The Buddha's teachings are sometimes misunderstood or described out of context to give the impression that to awaken means that our sense of self must disappear, that our personality becomes flat-lined, and that we become indifferent to the world around us. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Buddha's teachings show us the way to fully embody this life. To be fully awake is to fully live! The Buddha did not teach vacancy; he taught people how to live without clinging. Please join me this evening for a talk that comes from the inspiration and the clarity this path has to offer on how to live in these times without shutting down, giving up, or turning away.