The Wake Up Call for Lawyers

What if the perfection of wisdom is bigger than clarity and insight and interconnection? What if it’s bigger than not causing harm? What if the perfection of wisdom is understanding that not only are…

One of the easiest commitments to agree to, and hardest for me to keep, Is to do no harm.

Somehow, built into this lawyer-persona, is this drive to be clear and concise, to be right, and to win. Which…

When I think of wisdom, I tend to think of the things I’ve learned and know. But wisdom from a mindfulness perspective is different. Mindfulness says that wisdom is about realizing we’re going to hit…

Intention determines cause and effect (karma): whatever we intend, whether we know our intention or not, determines what we say and do. Which in turn determines whether we create suffering or peace i…

What is sacred about the law? I think there’s a tendency – and I’m as guilty of it as anyone – to point out the flaws in the legal system, especially in the U.S. And even to say that it’s broken, may…

Nearing the winter solstice,the shortest day of the year, the invitation is to settle the mind & body. When we do that, we can attend to the deep wisdom that resides in our own hearts, and remember t…

Do we really have to sit for six or twelve or twenty or thirty minutes a day, in silence, paying attention to our breath? Can’t we just pay attention while we’re doing something else, too, like ridin…

Sometimes I think, if only I could say more, do more, work harder, then I could really be helpful.

Then I could offer whatever I have in the way of wisdom, compassion, and maybe actually make a differ…

What time do you get up to meditate? Maybe not 5am, but I do remember, maybe 25 years ago, a teacher saying to me, “the decision to meditate happens the night before, when you set your alarm thirty m…

Patience is great, in principle, but what happens when things are fast & furious (literally)? Mindfulness helps. When I’m paying attention and not judging myself, I remember to watch for anger, frust…

Sometimes it feels like the perfect storm, clouds opening up, rain drenching me to my bones, and me, shaking my fist at the sky…or at some sarcastic colleague or maniacal politician.

 Every once in a …

What place does patience have in a busy world? And in a busy profession? Do lawyers even have time for patience?

Maybe, if we think about patience differently.

Patience, not as in waiting for your asso…

Scary times, if you’re paying attention. Easy to give up on kindness, easy to prefer a good show, a good beach, a nice rock to hide under.

Do the rules of ethics apply to everyone? Do they apply to everyone in the same way, and to the same degree? Should they?

 How can we contemplate the perfection of ethical conduct or even generosity, …

Is it possible to be a fierce advocate, and at the same time not lie or be unkind, harsh, or derogatory? Not simply because of a set of rules, however compelling, but because of a commitment to the g…

when I first asked my teacher whether it was ok to talk about ethics and mindfulness, he laughed and said, all of mindfulness is ethics!

 Fair.

And, it’s interesting to look at the five biggies, or pre…

Ordinarily, when I think of ethics they either feels legalistic, like the rules of professional conduct, or else I think of the rules I learned in Sunday school.

 Mindfulness offers an invitation to c…