# Ep. 263 - Dharma Lessons from 50 Years of Buddhist Practice with Gil Fronsdal

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/be-here-now-network-guest-podcast-768073/ep-263-dharma-lessons-from-50-years-of-buddhist-practice-with-gil-fronsdal
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/be-here-now-network-guest-podcast-768073/ep-263-dharma-lessons-from-50-years-of-buddhist-practice-with-gil-fronsdal.md
Podcast: [Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/be-here-now-network-guest-podcast-768073)
Published: 2026-07-10T17:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/rss.art19.com/episodes/1467bfe9-4220-436c-a727-df2ba36db973.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIg90cmFuc2NyaWJyBjoGRVQ%3D--952c5701c84ad333c69d5faa668f8177091704f0
Audio file: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/rss.art19.com/episodes/1467bfe9-4220-436c-a727-df2ba36db973.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIg90cmFuc2NyaWJyBjoGRVQ%3D--952c5701c84ad333c69d5faa668f8177091704f0
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Duration seconds: 2812

## Resource

Sharing meaningful stories from a life of practice, Gil Fronsdal chats about the impact of spiritual community, simplicity, and generosity.  Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal outlines: Honesty, communication, and understanding as an alternative to LSD The impact of reading Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind , and going to the San Francisco Zen Center The importance of doing spiritual practice with other people and finding community Finding freedom within simplicity and generosity  The practice of working through fear and becoming relaxed Gil’s mindful founding of the Insight Meditation Center , balancing the commercial forces of society How growing up in wartime inspired Gil’s interest in nonviolence and civil disobedience  About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center . He is the author of The Issue at Hand , essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within ; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered ; and the translator of The Dhammapada , published…

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## Transcript

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