Pragmatic Buddhism

Welcome to Pragmatic Buddhism, a podcast offering down-to-earth Dharma talks, mindful reflections, and unscripted conversations for curious minds. We explore the intersection of ancient insight and modern life, weaving together Buddhist teachings, psychology, neuroscience, and lived experience.

Whether you're new to meditation or a longtime practitioner, this podcast invites you into a path of authentic awareness, compassionate acceptance, and wise action without dogma, jargon, or perfectionism.

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48 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes48

Newest first

Sep 26, 2025 · 43 min
Enlightenment and the Self: Stories We Tell
We’re often told to “be true to yourself” but what if the self isn’t a fixed thing at all? In this episode of Pragmatic Buddhism, Danielle reflects on enlightenment and the self, showing how our identities are shaped by experience, culture, and change. Together with the St. Louis sangha, we consider how seeing the self as a story can help us respond to life with more intention and less suffering.
Sep 19, 2025 · 39 min
Why Enlightenment Isn’t Just About You
When we meditate, reflect, and live more mindfully, the effects reach far beyond ourselves. In this conversation with the St. Louis sangha, Danielle explores enlightenment as a practice that balances self-care with service to others. Using stories, metaphors, and real-life examples, we reflect on how our drops of practice can help clear the pond for everyone.
Sep 12, 2025 · 39 min
Enlightenment as a Verb: Living the Practice
What if enlightenment wasn’t something you achieved once and for all, but something you do? In this talk, Danielle discusses awakening with the St Louis sangha as a living, ongoing process. Drawing from Buddhist teachings and everyday experience, we explore how seeing enlightenment as a verb can transform how we approach meditation, compassion, and the choices we make each day.
Sep 5, 2025 · 39 min
Realization: What Enlightenment Really Means
Enlightenment can sound mysterious, even unreachable. But in Buddhism, realization isn’t about becoming perfect — it’s about seeing clearly. In this conversation with the St Louis sangha, Danielle unpacks what realization means, how it differs from popular myths about enlightenment, and how our practice can help us recognize moments of awakening in daily life.
Aug 29, 2025 · 38 min
Not-Self: Letting Go of the Story of “Me”
What if the “self” you defend, protect, and try to perfect isn’t as solid as it seems? In this conversation with the St. Louis sangha, Danielle unpacks the Buddhist teaching of not-self (anatta), the third of the Three Marks of Existence. Together, we explore how this insight can help us relate to ourselves and others with more openness, less fear, and deeper compassion.
Aug 22, 2025 · 52 min
Living with Life’s Discontent
We all want to avoid pain, boredom, and disappointment but these feelings are part of life. In Buddhism, this is called dukkha, the second of the Three Marks of Existence. In this conversation with the St. Louis sangha, Danielle unpacks what dukkha really means, why it’s more than just “suffering,” and how accepting its place in the human experience can actually free us to enjoy life more fully.
Aug 15, 2025 · 43 min
Nothing Lasts Forever And That’s the Point
Everything changes yet we often resist it. In this episode of Pragmatic Buddhism, Danielle explores the Buddhist teaching of impermanence and why embracing change can bring freedom from fear and clinging. Recorded live with the St. Louis sangha, this talk offers practical ways to see impermanence not as loss, but as life’s natural flow.
Aug 8, 2025 · 47 min
Seeing Clearly: The Three Marks of Existence
Everything changes. Stress is part of life. And the “self” isn’t as solid as it seems. In this opening episode of Pragmatic Buddhism, sociologist and Buddhist teacher Danielle joins the St. Louis sangha to explore the Three Marks of Existence — impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and not-self — and how these core Buddhist teachings can help us meet change with clarity, compassion, and mindfulness.