The vastness of the human heart is as timeless as it is profound. No matter the circumstance, we can choose to remain openhearted, knowing that…
Trauma comes in all shapes and sizes, and as human beings we are all vulnerable to its potential effects. But how can we meet trauma…
Japan’s most beloved Zen poet, Ryokan, was known for being unpretentious and wise. Like Saint Francis he was a lover of simple things, of children…
As we let go and still see others suffer, the heart fills with compassion. So much suffering is human-caused. We awaken to a poignancy and…
Several years ago some friends arranged for the Gyuto Tantric Choir, the Tibetan monks famous for their deep multivocal chanting, to perform in San Quentin…
“In a world of tension and breakdown it is necessary for there to be those who seek to integrate their inner lives not by avoiding…
Unhealthy thoughts can chain us to the past. They arise as vipaka, the result of past karma that we cannot change. We can, however, change…
Buddhist psychology helps us with two important tasks in working with thoughts. First it teaches us how to acknowledge the content of our…
In non-identification we stop taking the experience as me or mine. We see how our identification creates dependence, anxiety, and inauthenticity. In practicing non-identification, we…
Misconceptions about selflessness and emptiness abound, and such confusions undermine genuine spiritual development. Some people believe that they can come to selflessness by struggling to…
The radiant abodes express the fruit of mental development. When they are in balance, loving-kindness, compassion, and joy rest in an unshakable equanimity. This peace…
Becoming aware of intention is the key to awakening in moment-to-moment practice. In each situation that calls for our engagement, some inner intention will precede…
