Episodes
Exploring relativity and ultimate truth, Ethan Nichtern and Author Caverly Morgan discuss reconciling what we learn in our practice with the noise of the world. Caverly Morgan is a meditation teacher, author, speaker, and nonprofit founder. She is the founder and Lead Contemplative of Peace in Schools—a nonprofit which created the nation's first for-credit mindfulness class in public high schools. She is also the founder of Presence Collective, a community of cross-cultural contemplatives...
Published 11/22/22
On the cusp of crucial midterm elections in America, Ethan Nichtern talks about finding the middle path between complacency and being a control freak, and why we need to let go of attachment to outcomes. “The control freak knows how to show up, but they don’t know how to let go. The complacent person knows how to let go, but they don’t know how to show up. And what we’re really talking about is showing up, then letting go of outcome.” – Ethan Nichtern See Privacy Policy at...
Published 10/24/22
Explore reincarnation with Ethan Nichtern in this philosophically charged episode of The Road Home Podcast! Support podcasts like this through the Be Here Now Network 6th-Anniversary Fundraiser Drive - win tickets to the Ram Dass Legacy retreat in Maui, shop limited edition BHNNxBrunofsky merch and more: beherenownetwork.com/fundraiser “Consciousness is bigger than just this one finite lifetime in this biochemical human body.” – Ethan Nichtern See Privacy Policy at...
Published 09/27/22
This week on The Road Home Podcast, Ethan Nichtern discusses the intersection of Buddhism and enneagrams with internationally renowned meditation teacher and author, Susan Piver. Susan Piver has an international reputation as an exceptionally skillful meditation teacher. She teaches workshops and speaks on mindfulness, innovation, communication, relationships, and creativity. Susan has been a student of Buddhism since 1995, graduated from a Buddhist seminary in 2004, and was authorized to...
Published 09/14/22
This time on The Road Home Podcast, Ethan Nichtern explores the relationship between despair and media and offers a reflection on ways we can mindfully consume social media. “There is this constant stream of drama news. And it's not about policy and it's not about what can we do about stuff. It's about the drama of a world in the dramatized darkness.”  – Ethan Nichtern See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at...
Published 07/22/22
On the heels of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, Ethan shares on women's rights, pro-choice vs pro-life, interdependence and interbeing, fascism, neutrality, and community. Taking an honest look at politics, he offers Buddhist ethical perspectives on how to deal with injustice and fear, process our trauma, and find small functional ways to help. "The tension of this path in a time of great upheaval is to engage on an interpersonal, social, and political level while still also...
Published 07/06/22
Ethan Nichtern welcomes author, Kerri Kelly, onto The Road Home to chat about wellness after tragedy and her new book, American Detox. Kerri Kelly is the founder of CTZNWELL, a movement that is democratizing well-being for all. Kerri is a descendant of generations of firemen and first responders and has dedicated her life to kicking down doors and fighting for justice. She’s been teaching yoga for over 20 years and is known for making waves in the wellness industry. She challenges norms,...
Published 06/24/22
In the wake of the recent gun violence tragedies in America, social activist Shannon Watts rejoins the podcast for a conversation on what we can do to prevent gun violence. This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenow Shannon Watts, a mother of five, social activist, and Buddhist practitioner; is the founder of Moms Demand Action, a leading force for gun violence prevention,...
Published 06/13/22
This week on The Road Home Podcast, spend some one-on-one time with Ethan Nichtern as he discusses worldview and overcoming individualism. Explore the intersection of Buddhism & Bhakti with Be Here Now Network teachers and guests at the inaugural Love Serve Remember Summer Mountain Retreat August 25th – 29th in Boone, NC! “What begins to move us in another direction is the realization that nothing that we do actually comes from ourselves alone. There is nothing that we could actually...
Published 05/27/22
Buddhist renaissance man, Kevin Townley Jr, joins Ethan Nichtern for a conversation spanning the potent intersection of art and Dharma. Kevin Townley is a writer, filmmaker, actor, singer, museum guide, Buddhist teacher, and meditation instructor trained in the Sokuko-Ji Zen community under Kyoun Sokuzan. His film and television work includes appearances in My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Men in Black 3, The Detour, and Law & Order. With his band, Bambï, Townley adapted Judith Rossner's 'Looking...
Published 05/13/22
This week on The Road Home Podcast we hear from Ethan Nichtern and Osho Zenju Earthlyn Manuel. They discuss the overlap of science and spirit, the systems that oppress us, and the importance of ceremonies. Osho Zenju Earthlyn Manuel is a poet, author, ordained Zen priest, and medicine woman of the drum. She is the dharma heir of Buddha and the late Zenkei Blanche Hartman in the Shunryu Suzuki Roshi lineage through the San Francisco Zen Center. Osho Zenju’s practice is influenced by Native...
