I know we are all thinking about what we can do to help the world. I mean, what else could possibly be worth thinking about? The crazier the world gets, the more I feel both ashamed of my personal concerns and also cling to them as particularly meaningful. Because the world is so incomprehensible, I take refuge in what I... READ MORE
Audio only version is here. Meditation practice begins at 10:32 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
Audio-only version is here. Meditation practice begins at 11:59. Dear Open Heart Project, I know that meditation is counseled as a way to de-stress, develop greater powers of concentration, and get a better night’s sleep. All true! However, it is also a path to true, lasting joy. All we have to do, at least from time to time, is jump... READ MORE
Hello wonderful Open Heart Project, We’ve discussed two of the three aspects of the awakened mind—compassion and wisdom. Today I’d like to offer just a few thoughts on the third quality—power. When we think about the quality of power, I’m sure many things come to mind. Some are positive—the certainty of a strong ruler or the beneficence of a saint.... READ MORE
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Hello Open Heart Project, According to Buddhist thought, the awakened mind has three qualities. The first is compassion. The second quality, wisdom, is the topic of today’s post. When it comes to what it really means to be wise, it’s easy to posit all sorts of definitions from really, really smart to deeply insightful to maybe simply being old and... READ MORE
Hello Open Heart Project, According to Buddhist thought, the awakened mind has three qualities. Although I’ve said many times that having goals for your practice is a bad idea, I’m now going to suggest that there actually are goals and they are to realize these three qualities. However, the path is not accomplished by conventional means. Interestingly, these qualities arise... READ MORE
Audio-only version is here. Meditation practice begins at 5:59 Hello there, This week, we review the last of the four immeasurable qualities: equanimity. We’ve already spoken about the first three: Loving kindness and Compassion and Sympathetic Joy. The final “immeasurable” is the all-important equanimity. The first three have a very distinct sense of warmth while equanimity can convey something cooler—which... READ MORE
Audio-only version is here. Meditation practice begins at 9:28 Dear Open Heart Project, Hello, my friends. I hope you are staying strong and feeling well. This week, we review the third of the four immeasurable qualities: sympathetic joy. We’ve already spoken about the first two: Loving kindness and Compassion. Next week, we’ll look at the fourth, equanimity. I know we could... READ MORE
Audio-only version is here. Meditation practice begins at 6:30 Hello you wonderful person, This week we continue our exploration of the Four Immeasurables, those four qualities we each possess without end. Last week, we discussed the first, loving kindness. Please click on this video for thoughts on the second immeasurable quality, compassion. Where do you see compassion in your meditation... READ MORE
Audio-only version is here. Meditation practice begins at 13:00 Hello there, I hope you are well. This week begins a four-part series to examine the Four Immeasurables, those four qualities that can help us right the balance of our inner, outer, and secret worlds. Please have a listen to this week’s talk on the first, Lovingkindness. As you know, these... READ MORE
Hello Open Heart Project, Seth Godin, the marketing genius, writer, teacher, and all-around awesome person is one of my idols. I receive his blog posts every day and, although our topics are different, in many ways I model my work on his for its clarity, usefulness, and soulfulness. He wrote a wonderful post about how empathy is the most important... READ MORE
Get a new meditation from me every Monday morning