Beyond the News
Join host Dr. Larry Ward as he explores current events through the lens of Buddhism and neuroscience, sharing practical skills for how to engage with the information we receive from the wider world. While we cannot ignore the news or modern media, we can learn new ways to shift our perspective from reactivity to reflection, and gain a deeper understanding of our body and mind along the way. Dr. Ward is the author of America’s Racial Karma, a senior teacher in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and the co-founder of The Lotus Institute. He brings an interdisciplinary approach to his "Deep Buddhism" teachings, incorporating elements of Buddhist psychology with neuroscience, trauma resiliency and social imagination.
Beyond the News
Ep. 9: From Fear to Freedom
What role does fear play in defining the limits of your heart and mind?
Our fears, be they related to abandonment, powerlessness or environmental and social crises, can block us from realizing our true potential. They set boundaries to the capacity of our hearts and minds to be creative and free. Doom scrolling and consuming too much distressing news only serves to amplify these fears and anxieties.
In this episode, Dr. Ward outlines the steps we can take to begin moving from fear to freedom. The first step is to develop an awareness of our fears and how they define not our physical limitations, but our inner limits. By understanding how to respond to these fears, we can transform our relationship with them, and begin to overcome the narratives and thought patterns that impede our evolution.
“When you let go of hanging on to your fear, you let go of the limits that are blocking you and you gain a better understanding of what you are here on this planet to help with.”
—Dr. Larry Ward
Practices to go deeper:
Journal about your life and your relationship to the news and current events by using these prompts:
- What are your current fears, and how do they block you?
- How do you stand in the way of the purpose and meaning of your precious life?
- What stories or habits are keeping you from your next adventure?
- What is your mantra for this moment in your life?
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Beyond the News is made possible through the generous support from Hemera Foundation and the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation. You can help us continue our podcast offerings by giving to thelotusinstitute.org/donate. Your generosity is a gift that supports our programs and events, and the Lotus Institute's global community of friends like you. In gratitude.
