Buddhism for Everyone with JoAnn Fox

“The rain could turn to gold and still your thirst would not be slaked,” the Buddha said. He was pointing to the endless cycle of craving, the restless thirst that keeps us searching outside ourselves for satisfaction. Even if we were showered with gold, our longing would not end. So how do we free ourselves from this thirst? In this Fan Favorite episode, we look for the answer in understanding the connection between emptiness and craving.

When Buddhism speaks of emptiness (shunyata), it doesn’t mean that nothing exists. It means that nothing exists inherently or independently. Everything arises because of many causes and conditions.

Think about a table. It seems to be a table all on its own. But in truth, it depends on wood, on carpenters, on the label "table," and on our own minds to recognize it. Without these causes (and many more), the table as we know it doesn’t exist. Even beauty works this way. If we see a flower as beautiful, we think the beauty is “out there.” Yet without our mind, that beauty would never appear. Emptiness reveals that our world is far more fluid and interdependent than it seems.

The Buddha described craving as tanha, which literally means thirst. This isn’t just enjoying things; it’s clinging to them for happiness or pleasure.

He compared it to tasting honey on a razor’s edge. The first taste is sweet, but pain follows. That’s what happens when we cling to pleasures, possessions, or people: we suffer when they change, disappear, or fall short of our hopes. Craving always promises satisfaction but never delivers.

At the root of craving is a misunderstanding. We think things exist solidly and permanently, as if beauty, pleasure, or comfort live inside them. But emptiness shows us this isn’t true.

When you enjoy a sunset, your mind is part of creating that beauty. When you savor a meal, your mind is shaping the pleasure. But we don’t see it this way. We believe the joy is built into the object itself. So we cling, hoping to hold it forever.

Once we understand emptiness, craving begins to dissolve. We see the truth: things are impermanent, interdependent, and shaped by the mind. We can still enjoy them, but we don’t need to grasp so tightly.

The Buddha taught that the end of craving is the end of suffering. When we realize emptiness, ignorance loosens its grip. We don’t stop enjoying life! We stop demanding that impermanent things give us permanent happiness. Instead of chasing after more, we can finally enjoy and relax in freedom.

References and Links

Buddha.The Dhammapada. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. (Kindle). Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 78 (Link)

Buddha (1986).The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories. Translated by Daw Mya Tin, M.A. (Website). Edited by Editorial Committee, Burma Tipitaka Association Rangoon. Courtesy .of Nibbana.com. For free distribution only, as a gift of dhamma. Retrieved from https://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=386

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The Buddha said that the minds of his followers should "constantly, day and night, delight in spiritual practice." But what practice can we stitch into the fabric of ordinary days? This fan-favorite epsiode explores a spiritual thread that can run through work, family, errands, and all the passing moments that make up our lives.

Cherishing others requires no shrine, no retreat, no special circumstance—only a special intention. To cherish another means we think and act on this intention,

"Your happiness matters. I will work for your happiness."

Whether it's the barista, a child, a colleague, or a stranger in the grocery store, cherishing others transforms every interaction into a step on the spiritual path.

Cherishing others is loving-kindness, or metta, in action. This practice softens the heart. It also dismantles the walls of self-cherishing (selfishness), our habit of "me first" that actually gives rise to our own pain.

The Buddha taught that cherishing others is the root of all good qualities, from patience to compassion, and the sacred root from which enlightenment eventually blossoms.

The Buddha also taught that cherishing others helps solve problems and creates the causes of happiness (through creating good karma). And science, centuries later, agrees. A 2024 study involving three countries and 4,000 people found that even one act of kindness a week toward others decreased loneliness, social anxiety, neighborhood conflict, and isolation. 

Even our bodies rejoice when we cherish others. Researchers at the University of British Columbia found that people who regularly performed kind acts had lower blood pressure and reduced inflammatory markers—key factors in long-term health. And a study from Carnegie Mellon University showed that offering support to loved ones was linked to lower cortisol levels and improved immune response.

