Shaila led a fabulous meditation retreat at Redwood Glen--a stunning and serene location in the redwoods, not far from Pescadero Beach. We are delighted to have found such a comfortable, and glorious site for our retreats. The site and the food was highly praised in our end of retreat evaluations. The teaching focus of this [...]
You know that all beings that are born will die. All beings wish for happiness and wish to avoid suffering. Can you live viewing all beings as friends who share birth, old age, sickness, and death? Recite and contemplate this one sentence: “All beings are my friends who share birth, aging, sickness, and death.” With [...]
The following are notes from a recent class on cultivating compassion toward people who occupy a neutral place in our lives. Genuine compassion extends beyond self-compassion or the protection of our social group; it is the wish that all beings be free from suffering. Does your heart ever “tremble” or feel moved when you see [...]
It is not only others who hurt; we each also need compassion. Self-compassion is a necessary foundation for any genuine personal development. Are we kind and considerate toward ourselves? Do we consider our long-term benefit rather than merely temporary pleasures? Do we respond in a truly compassionate way to the difficulties that come to us [...]
How do you know if you are experiencing equanimity, or just not bothering to care? People sometimes reject equanimity practice, concerned that the development of equanimity might flatten their feelings, or foster a cold and unconcerned approach to social issues. It is important to distinguish between equanimity and indifference in how we relate to the [...]
I’m in Carson City, Nevada–teaching loving kindness (metta) practice. Teaching and practicing metta seems to put me in a marvelously good mood. May you all be happy and well! Metta is a traditional way of overcoming tendencies toward fear, anger, and ill will. It is a strong and profound attitude of non-contention and deep friendliness that, when [...]
In our recent day long program we worked with the practice of forgiveness using three phrases: If I have hurt or harmed you, knowingly or unknowingly, through thought, word, or deed, I ask for your forgiveness. If you have hurt of harmed me, knowingly or unknowingly, through thought, word, or deed, I forgive you. If [...]
I asked our Cultivating Joy class to count their blessings this week–to recognize and make a list of the many wonderful and fortunate events that fill their days. It may sometimes seem that our lives are routine, dull, or even tinged toward the grumpy, depressing, or hopeless side of things. In contrast, the suggestion to [...]
I just returned from teaching the New Year's retreat for the Mariposa Sangha near Austin, Texas. What a lovely meditation community it is! I first taught in Texas in 1998 as a last minute substitute teacher when a colleague suffered a sudden accident and could not travel. I have returned several times since then, and [...]
I have felt deeply moved by the care that some volunteers give to the development of our community. Witnessing their willingness to serve and to give the very precious gift of time, commitment, and love, inspired me to host a volunteer appreciation event. In preparation, I have been contemplating the blessings of community. […]
Friendship can be explicitly incorporated into the development of the spiritual life. The Buddha did not just teach people to meditate and ignore the dynamics of relationships; on the contrary, he taught people to live well with one another and regard the respective roles we play in each other's lives with mindfulness, wisdom, and kindness. [...]
Today I attended the annual luncheon benefit of One World Children's Fund. It was an inspired gathering of 400 people who care about the welfare of the disadvantaged children of the world enough to do something about it. Together we support small schools, orphanages, and projects around the world that protect and educate poor children [...]
In the Loving Kindness (metta) class last night, Drew made an important point that brought out the essential nature of metta practice—metta practice cultivates an openness open toward all beings without imposing a strong position of self. The "near enemy" of metta describes what metta is not, but may be confused with, that is, attachment [...]