Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, shortly thereafter becoming one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974. Jack has had a profound and direct impact on my life, and I’m thrilled to finally have him on the podcast to share our history, his incredible stories, and practical tactics and techniques that you can use. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a father, husband, and activist. Jack’s books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies, including The Wise Heart, A Lamp in the Darkness, A Path with Heart, After the Ecstasy, the Laundry (one of my favorite book titles of all time), and his most recent, No Time Like the Present: Finding Freedom, Love, and Joy Right Where You Are. Enjoy! Intro [00:00] Jack’s connection with hang gliding and paragliding [08:49] Now 72, Jack recalls his troubled childhood [11:51] “If you’re going to be angry, do it right.” [18:18] Making the transition from pre-med to Asian studies [20:50] From card-carrying hippie to Buddhist monk. [22:32] Jack's stance on psychedelics [24:27] Meeting Stanislav Grof [34:35] Studying under Ajahn Chah [38:55] Suffering as a monk in training [42:53] On periods of long silence and out-of-body experiences [50:37] Mystical experiences are not always pleasant. [53:45] My own experience at Spirit Rock 56:48] Did Jack ever come close to quitting his training and going home? [57:52] “Hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone is healed. This is the ancient and eternal law.” [1:03:02] Advice for people with multiple “real life” responsibilities who feel too overwhelmed to do deep inner work [1:08:40] How does compassion differ from empathy? [1:22:24] How might technology help us develop and harness compassion? [1:27:14] Lovingkindness meditation for Westerners [1:28:27] The first White House Buddhist Leadership Conference and the mission of CASEL [1:38:04] Love is a superpower. [1:41:53] If you're feeing derailed, how to find your way back [2:04:08] On handling anger [2:11:48] Why Jack studied clinical psychology [2:24:53] How does Jack use forgiveness to help veterans, gang kids, and others trying to cope with often horrific experiences [2:29:53] An ancient story about a warrior returning home and why community support beats community apathy [2:34:08] The importance of initiation rituals in modern society [2:39:00] A good book for newcomers to Jack's work [2:44:22] What would Jack’s billboard say? [2:49:05] Parting thoughts [2:50:28] Follow Jack Kornfield: https://www.instagram.com/jack_kornfield Show Notes: https://tim.blog/2018/03/05/jack-kornfield/ SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/1dSzTkW About Tim Ferriss: Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 200 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running. Connect with Tim Ferriss: Visit the Tim Ferriss PODCAST: https://bit.ly/2rYjUBr Visit the Tim Ferriss BLOG: http://bit.ly/17jDHw3 Like Tim Ferriss on FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/1avYUxq Follow Tim Ferriss on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/17d94TE Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2IfH37J