Light in a Dark Room
REPOST: September 5th, 2015
It was about 5 months ago that I attended my first Zen Sesshin, at a center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Grueling indeed, but nothing short of marvelous. The Zen methodology is so simple, relative to the complexities of other Eastern schools of thought, yet painstaking in how it cracks open the outer shell with such precision that nothing is lost. As part of the sitting practice, the guiding teacher offers something to the participants called, dokusan.
Between Expectation and Realization
REPOST: September 9th, 2015
Out of all of the possible qualities we can cultivate in the practice of yoga, one of the most important is that of patience. Patience is the willingness to endure, wholeheartedly, for that which we seek. It is an act of forbearance bound to the belief that someone or something is looking out for us. Patience is a skill scrutinized in a society of instant gratification. We are conditioned to get what we want, when we want it.
Pura vida: Costa Rica commencement
REPOST: August 26th, 2015
I can say with complete certainty, that this week has been one of the most humbling experiences I have had in my entire life. The humility I feel is not from anything that I have done. In fact, it is a feeling of reward completely outside of myself. I am awe-inspired by the aspiration and energy that each and every one of you has put into the practice.
Hole In My Sidewalk
REPOST: August 28th, 2015
The following poem was written by Portia Nelson (May 27, 1920 – March 6, 2001). Portia was an American popular singer, songwriter, actress, and author. She was best known for her appearances in the most prestigious 1950s cabarets, where she sang an elegant repertoire in a soprano noted for its silvery tone, perfect diction, intimacy, and meticulous attention to words.
Certainly Uncertain
REPOST: August 31st, 2015
Human beings, throughout the history of mankind, have aimlessly searched to answer one single question - how do I discover a deeper sense of inner peace? What is the magical formula? In the West we tend to lean toward science to answers these questions; mostly because we crave certainty. We want a diagnosis and a doctor’s note to provide the resolution. Unfortunately, life cannot be cookie cut.