Category: Everyday Spirit

It strikes you in odd places, And at unexpected times. Engulfs you like a tidal wave As heartache’s redefined. And it’s bound to knock you over, And it’s sure to grind you down. It strikes you in odd places, Makes you feel you’re gonna drown. So take shelter where you find it; Seek refuge while…

Mindfulness meditation and related contemplative practices are pervading the culture, and that’s a wonderful thing! As more and more people in various communities learn to practice well; as they learn how to acknowledge and transform their suffering, their whole community will benefit. If equanimity comes to define the character of enough people, the entire culture…

Mindful breathing can serve as a bridge, one that connects body and mind. When your psyche and your physical body are alienated from each other, you are not at your best. Perhaps your body is in the room with someone you love, but your mind is somewhere in the past or future. In that state,…

If you wish to know joy, I recommend cultivating the habit of standing at a slight remove from yourself. What does that mean? If we can figure out ways of detaching slightly from our own ego, we can view ourselves more objectively. We can become an internal observer of what’s going on, rather than a…

People often talk about their “bucket list;” the things they want to do, accomplish or experience before they shuffle off this mortal coil. But what if we each flipped that script and each of us created our own reverse bucket list? By this I mean, instead of looking forward to what you haven’t done yet,…

You owe it to the people around you to do the things that make you happy. A person who is happy, calm and centered can’t help but contribute to the well­being of the human and other sentient beings in her sphere of influence. All she has to do to pull that off is to show…

I think Siddhartha (AKA The Buddha) was most ingenious in identifying the main sources of human suffering; namely, craving, aversion and delusion. Given the random nature of the cosmos, strong attachments to things, points of view, and predictable outcomes are all but guaranteed to cause bitter disappointment eventually. Similarly, strong aversion toward things we view…

Respect for Living Beings I know that other beings suffer as I do. I intend to relieve their afflictions and to increase their happiness as best I can. I will refrain from harming or killing other living beings. I know that a great many animals are exploited and harmed by humans; preventing and relieving such…