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The Fierce Power of Vulnerability: a podcast

January 7, 2014   |   3 Comments

In this podcast, drawn from a talk in late 2013 at the New York Shambhala Center, Susan discusses some of the sources of the biggest problems we face: speed and stress; fundamentalism; fear–and how reconnecting with our innate softness reverses them. She draws the connection between mindfulness meditation and the softening of our hearts.

The necessity of emotion

January 6, 2014   |   10 Comments

To be a spiritual warrior, one must have a broken heart; without a broken heart and the sense of tenderness and vulnerability that is in one’s self and all others, your warriorship is untrustworthy. -Chögyam Trungpa Chogyam Trungpa, the Tibetan meditation master who introduced the Shambhala teachings in the West, famously coined the phrase “idiot compassion” which is an interesting... READ MORE

What I Wish For You

January 1, 2014   |   8 Comments

For you, I wish: In the name of your full blossoming, the removal of all self-doubt. In the name of liberation from suffering, the discovery of what is unmistakably worthy of veneration. In the name of stability, joyful residence in your one true home: your body. In the name of ease, willingness to ride the waves of breath which are... READ MORE

I am not a movie star and other journeys into esoterica.

December 20, 2013   |   21 Comments

Dziga Vertov Chelovek s kinoapparatom (Man with a Movie Camera) (still) 1929 When I was a little girl, I would walk around viewing myself from the outside. Even then, I wondered about the advisability of assuming this perspective. It just seemed odd that I viewed myself as though I was on a television show about my life wherein I was playing... READ MORE

My fellow teachers: Are you transmitting wisdom or are you explaining it?

December 9, 2013   |   19 Comments

{teaching mudra} The other day I was involved in a conversation with three other women who speak publicly. One of them brought up the notion of “transmission.” Rather than giving just another how-to talk, she said, she wanted to transmit something of value. Words are useful, she continued, but authentic presence is more instructive. I agree. But there is a... READ MORE

September 12, 2001

September 11, 2013   |   42 Comments

Every year on 9/11 I feel moved to repost this. May it bring benefit and healing. There is a Buddhist meditation practice called Tonglen. In Tibetan, tong means “sending out” and len means “receiving.” So Tonglen is known as the practice of sending and taking, or of exchanging self for other. Instead of inhaling what makes us feel good and... READ MORE

A show of hands

May 2, 2013   |   13 Comments

A show of hands, please. What do you believe in? What are your values? What do you believe is at the heart of human nature? What kind of world do you want to live in? Here is what I say. There are more people who want to act out love than hate. There are more people who are neither Red... READ MORE

Only Us: Creating an Enlightened World

April 2, 2013   |   Leave a reply

It was so much fun to co-teach with the excellent Ethan Nichtern, Buddhist teacher, author, activist, and pal at the New York Shambhala Center. Here is a podcast of the evening. PS I’m teaching there April 12-14. Shambhala Training: Level 1.

Tea with Jesse Jacobs

March 20, 2013   |   3 Comments

Honored and delighted to sit down for a conversation with Jesse Jacobs, the founder of Samovar Tea Lounges in San Francisco. We discussed: how I flunked 8th grade, never went to college—and then published six books including a New York Times bestseller how I overcame her phobia of flying through the kindness of strangers how I went from Austin cocktail waitress... READ MORE

My Radio Enso Interview

March 5, 2013   |   2 Comments

Which I really enjoyed! In which we covered the following: During our soulful, in-depth conversation (listen here), we covered: Her work as a teacher, writer, and blogger interested in “extreme self knowledge” and“becoming a more truthful version of who I already am.” Reading psychology books at the library at 10 years old and feeling like she never fit in. Working as a... READ MORE

How vulnerability can save the world.

March 4, 2013   |   9 Comments

Last week, I blogged about vulnerability as a path. In other words, it’s not simply a choiceless state of being (we are vulnerable), it is a point of view. A stance. A way. In fact, it may be the only way to solve the problems our world faces. We could at least consider that. I mean nothing else has ever... READ MORE

Vulnerability is the path

February 25, 2013   |   4 Comments

“The only true elegance is vulnerability.” Chogyam Trungpa Thank goodness for Brené Brown and that Ted talk on vulnerability. That over 7m people have watched is pretty mind blowing and pretty fantastic. What, I have wondered, was in those 7m+ minds as they clicked “play” or “forward” or “replay”? Were they looking for some recognition for their inner experience? Did... READ MORE

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