‘To have a conscious relationship to suffering is different than having an unconscious one. We will all experience pain, simply … More
Tag: Awareness
The best way you can begin to practice this is to be aware of what you are doing. There’s no … More
Closing door properly
One day, when I was a novice monk, my teacher asked me to do something for him. I was very … More
The illusory world
“The world we are trying to transcend is not the physical world of air, sunlight, and ocean. After all, that … More
Be Daring
In order to overcome selfishness, it is necessary to be daring. It is as though you are dressed in your … More
Happiness is something we access
“Once you are able to quiet the mind, you have a highly sustainable source of happiness. My friends, that is … More
A taste of that open space
As we go through life, we accumulate layers of ideas about who we are and what we’re capable of achieving. … More
Where is this ‘Self’?
“When we can’t find a self within or outside of these parts, we may then conclude that the self is … More
When someone insults us
When someone insults us, we usually dwell on it, asking ourselves, ‘Why did he say that to me?’ and on … More
Being tender and raw is threatening
Sometimes people find that being tender and raw is threatening and seemingly exhausting. Openness seems demanding and energy-consuming, so they … More
The power of an open question
If we think about it, life resists definition. How can we truly know things that continuously change, are impossible to … More
Out of control everyday mind
“At my first meditation retreat, a two-week period of silent attention to mind and body, I was amazed to find … More
The trance of unworthiness
We focus on other people’s faults. There is a saying that the world is divided into people who think they … More
Awareness is the key
Siddhartha was also trying to cut suffering at its root. But he was not dreaming up solutions such as starting … More
“In-the-body experience”
You may have heard of “out-of-the-body experiences,” full of lights , and visions. A true spiritual path demands something more … More
Accepting things as they are
When we analyze our experience, we have ideas of time or space, big or small, heavy or light. A scale … More
When our stories no longer bind us
“When the stories of our life no longer bind us, we discover within them something greater. We discover that within … More
Purpose of a spiritual practice
In this way we stop the war, and we can embrace our personal griefs and sorrows, joys and triumphs with … More
Stories we tell ourselves are mostly untrue
It is a great relief to discover that our stories do not fully define who we are, or what is … More
Training to awaken
“Comfortable with Uncertainty those who train wholeheartedly in awakening bodhichitta are called bodhisattvas or warriors—not warriors who kill but warriors … More
