In the Domain of No Fear

The Buddha himself touched the Truth with his own mind. And so can we. It’s a purifying, intimate process – internal, invisible and crossing many intersections. At each one, we patiently examine the state of the heart, discerning what is harmful and what is…

Redemption

How can we be free of anger? To cross a river, walk over it. From a burning house, escape. So too, when your heart is on fire, stay present, forgiving and compassionate. Balance and cleanse the mind to stop it from spinning with fear,…

Courage, Kindness, and Freedom – Ancient Verses of Arahant Rohini

In the world of Arahant Rohini, the same forces of violence, greed, and delusion we face now were at play. She encourages us to sustain faith in the Dhamma, using its special weapons to counter the erosion of peace and to liberate the mind…

Stay Tuned – Radiant Mind Untainted By Ego

We hear in the Udana, Verses of Uplift, about the Venerable Meghiya’s wish to practise in the beautiful Mango Grove before his mind was mature enough. Even when we are on retreat and conditions for practice seem perfect, hindrances plague the mind and overcome…

Across the River of Pain

We long to be free from this wandering, to go beyond all suffering. The body is our raft to cross from one side of this river of pain to the other. And there we leave the raft. But we don’t leave it until we…

Chant, Breathe, Trust, Bless the Rain

One way animals restore themselves after an attack and regain equilibrium is through the trembling of the body. We too, as human beings, can create an inner rhythmic chant to resonate vibrational waves that help us move out of fear and clear traumas from…

Death and Awakening

Listen deeply to the resonance within where virtue sows fields of goodness, wisdom, and compassion and Death teaches us to let go. At first, we tremble with fear. But out of that fear we draw strength. Out of anger – a stillness and forgiveness….

It Will Never Happen To Me

Shrouded in the cloud of ignorance, we believe that suffering will never happen to us. But when we emerge from that fog into a radical simplicity of heart, suffering becomes our teacher. Our eyes are opened thanks to Right View and direct experience of…

Nothing But the Truth

Instead of holding onto what burns and pains us, uphold the truth of present moment awareness and know that freedom is in our hands. We free ourselves from unwholesome qualities. In the midst of fear, we bring up fearlessness; in the midst of resentment,…

Fierce Gifts

When life presents fearsome obstacles, be your own spiritual ally and turn those obstacles into windows that open to the depths of the heart.  There, cultivating loving-kindness, compassion, radiant joy and the wisdom of discernment, behold the fierce gifts of the Dhamma that defy…