Audio only version is here
Meditation begins at 12:30
Hello Open Heart Project, I recently read an article about a new meditation app that purports to offer meditation instruction via AI generated content meant to teach Dzogchen and Mahamudra. My friends, I literally could not sleep that night. I was so upset. Dzogchen and Mahamudra are among the highest teachings in all of Buddhism. They are never taught without... READ MORE
Audio only version is here
Meditation begins at 21:16
Hello, I hope you are well! Last week, I mentioned that there were three steps we could take to keep our practice firmly rooted in the realm of the spiritual–the mysterious, the sacred, the deeply personal–rather than the realm of self-help which can turn quite aggressive. Our practice is so powerful, but the real scope is glimpsed only when we... READ MORE
Thanks to all who attended this info session about how a meditation retreat can shift how you live your day-to-day life. To join Susan and Michael on a meditation retreat this summer, learn more and register for the Authentic Presence and the Feminine Principle retreat from June 26th – July 6th here.
Audio only version is here
Meditation begins at 9:53
Dear, wonderful Open Heart Project, Before today’s meditation, I offer a few thoughts about the connection between creativity and meditation. I find that one is very difficult without the other! If you want to explore this topic further, please think about joining me in Austin, TX May 22-26 for a meditation and writing retreat. We’ll spend 4 full days practicing... READ MORE
Hello Open Heart Project, Since The Wisdom of a Broken Heart came out, I’ve had the honor of speaking with many people who are meeting this incredibly difficult life passage with courage and tenderness. We talk about the endless waves of grief, fear, and rage and how one could possibly weather them. We talk about the valuable, hard-won heart opening that can... 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 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
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
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
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