Evolution has rigged all of us with a negativity bias—a survival-driven habit to scan for what’s wrong and fixate on it. In contemporary society, a pervasive target is our own sense of unworthiness. We habitually fixate on how we’re falling short—in our relationships,...
Spirituality
Morning meditation — The real function of zazen is.
‘The real function of zazen is not to rest the mind but to establish a base or foundation for it.’ Rindo Fujimoto Roshi
Gyalo Thondup, brother of Dalai Lama and major voice for Tibetan freedom, dies at 97
Gyalo Thondup, the second-eldest brother of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, has died at age 97 in his home at Kalimpong, Northern India. He served not only as an advisor to His Holiness, but as the Tibetan government-in-exile’s Prime Minister in 1991 and...
Morning meditation — Remain in the Buddha-mind.
‘Remain in the Buddha-mind. Then you’ll never stray, then you’ll be a living Buddha for all time.’ Bankei
Two Reasons We Sabotage Our Joy and Success and How to Stop
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ~Rumi Have you ever held yourself back from going after what you truly want, or from enjoying what you have, because of a lingering fear that it might be taken away from you, or because you felt guilty for having...
Morning Meditation —When we say that there is no self.
‘When we say that there is no self, people get worried, or angry. Their attachment and identification to this idea of a self is so strong.’ Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
Morning meditation — Despite their limitations, words remain indispensable.
‘Despite their limitations, words remain indispensable. The Buddhist tradition itself is built upon texts, dialogues, and commentaries—words pointing beyond words. The challenge is not to avoid language, but to use it skilfully, without becoming trapped by it.’...
Rest In the River
My dear friends, suppose someone is holding a pebble and throws it in the air and the pebble begins to fall down into a river. After the pebble touches the surface of the water, it allows itself to sink slowly into the river. It will reach the bed of the river without...
How to End Problem Drinking: The First Steps
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” ~Marcus Aurelius It’s 3:00 a.m. I lie awake knowing I have a busy day ahead of me, but my mind is racing. I had a few drinks last night, and I know that this is why I am awake at this ungodly...
Morning meditation — Just as the peak of a mountain is not shaken.
‘Just as the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, so too this Dhamma-Vinaya has one taste, the taste of liberation.’ The BuddhaUdāna Sutra