The Modern Buddhism Podcast

Cameron Mathison on how he rebuilt his life after the LA fires, cancer, death, and divorce
In today’s episode, we’re delighted to welcome actor and talk show host Cameron Mathison, who shares his deeply personal journey—from success in the entertainment industry to discovering lasting inner peace through the teachings of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche.
Cameron opens up about a series of profound life challenges, including his battle with cancer, his mother’s dementia and passing, job loss, the breakdown of his marriage, and the devastating loss of his home in a fire—along with the memories it held.
In this honest and inspiring conversation, he explains how meditation and Buddhist practice helped him not only navigate these hardships, but transform his experience—becoming happier, freer, and more resilient in the process.
This is Part 1 of the conversation, with Part 2 coming soon.

Chapters
00:00 When Success Was Not Enough
05:12 Discovering Kadampa Meditation
10:18 Learning to Work With the Mind
15:02 Practicing Dharma in the Entertainment Industry
19:03 Kindness in Difficult Relationships
23:48 Humility, Perspective & Real Success
28:04 Accepting Change When Life Falls Apart
32:10 Cancer, Loss & Major Life Challenges
37:40 Training the Mind Through Hardship
43:05 Relying on Sangha, Teacher & Dharma

Book References
How To Transform Your Life by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Eight Steps To Happiness  by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

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https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en
Listen to teaching clips -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z

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I Grieved for 20 Years… Until I Learned This
We are delighted to welcome back Gen Gomlam in this powerful episode. 
How do you transform the pain of loss into something life-enhancing? In this conversation, Gen Gomlam – a Buddhist nun and former hospice nurse – shares her deeply personal journey through grief, from the loss of her brother to the healing of her relationship with her father.
Drawing on Buddha's teachings on the mind, she explores how attachment keeps us locked in pain, why grief isn't the badge of love we think it is, and how real happiness can only be found within.
Whether you're navigating loss right now or simply want to understand your mind better, this conversation offers practical wisdom and genuine hope.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:24 Early Experiences With Loss
04:11 Pain Comes From Our Reaction
06:41 Understanding Attachment
11:27 Prolonged Grief Is Attachment
19:07 Love Doesn't Die When They Die
20:36 Healing With Her Father
27:02 Tara's Mantra and the Funeral
31:03 Looking for Love vs. Loving Others
34:00 Therapy, Dharma and Lasting Change

Book References
How to Understand the Mind  by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Gen Kelsang Gomlam is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide.

Want More?
Find a meditation center near you:
https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en
Listen to teaching clips:
https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z
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In today’s episode, Kadam Adam speaks with Shelley about her journey through illness, business leadership, and spiritual transformation, explaining how facing cancer became a powerful wake-up call to re-examine her priorities. Drawing inspiration from the teachings of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, she reflects on the challenges of bringing compassion and wisdom into the workplace, especially when making difficult decisions such as letting staff go or navigating ethical dilemmas. She describes how meditation helped her develop a long-term perspective on happiness and success, and how applying Buddhist principles in daily life transformed not only her own mind but also the way she related to others. This episode shows how difficulties can become the fuel for spiritual growth and how, by training our mind with patience and compassion, we can find meaning and purpose even in the hardest moments.

Chapters
00:00 Facing Cancer & Wake-Up Call
05:10 Business Career & Ethical Challenges
10:40 Bringing Compassion Into Leadership
16:20 Meditation in Everyday Decisions
22:30 Long-Term View of Happiness
28:00 Crisis as Spiritual Turning Point
34:15 Discovering Kadampa Buddhism
40:10 Applying Dharma in Daily Life
46:00 Meaning, Purpose & Inner Change
52:20 Advice for Modern Practitioners

Book References
Modern Buddhismhttps://kadampa.org/book/modern-buddhism
How to Transform Your Lifehttps://howtotyl.com/

Want More?
Find a meditation center near you:
https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en
Listen to teaching clips:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nktikbu
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z
Subscribe to get notifications of new episodes.

#KadampaBuddhism #GesheKelsangGyatso #MeditationInDailyLife #ModernBuddhism #SpiritualGrowth #MindTraining #CompassionInBusiness #OvercomingCancer #InnerPeace #CancerJourney #BuddhistWisdom #PersonalTransformation #MindfulnessPractice #MeaningOfLife #KadampaPodcast

In today’s episode, Gen Rinchung reflects on loss, grief, spiritual growth, and the transformative power of Dharma. Drawing on her personal experience of losing her brother at a young age and her subsequent search for meaning, she shares how this loss revealed there was something within herself that was causing her pain. Seeing how destructive mental states shaped her suffering set her on a quest to find a spiritual teacher—someone who could teach her about her mind and how to work with it.
Meeting Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche profoundly changed her life. This episode explores how changing our mind is the only realistic way to change the world, bringing hope, purpose, and deep peace, and how authentic spiritual practice helps us live a more meaningful and compassionate life.

Chapters
00:00 Facing Death and Loss
05:20 Losing Her Brother and Grief
10:00 Spiritual Search and Meeting Venerable Geshe-la
15:20 Meeting Venerable Geshe-la and Authentic Dharma
20:02 Changing the Mind, Changing the World
24:10 Meditation, Effort, and Stubbornness
29:04 Ordination and Daily Commitment
32:01 Goals, Prayer, and Letting Go

Book References
Modern Buddhism: https://kadampa.org/book/modern-buddhism
How to Transform Your Life: https://howtotyl.com/

Gen Rinchung is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide.
Find a meditation center near you: https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en
Listen to teaching clips
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nktikbuSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z
Subscribe to get notifications of new episodes.

#Kadampa #Grief #GesheKelsangGyatso #NewKadampaTradition #BuddhistWisdom #ModernBuddhism #Dharma #Meditation #Compassion #SpiritualGrowth #InnerPeace #MindTraining #GriefHealing #LifeMeaning #KadampaPodcast

In this episode, Gen Ananda explores the Buddhist practice of patience, understanding it as a profound practice of acceptance - not passive tolerance, but a powerful method for transforming anger, conflict, and emotional pain. Through real-life examples, personal stories, and Kadampa Buddhist wisdom, we learn how patience creates inner freedom, courage in difficult conversations, and a healthier way to meet conflict - without suppressing our feelings or fueling them. A deep, practical conversation on emotional maturity, forgiveness, and changing the world by changing the mind.

Chapters
00:00  Why Patience Matters
05:20  Working with Anger & Emotional Triggers
09:20 Courage, Conflict & Inner Freedom
13:45  Conflict Without Drama
17:20  Healthy Ways to Process Anger
22:15  Meditation as Real-Life Training
25:20  Conflict with the World & Society
33:45  Forgiveness & Letting Go of Blame
40:00  Healing Through Responsibility & Insight

Book References
Modern Buddhism: https://kadampa.org/book/modern-buddhism
How to Transform Your Life: https://howtotyl.com/

Gen Ananda is a senior teacher within the New Kadampa Tradition, an international Buddhist tradition with over a thousand meditation centers worldwide.

Want More?
Find a meditation center near you

https://kadampa.org/nkt-center-search/?lang=en
Listen to teaching clips

https://open.spotify.com/show/5QPCFEyZz74nOHZbQr1B4z
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#Kadampa #Buddhism #Kadampa #Meditation #Patience #EmotionalHealing #InnerPeace #AngerManagement #SpiritualGrowth #MeditationPractice #MindTraining #RadicalAcceptance #Forgiveness #MentalHealth #ModernBuddhism #SelfDevelopment