This week’s question is from Roxana: “Can you provide meditations on how to obtain tranquility/calmness/serenity in anxious moments.” . If you’d like me to answer your questions about meditation, please email your question to me. xo Susan
In 2020, the Open Heart Project Sangha will examine each of the 59 slogans of Atisha, aka Lojong aka mind training practice. Each Monday, I send out a short video with some thoughts about that week’s slogan, followed by a guided meditation. The first one went out a few days ago and discusses slogan #1, first, train in the preliminaries.... READ MORE
Audio-only version is here. Meditation practice begins at 18:39. Dear Open Heart Project, Thank you so much for your responses to my end-of-year letter. 2020 is going to be a powerful year in the Open Heart Project, one crafted to offer you strength, friendship, and joy. As you may have read, after seven years of sending free weekly meditations, I... READ MORE
Hello beloved Open Heart Project, As mentioned last week, the Open Heart Project is changing to offer more support, more love, more connection in 2020. Why? Because it’s been a crazy year! So much is up in the air. Yes, there is a lot of stress…but there is also a lot of strength and support from people who value what... READ MORE
Hello beloved Open Heart Project, 2019 has been a very intense year and 2020 is shaping up to be so as well. I’ve spent the last month thinking deeply about what I can do to support you–and what I need from you to keep the Open Heart Project growing and vital. Instead of sending you a meditation video this week,... READ MORE
Thought you might appreicate a look at what really goes on behind the scenes as I make these videos for you… BLOOPER REEL! Enjoy and may your holidays be full of goodness and light. Love, Susan
Mindfulness is often suggested as a panacea for, well, everything. It is not. It is especially important to be careful about practicing or teaching meditation when trauma is involved. I wanted to make sure you saw this video conversation between trauma expert and author David Treleaven, Jenna, and myself. It’s not short (a little over an hour), but if you... READ MORE
As some of you may know, there is a great deal of trauma being exposed in the world of Shambhala where I have studied and practiced Buddhism for more than 20 years. It centers on the clergy sexual abuse perpetrated by Sakyong Mipham, the lineage-holder. The stories of abuse are captured here in a report from Andrea Winn’s Project Sunshine,... READ MORE
Dear friends, students, and Shambhala Sangha, If you haven’t heard, the head of my Shambhala lineage has been accused of clerical sexual abuse. The community is reeling. Whether you are in the Open Heart Project community or are a fellow Shambhala practitioner, I want to share with you my own thoughts and feelings about what is going on. First, thank... READ MORE
…and I could not be more excited. Can’t wait to share it with you. I hope you will find it inspiring, useful, and real. It is about what it really takes to open your heart in a love relationship. We are self-publishing this, y’all. I wrote this book for us specifically. Every single decision that has gone into creating it... READ MORE
The meditation begins at 10:32 Audio only version is here. Hello, dear meditator. How are you? I hope you are well and feeling happy. Basically everyone I have ever known finds it difficult to be consistent with their practice and, further, basically everyone thinks this is because they lack discipline. I suggest that this is probably not the issue. Before... READ MORE
The meditation begins at 9:17 Audio only version is here. Hello, dear meditator. How are you? I hope you are well and feeling happy. In the U.S., this is Thanksgiving weekend. For many of us, this means time with family–which can also mean time with people who make you angry/sad/confused/irritated…triggered. We meditate to practice generosity, patience, and equanimity. How do... READ MORE