Taking Care of Anger

At a recent meeting of our Mindfulness In Healing sangha (meditation group) we discussed the Mindfulness Training #6, Taking Care of Anger. This training reads, Aware that anger blocks communication and creates suffering, we are committed to taking care of the energy of anger when it arises, recognizing and transforming the seeds of anger that […]

7 Ways to be More Grateful

These 7 ways to be more grateful in life were written by Luminita Saviac – The Purpose Ferry. I find them to be very useful in light of my daily practice of gratitude. If you are not practicing gratitude on a daily basis, maybe you should begin. It is one of the fastest ways to […]

The Goddesses of Knowledge and Wealth

We don’t often think of the Goddesses of Knowledge and Wealth, but when we do, so says Deepak Chopra, we should think of the Goddess of Knowledge, Sarasvati. But from what I’ve seen in his daily emails, is his online programs pay homage to the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi. In these emails, he is ABS […]

The Three Poisons

The three poisons or the three roots (of suffering) were the subject of Brother Phap Vu‘s dharma talk on Saturday, April 30, 2016 at the Earth Holder Retreat in the Deer Park Monastery. The three poisons are variously translated as shown in the following table (reading down) desire greed attraction hatred ill-will aversion ignorance illusion […]

What the World Needs Now

What the world needs now is generosity instead of greed, kindness, gratitude and compassion instead of aggression, wisdom instead of delusion, and most of all, unconditional love instead of hatred. These were the conclusions we came to last night at our dharma discussion in the Mindfulness in Healing sangha. The discussion was sparked by the […]

The Value of Diligence

One of the six paramitas, as Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh teaches them is diligence. Other translations of the six paramitas call this one effort. The other paramitas are generosity, ethics, patience, concentration, and wisdom. The value of diligence is demonstrated when we commit to daily practice. We can also demonstrate the value of diligence […]

Practice Daily Meditation

The fourth of the Seven Principles of Mindfulness in Healing from the book, Healing with the Seven Principles of Mindfulness is to practice daily meditation. Here is why. Meditation strengthens the mind like exercise strengthens the body. With daily exercise, your muscles become toned and your body feels great. If you miss a day or […]

Confucius Says…

…read these words of wisdom to see what Confucius says! His timeless wisdom has shaped the lives and destinies of countless people in China and elsewhere. He was a contemporary of the Buddha and Lao Tzu and the religious traditions that flourished from these masters are still influencing us today. “Never impose on others what […]

The Perfection Of Wisdom

You might think that all of the paramitas that we have studied so far lead to this one, the perfection of wisdom. While we have studied them in the order of generosity, ethics, patience, diligence, concentration, and now, wisdom, it is true that the can be studied and practiced in any order. Not only that, […]

Seven Pieces of Advice from Rumi

These seven pieces of advice from Rumi touched my heart. In generosity and helping others be like the river. In compassion and grace be like the sun. In concealing others’ faults be like the night. In anger and fury be like the dead. In modesty and humility be like the soil. In tolerance be like […]