The Antidote to Anxiety: A Buddhist View (With Drugs) Artwork

Buddhism Beyond Belief with Susan Piver

Buddhism Beyond Belief is a podcast from Susan Piver, a 30 year student of Tibetan Buddhism and founder of the Open Heart Project, an online meditation community with close to 20000 members.

With Susan as a friend and guide, we will look at traditional teachings like the four noble truths and the six paramitas–but not from an academic standpoint. Rather, we will talk about how to make it all personal and relevant in everyday life.

This podcast is not about Buddhist doctrine. It’s about how anyone can bring the profound wisdom of the dharma into their real life: at home, at work, and in love. The foundation for it all is meditation as a spiritual practice, not the latest life hack. Let’s go beyond the science and celebrity testimonials to discover the true power of meditation which is not based in self-improvement but in self-discovery.

All Episodes

Buddhism Beyond Belief with Susan Piver

The Antidote to Anxiety: A Buddhist View (With Drugs)

October 10, 2025 • Susan Piver • Season 1 • Episode 27

In this episode, I share something very personal and deeply resonant for the times we’re living in: how we vacillate between hope and fear, and how the Buddhist path invites us to wake up beyond either one. Also, drugs. Just gotta say that right up front.

We often think of mindfulness or meditation practice as a way to feel better, to reduce stress or calm down—and while those benefits are real and important, this path is so much more. It’s about learning how to live fully awake, moment to moment, even in a world that feels increasingly chaotic, confusing, and difficult to make sense of.

I talk about:

Why hope and fear, despite being opposites, are really two sides of the same coin—and how both can pull us away from the present.
A wild (and yes, drug-fueled!) story from my younger years in a legendary Austin blues club that showed me this truth in vivid, unforgettable ( and weird) detail.
How beliefs, including those we cling to in hope or hide from in fear, can become obstacles. .
Why anxiety is often a symptom of mind and body splitting apart, and how we can work with that.
And most importantly, how meditation is the simplest, most profound practice I know for returning to presence and synchronizing body and mind.

Highlights:

The Buddhist view of beliefs: Why even “positive” ones can be a trap
What Stevie Ray Vaughan and meditation have in common (sort of!)
What happened to me when they suddenly dropped away (this is the drugs part)
How anxiety may simply be a case of your mind and body being out of sync
Practical ways to come back to the moment, even when the world feels like it's falling apart

Learn to Teach Meditation

The Open Heart Project Meditation Teacher Training returns this January.
We begin January 17th, 2026.
I teach every session. It’s intimate, rigorous, supportive—and it’s for anyone who wants to help others work with their own minds and hearts.

Click here to learn more & sign up.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound