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The Game of Zen

The Game of Zen

Auteur(s): Scott Berman and Paul Agostinelli
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 The Game of Zen explores the often-overlooked ways in which professional, personal and spiritual growth are interrelated. We dive deep into the life teachings of the Buddha and the mindfulness practices of Zen, revealing how they can help us dramatically expand our possibilities for whole-hearted work, life and play. Play the game of life with wisdom, humor and skill for better businesses and happier lives.Copyright 2026 Scott Berman and Paul Agostinelli Développement personnel Gestion et leadership Réussite Spiritualité Économie
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  • E36 - The Boardroom Bodhisattva: Mark Thornton on Spirituality and Investment Banking

    E36 - The Boardroom Bodhisattva: Mark Thornton on Spirituality and Investment Banking
    Mar 6 2026
    Can you find enlightenment on a London Underground platform or in the middle of a £25 million corporate crisis? In this episode of Game of Zen, hosts Scott Berman and Paul Gyodo Agostinelli sit down with Mark Thornton, former COO of JPMorgan Private Bank and author of Meditation in a New York Minute. Mark shares his radical journey from a "caffeine-addicted stress junkie" in the high-stakes world of global finance to a renowned Zen teacher and leadership consultant for Wharton and Harvard Law.Mark demystifies the idea that spiritual practice requires a mountaintop, offering instead a "micro-dosing" approach to mindfulness designed for the world’s busiest professionals. This conversation explores how to break the false correlation between stress and results, and why 5% of Wall Street is quietly fueling a spiritual revolution.Show Notes & Timestamps[0:00] – Introduction to Game of Zen Hosts Scott Berman and Paul Guyoto Augustineelli introduce the podcast's mission: exploring the intersection of professional, personal, and spiritual growth through the lens of Zen.[1:25] – Meet Mark Thornton An overview of Mark’s background as the former COO of JPMorgan Private Bank in London, a best-selling author, and an instructor for leadership programs at Wharton Business School and Harvard Law School.[3:45] – The Catalyst: A Father’s Miracle and a Childhood Awakening Mark shares the story of his father’s terminal cancer diagnosis and subsequent 25-year survival, which led to Mark's first profound awakening experience at age 13.[6:15] – Banking: "Where Awakening Goes to Die" Mark describes his life as a "caffeine-addicted stress junkie" in London's high-finance world, struggling to find the 20 minutes for traditional meditation while his physical health suffered.[10:30] – The £25 Million Crisis and the Tube Station Epiphany How spiritual practice Bore fruit during a corporate merger crisis and a transformative experience of "divine light" while standing on a London Underground platform.[14:10] – "I'm Pregnant with a Book": Leaving JP Morgan The story of Mark asking for a year off to write, being told no by his boss, and ultimately leaving the bank to meet 32 spiritual teachers across 13 countries.[19:45] – The "New York Minute" Method Explaining the breakthrough concept of "micro-dosing" mindfulness: practicing in small, cumulative moments throughout the day rather than one long consecutive session.[24:00] – Corporate Spirituality: Wall Street’s Thirst for Wisdom Mark discusses bringing "Corporate Spirituality" to Goldman Sachs and finding that, while 85% of Wall Street may not be interested, 5% are "thirsty" for deep spiritual tools.[30:20] – Relanguaging Spirituality for the "Untouched" The challenge of translating ancient wisdom for people who feel "too busy" for meditation and avoiding jargon like Sanskrit to reach a broader audience.[36:15] – Rapid Cycling and Global Consciousness A discussion on how the modern "chaos" of the world (AI, geopolitics) acts as fuel for awakening, forcing individuals to bump up against their limitations and seek healing.[43:40] – The Three Sacred Marriages Integrating the three areas of life: Self, Work, and Others. Mark and Paul discuss the importance of not bypassing professional or relational paths in favor of a monastic life.[48:10] – Leading with Love: Transforming the Boardroom Practical advice on seeing work as a platform for love and wisdom, including how to transform annual appraisals into sacred exchanges.[52:30] – Final Zen Wisdom and Closing Quotes Mark shares his favorite Zen quotes: "In meditation there are only ever beginners" and "To disturb something is to be attached to it".Meditation in a New York Minute - https://www.amazon.com/Meditation-New-York-Minute-Super/dp/1591794293Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-game-of-zen/id1700988890Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2bjnPE66RC1bCL6h7i68jt?si=184f256fd76342e3&nd=1Podcast Landing Page: https://game-of-zen.captivate.fm/You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMJ2A-vZkd5ba7bW_8KNFgdkXiSfQh_xvPaul AgostinelliOne Body Sangha -- https://www.onebodysangha.org/The Zen Shift Newsletter - https://thezenshift.substack.com/One Body Sangha - https://www.onebodysangha.org/Email: GameofZenpodcast@gmail.com#GameOfZen #NobleTruths #entrepreneurship#Buddhism #Mindfulness #Zen #Concentration #Buddha #Attachment #Impermenance
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    48 min
  • E35 - The Bodhisattva Shift: Turning Your Karma into Your Dharma

