Life is like a playground filled with dozens of children.  Depending on where your glance lands, you can see drama, comedy or tragedy.  It’s all happening at once, and you’re in the midst of it.  Equanimity can be there with you.  Look around: In that corner a little child who’s lost a favorite teddy bear

It’s common for meditators to wonder where concentration ends and mindfulness begins, and what to do with either practice.  The answer’s in the Eightfold Path, which is often divided into three sections: Wisdom, Ethics and Practice.  Wisely understanding that the purpose of practice is to alleviate unhappiness or dukkha, for ourselves and others, we can

It’s one of the things people want most in life: to have others think well of them.  To be liked means there are allies, those we can count on for help, support and company.  Our teen years especially are tormented by the desire to be liked, and dealing with the fact that we have little

Some scholars of Buddhist teachings in the Pali language report that compassion was not something the Buddha taught.  Rather, it was generally assumed then that everyone had compassion, or at least knew what it was.  This is not universally true in our era.  Understanding the nature of compassion does help people cultivate it. All the

One of the loveliest benefits of intensive concentration practice is the vacation it gives us from our selves.  That isn’t meant to imply there’s anything wrong with anyone’s self.  It’s probably entirely functional in holding a space in the world to do what’s needed.  The self is a little like one of those places that

  As a teacher, I am often regarded as an authority, and I do have a bit of that quality because I have been steeped in Buddhist teachings for more than a quarter century.   No human could study all Buddhist teachings, though, with so many texts in various languages in the several branches of Buddhism. 

Many people believe that Buddhist practice is selfish, that we are pursuing only our own happiness.  Yet all traditions of Buddhism stress generosity, compassion for others, and doing all possible to help other beings be free from the suffering of life. I always end meetings by dedicating our practice to all beings.  “May the goodness

Often, remarks that leap into our minds don’t meet the guidelines of Wise Speech, and the best way to practice with Wise Speech is to say nothing.  It can be really hard.  It takes self-restraint, patience, and wisdom.  It’s a little easier if we understand why silence is the wisest course in such a situation.

There’s a Zen story about a great master who was asked to sum up Buddhist practice in three words.  He answered, “Attention, attention, attention.”  Being human is hard.  Countless factors interfere with our awareness.  We’re predominantly visual, yet our sight is poor compared to other species.  Plus, our eyes are positioned forward, leaving us blind

Best wishes to all at this turning of the year, from gradually shorter days to longer, brighter ones.  Each religion has its time to pause, review our conduct and celebrate good fortune, while resolving to do our best in the future.  This is a common time of year for these contemplations.  Being together with loved