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You are good.

December 1, 2011   |   14 Comments

If I had to identify the #1 issue that stands between most of us and the ability to be happy, it is disbelief in our own inherent goodness. Nearly every thought, action, and yearning is immediately followed by a critique, a view of ourselves through a reverse lens: How is this playing out? How does this make me look? What... READ MORE

Thank you.

November 23, 2011   |   6 Comments

My thanks to all who participate in the Open Heart Project, study with me at workshops, visit this blog, or read my books. I am so grateful to you and on this Thanksgiving Eve, I offer you the following. [vimeo]http://vimeo.com/32587084[/vimeo]

Meditation, Anxiety, and Kindness

November 21, 2011   |   5 Comments

Recently, a member of the Open Heart Project wrote asking if I knew of any meditations for dealing with anxiety and this really started me thinking. I struggle with anxiety myself and it has been through attempting to apply the dharma to my own experiences that I have come to see its extraordinary applicability. As such, I have several suggestions... READ MORE

To really change, give up all attempts at self-improvement

October 17, 2011   |   5 Comments

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/30680348[/vimeo] It is quite natural to begin a meditation practice because you want to change or improve something about your life. Otherwise, why would you even try it? Of course you want to be less stressed, more patient, boost your confidence, feel less pain of all sorts. Your meditation practice will definitely help with these things–but only if you give... READ MORE

Healthy ways to keep your heart open when friends are too needy

October 12, 2011   |   6 Comments

Stop. Give. In addition to helping you relax and discover your own wisdom, meditation is a way of softening and opening your heart. But is it possible to open it too much? I’m sure you have had this experience, of trying to be good and kind and then finding yourself under the thumb of a very needy person. Sometimes it... READ MORE

Meditation as an antidote to self doubt

October 10, 2011   |   10 Comments

I’m just back from teaching a wonderful meditation and writing retreat in the Colorado Rockies this past weekend. The weather conspired to create the ideal setting for turning inward. Snow began to fall as our retreat began and continued to blanket the ground, socking us in completely. There was nowhere to turn but in. On the final day, the sun came out... READ MORE

Wondering…

October 3, 2011   |   25 Comments

A question from a new member of The Open Heart Project. She wonders: “How has meditation made a difference in people’s lives- maybe some testimonials?” If you have anything to say on this question, I know I’d love to hear it, as would she.

Too agitated to meditate? 3 suggestions.

October 3, 2011   |   10 Comments

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/29967823[/vimeo] Sometimes we are just too agitated to meditate. It’s not even that we can’t find 10 minutes–it’s that when we do, it just feels too uncomfortable to sit. All the things on our to do list come up. The heart starts racing. The mind flips out. The more we sit, the more we freak ourselves out. Sound familiar? This... READ MORE

Mindfulness doesn't mean peacefulness

September 28, 2011   |   4 Comments

From a participant in The Open Heart Project: Q: “How can I increase my mindfulness when all the stressors of my life come into play at once?” A: I really appreciate your question about becoming more mindful when you are experiencing moments of particular stress. This is totally doable. However–if by becoming more mindful, you mean ceasing to feel stress,... READ MORE

Do meditators get pissed off?

September 19, 2011   |   11 Comments

I wrote this in response to a friend who was feeling bad because one of her possessions was stolen–something that she had cared for, paid for in full, and would be expensive to replace. She wrote me feeling that her practice had failed her because she felt so violated and angry that she was questioning the goodness of her fellow... READ MORE

The spiritual path in 3 (inseparable) phases

September 8, 2011   |   2 Comments

Hello wonderful Open Heart Project subscribers and other readers. I think about you all the time. I wonder how you’re doing and if you are finding a way to make your own personal connection to meditation practice. I hope so! I even think about you when I’m on vacation, which is right now. I’m in beautiful coastal Maine in an... READ MORE

Practicing on vacation.

September 6, 2011   |   6 Comments

Right now, I’m in Maine on our annual vacation. Duncan (my husband) and I come up here once a year. He has been doing so since he was a child and I’ve been coming here with him for the last 15 years. It’s the one time of the year where we leave everything–our stresses, concerns, chores, work responsibilities–at home. Or... READ MORE

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