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
The meditation begins at 7:01 Audio only version is here. Hello! I am so happy to see you and to offer this week’s meditation. How do you know what is right for you in terms of meditation styles and spiritual practices? There is a lot to consider and there are many options. Some Before today’s 10-minute sit I offer some... READ MORE
The meditation begins at 8:47 Audio-only version can be downloaded here. Hello to everyone in the Open Heart Project. I am so happy we can practice together. Before this week’s sit, I offer you some thoughts on the four qualities that, according to Buddhist thought, you possess in immeasurable quantity: loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. In this video, I talk... READ MORE
The meditation begins at 8:58 Audio only version is here. Hello, excellent meditator. Before this week’s practice, I have the delight of continuing to answer the questions you have submitted to me. This week’s question comes from two people: Marsha: Recently, I’m experiencing anxiety and know that regular meditation helps, but am wondering if there are specific ways or techniques... READ MORE
The meditation begins at 5:17 Audio only version is here. Hello, dear meditator. A few weeks ago, I asked you all what your questions were and have been rewarded with fabulous inquiries! Thank you so much. It is a joy and a delight to answer your questions as part of this free weekly newsletter. This week’s question comes from Valerie,... READ MORE
The meditation begins at 9:27 Audio only version is here. Hello, dear meditator. A few weeks ago, I asked you what questions you had that I could answer in future videos. It turns out that I am a genius because you got back to me with great questions. This week I answer a question from Bee: I would like to... READ MORE
Given at the Shambhala Mountain Center’s “Awake in the World” conference in October 2014, Susan Piver discusses relationships, buddhism and the dharma.
I love yoga. I’ve been a half-assed student (which might be an asana, I’m not sure) for close to twenty years. I remember the moment I fell in love with the practice. It was at Kripalu. The teacher was Stephen (Kaviraj) Cope. The pose was trikonasana/triangle. Following Kavi’s precise verbal instruction and watching him model the pose with his beautiful... READ MORE
On Monday, I wrote a little about my response to Osama bin Laden’s killing. Upon hearing of his death, most people expressed heartfelt and understandable relief that our hunt for one who wished to destroy us was over. Others participated in “celebrations” that seemed tinged with what could be described kindly as poor sportsmanship. The question I was trying to... READ MORE
“In the Shambhala warrior tradition, we say you should only have to kill an enemy once every thousand years.” –Chogyam Trungpa So, Osama bin Laden is dead. We killed him. There really was no choice. We were clearly in an “us or them” situation and if we didn’t kill him, he was going to continue to do everything in his... READ MORE
The practice of sitting meditation begins to shed some light on the Buddhist view of discipline. In meditation, you cultivate focus and awareness by placing your attention on your breath rather than your thoughts. PS It has nothing to do with emptying the mind of thought!! Almost impossible!! Stop trying!! Big hoax!! Instead, you take a different view of your... READ MORE
Most people I know (including myself) suffer from lack of confidence, at least sometimes. Or all the time. The things I normally do to boost my confidence are chosen from among the following: Remind myself of sometime when someone said something nice to me. Call a friend and ask them if they think I’m talented/right/worthy. Downscale my original plan and... READ MORE
Get a new meditation from me every Monday morning