Coping with Pain in Our Practice

A stainless steel sculpture depicting a neuron, with branches similar to those of a tree. Blue sky fills the background, and bright sunlight glints off the metal.

Since April of this year, I’ve been the unlucky recipient of pain in various parts of my body, all Musculo-skeletal. This is the 2nd time I’ve had pain for extended periods so I’m hoping this one will resolve too. In the meantime, it’s been a challenge to my meditation practice as…

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Musings on Time and Dukkha

Lately, when I sit in the late afternoon watching the sunset through my family room door wall, I’m aware of the beauty of this time of day. For photographers, this is called the Golden Hour. The slanting of the sun, shining through the trees and shrubs gives a glow you…

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Self Compassion

An open hand. The background is out of focus. Slight wrinkles from age are visible. The gesture is nondistinct but nonthreatening.

What makes it hard to be compassionate to yourself?  What did you learn growing up, from school, work, your family, or community about being compassionate to yourself? Did you hear things like; ‘Get going’, ’you’re just feeling sorry for yourself’ or ‘you’re just having a pity party’. ‘be strong’, ‘be…

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Resistance

I recently had a request from some group members to talk about resistance because it was becoming noticeable in many of their sittings and their lives. They wanted to know what to do about it. These are some of the questions I asked: Resistance is biologically driven especially against the…

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Navigating the News

damp thicket

While I was on vacation, I made a concerted effort to limit my news intake. It was easier because I was on the beach or in a new town and wanted to explore the area, go to restaurants and museums, or take a hike in a nature preserve.  I regularly take…

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The Two Arrows

A graphic representation of a mermaid swimming over pink flowers, titled “Mermaid memories,” by limberlostt

I’m writing this after my 3rd day in New Port Richey, Florida where I’m staying at a lovely house called The Mermaid’s Cove. There are dozens of statues of mermaids throughout the house of all sizes including a 10ft metal sculpture of a mermaid holding a pearl and her tail…

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Scottish Highlands and Our Practice

Green mountains with a stream flowing between them, in the Scottish highlands

There is a book written in the ’40’s called “The Living Mountain”.  It was written by a Scottish woman named Nan Shepherd.  She spent her life exploring a mountain in a small area of Scotland in the Highlands and wrote a book about what she learned. She apparently spent hundreds of days…

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