4 Myths about Mindfulness Practice
Six years ago, as I was finishing up my PhD in Buddhist ethics, I moved back to Missoula, Montana. I had a part-time job teaching philosophy for a community college, but wanted to do more with my time. So a friend convinced me to teach her meditation. Then she suggested I teach some friends. And then they suggested I reach out to a friend who had a yoga studio to
“Tools of Titans” – 15 Great Ideas
As counselors in Missoula, we're always looking for new ideas. And Tim Ferris's book "Tools of Titans" is filled with them. So back by popular demand, okay, not really, but it's really cool - let’s look at part 2 of the “Wealthy Section” of Tim Ferris’s book “Tools of Titans”. This was one of the best books of 2017. As we turn to this section we get hit with 2
Building a Long, Happy Life
There’s an old joke about a man at his friend’s 50th birthday asking, “how does it feel now that you’re getting older?” The man thinks for a minute and responds, “well, it sure beats the alternative.” Getting older in our culture is sometimes treated as a curse. The pop stars seem like they are always in their 20s. When we’re younger, they are the beautiful icons. Then as we get
Reflections on Love (Post-Valentine’s Day)
First off, happy (post) Valentine’s Day! It’s a day of love, of showing affection, and of reveling in the beauty of relationship. Or is it? For many, it’s a tough day. Those in tough relationships or those having a hard time finding that special someone can find the whole affair off-putting at best and downright depressing at worst. Whether we are single, happily coupled, miserably coupled, exploring polyamory, or somewhere
On Moral Luck
In my last post I wrote about the joy of wanting less. While I stand by the article, I also realize that it and similar ideas leave out something incredibly important in life: luck. And, when we talk about luck in today’s world, we should also think about privilege. So today I wanted to explore some of this territory. A Buddhist view of luck? As a scholar of Buddhism, I
Our Dear Sophie – (Part 4 of 4)
Yesterday. It started when Marie said to me that Sophie couldn’t make it to the bedroom without stopping to rest her legs. She could barely walk that far. When I went to check on her, she didn’t react when I petted her. She was in pain. And I felt, she was telling me it was time to go. I called the ER vet service here in Missoula. The guy I