Buddhist Boot Camp Podcast
Episodes
Character
23 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To avoid being self-obsessed and desperately seeking the approval of others, Buddhism invites us to remain focused on WHO we are (our character), and ...
W.A.I.T.
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To practice the timeliness of mindful speech, I personally use the W.A.I.T acronym, which stands for "Why Am I Talking?" It serves as a reminder to pa...
Blind Spots
27 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We all have bind spots, and I was recently made aware of one of my own. Since I'm committed to being honest and transparent, it's important that I not...
Let The Mystery Be
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The reason we frequently argue, fight, and get so easily frustrated, is not because we don't understand each other, it's because we think we can. Even...
Behind The Mask
19 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you brave enough to see yourself without any of the masks you wear at work, at church, on social media, or wherever you claim to have moral standa...
Back To Basics
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Even when we can't control our thoughrts, we can still control the quality of our thoughts. And since we are more deeply affected by our thoughts than...
David and Goliath
24 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling overwhelmed is not a reason to overreact or act in a way that isn't in line with your core values. If you don't know what to do, it's okay to ...
Change The World
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you don't define what "enough" means to you, you will never HAVE enough, and you will never feel like you ARE enough. You can't change the world in...
Prevention Is The Best Cure
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Just like all the water in the ocean can't sink a ship unless the water gets inside the boat, all the negativity and toxicity in the world won't bring...
No Praise, No Blame
15 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's in your best interest to increase your tolerance. Avoid wishing for things to be different than they are because comparison, attachment, desire, ...
What's In Your Heart
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you are full of love and kindness or rage and judgment, that's what's going to spill out of you when life gets rough. So, be mindful of what y...
Too Much Fear
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is NOT about smoke detectors or scared birds, listen between the lines, it's not only about understanding other people, it's about understanding ...
Health
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Focus on your health, and watch all the opinions that we tend to fret and argue about become trivial in comparison because nothing is more important. ...
Obligation
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If we don't say YES authentically, we say yes resentfully. And whenever we say we "have to" do something, we identify as victims, instead of saying we...
Beyond the Five Senses
28 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are we only compassionate to an extent and then turn cold? Do we have a sense of compassion for wounds we can see but not others? Where do we draw the...
Despair and Hope
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In times of despair, it is important to remember that our current situation is not our final destination. To get through the darkness, I have often ha...
Integrity
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is the meaning of Integrity? How do you define it? And do you have the courage to build your life around your answer?
Equity
08 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Once we understand the difference between Judgment and Discernment, we understand the difference between Equity and Equality. Whenever I find myself t...
Shortsighted
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We claim to fully understand what we have only partially experienced, and we dismiss other people's reality as invalid if it contradicts our own. That...
How We Feel
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Understand your feelings and keep track of patterns that influence your emotional responses in life. Over time, you will learn to regulate your feeli...
Ceasefire
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As long as I think there is a war inside of me, the battle will continue, but struggle is not a requirement. We can call a truce, enter a peace agreem...
Already Forgiven
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What would life look like if we stopped beating ourselves up with guilt and shame, and started loving ourselves unconditionally?
Spiritual Practice
28 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Spiritual practice is not what happens at church or on the meditation cushion (that's spiritual ritual), Spiritual Practice is how you behave througho...
Mind Shenanigans
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Don't believe everything you think because the mind can play tricks on you. Familiarize yourself with some of the mind's shenanigans, and you'll stop ...
Beyond Right and Wrong
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When you can't understand why people do what they do (whether it's someone you know or atrocities on the news), try this shift in outlook, and I bet y...
Safe Haven
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Your home and your friendships, relationships, or marriage, are to be your safe haven and happy place, not another battle you have to fight. May we al...
Pace
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
My nose was congested when recording this on the first day I finally felt well enough to tape this episode. If you don't make time for your wellness, ...
Buddhist Activism
20 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Can Buddhists be activists? How? And to what end?
What Else?
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is a coping skill when we are overwhelmed by a strong feeling that overshadows everything else. My takeaway: if it's not time to hit the Panic Bu...
Wounded
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are all wounded in ways we don't always understand or even know about. You sometimes can't even see the wound, but you still experience its symptom...
Learning Curve
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Everything is in a constant state of change, and sometimes it can be very difficult for many of us to keep up. Resistance creates suffering, so accept...
Nothing Personal
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Some people will like you, others will hate you, and neither would have anything to do with you. All Buddhist Boot Camp Podcast episodes are available...
Snooze
04 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A worry that comes up in your mind is like getting a phone call from an unknown number. When you don't have all the information, you can just hit the ...
