"There are thousands of pathways up the mountain, and all of them have the potential to reach the summit." These epic words from Buddhist teachings perfectly capture the spirit of this deep tradition - which is not a religion, by the way y'all. Coach Sam learns that Buddhism is simply the ART OF LIVING and jumps in! Woohoo!

Listen in this week as Coach Sam shares her recent trek to a Buddhist monastery near San Diego, where she participated in a walking meditation with over 100 strangers in complete silence. What struck her most wasn't the spiritual practices formality one might expect, but rather the joyful, welcoming atmosphere created by the beautiful monks and nuns. Their teachings weren't about perfection or right and wrong judgment but were deeply centered on mindfulness, presence, and cultivating that inner connection that leads to greater connection to all living things.
The revelation that walking meditation as a common Buddhist practice highlights how spiritual truths often already exist within our daily lives. We don't always need new techniques or complicated systems; sometimes we simply need to recognize and intentionally embrace what already resonates deeply with us. Sam knows this all to well from her ultra distance running and hiking experiences that were days filled with meditative states. But beyond meditation, inside this deep long tradition and it's teachings, is simply put "a way of life to find inner peace and outer connection to the good in our world."
Both Polly and Samantha explore how their personal paths, though different, have led them to similar realizations about living authentically. Samantha tells of the book The Eight Realizations of Great Beings—principles including knowing oneself, understanding desire, living simply, and befriending all living things—as practical guideposts rather than rigid doctrines. At its core, this approach to spirituality isn't about escaping life but fully engaging with it through awareness and love. Book: https://amzn.to/4bD2YE

What emerges is a profound yet accessible understanding that beneath our various seeking and practices lies a simple truth: when we strip away conditioning and distractions, what remains is LOVE. Our suffering often comes from forgetting this essential nature and projecting our internal conflicts outward. The practice, then, becomes remembering who we truly are and living from that awareness—moment by moment, breath by breath.
What spiritual practices might already be part of your life without formal labels? How might approaching your life's journey as art could alter your everyday experience? Join us on this journey of curiosity and discovery as we explore the beautiful possibilities of practicing the art of living.

To visit or learn more about Sister D: https://deerparkmonastery.org/

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt

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