Finding Joy Through Wanting Less
The columnist Arthur C. Brooks recently wrote in The Atlantic, “Satisfaction . . . is the greatest paradox of human life. We crave it, we believe we can get it, we glimpse it and maybe even experience it for a brief moment, and then it vanishes. But we never give up on our quest to get and hold on to it.” Buddhists, when they hear such wisdom, often say something
Intention: The Secret Ingredient to Great Meditation
Meditation in some form or another has been hyped for decades now. And it is safe to say that it is fully mainstream today. Apps you can download are valued at millions of dollars. Videos on YouTube are watched again and again. There is even a movement of mindfulness critics, from leaders of Western religions worried it will convert their members, to traditional Buddhists who are concerned that something precious
The Importance and Power of Selflessness
I first studied Buddhism at the University of Montana, Missoula, in 2000. It was a different time then. Higher education was focused on creating a whole person, a whole citizen. Today it seems that concerns about grades and jobs dominate. Not to mention the rise in costs. Along with the Buddhism class, I also took a course on Buddhist meditation for additional credits. I also took a meditation field trip—essentially
Letting go of some fixed ideas about Mindfulness
Navigating our complex world of loud news and louder opinions can be incredibly difficult. It helps to hold on to our own opinions and ideas loosely. This doesn’t mean that we just go with whatever other people are saying or doing. But it does mean that we are open to changing our minds on things. When I was a student of philosophy some 20 years ago, I was deeply enamored
Our Dear Sophie – Part 3 of 4
I feel like I heard the pitter patter of Sophie’s feet there, for a second? But my door is closed. I wonder if she tried to get in, maybe? I feel like she’s stronger in the morning. Yesterday, in the afternoon, she was so weak, that for the first time ever, she did not respond to my petting her. This is a really bad sign. So much so that I
Leaning in to Our Stressful Moments
Like so many of life’s pains and discomforts, the coronavirus pandemic has led many of us to seek distraction. We know, or at least hope, it will be temporary. So, we turn away and wait for the difficult times to pass. One moment it was Pelotons, and another moment it was (and is!) Wordle. There is nothing inherently wrong with this strategy. For many things it is just fine. But