Coming to Our Senses

This talk on Coming to Our Senses by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn was presented at the University of California Medical Center, San Diego, California in 2004 or 2005. Jon Kabat-Zinn needs no introduction to readers of Meditation Practices. As the founder of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at the University of Massachusetts in 1979, he has […]

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, […]

The Great Bell Chant

This video of the Great Bell Chant featuring the voice of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the most moving videos I have ever watched. Brother Phap Niem’s lovely voice sings out through the cosmos in Vietnamese. Thay, as Thich Nhat Hanh is known by his followers, narrates his poem in English. The […]

The Second Arrow

The second arrow is a teaching from the time of the Buddha. The Buddha was giving a teaching to an assembly of his monks and nuns. He asked, “If a person is struck by an arrow, is it painful?” The monks and nuns replied, “Yes, it is.” The Buddha then asked, “If the person is […]

Compassion and Love

Merry Christmas These words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama are about compassion and love. They are perfect words to contemplate as you open your gifts of luxury. Contemplating compassion for all beings is an important aspect of Peace on Earth, Goodwill towards Men and Women. When you open your presents, please be aware of […]

Plan B for Saving Civilization

I just watched a movie last night that moved me to tears. It was called, “Journey To Planet Earth – Plan B: Mobilizing to Save Civilization” on PBS narrated by Matt Damon. The 1.5 hour documentary featured Lester Brown. Plan B for saving civilization is offered as an alternative to, guess what, Plan A: business […]

Attending to What is Happening Right Now

These words of wisdom from Cheri Huber teach us about attending to what is happening right now. They encourage us to be present for our experience and thereby, we can “enjoy the wonders of life,” as Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh says. According to Cheri, the wonders of life include what is actually happening right […]

Irish Blessing Honoring National Friendship Week

This Irish blessing honoring National Friendship Week dropped in my inbox this morning. I have seen it before, and it is worth sharing. His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby […]

Compassion and Empathy

Roshi Joan Halifax is one of the most prominent female Zen masters of our day. We have known each other since we met at a retreat with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1997. This was during the summer of my first episode of muscle invasive bladder cancer. […]

60 Minutes of Mindfulness with Anderson Cooper

The whole world knows by now that there were 60 minutes of mindfulness with Anderson Cooper on television on December 14, 2014. I had a previous engagement, so I knew I could find the 60 Minutes episode online and I found it here: Mindfulness. The show was produced by Denise Schrier Cetta and edited by […]