Blog

Why Retreats Matter

Why Retreats Matter

Why Retreats Matter: Simplicity, Space & Time for Practice When I first attended a weekend retreat back in 1998, it was an unusual thing to do. Perhaps due to the ever faster pace of the world since then, interest in retreats has grown a lot. They are now more...

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Healing from Loneliness

Healing from Loneliness

Healing from Loneliness through Mindfulness and Compassion Loneliness, a widespread yet deeply personal experience, can weigh heavily on our hearts and minds. It often feels like an insurmountable barrier between us and the vibrant world around us. With mindfulness...

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Four Ways to Practice Non-Violence

Four Ways to Practice Non-Violence

Insights from Buddhism, Science & Yoga As context for the below ways of practicing non-violence, it may help to understand that many wisdom traditions see non-violence, or ahiṃsā in Sanskrit, as a cornerstone of both ethical living and personal happiness. Rooted...

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How Equanimity Support Ethics

How Equanimity Support Ethics

What is Equanimity? Have you ever experienced a moment when you were happily surprised at your capacity to stay present and clear in a challenging situation? If so, that was equanimity. This amazing human capacity for mental balance also helps us be present with...

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Musings on the Mindstate Called ‘Mean’

Musings on the Mindstate Called ‘Mean’

Unraveling the Why Behind Human Meanness Lately, I find myself deeply pondering the phenomena of harshness and unkindness, both between humans and within my own mind (toward myself). I notice wondering why all this cruelty exists and questioning how we, indeed, how I,...

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How Should I Practice?

How Should I Practice?

A Challenge of Contemporary Times The graphic above is a sketch of how I work with someone who asks me for private instruction. Recently such a person, who has been using apps only to practice both meditation and yoga, approached me. They were seeking clarification,...

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Finding New Paths in Familiar Territory

Finding New Paths in Familiar Territory

Because of where I live and work, in the (fortunately protected) woods surrounding the Quabbin Reservoir, I drive a car a lot. To get to pretty-much-anywhere requires traveling at least a few miles, often much more. I have lived in this area for many years. It's the...

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Contemporary Wayfaring

Contemporary Wayfaring

In a world increasingly defined by the noise and rapid pace of mainstream culture, a growing number of people are choosing to forge their own paths and embrace simpler, more ethical lifestyles that diverge from societal norms. I call this contemporary wayfaring, and...

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Exploring Boundaries

Exploring Boundaries

 Recently, in the weekly online sitting group, we've been exploring a series of ordinary words - words we use all the time - and contemplating how they may relate to or describe aspects of our practice, both on and off the cushion, chair or mat. The list of words was...

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