Over many years of study, listening to many dharma talks, receiving profound insight from daily practice, and studying with many learned teachers, this fact seems to pop up with relative consistency. It may be expressed in different ways, but it all comes down to the same fundamental idea that if...

I love November.  It's my birthday month, and Thanksgiving - my favorite holiday. I grew up in Australia, where Thanksgiving was not celebrated, and I remember my first Thanksgiving in the USA with my wife's family. It was such a heartwarming celebration of gratitude that I was in awe of the...

Halloween is when one-third of the annual candy sales in the US happen. It was once a Celtic celebration of the end of summer known as Samhain (pronounced Sow-In). The Celts celebrated the end of summer, received a brief visit from dead souls, and prepared for winter's approaching...

For many years I've been a student of life. I firmly believe that my practice of yoga and the teachings of the Buddha over four decades have made a significant difference in my life.  Or maybe it's an illusion, and I would have ended up right where I am today anyway. 

And yesterday I...

As the author of a book, “Turn Stress Into Bliss,” that has sold well, why would I want to say “stress is not the problem”? Simple.   I now believe stress manifests an even bigger problem in our society. And that problem is disconnection and fragmentation,...

Spring is about expansion and leaping into action, while Fall is a time of turning inward. One is an outward expression of energy and the other an inward one. .  This means slowing down, being more with our inner self, and having more time to contemplate. This is an essential and...

Tired of the roller-coaster days that life brings? Are your emotions pulled this way or that from almost every turn of events, often surrounded by primarily unhappy people? Wishing you were somewhere else? You are not alone. 

Equanimity is a state of being where relative calm exists even...

This talk illustrates the significance of Awareness as a practice and as a necessary pre-condition for transforming your life.  Consider how significant awareness has become in your life.  What are some things you are aware of now that you wish you might have been aware of...

"How do I know if my life choices are wise ones?'

Here's what might be considered the two most important criteria from a Buddhist perspective 

First -whatever the choice was it would lead to no harm to themself or to others.  

This one is pretty straightforward and...

There's a lot of talk about the need for resilience these days. And indeed, those who have it will generally bounce back after a rough time better than those who don't. But is resilience all that's needed?   Other things are vital also. These include awareness, discernment,...

By Michael Lee

“Come here,” she said,

As I looked death in her eye.

No, not yet your time, she said,

I call you instead to come to visit

Here to know me

But fear me not.

Let me remind you though,

Come here to this moment. 

Life happens now

And I’m calling you...

It’s been a tough couple of years for many of us, with the strain and stresses of these extraordinary times affecting many aspects of our lives, including our relationships. As Valentine’s Day approaches this year, you might be asking how you can rejuvenate your relationship in some...