Buddhist Cosmology: The Six Realms of Being

Which one are you in right now?

In this episode, I explore the six realms of Buddhist cosmology which can be understood as both literal places of rebirth and psychological states we all experience. I also mention how this might help us contextualize the chaos and cruelty of our current political situation in the US. The realms include:

The God Realm - A place of complete abundance where beings have everything they desire but no motivation to seek enlightenment

The Jealous God/Asura Realm - Beings with power and resources consumed by covetousness and aggression, always fighting for more. And more. (Sound familiar?)

The Human Realm - The most fortunate realm with the right balance of suffering and ease for spiritual development. Yay us!

The Hungry Ghost Realm - Represents insatiable desires and cravings that can never be fulfilled

The Animal Realm - Characterized by basic survival needs and limited spiritual capacity, yet capable of love and connection

The Hell Realm - A place of constant suffering with no relief, glimpsed through our experiences of heartbreak and witnessing suffering

Resources Mentioned:

• "A Guided Tour of Hell" by Sam Bercholz - Featuring descriptions and visual depictions of the hell realms
• Join my meditation community, the Open Heart Project Sangha, to practice together and learn how to apply these teachings to everyday life. Would be great to see you there!

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

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Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien

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