It often happens that I wake up completely devoid of self-confidence. I have no idea when or why this is going to happen. It drives me mad. I sit down to write and some inner Miss Thing tells me I have nothing of interest to say. I want to call a friend but Miss Things says, oh she has no... READ MORE
Hello Open Heart Project, As a Buddhist teacher and someone with a lifelong interest in spirituality, I have attended my share of, well, interesting gatherings. From months-long meditation retreats where the vast and profound dharma is practiced, to sweaty evenings of devotional chanting, to workshops on using Sacred Geometry to attract love, to cocktail parties where sage is burned... READ MORE
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
In the Shambhala Buddhist lineage, we say that meditation trains us to be warriors in our lives—fearless, open hearted, and genuine. Today I want to talk about fearlessness and its connection to meditation practice and I’ll start out by relating a story I heard Pema Chödrön tell in one of her books. It is about her teacher, the founder of... READ MORE
Audio-only version is here. Meditation practice begins at 17:44. Dear Open Heart Project, Hello and welcome to video #3 in this series on the three steps, or yanas, of the spiritual path. Today we discuss the third step. (If you missed the first two or would like a refresher, the first video is here and the second video is here. While... READ MORE
Thanks to all who joined for the info session on the interconnectedness of Buddhism and the enneagram. It was wonderful speaking with you. During our talk, we discussed an upcoming in-person retreat I’m teaching in Austin, TX from October 11-15, 2023 on Buddhism & The Enneagram. In this small, in-person retreat, we will explore what it means to live fearlessly... READ MORE
Audio-only version is here. Meditation practice begins at 26:21. Dear Open Heart Project, Hello and welcome to the second video in this series on the three steps of the spiritual journey. Today we discuss the second step. While the first step focused on stabilizing your personal situation (and practice), the second step is about the heart opening that ensues organically.... READ MORE
Audio-only version is here. Meditation practice begins at 22:23. Dear Open Heart Project, When it comes to our spiritual practices (whatever they may be), both uncertainty and possibility are always present so in some sense, we are in the perfect training ground for awakening. In the Buddhist view (and no one has to be a Buddhist to make this information... READ MORE
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Dear Open Heart Project, Someone once asked me, “How does one let go of anger—not deep-rooted anger but anger over everyday trivial things? How can I learn to really let go of things that don’t matter in my life? Too much time is wasted on this use of energy!” Here’s what I said: I appreciate your wish to let go... READ MORE
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Dear Open Heart Project, How do you know if you’re Buddhist? I knew I was a Buddhist the moment I read a book by Chogyam Trungpa called The Heart of the Buddha. This is how I already think, only I didn’t know it, I said to myself. I must be a Buddhist. From that moment, the fates conspired to place... READ MORE
Get a new meditation from me every Monday morning