Cherishing others is beneficial for the mind and weaves joy into everyday life. What if, day and night, we delighted in this?

If you are interested in working with JoAnn Fox as a Life/Spiritual Coach, visit https://buddhismforeveryone.com/coaching

References and Links

Buddha. The Dhammapada, Translated by Gil Fronsdale. (Kindle). Shambala, Boston and London, 2011, pp. 76

Gill, Sharman. (Nov. 2024). BYU study shows that even one act of kindness a week improves wellbeings for individuals, communites. Retrieved from: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-random-acts-of-kindness-can-boost-your-health-5105301

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We’re bringing back a fan favorite episode from the Buddhism for Everyone archives with an exploration of fear, anxiety, and bravery. Fearlessness is often spoken of in Buddhist teachings, but here we go beyond the idea of simply “being brave” to uncover how the Buddha understood fear itself. Together, we’ll look at what causes fear, the antidotes that dissolve it, and how we can tap into the quiet courage already within us.

In Buddhism, there is a distinction between skillful fear and unskillful fear. Skillful fear can protect us. An example of skilful fear is noticing a subway train barreling down the tracks and stepping back. But unskillful fear? That’s the kind that traps us, limits us, and leads to actions that cause suffering. In this beloved episode, we explore unskillful fear and how to meet it with wisdom, compassion, and practical tools for everyday life.

We also examine the common forms unskillful fear takes, such as:

• Fear of things that may or may not happen

• Fear of the inevitable changes of life, like aging

• Fear for the safety or happiness of those we love

This episode has been replayed again and again by listeners who say it’s brought them peace, clarity, and even a little spark of bravery. We’re so happy to share it with you once more.

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Have you ever walked away from a conversation and thought, "Why did I just say that?" Oh, me too. But thankfully, the Buddha left us plenty of tools to transform even our speech into something sacred. In this episode, we explore an acronym I recently added to my spiritual toolbox, W.A.I.T. — Why Am I Talking? Before we speak, we can pause and ask ourselves this simple question to check our motivation. Are we trying to connect or control? Are we speaking from kindness or merely from habit?

The Four Gates of Speech

Another powerful filter comes directly from the Buddha. Before we speak, we can ask ourselves if our words pass through these Four Gates:

1. Is it true?
2. Is it kind?
3. Is it necessary?
4. Is it the right time?

The Downfalls of Speech

In the Buddhist teaching on Right Speech, the Buddha identified four types of unskillful speech that cause harm:

• Lying – intentionally deceiving
• Divisive speech – creating conflict or turning people against each other
• Harsh speech – cruel, aggressive, or hurtful words
• Idle gossip– pointless talk that distracts and wastes energy

We can gradually reduce these habits and move toward speech that uplifts, heals, and connects.

A Practice You Can Try Today

Next time you're about to speak, even just in casual conversation, take a beat and ask:

"W.A.I.T — Why am I talking?"

You might find there's wisdom in the silence. Or you might find your words come from a more beautiful place, a place of kindness, truth, and intention.

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This episode is a gentle return to something simple, sacred, and too often forgotten: the present moment. The only moment we ever truly have. 

We explore what it means to really be present. True calm arises when we're not lost in yesterday's story or tomorrow's worries but rest in the stillness of the now. JoAnn Fox, a Buddhist teacher of over twenty years, will talk about why presence is the ground of peace, the birthplace of connection, and the secret doorway to joy.

Let's take a breath and be here now.

They do not grieve over the past,

Nor do they yearn for the future;

They live only in the present

— That is why their face is so calm.

It's from yearning for the future,

And from grieving over the past;

This is how fools become withered

Like a fresh reed that's been hacked down.

–Buddha, from the Arañña Sutta (A Face So Calm)

Resources

Buddha, translated by Andrew Olendzki, 2006. The Arañña Sutta: A Face So Calm. Retrieved from: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.010.olen.html

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