    E35 - The Bodhisattva Shift: Turning Your Karma into Your Dharma
    Nov 28 2025
    This podcast episode, "From Karma to Dharma," Hosts Scott & Paul explore the concept of the Bodhisattva—an archetypal energy in Mahayana Buddhism focused on personal awakening and helping others do the same. The discussion centers on making a fundamental shift in perspective: moving away from an obsessive focus on karma (personal, conditioned circumstances and plans) to embracing dharma (one's wisdom, teachings, and participation in the bigger, interdependent mystery of life). The hosts discuss how this shift lessens personal suffering, combats "monkey mind" habits (like analysis paralysis and catastrophizing), and brings greater meaning and spiritual growth by allowing one to turn life's conditions into wisdom that can help others.⏱️ Timestamped Summary0:00 Introduction & Host Catch-up: Scott Berman welcomes Sensei Paul Gyodo. They briefly discuss Paul's recent trip to the East Coast, noting the cultural differences.2:30 Introducing the Topic: From Karma to Dharma: The episode's focus is introduced: Paul's latest newsletter on Bodhisattvas—how to recognize them and become one.3:10Norman Fischer Quote & Defining Bodhisattva: Paul shares the quote: "Bodhicattvas don't mind much what happens to them. Their lives are larger than the plans they may have had for them." Paul defines the Bodhicattva as the Mahayana Buddhist ideal—a being that seeks awakening not just for themselves but to help others.5:35 The Shift from Personal Gravity: Discussion on how the Bodhicattva mindset moves beyond obsession with one's own plans, problems, and personal gravity, recognizing a larger context and interdependent reality.7:00 The Value of Helping Others: Scott shares his experience that helping others (using his gained knowledge) makes him feel better about his own internal problems, aligning with the Bodhisattva ethos.8:45 Plans and the Monkey Mind: Discussing the humor in making plans ("How do you make God laugh? Tell her your plans.") and how getting caught up in the perception of what should happen fuels the "monkey mind" when things inevitably change.10:45 Ignorance as the Root Poison: Referencing the Buddha's three poisons (greed, hatred, and ignorance). Paul emphasizes that ignorance is the most difficult, particularly the self-limiting view of ourselves as isolated and smaller than we truly are.12:50 Internal Ignorance & Limited Identity: Further discussion on the internal layer of ignorance—believing that our ideas about reality are reality, and limiting our identity to our conditioned life (education, biology, etc.).14:00 Bodhisattva Ethos: The Parental Mind: Scott connects the Bodhicattva's desire to help to the realization of one's ability to help people, especially seeing it through parenting—the parental mind is an animating spirit of the Bodhicattva.15:40 Minimizing Maladaptive Habits ("Weather System"): Using the analogy of a weather system to deal with overwhelming internal conditions (like workaholism, catastrophizing). You take refuge and wait for them to pass, rather than trying to stop the storm.18:50 Turning Karma into Dharma (The Core Reframe): Paul explains his expression: "Bodhisattva turns their karma... into their dharma." Karma is the conditioned life resulting from choices; Dharma is one's wisdom, teachings, and path. The shift is viewing life's circumstances not as limitations but as material for wisdom.21:20 The Eightfold Path as a Skill Set: Scott connects this reframe to the Eightfold Path—using its components (Right View, Right Speech, etc.) as a way to assess and learn from past actions, thus gaining wisdom.22:45 The Crisis of Meaning: Paul discusses the current societal "crisis of meaning" and how a karmic, personal-assessment focus cannot provide a solid foundation for meaning. Dharma—seeing life as a spiritual unfolding—provides a sound, non-contingent basis for meaning.25:30 Technology and Collective Karma: Discussing how technology amplifies both good (influence) and bad (discord). The need to suffer the collective afflictions (zeitgeist) to be motivated to bring forth the positive, especially through human connection.27:50 Internal Work Leads to External Benefits: The internal work (dharma) leads to external benefits (positive karma). Discussing the difference between positive (wholeness/thriving) and negative (separation/suffering) karma, and the power of small, kind actions.30:30 Personal vs. Collective Karma: Explaining that personal karma is resolved personally, while collective karma (social/political issues) must be resolved collectively. Individual action should focus on joining collectives working toward positive change.32:15 Spiritual Wealth vs. Material Wealth: Scott uses the analogy of Warren Buffett's giving pledge to pivot to the idea of building spiritual wealth (wisdom/dharma), which is equally, if not more, valuable than material wealth.34:00 Conclusion & Next Steps: Paul offers the final takeaway: everyone has the ability to turn their karma ...
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    34 min
  • E34 - Mindful Mastery: Dukkha, Deficiency, and the Discipline of Attention