Pessimism
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I found myself surprisingly motivated by pessimistic thoughts, driven to action by what I previously thought was a "negative" perspective, but I now r...
Reflection
24 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
That which we don't like about someone else is often what we dislike about ourselves. So, next time someone triggers you, think to yourself "Thank you...
Alignment
13 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What you DON'T do is as important as what you do (if not more so). So, instead of thinking you need to do MORE of something in order to be more mindfu...
Coping Mechanisms
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Does the way you cope with one challenge cause another problem down the line, sometimes even bigger than the initial difficulty with which your coping...
Off Script
10 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You get upset with people as if life has a script and they need to play along. There is no script. And nobody is under contract to act according to yo...
Happiness
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If we chase happiness by seeking sense pleasures and avoiding unpleasant sensations, attachment to wealth and praise, or aversion to loss and blame, w...
Heartache
30 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Nothing hurts the same way forever, though sometimes it seems right that it should. Gauge your pain by monitoring its intensity, frequency, and durati...
Patience
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When we are emotionally triggered, we get tunnel vision and only see things from our perspective. We feel so wronged that our brains actually rational...
The People Upstairs
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's not literally about the people upstairs, it's about the few who make decisions that affect the many.
Perspective
06 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible to pay too much attention and lose perspective? Let's not miss the forest for the trees, nor the trees for the forest.
Conviction
29 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Understing what's going on with people who don't walk the talk. Are they hypocritical or reasonable? Is it possible for us to be driven by conflicting...
Neurodivergence
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Get curious about the many paths up this mountain of life, not just the trail most traveled. Neurodivergents are also known as being on the autism spe...
Survivor's Guilt
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why do some survive when others don't? Is it just luck, or is there a bigger reason behind it? Do we look for the meaning behind a second chance, or d...
Personality
09 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Answering the question "Who Am I?" (without confusing identity with personality) is a lifelong journey of development, creation, and realization.
Stability
27 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We either actively create the balance we seek or we are creating the imbalance we try to escape. To listen with captions, watch on YouTube https://you...
Accountability
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Are you what the Buddha called a Hungry Ghost? If you expect the world to run according to you, that expectation is the source of your misery, not any...
The Path of Love
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How far must you go off the path before you realize you are off of it? If you define it well enough and frequently check, the reward of being on the p...
Practice
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Buddhism is called a practice, and we are practitioners. As such, we exercise mindful conduct, speech, resolve, livelihood, effort, and so on, the sam...
Greed
19 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's impossible to stop wanting things, but there is a difference between wholesome desires and being blinded by greed. Buddhism is a practice of disc...
Rise
01 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is a call for us to rise as Soldiers of Peace in the Army of Love and put mindfulness into action, which instills a sense of purpose into our eve...
Trauma Response
20 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The defense mechanisms we developed during one time in our lives in order to protect ourselves can work against us if we don't let them go when they n...
Not Knowing
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Liberate yourself from anguish and anxiety by embracing uncertainty. After all, anything else is an illusion, isn't it? 🤔
Why We Hang On
25 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Nobody will choose to let go of what they still believe has value. We often get stuck thinking something improves our lives, we lose sight of how our ...
Composure
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us like being in control, yet the only thing we actually CAN control is the one thing we don't: our composure. Imagine responding to emotions ...
Big Deal
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is it a big deal? Well.. that depends... Getting into the habit of asking yourself this question throughout the day will change the way you eat, drink...
We See What We Seek
09 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What we focus on, grows, and I made the mistake of focusing on what I wanted to change about myself, which only made it worse. What we think about, we...
Elaborate
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Give yourself the gift of depth by elaborating to better understand yourself and others, and strengthen your connections.
Relapse
10 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We all slip off the path from time to time. It's important to remember that a relapse is just a bruise, not a tattoo. In sports terms, it's like bei...
Nonattachment
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Love and attachment are not the same thing, they are the healthy and unhealthy versions of the same thing. We get attached to items, people, ideas, be...
Guiding Principles
08 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
These principles are helpful guides to ensure our actions are aligned with our beliefs. You can either accept these guidelines or reject them, amend o...
The Absence of Judgment
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
People seldom ask themselves if they are ready to love before they decide to get into a relationship or to have kids, they just want to BE loved and s...
Not Up To Me
11 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's a huge relief to distinguish between what is for us to decide and what is out of our hands. Some things are not up to us, yet we try to control e...
Pride Month
23 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In celebration of Pride Month, many people ask "What is the Buddhist view on homosexuality?" Here is the answer you can share with everyone you know:...
Fear
12 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Fear will run and ruin your life if you let it. The trick is to see fear as a speed bump, not a dead-end street. This episode is only five minutes lon...
