Don’t Go!

Despite my dog’s attempt to not let me leave without him, I’m heading up to Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health to lead two programs.  The first is a three day program with my friends Shobhan and Danna Faulds called the Energy Intensive:  Yoga, Meditation and Breathwork.

The second program is called The Still Small Voice Within:  Meditation, Focusing and Intuition Training.  This four-day intensive is all about cultivating awareness through vipassana, developing a more refined sense of the ‘here and now’ in the body through Focusing and taking time to reflect on the questions we carry inside and how we can open to greater wisdom and compassion.

Nothing passive aggressive about this dog...

To .. uh, Bee

Be Who You Want to Be

Happiness is possible when you are capable of doing the things and being the things you want to do and to be.

When we walk for the sake of walking,

when we sit for the sake of sitting,

when we drink for the sake of drinking tea,

we don’t do it for something or someone else.

Awakening means to see that truth—

that you want to know how to enjoy,

how to live deeply,

in a very simple way.

You don’t want to waste your time anymore.

Cherish the time that you are given.

–Thich Nhat Hanh, from Answers from the Heart (Parallax Press)

Down by the River

Another reason not to go swimming in the Potomac

Shadow and Light

A late afternoon shot under the tree where the Barred Owls hang out.

Early morning light.

I Believe

A wonderful, lively and articulate interview with Hyan Gak Sunim, passed on to me from my friend Francesca Vanegas, director of the Florida Yoga Institute.  This interview is with Hyan Gak Sunim, her first meditation teacher in RI at the Providence Zen Center  back in 1990. He now lives in Seoul, Korea and has become well known in the international community of this Kwan Um School of Zen.

As Francesca invited me, have a cup of tea and enjoy this 26 minute interview!  The “I Believe” series with Dennis Wholey, part of PBS, is quite ambitious.

Enough is Enough

A few years ago I directed a conference at Kripalu Center called “Change Yourself, Change the World,” which featured Arun Gandhi, Julia Butterfly Hill and Wayne Muller.  Wayne, who is the Founder of Bread for the Journey, a micro-lending non-profit, is also author of Sabbath: Restoring the Rythmn of Rest, on the topic of taking time for self care.  Here’s a clip from him speaking on “Enough is Enough.”

Thanks, Judi.

Happy to Be Alive

I’ve had a few near death experiences, the most dramatic being from going into anaphylactic shock from bee stings.  This article from the New York Times speaks of the joy that can emerge when we realize how easily our life can end.  I found the comments on the article as entertaining and touching as the article itself.

Thanks, Ellen!

Meditation Hits the Schools

A new article on meditation in the schools in USA Today entitled, “‘Mindfulness’ Meditation Being Used in Schools”.

And in case you’re interested, here is an article from the Washington Post (front page!) that drew on a training that yours truly leads at Whitman High School in Bethesda entitled “Overachieving Students Hear a New Message:  Lighten Up.”

Happy for No Reason: Head-Banging Parrot

You may recall that occasionally I post videos that are in the vein of Tsoknyi Rimpoche’s challenge to ‘be happy for no reason.’   The following is a wonderful example.

Some great moves here.

Today is Under Construction

Thank you, Kyra.