In this warm and joyful conversation, Emily and Johnny sit down with Jayaraja, senior member of the Triratna Buddhist Order and founder of Alfoxton Park House, a Buddhist eco retreat centre in Somerset.

Jayaraja takes us back to an extraordinary moment at age 11, when a sudden awareness of mortality led him to one quietly revolutionary conclusion: the only thing truly worth doing in this life is learning how to love. That insight eventually brought him to Buddhism, to community, and to over 25 years of teaching mindful communication.

We explore what mindful communication actually looks like in practice for leaders, and how staying genuinely present to both your own needs and those of the people around you can transform the way you lead.

We also dig into what "needs" actually means (hint: it's not chocolate, though we do get into that), why saying "no" is often the most generous thing you can do, and why real leadership has far less to do with authority than with the courage to own your vulnerability out loud.

Warm, wise, and genuinely life-giving, this one will stay with you.

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