The Unfettered Mind website is a rich, timeless, non-linear archive of Buddhist teachings. For many people, it can feel overwhelming at first, like being lost in a labryinth: hundreds of hours of audio, transcripts, articles, practice materials, and Q&A. This guide is on intended to help you find your way in, and to suggest ways of engaging with the site so that it becomes a genuine support for your practice.
I first encountered Unfettered Mind over twenty years ago. Immersion in the recordings from classes and retreats led me to contact Ken, who eventually became my teacher. The site has been a very important companion in my practice, partly because I live in New Zealand, far from Ken's base in California. I’ve also helped with the ongoing evolution of the website, including concept design and development, and supporting the volunteer teams who prepared the transcripts. The suggestions in this guide are drawn from a long relationship with the site, and are offered with the aspiration that they may help others find their way in.
These notes are organised into five parts. Although you can read them in any order, you may find it helpful to start with Part I and move from there.
Part I – Understanding Unfettered Mind
An overview of what Unfettered Mind is, how it came to be, and why it feels different from many other Buddhist websites. This part explores the principles that shaped its development and sets the foundation for everything that follows.
Part II – Orienting Yourself
Ways of finding a starting point that suits you, from stand-alone talks and practice materials to series, Q&A, and articles. This part also looks at how to search and browse in a way that supports practice rather than feeding distraction.
Part III – Working with the Resources
Practical suggestions for listening to audio, using transcripts, engaging with practice materials, and approaching the Q&A archive. The emphasis is on repeated, embodied engagement rather than collecting information.
Part IV – The Living Ecology of Unfettered Mind
How the different series, themes, and recurring topics fit together over time. This part points to the underlying coherence of the archive and suggests ways of following longer arcs of teaching without turning them into a rigid curriculum.
Part V – Making the Site Your Companion
Reflections on developing an ongoing relationship with Unfettered Mind as part of your practice life. This includes pacing, repetition, returning to key teachings, and letting the material accompany you through different phases and challenges.
Choose where to begin
You can enter anywhere. Choose the part that feels most relevant right now: