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How to be Happy: Step Three

April 15, 2019   |   Leave a reply

Meditation begins at 14:12 Audio only is here. Hello, dear meditator. We are investigating the six paramitas or transcendent actions, aka the virtues that lead to a world of sanity, goodness, peace, and joy. What’s not to like?! Today we investigate the third paramita, patience. If you missed the first two, they are here and here. Thoughts? Was there a... READ MORE

How to Be Happy: Step Two

April 9, 2019   |   Leave a reply

Meditation begins at 10:40 Audio only is here. Hello, dear meditator. In the Buddhist view, there are six steps we can take to create more happiness for ourselves and others, starting immediately. They are known as the six paramitas or six perfections. Last week, we took a look at the first paramita, generosity, of which there are three kinds. (If... READ MORE

How to Be Happy – Step One

April 1, 2019   |   Leave a reply

Meditation begins at 14:35 Audio only is here. Hello, dear meditator. In the Buddhist view, happiness comes from connecting with the endless richness of your heart and living every moment from that sense of personal wealth. Unhappiness results from confusion about your immeasurable resources, from feeling poverty-stricken when in fact you are absurdly wealthy. The six paramitas (or perfections) name... READ MORE

Your questions answered here!

April 15, 2015   |   1 Comment

Thank you, Kris, for these excellent questions. Q1: As for putting our attention on our breath, would you want to speak to the relationship between putting my attention on my thoughts and (not) sort of leaving my body? I feel like sometimes what is happening for me is that while focusing on my breath, and labeling my thoughts, I lose... READ MORE

Transforming Betrayal and Non-Closure

March 25, 2015   |   3 Comments

I wanted to use today’s email to respond to a post (on our Facebook page) from Barba Twin regarding anger and forgiveness. In it, she describes a situation that many of you may be familiar with: a relationship that has ended with no opportunity for closure. The person seeking it is then left on his or her own to find... READ MORE

Do.

May 9, 2012   |   17 Comments

In the last newsletter, I offered a review of some basic “don’ts.” Today is part 2: the “dos.” I know that some of you may have heard these things before, but, really, we can’t hear such things too many times. Without further ado, please do:

Don't

May 6, 2012   |   18 Comments

Some thoughts on some of the most basic misconceptions and nutty side trips we all make when it comes to meditation We can’t hear these things too many times. And now, without further ado, please do not:

Confidence

May 3, 2012   |   17 Comments

This past weekend, I was teaching at the Providence, RI Shambhala Center. We spent the entire time talking about fearlessness—what it was, how fear maintains its grip on us, how to loosen it, and how to manifest fearlessness in our lives. My final talk was on confidence and it was meant to be a culmination of the entire program. As... READ MORE

The 3 Qualities of the Awakened Mind: 3. Power

May 1, 2012   |   4 Comments

Last week, we discussed two of the three aspects of the awakened mind—compassion and wisdom. Today I’d like to offer a (very) few thoughts on the third quality—power. When we think about the quality of power, I’m sure many things come to mind. Some are positive—the certainty of a strong ruler or the beneficence of a saint. Some are not... READ MORE

The 3 Qualities of the Awakened Mind: 2. Wisdom

April 25, 2012   |   15 Comments

Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of wisdom (Detail from a thangka painting by Greg Smith) As mentioned in the last post, according to Buddhist thought, the awakened mind has three qualities. The first is compassion. The second quality, wisdom, is the topic of today’s post. When it comes to what it really means to be wise, it’s easy to posit all sorts... READ MORE

The 3 Qualities of the Awakened Mind: 1. Compassion

April 23, 2012   |   25 Comments

According to Buddhist thought, the awakened mind has three qualities. Although I’ve said many times that having goals for your practice is a bad idea, I’m now going to suggest that there actually are goals and they are to realize these three qualities. However, the path is not accomplished by conventional means. Interestingly, these qualities arise spontaneously when we let... READ MORE