If you boil it down, all spirituality can be seen as a response to the fact of death. Here we talk about mortality, hospice, dementia, afterlives, reincarnation, sickness, old age, and practices such as maranasati, death sangha, and charnel-ground visualization.
Start here: Dying with Dad Series
Talking about Dark Retreat, Part 2 with Andrew Holecek August 1, 2025 - Host Michael Taft continues his conversation with with Andrew Holecek about the transformative practice of Dark Retreat; the reasons behind the recent surge of interest in darkness practices; its relationship… Read More »Talking about Dark Retreat, Part 2 with Andrew Holecek
Being the Stillness July 17, 2025 - Then, notice the room around you, the sights, the sounds, everything. That's a lot of movement and color, and is that really separate from awareness? Is it like awareness is… Read More »Being the Stillness
Nondual Meditation – Being the Stillness May 22, 2025 - Now, notice something very interesting. From the place of being the stillness that knows, is the energy of the body—this tingly, dancing energy of feeling alive, is that really separate?… Read More »Nondual Meditation – Being the Stillness
Resource for All the World’s Sorrows January 23, 2024 - Tuning into this spaciousness that's available, not only is it primordially pure, fresh and clean, notice that it is welcoming. It doesn't say no to anything. It has this tremendous… Read More »Resource for All the World’s Sorrows
Meditating on the Six Realms of Existence November 17, 2020 - https://youtu.be/dtCYQVuHGyo Nondual Guided Meditation with Michael Taft According to Buddhist cosmology, the world of existence is divided into six types of beings. As one who is trapped in Samsara (i.e.… Read More »Meditating on the Six Realms of Existence
Death Sangha—May 2020 May 16, 2020 - https://youtu.be/aZzSZg2eUws meditation on death Guided meditation on death and dying by Michael Taft. Although the remembrance of death (maranasati) is a traditional practice, this is a non-traditional version. Meditation begins… Read More »Death Sangha—May 2020
Masters of Oblivion — Transcript of an Interview with Kenneth Folk December 15, 2019 - The following is a transcript of this podcast episode: https://deconstructingyourself.com/dy-003-masters-oblivion-guest-kenneth-folk.html Transcript Michael: Hello and welcome to Deconstructing Yourself, the podcast for modern mutants interested in mindfulness, meditation, awakening, and much… Read More »Masters of Oblivion — Transcript of an Interview with Kenneth Folk
What Does Dreaming Have to Do with Meditation? with Andrew Holecek October 23, 2019 - Host Michael Taft speaks with Dream Yoga expert Andrew Holecek about how the dream state (and dreamless sleep) can effect meditation practice. Topics include: the fantasy-filling model of lucid dreaming… Read More »What Does Dreaming Have to Do with Meditation? with Andrew Holecek
This Sucks: The Fierce Grace of Chronic Illness February 5, 2019 - by Jessica Graham I’m sitting in my room and it’s getting very boring waiting and waiting and waiting for something exciting to happen...And I am sick. I mean I have… Read More »This Sucks: The Fierce Grace of Chronic Illness
Feminism, Sexual Misconduct, and the Guru in Buddhism: An Interview with Chandra Easton November 22, 2018 - (This is a transcript of a podcast interview. If you notice any mistakes, please let me know.) Chandra Easton and Michael Taft talk about gender and sexual misconduct in Buddhism,… Read More »Feminism, Sexual Misconduct, and the Guru in Buddhism: An Interview with Chandra Easton
Roshi Joan Halifax on Standing at the Edge September 3, 2018 - (A transcript of Deconstructing Yourself podcast episode DY 016. Please let me know if there are any errors in the text.) Michael Taft: Welcome to deconstructing yourself, the podcast for… Read More »Roshi Joan Halifax on Standing at the Edge
What Is the Self? An Interview with Thomas Metzinger September 10, 2017 - by Michael W. Taft Thomas Metzinger is a German philosopher. As of 2011 he holds the position of director of the theoretical philosophy group at the department of philosophy at… Read More »What Is the Self? An Interview with Thomas Metzinger
Dying with Dad, Part 7 December 9, 2013 - by Jessica Graham One of the perks of meditation is that it instills compassion in the practitioner. True compassion comes from a place free of expectation, need, or neuroses. It… Read More »Dying with Dad, Part 7
Dying with Dad, Part 6 February 27, 2013 - By Jessica Graham In this series, I have been exploring my relationship with my dad and the experience of caring for him in his final months. It’s been an amazing… Read More »Dying with Dad, Part 6
Listening to the Body December 22, 2012 - by Jessica Graham “In these bodies we will live. In these bodies we will die” – Mumford & Sons Today is the first day of my Holiday vacation and I… Read More »Listening to the BodyDying with Dad, Part 5 October 10, 2012 - By Jessica Graham Last month my dad would have been 55 years old. With his birthday coming up I thought it was high time I got back to my Dying… Read More »Dying with Dad, Part 5
Dying with Dad, Part 4 January 17, 2012 - by Jessica Graham In self-help books, recovery programs, and spiritual communities there is a lot of talk about “letting go.” We are all urged to let go. But what does… Read More »Dying with Dad, Part 4
Losing Control November 27, 2011 - by Jessica Graham [dropcap]In[/dropcap] mindfulness meditation we observe and explore our experience without trying to control, manipulate, or change it. One the first big insights for many of us is… Read More »Losing ControlDying with Dad, Part 3 October 26, 2011 - By Jessica Graham It was my dad’s birthday recently. He would have been 54 years old. Most people think that he died pretty young, but it’s amazing he lived that… Read More »Dying with Dad, Part 3
Dying and Dinner Parties September 29, 2011 - by Michael W. Taft In the long run, meditation is about creating a better life for yourself and for everyone else. Mindfulness has been used for twenty-five centuries because practicing… Read More »Dying and Dinner Parties
Dying with Dad, Part 2 August 9, 2011 - by Jessica Graham My teacher Shinzen teaches that mindfulness meditation has three parts: concentration, sensory clarity, and equanimity, which all together lead to a reduction in suffering. But sometimes people… Read More »Dying with Dad, Part 2
Dying With Dad July 22, 2011 - by Jessica Graham Part One My meditation practice has helped me with all kinds of things. I don’t lose my keys as often. I don’t have meaningless sex with strangers.… Read More »Dying With Dad