When the iron bird flies and horses run on wheels, the Tibetan people will be scattered like ants across the face of the earth. ~ Guru Padmasambhava (8th Century) I can’t wait for this film, described this way by the producers: When the Iron Bird Flies traces the astounding path of one of the world’s great spiritual traditions from the... READ MORE
There is no question that you have to figure out your spiritual path on your own. No matter how much you want to find ready-made answers, no one can actually tell you that you should be a Buddhist or a Catholic or an agnostic; no one can tell you that right now is the time to make a commitment to a... READ MORE
Am putting finishing touches on the audiobook for The Wisdom of a Broken Heart. I’m really excited about it. Here is Chapter Two: “Nothing Happens” 6:16 minutes long. Sign up for my newsletter, “The Open Heart Project,” to connect more deeply, receive messages about working with the energy of the heart, and also for notifications of when the whole audiobook... READ MORE
I often try to explain that one of the biggest misconceptions about meditation practice is that it is a form of self-improvement. It is not. In fact, it is a way of stepping off the (often vicious) self-improvement treadmill most of us run on 24/7 to instead accept ourselves exactly as we are. It is a time to give up... READ MORE
I wasn’t able to get to all your (excellent) questions during our two conference calls last week, so i’ll be answering them here. Q. My question: I sometimes get carried away with my fantasies and discursive thoughts during meditation. I am aware of the fact that I am getting carried away, and then I sabotage my practice by making a... READ MORE
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and/self-contained I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God Not one is dissatisfied,... READ MORE
(Me, age 4, pretending to read. Some things never change.) These are the three most valuable and important books about meditation that I’ve ever read. You could spend your whole life reading and rereading them and would never get to the end of their depth and usefulness. In fact, if you or I were ever so lucky and diligent as... READ MORE
8a EST. Having my gallbladder removed for reasons I can explain later. In fact, getting to the point of having this prosaic medical procedure (the most common surgical procedure in the US, I’m told) has been anything but prosaic and might actually make a decent story. (Which I suppose is true for everyone who has it.) For reasons relating to... READ MORE
What is meant by a “contemplative view?” Rather than probing your thoughts and feelings for a storyline (i.e., what does this mean about me, my past, you, our relationship?), you simply see your thoughts and feelings. Observe them. Take them in. Allow them to be as they are without seeking to manipulate them at all. You’ll see some stuff you... READ MORE
El lunes, escribí un poco acerca de mi respuesta al asesinato de Osama bin Laden. Al escuchar sobre su muerte, la mayoría de la gente expresó alivio sincero y comprensible de que se acabara nuestra búsqueda de alguien que nos quiso destruir. Otros participaron en “celebraciones” que parecían teñidas con lo que podría describirse amablemente como escaso espíritu deportivo. La... READ MORE
“In the Shambhala warrior tradition, we say you should only have to kill an enemy once every thousand years.” –Chogyam Trungpa So, Osama bin Laden is dead. We killed him. There really was no choice. We were clearly in an “us or them” situation and if we didn’t kill him, he was going to continue to do everything in his... READ MORE
The practice of sitting meditation begins to shed some light on the Buddhist view of discipline. In meditation, you cultivate focus and awareness by placing your attention on your breath rather than your thoughts. PS It has nothing to do with emptying the mind of thought!! Almost impossible!! Stop trying!! Big hoax!! Instead, you take a different view of your... READ MORE
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