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About Matthew O'Connell

Matthew O'Connell is a life coach and the host of the The Imperfect Buddha podcast. You can find The Imperfect Buddha on Facebook and Twitter (@imperfectbuddha).


NBN Episodes hosted by Matthew:

The Imperfect Buddha Podcast February 28, 2023

Contemplative, Existential Psychotherapy and Dzogchen

A Discussion with Ken Bradford

Ken Bradford

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Ken Bradford, Ph.D., has been a practitioner in the Theravada and Tibetan Buddhist traditions since 1975, and engaged in introducing meditative sensibilities and nondual wisdom streams into the experience-near practice …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast February 1, 2023

Nietzsche, Wokeism, Non-Buddhist Mysticism

A Discussion with Glenn Wallis

Glenn Wallis

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
What does it mean to be a hundred? Perhaps Fredric Nietzsche would know. He’s in part the star of the show. Along with regular guest Glenn Wallis. We look at …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast December 11, 2022

Non-Duality

A Discussion with Peter Fenner

Peter G. Fenner

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Peter Fenner, Ph.D, is an adapter and teacher of non-duality, and an author. His two books, Radiant Mind: Awakening Unconditioned Awareness (Sounds True, 2007) and Natural Awakening: An Advanced Guide for …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast November 25, 2022

Being Buddhist and Some Thoughts on "Identity"

Matthew O'Connell

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
The Think Pieces continue. This month, it is a look back at a piece on being Buddhist and identity. The text version can be found below. Themes picked up on …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast November 18, 2022

Buddhist Medicine and Buddish

A Discussion with C. Pierce Salguero

C. Pierce Salguero

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
In this episode, Pierce Salguero comes on to discuss two of his books: Buddhish, A Guide to the 20 Most Important Buddhist Ideas for the Curious and Skeptical (Beacon Press …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast October 27, 2022

Doubt

Part 5

Matthew O'Connell

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
And so it continues. The fifth and final installment in this series on doubt continues to explore an enlightened vision of practice in the 21st century. It explores the call …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast September 30, 2022

Intercultural Buddhism and Philosophy

A Discussion with Jin Y. Park

Jin Y. Park

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Welcome to the new season of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast. After a well-earned and challenging summer filled with drought, war, political strife and ridiculous heat, we’re back in the saddle …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast July 1, 2022

Derrida Meets Nagarjuna

A Discussion with Peter Salmon

Peter Salmon

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
In an historic event, the second Buddha himself Nagarjuna returns from the dead to team up with Jacques Derrida, non-Buddha, perhaps, to take on emptiness. They clash with identity politics …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast June 10, 2022

Doubt

Part 4

Matthew O'Connell

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
The fourth installment in this series on doubt continues to explore an enlightened vision of practice in the 21st century. It explores the call to practice, honesty, doubt’s place and …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast June 8, 2022

Jason M. Wirth on Zen, the Kyoto School, and Whether Nitezsche is a Buddha

Jason M. Wirth

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Welcome to this Great feast conversation. Philosophy Professor at Seattle University, Soto Zen Priest, Sangha leader, and Dharma teacher, Jason M. Wirth is the author of Nietzsche and other Buddhas …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast May 20, 2022

Peter Salmon on Jacques Derrida and the Buddha

A Conversation with Peter Salmon

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Today I talk with Peter Salmon, author of An Event, Perhaps; an intellectual biography of Jacques Derrida. Our conversation was rich: We tackle Derrida and Buddhism, Derrida and the culture …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast May 19, 2022

Doubt

Part 3

Matthew O'Connell

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
In the third part of this series on Doubt, we head off to the Great Feast. Come along and dine with the Buddha, your favourite philosophers, and any other great …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast May 19, 2022

Doubt

Part 3

Matthew O'Connell

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
In the third part of this series on Doubt, we head off to the Great Feast. Come along and dine with the Buddha, your favourite philosophers, and any other great …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast May 4, 2022

Doubt

Part 2

Matthew O'Connell

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
“Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.” Voltaire You know too much, yet understand too little. And it’s the same for me, and everyone you and …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast May 4, 2022

Daniel Ingram on Practice

Daniel Ingram

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
In this episode, returning guest Daniel Ingram comes on to discuss a range of fascinating questions concerning practice. We explore coming through the pandemic, the impact of long-term relationships on …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast March 8, 2022

Stef Aupers on Conspirituality

Stef Aupers

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Stef Aupers is professor of media culture in the Institute for Media Studies at the University of KU Leuven in the Netherlands. As a cultural sociologist, he studies the role …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast March 7, 2022

Doubt

Part 1

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
“Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.” Voltaire You know too much, yet understand too little. And it’s the same for me, and everyone you and …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast January 28, 2022

Winton Higgins on Secularizing Buddhism

Winton Higgins

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
In the practising life, choices must be made. Those choices occur at all levels from big picture views of the world, a whole life, and society, to the everyday choice …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast January 25, 2022

Practice Item no. 1

Matthew O'Connell

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Take a trip to the Great Feast in this first in a series of posts on the practising life. Non-Buddhism meets post-traditional slants on practice, whilst tackling complexity, doubt, and …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast December 2, 2021

Stephen Batchelor on Secularizing Buddhism

Stephen Batchelor

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Today I speak to Stephen Batchelor, figurehead for Secular Buddhism, well known author, and Scot. I present the lovely man some of the critique aimed at his work in the …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast August 10, 2021

Richard K. Payne on Securalizing Buddhism

Richard K. Payne

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
From immanent Buddhism to cruel optimism, from secular subjectivity to the unconscious material running through your personal practice, today's episode features a returning guest in the figure of Richard K …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast June 25, 2021

You Need Non-Practice!

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Something like a provocation, something of an introduction; this audio-cast presents a recent piece of work over at the Imperfect Buddha site on non-practice for all those interested in how …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast April 5, 2021

Jane Affleck on the Environment and Art as Practice

Jane Affleck

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Who will think on Buddhism? Who has the chops to do so? What does it mean to place Buddhism in a configuration of contemplation alongside other thought and one’s personal …
The Imperfect Buddha Podcast April 5, 2021

Tina Rasmussen

Concentrating on Practice

Tina Rasmussen

Hosted by Matthew O'Connell
Tina Rassmussen is one of our first meditation teachers on in a long while. Well, being a practice based series, this was inevitable. Tina was co-author of a book on …