This is the 10% Happier Podcast. I'm Dan Harris.

Hello, everybody. How we doing? My whole life, going back to when I was a kid, I can remember always feeling like I have some problem or set of problems that I've got to deal with. The subconscious lie I've always told myself is that as soon as I get whatever problem is currently on my plate,

off my plate, everything will be great. The allusion fields in perpetuity. But as my friend and

teacher Joseph Goldstein often says, if it's not one thing, it's another. We're always going to have

problems. The question is, how do you deal with

them effectively? Today, we're going to get the Zen recipe for handling all of life's

inevitable problems. My guest is Jiriu Rushman Biler, a Soto Zen Buddhist priest and teacher.

He is the co-abbat of the San Francisco Zen Center and the abiding

abbot of the Green Gulch Farm Zen Center. He recently edited a book of teachings by his root

teacher, the legendary Zen master Shunrio Suzuki. Shunrio Suzuki was one of the most

influential spiritual teachers of the 20th century.

He was a founding father of Zen and America, a fascinating dude, and you'll learn a little bit more about him.

Other topics we hit in the interview include what is Zen, how to work with your day-to-day problems from a Zen perspective, how to soften the mind, whether to meditate with your eyes open or closed,

what it really means to become one with everything, why life is not something to be figured out,

the connection between the oft-misunderstood concept of allowing and being more effective in your life, the concept and practice of faith and the magic of the universe.

If softening your mind and becoming one with everything sounds interesting but esoteric,

you really should check out our latest meditation, which drops today from my friend Jeff

Warren, who's our teacher of the month over on Dan Harris.com.

It's all about how practically to actually relax the mind and body and connect to everything

that's happening all around you. You can access it by signing up over at Danharis.com.

If you sign up, you'll also get invited to our weekly live meditation and Q&A sessions every Tuesday at 4. Dan Harris.com. Check it out. Okay, we'll get started with Gereu Rushman Beiler right after this. I'm a big worker outer, and I've been wearing this new brand, or at least new to me, recently, Fabletics, they're a sponsor on this show and sent me some stuff. I love this stuff. I'm wearing it all the time. I'm going to work out actually after I record this ad, and I'm going to put on some Fabletics and hit the gym. And what's cool about Fabletics is you can wear this stuff even if you don't work out. It's what they call at leisure. I'm sure you've heard that term. So I wear

their gym shorts and their workout t-shirts while I'm working out. I also wear their socks.

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