. What would you say about that?
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21:08 Do you sometimes experience situations when you keep yourself small?
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24:03 What are your thoughts on the idea of the value of looking or reflecting on the path?
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27:24 When bringing little children into the zendo, when does it get to the point where the disturbance gets to big and I need to interact?
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31:50 There is this saying that every response already exists in us. Do you have any idea how it comes that we are so deluded as humans that we don’t have access to it?
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34:21 I noticed lately that when I travel I become rigid and uptight. Is the response to that tension just to accept it or should I make an effort to change that and relax?
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40: 08 (In reference to what was shared in previous question) Why didn’t you just put the eyedrop in your eye?

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