Here is the wanted list! The books are in no particular order: some were more relevant than others. The teachers I go back to and read frequently are Bhante Gunaratana and Thich Nhat Hanh. The Dalai Lama's words are always wise. Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein also provided valuable insights. Tibetan Buddhist practices are much... Continue Reading →
Following through on the previous post, music (not just kirtan) can have a profound role in some diseases like Alzheimer's with the accompanying memory loss and dementia. Here is the lead to a scientific documentary: Slowly, inevitably, Alzheimer's disease robs a person of profound memories, like the names and faces of loved ones. Right now,... Continue Reading →
The Agony in the Garden, about 1465, Giovanni Bellini Source: http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/giovanni-bellini-the-agony-in-the-garden It is dawn, and this gloomy, barren landscape is about to be flooded with warm rosy light. Throughout the long night, the central figure of Christ has been at prayer while his friends sleep. Knowing that he will be arrested and executed, Christ asks... Continue Reading →
Source: http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/giotto-and-workshop-pentecost Light is used as a symbol by cultures and religions all over the world, representing goodness, love, truth, knowledge, faith and life itself. In Hinduism, it is particularly celebrated with lamps and fireworks during Diwali, the ‘Festival of Lights. It is also a central feature in Christian rituals, and has become an expressive medium for... Continue Reading →
Yoga Nidra, as so many of us know, can be so incredibly effective in dealing with chronic pain, stress, and moderate anxiety. Here, I have a link to a new track, Yoga Nidra for Healing, by Kalpa Taru in Wellington, Australia. The 20-minute track is very soothing. It is also a very familiar format for... Continue Reading →
Here are three links to online forgiveness meditations: Bhante Gunaratana: Metta Meditation begins with an extensive forgiveness component and training the mind by reconditioning it through the practice of forgiveness. This website is a treasure trove of teachings and meditations. This is a much longer talk interwoven with practice--a live recording from a retreat. Bhante is an... Continue Reading →
As I prepare for tomorrow's meditation, here is a link to a very human and fresh meaning of forgiveness which is different from the article in the last post. I recommend that everyone coming to our meditations read this as it applies to all of us. In "What is Forgiveness?", also from the Greater Good... Continue Reading →
To answer this question, a good resource is the article "The New Science of Forgiveness" on University of California at Berkeley's Greater Good blog. It may naturally be followed by, What is unforgiveness? As we continue to go deeper into this emotional state in our meditation practice, it can be very helpful to have some... Continue Reading →
When the contemporary Christian musician and Grammy Award winner Matthew West's song Forgiveness is passed around Jain homes during the holiest week of Paryushan ending in Samvatsari (the most important day of universal forgiveness), we may be moved by this essential human commonality. Many thanks to Malini for sharing the link to the song. We now come to the holiest day... Continue Reading →
Mahasri Yoga 