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Insight Hour with Joseph Goldstein

Ep. 258 – The Goal Without the Grasp: Aspiration in Buddhist Practice

2/5/202631 min

Distinguishing aspiration from striving with ego, Joseph Goldstein gives listeners permission to have a sense of purpose along their spiritual path.

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This week on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein discusses:

Having a sense of purpose within the impersonal nature of all things Aspiration: understanding why we are practicing What the Buddha said about purpose and aspiration on The Eightfold PathSeeing the world objectively without reference to the selfBeing a gr...

Clips

The Rule: Have Fun
From Self-Center To Zero
The Nothing That Is
Goals Versus No Goals
On Diversity At IMS
Delighted By Conceit
Expectation Versus Aspiration
Faith Or Dharma Follower

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Speaker 10:01

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  2. Speaker 20:37

    [gentle music] Teaching meditation is its own skill. You don't need to be a master practitioner to begin learning how to guide others, but you do need real training. Join Buddhist teacher David Nichtern and Professor Robert Thurman for a free online discussion on Tuesday, May twenty-sixth at six PM Eastern Time, exploring the role of the teacher in the Buddhist tradition, why lineage and transmission matter, and what it means to skillfully support others in meditation practice today. They'll also discuss Dharma Moon and Tibet House's Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Program beginning in June 2026. You'll have a chance to ask questions, meet the teaching team, and find out whether the program might be a good fit

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