What happens to your behavior or emotions when something unpleasant happens? Many of us have a tendency to overreact to situations. Someone cuts in front of us in a line for example, and our mind begins to race with negative thoughts. We may perform an action which is not good because we are letting our [...]
Good Afternoon! Today I wanted to speak to you about now, this moment. Many times we really do not think about now unless we are very good at practicing mindfulness. For some reason, we always seem unsatisfied with now. Things are not quite good enough now, I am ok for now, etc.
We always seem to [...]
We let things become problems only if choose to do so. Of course, sometimes things are problems but most of the time they are not. They may inconveniences, annoyances, and such but they really are not problems. If we do encounter genuine problems, we have choices.
One is to become upset, overwhelmed, victimized. We can act [...]
If you look around at things, you see there is an order to them. The seasons come in order, the planets maintain an order and so forth. Order is very important. Without order, there would be chaos.
I believe it is important to have order in our lives. When things go in an orderly fashion, we [...]
Q- Why are there no events at your center?
A- Well, the real center is our website. Most of our students are located around the world. Locally, I do talks to groups. I have traveled internationally. We really do not have the facilities here to support onsite activities.
Q- Is that a disadvantage?
A- I do not believe [...]
Many students worry a great deal about making progress in their practice. They spend a great deal of time wondering whether they are being successful or not. The very fact that they are practicing is making them successful already. Any effort is better than no effort.
The truth is that there are no yardsticks, dice, game [...]
Lao Tzu, also known as Laozi, Lao Tsu, Lao Tse, Lao Zi, or a variety of other names is reported to have lived in the sixth century BC according to Chinese tradition. However, recent scholars believe that Lao Tzu may have actually been born in the fourth century BC.
Although precious little is known about the [...]
Taoism is based on the teachings of the Tao Te Ching, some short verses that were written in the 6th century BC in China. It places its emphasis on spiritual harmony. There are two main strands and schools within Taoism, usually labeled “philosophical Taoism” and “religious Taoism” Philosophical Taoism focuses on the philosophical writings of [...]
1. I vow to affirm life and not kill. “If a person does not harm any living being… and does not kill or cause others to kill – that person is a true spiritual practitioner.” – The Dhammapada
2. I vow to be content and not take what is not given to me. Avoid stealing. Do [...]
Tea ceremonies in Zen are seen as an excellent form of meditation. This may seem odd at first thought, but any activity done with the mind absolutely focused on it can be a meditation. In Zen, making tea is seen as an excellent way to promote mindfulness.The main components of such a ceremony are simplicity [...]