Keeping Practice Sacred (Without Getting Weird)

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In this episode of Buddhism Beyond Belief, I explore how we can keep our meditation practice genuinely spiritual without making it complicated, performative, or “weird.” After more than thirty years of practice, I’ve learned that depth comes from sincerity, not technique. The simplest form of meditation—just sitting—can open profound dimensions of patience, clarity, confusion, authenticity, and genuine confidence.

I share a story from a long retreat in the Colorado Rockies, where I unexpectedly found myself helping to produce a classical music recording inside a sacred building called the Great Stupa. Unsure how to preserve the serenity of the space, I asked my teacher for guidance. He offered three simple instructions that continue to shape my practice today: make offerings, request blessings, and dedicate the merit.

In this episode, I talk about what each step means, how it can frame a daily practice, and why ritual helps us sustain a spiritual view without needing anything elaborate. I also reflect on how the effects of meditation show themselves–not during the practice, but in the rest of our lives.

I close this episode with music I love. This time, I share “Double Trouble” by the incomparable Otis Rush—one of the most haunting, emotionally searing blues artists of all time. I talk about his unusual left-handed, upside-down guitar style, the mystery of the track’s opening lyric, and my own early encounters with Otis Rush that left an indelible mark on me.

Highlights:

• Why approaching meditation as a ritual can deepen the spiritual dimension of practice
• A story from a Colorado retreat and making a recording inside the Great Stupa
  The three steps my teacher offered for keeping practice sacred:
  • Make offerings: Enter practice with generosity by offering your present-moment heart
  • Request blessings: Turn toward the sources of wisdom you hold in the highest regard
  • Dedicate the merit: Offer whatever goodness arises to benefit all beings
• How simplicity in meditation can lead to profound effects in daily life
• Reflections on Otis Rush’s unique sound and the emotional power of “Double Trouble”
• Memories of encountering his music and how it shaped my understanding of depth and authenticity
  
  
  

Music Segment

The episode ends with “Double Trouble” by Otis Rush—a dark, piercing, beautifully restrained blues performance that reveals how much can be said with very few notes.

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Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

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