    E34 - Mindful Mastery: Dukkha, Deficiency, and the Discipline of Attention
    Nov 21 2025
    Hosts Scott and Paul discuss the interplay between Zen Buddhist principles and everyday life, focusing on the concept of insufficiency or "not enoughness," which the first truth of Buddhism identifies as the root of suffering. The hosts explore how this sense of lack manifests across six key categories—time, money, people, information, energy, and attention—while sharing personal anecdotes and philosophical insights. A central theme is the importance of attention as the one resource individuals have the most control over, with the hosts ultimately advising listeners to focus on the resources they possess rather than those they lack. The discussion also touches on achieving happiness by embracing the idea that "every day is a good day," including those marked by setbacks or illness, and by shifting one’s focus toward inspired vows rather than solely personal satisfaction.0:00 - 1:04 Introduction: Welcome, hosts, location, and the episode's central theme: the interrelation of professional, personal, and spiritual growth, and the application of Zen principles to address the "not enoughness" that causes suffering. 1:04 - 2:07 Setting the Stage & Current Events: Scott checks in; Paul discusses being sick and recovering; brief mention of Halloween and the hosts' activities (Scott's Sixers costume).2:07 - 4:47 The Six Resources of Insufficiency: Introduction of the episode's main topic: Paul's newsletter on "not enoughness" and the six categories of resources: Time, Money, People, Information, Energy, and Attention. Discussion of Dukkha (suffering) as insufficiency and the cultural obsession with Time and Money.4:47 - 12:44 Deep Dive: Time: The "adversarial relationship" with time; the limitations of linear/chronological time; introducing the qualitative dimension of time (depth, focus, attention); Oliver Burkeman's 4,000 Weeks. Discussion on maximizing precious time, the futility of worrying about the past/future, and the Zen koan: "Every day is a good day."12:44 - 17:34 The Role of Attention (Master Ikyu's Story): How the idea of a "bad day" creates suffering; the cause of insufficiency as the gap between ideas and reality; Attention as the most controllable resource. Master Ikyu's teaching on attention; putting attention on what you have versus what you're lacking.17:34 - 22:58 Information and Energy: Scott's struggle with information intake; the balance between information/energy/time; tuning into intuitive sources of information and the body's energy (qi); how meditation helps manage time and energy; the wastefulness of worrying and stress.22:58 - 30:57 Deep Dive: People: Scott's struggle with not having enough time for everyone; making the most of contact; holding people in a "circle of awareness" even when not physically present; the energy drawn from quality relationships; the importance of maintaining networks. The vital step of feeling the deficiency/lack (loneliness, lack of money) and letting it motivate positive action, rather than denying it.30:57 - 35:05 The Achievement Treadmill and Vows: The sadness of successful people driven only by making more money; the hook of achievement and how it relates to self-worth; the quote on being disconnected from "inspired vows" and being caught in the "sticky web of too much and not enough." The solution: opening up to a bigger world/aspiration to embrace suffering.35:05 - 35:56 Conclusion: Final thoughts, the "Game of Zen" being about attention, and sign-off.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-game-of-zen/id1700988890Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2bjnPE66RC1bCL6h7i68jt?si=184f256fd76342e3&nd=1Podcast Landing Page: https://game-of-zen.captivate.fm/You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMJ2A-vZkd5ba7bW_8KNFgdkXiSfQh_xvPaul AgostinelliOne Body Sangha -- https://www.onebodysangha.org/The Zen Shift Newsletter - https://thezenshift.substack.com/One Body Sangha - https://www.onebodysangha.org/Email: GameofZenpodcast@gmail.com#GameOfZen #NobleTruths #entrepreneurship#Buddhism #Mindfulness #Zen #Concentration #Buddha #Attachment #Impermenance
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    33 min
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