How to Calm Our Ambitious Mind

These words of wisdom from Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche teach us how to calm our ambitious mind with shamatha meditation, simply concentrating on our breathing. Spend a moment contemplating this quote and then read my story below. Less Ambition, Less Disturbance The beautiful thing about having less obsessions and ambitions—and just sitting straight and watching […]

A Day With Anna Halprin

I had a very special day on Labor Day last Monday. I spent almost the entire day with Anna Halprin. In the morning, I picked her up at her Kentfield studio and took her to a restaurant for breakfast. We talked extensively about her summer and also about my book, Healing with the Seven Principles […]

Go For It!

In these words of wisdom, Nisargadatta Maharaj tells us to “Go for it resolutely.” What is he talking about? He is talking about self-realization which means that you no longer identify completely with yourself! You realize the insight of interbeing and identify with all life and everything that is. Your recognize the interconnectedness of all […]

In Memory of Wayne Dyer

These words of wisdom today are in memory of Wayne Dyer. He was an international hero to many and beloved by most. I recently wrote about him just last week in The Value of Diligence. Who would have thought this would happen? The funny thing is that after years of knowing about him and his […]

Choose the Life We Want

These words of wisdom teach us how to choose the life we want. The funny thing is we often don’t have the courage to do so. We normally just let life roll on just like “the lazy old son that has nothing to do but roll around heaven all day.” Some people define insanity as […]

The Tao that Can be Told

On the first full day I was in Pune, India in 1975 with Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, also known as Osho, he began a series dharma talks on Lao Tzu‘s Tao Te Ching. These talks resulted in a series of four volumes call Tao: The Three Treasures. The narrator, a long-time disciple of his, reads this […]

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 […]

Words of Wisdom from Lao Tzu Part 3

Here is part 3 of the words of wisdom from Lao Tzu are from his famous book, Tao Te Ching. We are taught that “The tao that can be told of is not the absolute tao,” so please take this to heart as you explore these teachings. On silence: “Silence is a source of great […]

Meant to Answer God’s Call

I just received this beautiful prayer by Archbishop Desmond Tutu from Lama Surya Das. If you don’t believe in God, you can substitute words like buddhanature, the cosmos, the universe, or the higher power. In any case, we are called into the midst of human suffering. This is the role of the bodhisattva – to […]

Words of Wisdom from Lao Tzu Part 2

Here is part 2 of the words of wisdom from Lao Tzu are from his famous book, Tao Te Ching. We are taught that “The tao that can be told of is not the absolute tao,” so please take this to heart as you explore these teachings. On being soft and slow: “The soft overcomes […]