Tonglen is a practice developed in Tibetan Buddhism for cultivating compassion. As the 7-minute supplemental audio explains it is also the basis for the Receiving and Giving Compassion practice offering our Mindful Self-Compassion classes. In some ways Tonglen is more...
On the final day of a multi-week class, a participant asked a question that I’ve pondered for some time. These are not the exact words, but the query was essentially, “Is there a hierarchy of meditation practices? In this class, did we start with the most basic or...
Loving-kindness stengthens the natural human desire that you and others be well. A core part of our Mindful Self-Compassion program as well as other compassion cultivation programs, loving-kindness meditation uses a combination of imagery and language to open the...
One of the things I so appreciate about training in mindfulness and self-compassion is how it helps bring things to light for me. Mindfulness has the potential to help me notice and understand what my mind is up to. Self-compassion can help me meet my suffering with...
Have you ever had a wet nose interrupt your meditation? My friend and I have circled this lake for years. It’s about three miles around, with a swimming area, baseball diamond, dog run, and huge old firs and cedars. We’ve walked and talked our way through our kids...
This month I’m excited to share how another huge support for us in times of stress and distress is compassion. The practices featured in our Mindful Self-Compassion program complement and support mindfulness practices to bring additional healing, understanding,...
by Tim Burnett & Robin Boudette, October 2022 Not Being Carried Away by the Floods THE BUDDHIST ROOTS OF MINDFULNESS 2022 In October 2022, Mindfulness Northwest Executive Director and Guiding Teacher Tim Burnett and his long-time collaborating teacher, Robin...
The Mindful Check-In is a great way to shift into a deeper awareness of where your whole body-heart-mind system is “at” right now. Drop below the storyline with this powerful practice for taking a purposeful pause. You may find yourself coming out...
We all know those moments. We’re already wound up. Rushed. So much going on. And we’re also tired from an interrupted night of sleep. Or worried about a health challenge. Or a family member who’s back in that familiar crisis zone. We carry so much...
Mindful Movement with Gentle Yoga Yoga can develop strength, balance, flexibility and body awareness. Our mindful yoga emphasizes awareness and balance. Poses are done carefully and slowly and attention is held inside the body. Please consider the following as you...
Maintaining a daily practice – a few suggestions Question subjective experience in meditation Recognize that the mind desires pleasant experience. Don’t assume that difficult or unpleasant conditions during meditation mean it “isn’t working.” Meet “what...
by Tim Burnett, September 2022 FALL WEEKEND RETREAT 2022 In September 2022, Mindfulness Northwest Executive Director and Guiding Teacher Tim Burnett led a weekend retreat at the Samish Island Retreat Center focussed on “finding the space.” We offer two or...