Hello and welcome to another episode of the Secular Buddhism Podcast.

This is episode number 101. I am your host Noah Rochetta and today I'm talking about

side shows, specifically what is your side show.

As always keep in mind you don't need to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist.

Use what you learn to be a better whatever you already are.

Now I've been interested in talking about this topic, this concept of a side show.

It's been on my mind for a few weeks. The definition of a side show is a diverting incident or

issue, especially one which distracts attention from something more important.

So think of it as the distraction. In Buddhism we talk about the eightfold path and the first

of the spokes on that wheel of the eightfold path is wise or skillful view or sometimes interpreted

as understanding. So skillful view or skillful understanding. To me this is essentially being

able to see past the side show, past the thing that's distracting me from the more important thing.

And I like to apply this as I always do internally. This is about me understanding me.

And when it comes to the things that I think or say or do, I'm trying to understand

is there a side show? Am I running a side show here that's distracting from the more important

thing that often goes unnoticed? You know unnoticed by me or you as the person who's running the

side show, but also to the audience that sees the side show and doesn't see the more important show

taking place behind the curtains. And I like that concept a lot. And there's a quote that I want

to share from Alan Watts where he really alludes to this idea, but he's talking about it in the

context of fear. But I think it's relevant. So I want to share that with you. So the quote goes

open quote, but you must remember that the secrets of all this is not to be afraid of fear.

When you can really allow yourself to be afraid and you don't resist the experience of fear,

...