Many of us encounter roadblocks on our spiritual journey, be it in meditation, relationships, or daily life. These challenges can feel discouraging. But what if I told you these struggles, rather than roadblocks, can be stepping stones on the path itself? This principle – that whatever obstacle or challenge we face, be it in meditation, relationships, or life itself,  is the very road we must travel on our journey of growth as human beings, as spiritual practitioners, and as connected members of a larger community –  can transform how we navigate these difficulties. Some aspects of t ..read more

I'd like to delve into a topic that frequently occupies my reflections, particularly one that I see as a common stumbling block for meditators, especially those inclined toward the exploration of traditional Buddhist practices. My musings revolve around an assumption that often pervades our approach—an assumption that meditation reigns supreme as the most crucial aspect of Dharma practice. This presumption arises, I believe, from the typical trajectory of our introduction to Eastern spiritual traditions, particularly Buddhism. It's often the practice of meditation that initially captivates us ..read more

I've personally struggled with perfectionism throughout my life. I know this can be very prevalent these days, so I’d like to share some reflections on it. We'll discuss some different ideas on how to address perfectionism and maybe even rethink the word "perfect" from a Dharmic perspective. Perfectionism comes in many forms, and obviously, I can't talk about all of them here. But for me, it takes the form of placing some kind of external ideal out there that I'm not living up to at the moment. Of course, this is quickly followed by self-judgment, and sometimes even self-loathing. I've also no ..read more

A listener of my podcast raised a thought-provoking question: Can we truly practice equanimity when faced with the world's multitude of problems? Or, phrased differently, how can we maintain equanimity towards all beings when some deliberately harm and exploit others for personal gain? This is a truly valuable inquiry, as such challenges inevitably arise on our spiritual journey. To me, these struggles aren't obstacles, but rather opportunities for growth. Consider my own experiences; during meditation, Dharma reflection, or deep study, questions will emerge, some challenging my beliefs, persp ..read more

One of the core aspects of meditation practice is developing a relationship with space, as space is within and all around us. Space can take on many different forms, such as being felt, seen, reflected on, and ultimately lived. The start, and a part of the inner space we develop in meditation practice, is to allow life to happen while not losing our footing or ground.  Here, we might connect with the body and breath, discover some inner space, and nurture that as a form of grounding. Groundedness allows us to root into the earth, to not be as swayed by the inevitable storms that come, and ..read more

For me, curiosity is such a wonderful tool for growth, spiritual practice, and just figuring out how to live life better. Today, I want to discuss curiosity in relation to our emotional life, but before I delve into that, I'd like to acknowledge that we're a diverse group here, and our relationships with curiosity may vary. Perhaps I'm just a late bloomer in this aspect. Curiosity wasn't a strong practice for me until about 10 years ago. While I believe we're all curious in some way, I'll describe the kind of curiosity I'd like us to explore today and deepen its meaning for us. Initially, I re ..read more

I'd like to begin with a quote from the renowned Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, which has profoundly influenced my exploration of generosity in various aspects of my life. The quote reads: "You have to be wholly involved in the process of giving. You have to become one with what you are doing, no matter how small the thing is in terms of value. One must be fully involved in the giving so that a part of one's ego is also given away." The latter part of the quote is particularly impactful for me, highlighting two key themes. First is the importance of being fully engaged, dedicated t ..read more

Understanding and growing awareness around the personal stories we weave is another way to work with our thoughts and emotions. Through the stories we weave we can also become more creative with how we live, we can learn to become more compassionate, more kind, more loving in our relationships towards ourselves and others. The way we're going to be looking at stories here is a little different than how we might normally use the word "story." As normally, we use the word "story" to represent something written, something spoken, something that's representing a historical viewpoint or maybe fanta ..read more

The subject of mind in Buddhism is extensive. A significant portion of the Buddhist Canon revolves around the inquiry into what the mind is and how to skillfully use it to reduce suffering, attain awakening, freedom, and enlightenment. It's a substantial question, and in this discussion, I aim to provide some perspectives, not exhaustively, but by sharing ideas that I find helpful within the Buddhist framework. The first thing I was reflecting on is this question of why Buddhism has so much content, categorization, and discussion on the mind. One of the key themes you can see again and again i ..read more

Mindful awareness has various descriptions, and in the Buddhist traditions, we have different ways to talk about it. Essentially, it's a quality of the mind that's innate, not something physical, but rather non-physical. It allows us to be watchful and observe our internal and external experiences. Normally, we observe through our senses, like our eyes and ears, and our thoughts make judgments about what we perceive. But awareness offers an alternative. It's a quality of the mind that allows us to simply tune in and bear witness to something without engaging the thinking mind, without judgment ..read more