#260

My guest today is one of my favourite people on the planet, Gelong Thubten. I never met Thubten before - we met on a Zoom call two and a half years ago during the times of covid where he truly changed my life. He doesn’t know that but I’ll talk about that in a minute. At that time I saw in Thubten an amazing soul that went through an amazing journey to help the rest of us souls find a path to happiness and enlightenment. We stayed in touch as much as we could after we recorded that podcast episode. And now finally at my best friend’s studio in London, we meet for the first time and we meet for me to realise that he is exactly what I thought he was. Thubten has written a new book that he so kindly shared with me before he shared with the rest of the world it’s called Handbook For Hard Times - such an appropriate title for what we are about to go through if you don’t mind me saying. It’s a monk’s guide to fearless living. I absolutely loved it. The book is out in just a few days on August 31st. I would ask you to please pre-order it.
Gelong Thubten is a Buddhist monk, meditation teacher and author. He became a monk 30 years ago and has spent over six years in meditation retreats, including one which lasted for four years. He is regarded as one of the UK’s most influential meditation teachers, working with corporations, schools, hospitals, prisons and rehab centres. He has lectured at the University of Oxford and for large organisations such as Google and The United Nations. He is also a director of several meditation centres as well as the humanitarian aid charity ROKPA International. Thubten is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller ‘A Monk’s Guide to Happiness’. His new book ‘Handbook for Hard Times’ will be published in August 2023. Pre-order here: www.amazon.co.uk/Handbook-Har...
Listen as we discuss:
- Finding Monk-hood
- Getting through a hard time
- Spreading the message
- What my teacher taught me
- A humbling retreat
- Pretentious spirituality
- The high of meditation
- The opposite of meditation
- Hard times, risks, fear and anxiety
- Growth from adversity - The Four Noble Truths
- Fearlessness
- From resistance to acceptance
- The Great Depression
- What is the point of retreating?
- How to cope with suffering
- Suffering is the teacher
Connect with Gelong Thubten on Instagram @gelongthubten and learn more about Thubten's work here: www.gelongthubten.com/about
KZbin: @mogawdatofficial
Instagram: @mo_gawdat
LinkedIn: /in/mogawdat
Website: mogawdat.com
Don't forget to subscribe to Slo Mo for new episodes every Saturday. Only with your help can we reach One Billion Happy #onebillionhappy
0:00 Slo Mo Intro
1:00 Guest Intro
2:53 Episode
54:08 Outro

[@eileencarr348]

Thank you both so much for this deep privilege... So much food for thought and reflection...🙏🏼...

[@marnierusk3023]

Truly an inspiring conversation. I've watched it twice and the golden nuggets of wisdom are profound. Look forward to reading the book. Many thanks.

[@peijuechen]

Fearlessness is to work with fear, it’s not lack of fear. Love it!

[@lizafield9002]

This is soo friggin' great. Relief. Aligns with my journey. Will check into pre-ordering book. Thank yall for divine realism.

[@user-mf7jh5ol8s]

Thank you very much, wonderful conversation ❤

[@jeyashreebhat3054]

Thank you Mo for bringing this amazing person.

[@msninanine]

Thank you for another lovely episode Mo ❤

[@eve-mariewhitsun-jones2445]

Your guests and conversations always reveal deeper understanding of the human experience, it’s such a joy to listen to! Ram Dass used to call the “pretentious spiritualist” as “phony holy”!

[@majahudopisk414]

The book is helping me heal. I love it. Thank you ❤.

[@lisahinkofer2085]

Food for thought. Deep and honest

[@peijuechen]

Really enjoy this conversation. First time listening to Gelong, really like him. Thank you Mo for inviting him to your show,

[@Appleloucious]

One Love! Always forward, never ever backward!! ☀️☀️☀️ 💚💛❤️ 🙏🏿🙏🙏🏼

[@jennyroth6583]

I love this conversation ❤

[@HeloisaAOliveira]

MO, I appreciate your podcast. I would like to know how exactly you are going to make a billion people happy.

[@familyhodges885]

this is gold! I love Thubten....he is an old and wise soul and suffering has taught him the essence of life

[@shanokapadia6451]

Always delightful & interesting 🦋

[@rosazapata9186]

Thank you, thank you, thank you ❤

[@alexandramcleod2079]

Oh this has lead m to funding other teachings by Thubten, I really did actually want to hear more from him.

[@carolynecoleby7704]

Me too!

[@carolynecoleby7704]

Thank you so much. I've just ordered the book and think it will be very important in my life.

[@positivevibes2468]

Just got the book on Audible tysm :)

[@peijuechen]

The society creates the fear and puts fear into people. We stay in the alter stage almost all the time. It is so true. People are insured so they need materials to “identify “ themselves.

[@jackieward3971]

I love your video , would love to read your book, what is it called, Thank you so much,be safe

[@shayistabaruah7911]

Excellent conversation. Love you Mo

[@siyincheong6278]

❤❤❤

[@suzanaayana7465]

🙏❤

[@mohamdoublkacem2932]

♥️♥️♥️

[@peacefulisland67]

Wanting to look spiritual or don the robes without doing the deep work I've been told, is called spiritual bypass. We skip the thinking and behaviors that need attending and hope we'll become whole by osmosis or accident. As far as wanting to look spiritual being bad, it can certainly be dangerous for those just starting out. There's learning from our mistakes, but some lose a lot more than face.

[@rorngronz6857]

🥰🥰❤❤

[@samoora7assan630]

One of my lovely lader

[@DorothyHartley-ud1pu]

No music

[@Snacks.relax.555]

How to go deeper?

[@johnbush8254]

The new Kadampa tradition how does it differ from Tibetan Buddhism

[@windwalker583]

Please relise 99 percent of bhudist are not following teaching a bhudha.then folloes sanskript a bunch of monks made up. Must of bhudist teachings is bs.... Original teachings is in pali language...and bhudists are not following original teachings on instatutional teachings mostly bs.. Pali is original...bit silly realy

[@windwalker583]

Befor people insult me...I have scotopic sensitivity syndrome which if form of dyslexia...as I know I will get insult and called stupid...I have very hi interlect..so pls no insults ..

[@markgibbard]

i met geelong thubten recently and found him to be a complete fraud. never smiled (no tv oe celebs) stayed away from everyone was rude and dismissive. he does have a clear voice though and can explain how to meditate but there are joyous people out there that can do that in an engaging way. waste of a weekend, a whinge fest, i wouldn't bother if i were you a big no no fron me, avoid oh and for those who wanted to know but the author (interesting he refers to himself as an author mostly rather than a monk he was doing a book tour of course) wouldn't explain what advice he had rxd about julie - an illusion - as everything is of course :) not budhism but bs - he was unaware of the vinegar tasters, says it all, avoid

[@dlb78dlb]

Interviewer should speak less.

[@alfhildbotilsrud3965]

Stressful conversation listen too