Published 04/29/22
This time on The Road Home, we learn about the ethics and roles of spiritual teachers. Ethan Nichtern shares his wisdom on how we can empower both teachers and students through mutual consent and clarity of roles. Practice with Ethan at the Garrison Institute in-person silent meditation retreat: https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/event/in-person-becoming-bodhisattvas-a-silent-meditation-retreat-with-ethan-nichtern/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice...
Published 04/16/22
Ethan Nichtern and Maud Newton discuss personal and collective origin stories, and how ancestral spirituality can help us heal generational trauma. Maud Newton is a writer and critic. She has written personal essays, cultural criticism, and fiction. Maud was born in Dallas, grew up in Miami, and graduated from the University of Florida with degrees in English and law. Eventually, she moved to Brooklyn, and for the past five years, she’s lived on Lenape Land in Queens. She started blogging in...
Published 04/01/22
Ethan Nichtern and Heather Coleman have a discussion on the many forms of grief and what healing may look like. Heather Coleman, LCSW has been providing Buddhist-informed psychotherapy in New York City for the past 15 years in various settings, including outpatient care and private practice. She has provided quality and compassionate care to New Yorkers struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma (and now Covid related trauma!), relationship & codependency issues, health concerns,...
Published 03/18/22
Uprooting conflict avoidance as a primary spiritual obstacle in modern times, Ethan Nichtern navigates from false neutrality to loving conflict. Diving back in for another focused and flowing solo-cast applying Buddhist themes to the modern zeitgeist, Ethan Nichtern explores the all-too-pertinent topics of conflict and conflict avoidance. Using the current state of the world as an easy case-study, he shares how we can move away from present-day spirituality's harmful habits of avoidance and...
Published 03/04/22
In this episode of The Road Home, Ethan Nichtern explores the dharma of Lego and how doing small things can help with the often insurmountable feeling of being overwhelmed by the world.  Get more Buddhist wisdom from Ethan at ethannichtern.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Published 02/17/22
Jaimal Yogis and Ethan Nichtern ride the waves of meditation and imagination, in a discussion on surfing, creativity, graphic novels, and fatherhood. This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenow Jaimal Yogis is a bestselling author, teacher, and surfer, who recently released City of Dragons: The Awakening Storm – a Dharma-focused middle-grade Scholastic graphic novel series...
Published 01/26/22
Ethan welcomes screenwriter and Dharma practitioner AJ Marechal to talk about the dharma of screenwriting, writing characters from a dharmic perspective, and what it’s like to be Ethan’s student.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Published 01/05/22
In this special year-end episode of The Road Home, Ethan Nichtern uproots our self-aggressive New Year's Resolutions, replacing them with reflections on interdependence and collective wellbeing.
Published 12/22/21
In this episode of The Road Home, Ethan Nichtern speaks with Jacoby Ballard about his book, A Queer Dharma, as well as dealing with microaggressions and overcoming the gender binary. This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenow Jacoby Ballard is a social justice educator and yoga teacher who leads workshops and trainings around the country on diversity, equity, and inclusion....
Published 12/15/21
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Published 11/23/21
In this special dharma talk, Ethan Nichtern illuminates the importance and meaning of taking refuge in the Three Jewels – the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. This episode of The Road Home Podcast is from a recent lecture Ethan Nichtern gave to a group of students about to take their Buddhist Refuge Vows, which is the formal step of a student entering the Buddhist path. Visit ethannichtern.com for more information on how you can step onto the path and enter the yearlong study program...
Published 11/09/21
Ethan Nichtern speaks with Oliver Burkeman about his new book, Four Thousand Weeks, and how a constant emphasis on productivity prevents us from being in the present moment.
Published 10/20/21
Buddhist teacher, and Ethan's father, David Nichtern joins to bring the luminous into the temporal in a conversation merging Dharma, money, and mindfulness for the modern age.
Published 10/08/21
Ethan Nichtern and Ruth Ozeki discuss her new novel, The Book of Form and Emptiness, the similarities between writing and meditation, and how to perceive the voices of the object world. Ruth Ozeki is a novelist, filmmaker, and Zen Buddhist priest. She is the award-winning author of four novels, The Book of Form and Emptiness, My Year of Meats, All Over Creation, and A Tale for the Time Being, which was a finalist for the 2013 Booker Prize. Her nonfiction work includes a memoir, The Face: A...
Published 09/22/21