Happiness of Being
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...
Suffering
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The Road to Hell and Deluded Intention
We’ve all heard the saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” What if our good intentions foolishly ruin a relationship or hurt...
The Nature of Hate
Hatred and aversion are all states of mind that strike against experience, pushing it away, rejecting what is presented in the moment. They do not...
The Fruit of Letting Go
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...
Suffering & Grace
“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...
Freeing Ourselves
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...
The Near Enemies of Awakening
Compassion vs. Pity and Despair The near enemy of compassion is pity. Instead of feeling the openness of compassion, pity says, “Oh, that poor person....
Examining Thoughts
Buddhist psychology helps us with two important tasks in working with thoughts. First it teaches us how to acknowledge the content of our...
The Compassionate Replacement of Painful Thoughts
If you are a person who has regular, repeated destructive thoughts, thoughts of self-judgment, criticism, shame, or unworthiness, work with this training for a week...
Awakening the Buddha of Wisdom in Difficulties
“Who is your enemy? Mind is your enemy. Who is your friend? Mind is your friend.” ~Buddha I have on my refrigerator a picture of...
The Fix interviews Jack
An Interview with Jack featured in TheFix.com. Have you worked with people struggling with substance and behavioral addictions? Over the years, many people struggling with...
Tending the Garden
When we are willing to rest with trust on this earth, the great force of life will begin to move through us. I saw this...
