“If we imagine fear as this tight fist that says, I’m not going to let go, I need to keep you safe, love comes in as just this warm hug, and it’s like, It’s all right, sweetheart, I’ve got you, you don’t have to hold this burden anymore. And the fear doesn’t want to do this…. It is doing it because it does not believe there is another path for you in order to survive or get your needs met.” – Cory Muscara
Former monk and down-to-earth spiritual teacher Cory Muscara wraps up Season 12 with a powerful exploration of the lived human experience. Cory is not a graduate of the Hoffman Process, but he has recommended it to many and plans on attending in the near future. The ethos of his work blends beautifully with that of the Process.
After a painful relationship breakup in his twenties, Cory began to meditate as a way to support himself. Realizing he wanted to go deeper into meditation, he headed to a monastery in Burma for a 6-month meditation retreat.
Truly, it is hard to summarize this conversation. Like life, it must be experienced. You can feel the invitation to soften when in Cory’s presence as he articulates the process of internal healing and self-compassion.
Later in the conversation, Drew mentions that a Process is completing just down the hill. He asks Cory what he might tell them. Cory offers a compassionate response to them and ultimately to all of us. He shares that leaving a retreat such as the Process and heading back into life offers us the opportunity to continue the work to heal, realizing that life is the meditation cushion. Life is where the ‘work’ continues. It is also where love can blossom with more ease and grace for ourselves and others.
We hope you enjoy this wise and compassionate conversation with Cory and Drew.
We’ll see you again in late August when we launch season 13. Thanks for listening and watching. We appreciate you.
Podcast: Download (Duration: 53:36 — 122.7MB)
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Cory Muscara is a former monk, host of the Practicing Human podcast, and bestselling author of the book Stop Missing Your Life. With over 1.5MM followers across his social media channels, Cory has gained popularity for his down-to-earth teachings on mindfulness, wellbeing, and mental health.
Cory has taught mindful leadership at Columbia University, is an instructor in Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and, for the last decade, has offered mindfulness keynotes, workshops, and retreats around the world, helping people find peace and transformation in a chaotic world. Cory’s meditations have been heard more than 50 million times in over 150 countries. His goal is to share wisdom teachings in a practical and accessible way.
Discover more about Cory here and find resources here. Follow Cory on Instagram and LinkedIn.
The monastery Cory resided at is Panditarama Hse Main Gon Forest Meditation Center in Burma.
Cory’s teacher, Sayadaw U Pandita
Sayadaw means “venerable teacher.”
Vipassana Meditation.
• Vipassana means to “see things as they really are.”
• Vipassana meditation is one of India’s most ancient meditation techniques.
Walking meditation:
• Thich Nhat Hanh on How to Take a Mindful Walk
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• IFS Model, Parts, and Protective Patterns
• Richard Schwartz – Listen to Richard on the Hoffman Podcast: IFS & the Unburdening of Self
The productivity tool Cory mentioned is ToDoist.
C.A.R.E. – Connect. Appreciate. Reveal. Empathize.
19:44 (video), 18:47 (audio)
Two levels of pain: Primary and Secondary pain
37:09 (video), 34:40 (audio)
Cory’s episode is the first one we filmed at our new Hoffman Podcast Studio at Santa Sabina.
We celebrated this inaugural episode with a crew photo.
