Practicing Human

Every day, a musician tunes their instrument. It changes, of course, because of temperature, air pressure, humidity, etc. This ongoing "attunement" is essential for the instrument to play at its best…

As humans, it's inevitable that we will encounter pain in our life. Much of this pain is out of our control, but some of it we can influence and soothe. This is true in our meditation practice, as we…

At the heart of all contemplative traditions is the promise of freedom. But what does this freedom mean? Freedom from what? The answer to that: suffering. In this episode, we explore how one could ac…

Have you ever considered starting a regular meditation practice? There are predictable outcomes and benefits that come with daily meditation, but many of us don't give ourselves the opportunity to ex…

How has your sleep been lately? Same as usual? Off a bit? I've been hearing quite a bit of feedback from people about how they're sleeping more than usual. I've noticed it myself. In this episode, I'…

We're all being impacted by this pandemic. With such a radical change in the ecosystem of our life, it's very likely some "negative" things are accumulating in the background: stress, fear, relations…

We all experience the rain of life. And no, I'm not talking about that rain. I'm talking about the rain of discomfort, stress, pain, uncertainty. These are the times when it feels like life is pourin…

There are two minds, your small mind and your Big mind. Most of our lives are spent in our small mind--thinking thoughts, caught in ideas, wracked with anxiety, or simply confined by the limited boun…

We often get in the way of our path to growth and transcendence by focusing too much on the endpoint. In this episode, we discuss how to not get caught in this trap.

As always, if you'd like to get fr…

"Don’t meditate to fix yourself, to improve yourself, to redeem yourself; rather, do it as an act of love, of deep warm friendship to yourself. In this way there is no longer any need for the subtle …

Are you secretly attached to your busy-ness? To your worry? Your fear and your anxiety? You might not think so, but chances are, you love it. In a weird, twisted way. What would you have to experienc…

When someone shares good news with you, how do you respond? Psychology tells us there are four categories of responding, and only ONE of them is effective. In this episode, we'll discuss what that is…

In this episode, we talk about the Japanese idiom, Ichi-go ichi-e, and how it points to the celebration and appreciation of the unrepeatable nature of a moment.

What if life were simpler, easier? In this episode, I'll share a poem that might help you reconnect to that space within you that knows how to live more simply, more easy.

We don't get what we want in the way we think we will. Life gives it to us in a much more twisted (and obvious) way. 

In this episode, we discuss a simple, calming, breathing technique. Anyone can do it, and it can be quickly effective. Take a listen and try it out.

As always, if you'd like to get free access to my r…

Concentration is a happiness superpower, useful in both good and bad times. In this episode, we'll discuss why concentration is so powerful and how to practice employing it in your life.

As always, if…

There is a part of you that is inherently peaceful. In the meditation traditions, we call this "Big Mind." In this episode, I'll share a quote by the great teacher Ajahn Chah that will help us connec…

Reports in Northern India suggest that people are able to see the Himalayan mountain tops for the first time in 30 years. Why? With shelter-in-place, there's less pollution. In this episode, we explo…