Even though we may not have experienced a glimpse of Buddha-nature and may not even understand the concept very well, … More
Tag: Ego
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
Ego is a cocoon
“One of the metaphors for ego is a cocoon. We stay in our cocoon because we’re afraid—we’re afraid of our … More
There is another way of existing
In everyday life, we habitually try to conceal the gaps in our experience of mind and body. These gaps are … More
Cave of demons
“One evening Milarepa returned to his cave after gathering firewood, only to find it filled with demons. They were cooking … More
The way of false heroism
This is not to say that the point of the hard way is that we must be heroic. The attitude … More
Self-importance hurts us
It is possible to move through the drama of our lives without believing so earnestly in the character that we … More
There is another way
Instead of making others right or wrong, or bottling up right and wrong in ourselves, there’s a middle way, a … More
The bodhisattva’s path
Reducing the overwhelming presence of me and mine is the bodhisattva’s path. It decreases all the confusion, ignorance, and habitual … More
Drop Specialness
Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa warned against this common pitfall for aspirants on the spiritual path: “The problem is that … More
The powerful seed of gentleness
When we look into ourselves, we tend to fixate on our neurosis, restlessness, and aggression. Or we might fixate on … More
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Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
“There are many stories of people who were actually able to see the awakened state by breaking into laughter—seeing the … More
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Step out of the bureaucracy of ego
“It is important to see that the main point of any spiritual practice is to step out of the bureaucracy … More
Why am I making such a big deal about myself?
There’s no way to make a dreadful situation pretty. But we can use the pain of it to recognize our … More
Hitting Rock Bottom
Pema Chödrön tells the story of when, having hit rock bottom, she asked her teacher what to do I thought … More
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