Archives for June 2017

Happiness is the Normal State

One of the most memorable teachings of Father Eli is that, “Happiness is the normal state of a healthy, well-adjusted individual.” Another one of his interesting ideas about happiness is that “Happiness is a state of mind in which our thinking is pleasant a good share of the time.” He says that happiness is not […]

Interbeing with All Life

When I discussed interbeing with all life with Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson several years ago, he said, I would say in modern times, (I need to define modern as in the last century).  What you said recent times was 25 years.  In modern times, we have come to learn about ecology.  I’ll use a single […]

The Value of Equanimity

“Equanimity is a spacious, vast, and even state of mind; it does not take sides. It’s not about being untouched by the world, but letting go of fixed ideas. How else are we to develop compassion and loving-kindness for everyone and everything?Equanimity levels the playing field – we are not excluding anyone from our practice.” […]

How To Stand Up For Yourself

Trying to change unfair behavior with submissive niceness is like trying to smother a fire with gunpowder. It isn’t the high road; it’s the grim, well-trod path that leads from aggressive to passive, through long, horrible stretches of passive-aggressive. The real high road requires something quite different: the courage to know and follow your own […]

What is the Question?

In Practice, a question in answer to a question is a koan in disguise. It’s a signal to pay attention. It’s meant to catapult the practitioner from the realm of content to the realm of process. It’s a pointer to look at “what’s” asking, serving as a reminder that we are not practicing to perpetuate […]