logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2025
51m 29s

Ancient Buddhist Principles for Modern L...

THE ART OF MANLINESS
About this episode

When you’re feeling stressed, burnt out, and anxious — when you’re striving and achieving but still finding yourself persistently dissatisfied with life — you might start looking for answers beyond what’s offered by contemporary self-help.

One ancient philosophy that can cast light on the sources of and solutions to our seemingly modern dilemmas is Buddhism. If you’ve ever been intrigued by Buddhism but admittedly only have a vague sense of what it’s all about, Brendan Barca — co-author of The Daily Buddhist: 366 Days of Mindful Living — will walk you through its foundational principles.

We begin our conversation with how Buddhism is similar to and different from other ancient philosophies like Stoicism, and Brendan offers an accessible introduction to the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. In the second half of our conversation, we explore how Buddhist principles and practices can be applied to our everyday modern lives and help you deal with the anxiety created by living in an impermanent world, shift your perspective on daily challenges, and cultivate greater compassion and patience. We discuss different meditation methods, the real purpose of meditation, and how to get started with it as a beginner. We end our conversation with the Buddha’s final words and what it means to “strive with vigilance.”

Resources Related to the PodcastConnect With Brendan Barca

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Oct 7
The Classical Code of Manhood
What does it mean to be a man? It’s a timeless question that's been answered in different ways across the ages. For the ancient Romans, the word for manliness was virtus — the root of our word virtue. To be a man meant living a life of virtuous excellence.Waller Newell takes up t ... Show More
59m 51s
Sep 30
Why You Need the Good Stress of Socializing
You may have heard of hormesis — the idea that intentionally embracing small stressors activates the body’s repair and defense systems, building resilience, improving how the body and even the microbiome function, and ultimately protecting against the harms of chronic stress.We t ... Show More
52m 41s
Sep 23
Build Muscle Without the B.S. — A Straightforward Guide to Size and Strength
Whether you’ve never stepped foot in a weight room or you’ve been lifting for years without seeing significant results, figuring out how to get big, strong, and jacked can feel overwhelming. There are endless programs, conflicting opinions, and a lot of noise about what actually ... Show More
1h 5m
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
The Dopamine Expert: Doing This Once A Day Fixes Your Dopamine! What Alcohol Is Really Doing To Your Brain! Your Childhood Shapes Future Addictions!
From smartphones, to sugar, to exercising, the modern world is plagued by dopamine addictions, and Dr Anna Lembke holds the key to breaking free   Dr Anna Lembke is Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual ... Show More
2h 14m
Aug 18
Michael Long on Taming Dopamine: Regain Focus and Productivity
Michael Long is a bestselling author and speechwriter who co-wrote Taming the Molecule of More, the follow-up to the hit book The Molecule of More. In this conversation, we dive into how dopamine—the brain’s “molecule of more”—drives distraction, craving, creativity, and producti ... Show More
40m 46s
Sep 2024
The Brain Rot Dr: We're ALL Getting More Narcissistic!
Welcoming back Dr Alok Kanojia onto DOAC for the second time, this conversation covers a variety of subjects from the search for purpose, the journey of healing, the loneliness epidemic to the role of dopamine in our lives, specifically around sex and relationships, amongst many ... Show More
2h 38m
Aug 2024
Andrew Huberman: You Must Control Your Dopamine! The Shocking Truth About Cold Showers!
Your brain shapes your reality, and your reality shapes your life. World famous neuroscientist Andrew Huberman gives you the brain hacks to take control of your reality and life. Andrew Huberman is a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at the Stanford University School of ... Show More
4h 3m
Nov 2021
#392 - Anna Lembke - How To Reset Your Brain's Dopamine Balance
Anna Lembke is a psychiatrist who is Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford University and an author.Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter in our reward pathway. It tells us when to feel pleasure and pain, it can cause depression and anxiety, and ... Show More
1h 3m
Sep 2024
How To Hack Your Habits, Rewire Your Brain & Leverage Dopamine, with Neuroscientist Nicole Vignola
Welcome back to the show!!! We have an incredible fall lineup planned, and I’m so glad you’re here. I don’t know about you, but no matter how old I get, September will always feel like that fresh back to school milestone where you get back into your routine and set new goals and ... Show More
56m 4s
Jul 7
Dr K (Bad Habit Addiction Doctor): The Truth About Dopamine, Addiction, Pornography & Masturbation
World-Renowned Addiction Expert Dr. K reveals the SHOCKING truth about masturbation, pornography, dopamine burnout, incels, and why 60% of men under 30 are single. Dr K from Healthy Gamer! Dr. Alok Kanojia (aka Dr. K) is a world-leading addiction expert, Harvard-trained psychiatr ... Show More
1h 58m
Sep 24
The “Ex Effect”: Why Your Brain Can’t Let Them Go
Do you feel stuck on an ex . . . convinced you’ll never feel that way again? In this week’s episode, Matthew, Audrey, and Stephen reframe “I’ll never be as happy” as an anxious thought, not a prophecy.They unpack nostalgia traps, why we over-glorify past relationships, and how to ... Show More
1h 2m
May 2025
138. Mike Long - The Molecule of More: How Dopamine Fuels Addiction and Disconnection
In this episode of the Unhooked podcast, I dive deep into the science of dopamine and addiction with special guest Mike Long, co-author of 'The Molecule of More.' Mike explains how dopamine drives addictive behaviors such as porn addiction and serial dating, and stresses the impo ... Show More
1h 4m
Sep 1
(Matt Monday): The #1 Reason You Feel Powerless in Dating (and How to Fix It)
What if the way you view your past is quietly shaping your present in ways you don’t even realize? In this week’s video, I explore a book that has completely shifted how I think about dating and life. It challenges some deeply-held beliefs and the stories we tell ourselves.This v ... Show More
28m 38s