The meditation begins at 4:28 Audio only version is here. Hello, Open Heart Project. As I write this, it is just about 8:00 a.m. on January 1. Happy new year! A new day is here. May it be peaceful, loving, and fiercely wise. May 2017 be the best year of your life, exceeded only by 2018… The focus of this... READ MORE
From the November 21 Open Heart Project newsletter, some resources for those who may be struggling with fear and confusion post-election. Hello dear meditators. This week’s newsletter is a little different because this last week in the USA has been, um, a little different. I have heard from so many of you who are confused, fearful, sad, and/or angry about... READ MORE
Hello, dear, brave warriors. I want to share with you a piece I wrote for Lion’s Roar on November 9, called “Don’t Bite the Hook: Five Things to Remember Post-Election.” As a community of practitioners, now is the time to put our practice to work as the foundation for bravely standing up for what is right without losing a sense... READ MORE
One could say that many of the world’s ills are rooted in fear. This is a pretty ordinary observation. If you watch a scary movie at night, you hear the noises in your home as ominous. If you don’t, they aren’t. Fear changes the way we perceive the world around us. On this day just prior to our election in... READ MORE
“Start Here Now; Creating a Sustainable Meditation Practice” from Susan Piver’s talk at the New York City Shambhala Center on November 11th, 2014. Susan offers her tips for creating a meditation practice that is rewarding and realistic. [social_share/]
So many of us are sad at the death of the actor and comedian Robin Williams. To watch him perform was to witness an extreme display of life force. It seemed inexhaustible. It is shocking that someone that funny and that gifted would want to die. But there is something that exists at the root of humor and creativity that... READ MORE
Dear excellent member of the Open Heart Project, I hope your meditation practice is going well. I really enjoy helping you to bring more mindfulness and awareness into your life. I hope that comes across! It is truly a pleasure for me to send you meditation instruction. Each week I create completely new meditation videos for you and, each time... READ MORE
Hello and welcome to the first Open Heart Project podcast! Personally, I’m very psyched. The first topic is: “The Dharma of Love.” To listen and subscribe on iTunes, click here. This podcast is about falling in love, being in a relationship, and breaking up—from a Buddhist point of view. As a student of Buddhism and someone who has fallen in love, lost love,... READ MORE
It is almost impossible, no, it is impossible, to have any idea how to react to a tragedy as profound and senseless as the one that occurred today at an elementary school in Connecticut. It is impossible to grasp. I’m sure that, like me, many of you have been crying all day. An event this horrific causes us to see that all... READ MORE
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
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
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