What happens when you take stock of your day, your life, your purpose? What is the nature of the language you use with yourself? Most of us tend to be harsh and critical of how we are conducting our life. We easily spiral into self-talk of “shoulds:” I should be more...
In our classes, when we turn toward difficult emotions, we often say, “This is where the rubber meets the road.” In other words: This is where it gets tough, but also, this is why we’re doing this practice. I have five parents: two in-laws, two birth, one step. In the...
The practice of forgiveness is both a practical and deep exploration in a world where we humans regularly cause each other harm, and can even harm ourselves. This practice is based on one described by American Insight Meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Gina...
A tonglen (“giving and receiving compassion”) meditation with an emphasis on being relaxed and alert in our practice. You can learn more about tonglen meditation at Tim’s introductory recording. Delivered at the Winter 2023 MSC II: Roots of...
A meditation oriented around developing the quality of heart-mind the Buddhists call “bodhicitta” – the altruistic mind of awakening. This practice is based on an article by Ven. Thubten Chodron. Delivered at the Winter 2023 MSC II: Roots of...
A meditation focussed on maintaining and exploring the subtle balance of groundedness (stability / shamatha) and openess (curiousity / insight / vipassana). Delivered at the Winter 2023 MSC II: Roots of Compassion class. Balancing Groundedness & Openness - 34...
A meditation focussed on going beyond any ideas of accompishment, attainment, or utility. Delivered at the Winter 2023 MSC II: Roots of Compassion class. Please listen to Tim’s introductory track below for a full introduction. Beyond Utility Meditation - 40...
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...
Photo by Sonia Lynne Sia How comfortable are you with changes to a usual routine? For instance, our childhood caregivers likely taught us to wash our hands before eating or to remove our shoes before entering a house. Maybe at school our teachers encouraged us...
The practice of Affectionate Breathing is a core Mindful Self-Compassion practice. This practice "warms up" the core mindfulness practice Awareness of Breathing by bringing elements of self-kindness and inviting a feeling of being nurtured by the breath. Affectionate...
In this core meditation practice, we direct attention to the sensations associated with breathing as our bodies inhale and exhale. This practice is a powerful tool for grounding in our experience of the present moment. Other breath practices like Breath Counting and...
