The Myth of Self Improvement
The practice of meditation is an excellent tool for interrupting the momentum of the hamster wheel. It allows us to stabilize experience so our natural clarity can dawn. Then we can begin to see the life we are living. Along the way, we begin to recognize the places we undersell ourselves in order to follow … Continue
iMeditation
I live in New York City. I work at a meditation center. This one. By the way, this is a great conversation starter at parties. “And what do you do?” “I work at a meditation center.” “Really. Can you get me tickets?” People may not know exactly what we’re all about, but they know, deep … Continue
Buddhist Meditation Practice for the Boston Marathon Tragedy
This Monday I woke up and did what I’ve done every morning for the past 3 weeks: I practiced a compassion meditation in honor of my recently deceased father. He had been sick for many years before he passed and, as odd as it may sound, had a better death than I had imagined was … Continue
How Vulnerability Can Save the World
In the past, I’ve 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. … Continue
A Jewish Buddhist Refuge Vow
I’ve been practicing meditation since 2004. I’m aware of the major benefits that my practice and study have had on my life, and I feel good about taking refuge in the Three Jewels — the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. For the past few months, I’ve been planning on taking my Buddhist refuge vow this … Continue
Creating Enlightened Society: Manufacture New York
“The human mind is so powerful that we create every environment that we walk into. And we live in that environment constantly, whether we self-generate it, or whether it is communally generated.” -Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Shambhala Day 2012 I remember hearing these transformative words with great clarity on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012. My entire family … Continue
Meditation And Mourning: 3 Obstacles to Successful Grieving
Emotions like despair and grief are tough to work with, because they feel so fathomless. Whether you are going through the death of a loved one, a rough break up, or sudden unemployment these emotions can get their hooks into you and, once hooked, they are hard to shake. Looking at intense grief is like … Continue
Are You The Person You Expected to Become?
One of the more distinctive concepts in Buddhism is non-self. It does not mean that you do not exist physically. It does mean that you don’t exist as a permanent, solid, independent entity. “You” are as changeable as the weather — and that’s good news. You’re not always angry, not always sad, not always giddy or goofy. … Continue
Meditation & Psychology
In talking about meditation through the lens of psychotherapy, the question comes up – why focus attention on feeling when feelings or emotions seem to reinforce or further entrench our sense of self? Isn’t the whole idea to renounce that or go beyond that in some way? I think it is a great question that … Continue
We Need to Be Warriors
The world needs people who are wholeheartedly engaged with life. That takes bravery. These days I am struck by the speed of life. As we get speedier, we do things in half steps. Therefore, the practice of wholehearted engagement is important. How can we be steady and complete, and what kind of wisdom does that … Continue
