Meditation Is Good For Your Brain

Pedro Gargantilla Madera published an article on suite101.net with the title, “La meditación es buena para el cerebro.” The photo is from that site. The article was sent to me by my daughter, Jessica, who lives and works in Quito, Ecuador. I find the article to be quite interesting and related to other posts on […]

A Poem About Inner Life By Norman Fischer

Zoketsu Norman Fischer is a Zen priest in the tradition of Suzuki Roshi. When I first started learning Zen meditation in the mid 1980s, he was one of the priests I really connected to. I felt honored to be able to have dokusan (a private interview with a Zen teacher) with Norman some time around […]

Richie Davidson Came To Stanford

Dr. Richie Davidson gave the Meng-Wu lecture for The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University last night. I felt really privileged to be able to attend. Richie Davidson is one of the world’s leading neuroscientists and considered by Time Magazine to be one of the 100 most influential people. He founded the field […]

The Buddhist Teaching of Non-Self

In a recent post on Best Meditation Videos, I asked the question, “Is there a self?” The post was inspired by a video featuring Dr. Thomas Metzinger, a philosophy professor and cognitive scientist. His answer to my questions is, “No!” The Buddhist teachings on non-self were outlined in that post. Here, we provide deeper look into the […]

Compassion Meditation Research

Compassion meditation research is progressing today at a phenomenal rate. One of the leading researchers in this field is Dr. Richie Davidson, founder of the discipline of affective neuroscience. His involvement with the Dalai Lama and the Mind and Life Institute provide inspiration for fulfilling his life purpose. I am totally excited that Dr. Davidson is coming to Stanford! […]

Richie Davidson Is Coming To Stanford

Dr. Richie Davidson is one of the most successful and brilliant researchers in the field of neuroscience of meditation. He is especially interested in how meditation affects our brains. He has spent much time with the Dalai Lama discussing his research and taking the Dalai Lama’s ideas for research into practice. He has been a featured […]

Eudaimonia Or Nirvana: Which Do You Prefer?

Have you ever heard the word, eudaimonia? I hadn’t heard the word until I listened to Destructive Emotions: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama for about the third time. During this summer, I am making my way through the 13 tapes of the recording of the book by Daniel Goleman. When Owen Flanagan, a […]

Loving Speech

Loving speech is the subject of the fourth mindfulness training taught by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. An older rendition of this training reads: Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and […]

Skillful Means

Skillful means in Buddhism are practices which promote listening deeply to others, understanding their suffering, and recognizing their different needs. Some people may need to appeal to the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara to assuage their pain and suffering. Others may simply need a compassionate listener to express their feelings. Skillful means enhance our social connections […]

Deep Listening and Loving Speech Are Meditation Practices

Deep listening and loving speech are the foundations of our meditation practices at the Mindfulness in Healing support group that takes place at the Pine Street Clinic in San Anselmo, California every Wednesday night. The group has been meeting now for more than three years. Last night, we had a especially touching gathering. After spending […]