Ep. 170 - Worldly Enlightenment and The Path of The "Householder" with Lou Sharma

The Road Home with Ethan Nichtern · Mar 10, 2026 · 56m

In classic Buddhism, there is often a meaningful emphasis on going very deep into the spiritual life, often through leaving the world behind for long periods of time and even becoming a lifelong yogi or monk. Is this the only way to move toward full awakening? There is often a lesser emphasis on a different path to awakening, the so-called "householder"— the student of mindfulness and awakening who doesn't want to—or simply can't— leave this world behind, but wants to turn their practice directly toward all aspects of their life in a contemporary setting.

Ethan welcomes back Lou Sharma, a…