There I was, eating cereal and watching a CNN documentary about Kobe Bryant—yes, I mix deep life reflection with Raisin Bran—when his old speech teacher said something that made me pause mid-chew. He described Kobe’s approach to life as giving everything—heart, soul,...

The Meaning of Human Dignity It’s hard to lay down a simple definition of human dignity that everyone would agree with. Human dignity is an idea we seem to understand intuitively rather than through a formal definition. The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights...

'The deep source of realisation comes with constancy.' Hongzhi Zhengjue

My work in caregiving, both in hospice and at Rikers Island’s jails, has brought me face-to-face with pain, sorrow, loss, terror, fear, frustration, and anxiety. Since shutting down is not an option—I have found that I cannot serve without feeling—I am well-steeped in...

I recently sat down with my son to watch an old season of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. One episode begins with Splinter, the mutant rat sensei and adoptive father of the Ninja Turtles, standing in a meditation posture. He’s just beginning to settle into the...

What my money mindset taught me—and why I believe in this bundle with my whole heart. I have a confession to make: I hate sending “sales” emails, and especially the “last day” ones, because I visualize myself in a tacky, oversized suit, a cigar hanging out of the side...

‘Although dukkha is often translated as suffering, at its deepest level it refers to the discontent of ignorance — of not being Awake.’ Everyday Buddhism