Ambition and Spirituality

Ken Wilber teaches us how to reconcile ambition and spirituality in these words of wisdom in his essay on “Egolessness” from his book The Essential Ken Wilber: An Introductory Reader. I’ve been admiring his work for more than twenty years now and find his wisdom very palpable. I have listened to the audio recordings of […]

Taking Refuge In Kindness

Taking refuge in kindness is coming home to yourself with a gesture of kindness when you are feeling anxious, lonely, depressed, and down on yourself. Tara Brach teaches us to have a little self-compassion: The way of healing and homecoming begins with what I call “a gesture of kindness.” You might for instance put your […]

The Heart Of Forgiveness

While we are on the subject of forgiveness, I’d like to present what the prominent teacher, Jack Kornfield has to say about the ancient heart of forgiveness. The talk was give at the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. The center is run by Dacher Keltner, who was one of the […]

The Compassionate Instinct

The compassionate instinct is a term coined by the University of California, Berkeley professor of psychology, Dacher Keltner. He was one of the contributors to the Sounds True series on The Compassionate Brain hosted by Rick Hanson. His topic was The Evolution of Compassion: From Gene to Meme. According to Compassion: Our First Instinct, an […]

Rejoice In What We Do Have

Dr. Rick Hanson authors a weekly newsletter which I subscribe to called Just One Thing. His posting this week is titled, “Feed the Mouse.” If you got cheese, feed the mouse! Dr. Hanson was the host for the Sounds True series, The Compassionate Brain and the author of Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and […]

What Goes On In Your Brain When You Meditate

This video, which is part of The Science of Consciousness, Dr. Richie Davidson answers the question, “What goes on in your brain when you meditate?” Richie Davidson is a professor of psychology and psychiatry, and director of the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He also was one of the presenters […]

The Master Of Self Compassion

The master of self compassion is Dr. Kristin Neff. She is an innovator in the field of research in self compassion. Dr. Neff is an Associate Professor of Human Development and Culture in the Educational Psychology Department of the University of Texas at Austin. Kristin is also one of the contributors to the Sounds True series […]