Concentration with Joy
First, sit quietly for a few minutes. Now reflect on the times in your life when you are most absorbed, concentrated and fully present. They...
Meditation
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How Concentration Works
“It is through the cultivation of inner concentration that luminous purity of mind arises. It is through luminous purity that access to expanded states arise....
Practice: Turning Toward Our Essence
“Develop a mind that is vast like space, where experiences both pleasant and unpleasant can appear and disappear without conflict, struggle or harm. Rest in...
Turning Toward Our Essence (Part Two)
Read Part One: Turning Toward Our Essence As we have seen, when we turn to investigate who is being aware we may feel confused, like a...
Awakening to Pure Consciousness
Let us consider the unbounded sky or mirror-like nature of consciousness. We need to be practical. Our first task is to learn to distinguish the...
Practice: Visualization
To work with a sacred image, choose someone who inspires you, St. Francis or Kwan Yin the goddess of infinite mercy, Jesus or Mary, Buddha...
The Storytelling Mind (Part Two)
(Read Part One of The Storytelling Mind) When we look at the constant and repetitive process of our own thinking, we see how habitually it...
The Storytelling Mind
When I first took robes and entered the monastic community of Ajahn Chah, I had already been practicing meditation for two years. Now, sitting...
Practice: Counting Thoughts
“With the mind, observe the mind.” – Buddha This first simple practice gives an immediate experience of mindfulness of thought. Sit comfortably and quietly. After...
Disentangling from the Story
It is a great relief to discover that our stories do not fully define who we are, or what is happening to us. One practitioner...
Heart Wisdom – Ep. 18 – Redemption
Ancient Buddhist tales of redemption are recounted to encourage our understanding that it is never too late to start anew. The object of meditation is...
Establishing a Daily Meditation
First select a suitable place for your regular meditation. Place a meditation cushion or chair there for your use, and add any books or images...