Am I Normal?
23 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What does "Normal" even mean? To what lengths are we willing go to fit in? From a very young age, I was told something was wrong with me simply becaus...
Why We Share
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered why you have the urge to share your opinion with people without being asked? Even some of the information we THINK is helpful, ...
Bouncer
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
All sorts of random thoughts show up during the day and even while meditating, so we need a bouncer to decide which thoughts get to enter our minds, w...
Discipline & Dedication
10 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We think happiness will result from accumulating one instant gratification after another, but each gratifying moment is so brief, we spend more time c...
Distractions
20 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Inside of you there is a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time. If you find value in these videos, please show your support at https://www.bu...
Effort
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Effort is a direct reflection of our dedication and commitment. If you find value in these videos, please show your support at https://www.buddhistboo...
Love Languages
22 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is the recording of Timber's talk at a local church this morning, all about Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages, Clay Davidson's Unconditional Lov...
Feelings
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Have so many feelings and don't know what to do with them? I've been taught to avoid identifying with them or even claim them as my own, just observe ...
Self-Love
23 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do your decisions reflect that you care about your well-being or that you don't? Why are we so dismissive of our own divinity and worth? If you find v...
Focus
09 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Make anything that distracts you from your chosen path unappealing by adjusting your focus. If you find value in these podcast episodes, please show y...
Sit Happens
27 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why meditate? What's the point? Directing our attention where we choose is how we learn to no longer get distracted by outside circumstances. That's e...
Be Water
12 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If we have our claws so deeply embedded in the way we were, we get in the way of who we might become. Loosen your grip and rigidity to become more flu...
Outrospection
21 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Visibility leads to acceptance. Exposure to diversity opens our eyes first, our minds second, and our hearts third. When we understand and connect wit...
The Power of One
12 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we acknowledge that a single individual can make a big difference in our lives (or in the world), but we rarely credit ourselves for the abilit...
Privilege
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Everybody is privileged in at least one way or another, and that's not a bad thing. What is privilege? What is it not? And what can we do with it? If ...
Accepting Yourself
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Lao Tzu said, "Care what other people think, and you will always be their prisoner." Liberate yourself by getting to know who you are according to you...
Physical Contact
20 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do we now live in a world where we have to find non-physical ways to show affection? Let's talk about deeper methods of intimacy like vulnerability a...
Negativity Bias
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we so easily accept bad news but are reluctant to embrace good news? Maybe enlightenment is not about finding some truth that sets us free, per...
Unmet Needs
23 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What if instead of expressing our feelings we explained which of our needs are not being met? This practice requires awareness and vulnerability, but ...
Intervention
06 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Are you living in line with your values? Do you know what your values are? This month's intervention holds up a mirror for us to look at ourselves and...
Rude
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do you only show the ugliest side of you (the rude, mean, and nasty) to the people you love the most while strangers see the nicest side of you? Is it...
Personal Boundaries
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What you allow is what will continue, and what you put up with is what you end up with, so set your boundaries, communicate them, and stick to them wi...
According to Me
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The best way to have uncomfortable conversations with family members or friends who don't see the problem or how you perceive them to be part of the p...
Outrage
02 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In memory of George Floyd.
Sunday Sermon
18 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
God, Prayer, Grace, Mercy, if any of those topics make you uncomfortable, skip this episode; it's a recording of Sunday's sermon at Unity Church, brid...
Priorities
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our actions convey our priorities but we often fail to contemplate the WHY behind people's actions. When you argue with someone, you're trying to prov...
My Panic Attack
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I am typically calm and collected, so when I experienced a panic attack that triggered serious suicidal thoughts, it was mindfulness, meditation, surr...
Live Q&A Highlights from April 5, 2020
12 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Losing all hope is freedom? What?! Have a listen to distinguish between faith and hope, and learn to hold all opinions lightly so there's room to acce...
Live Q&A Highlights from March 29, 2020
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What changes to incorporate and how to remember which ones we want to implement in our lives when this pandemic is over, getting in touch with what (n...
Live Q&A Highlights from March 22, 2020
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On March 22, 2020, Timber hosted a live video broadcast Q&A in lieu of in-person events that have been canceled due to travel restrictions and social ...
Wabi Sabi
09 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Stop expecting perfection from others, it's not like you can offer it in return. Consider this a relief from the burden of judgment. Forget the conven...
One Power
16 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The song that helped me get over my issues with the word "God" and ease my resistance to places of worship like synagogues, churches, temples, and so ...
That Was Supposed To Happen
01 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I think we can do better than have great hindsight, we can train ourselves to have immediate insight. Here's how…