His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Geshe Sopa Rinpoche, very precious guru, and great spiritual friend and guide entered into clear light meditation

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Geshe Sopa Rinpoche passed into the clear light on Thursday August 28th. In respect to his work and teachings I am re-bloging a few articles I wrote where I share some of his Introductory teachings at Deer Park. I feel this great loss, but his legacy remains in his students, books and our hearts. I have had the fortunate blessing to receive teachings and empowerments from the venerable Geshe Lhundub Sopa. I was deeply inspired by Geshe L. Sopa’s introductory teachings. I admit that these “lessons before the lessons” often held more meaning to me than the primary teachings. I was able then, … Continue reading →

His Holiness The Dalai Lama turns 79 Today!

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This blog is to acknowledge and celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 79th  birthday. Together may we wish for His Holiness a long and healthy life! May his words of kindness, acceptance and tolerance spread. May we all be an expression of our best selves.   Here is a link to the Dalai Lama’s official website:  http://www.dalailama.com Join me once a month for a meditation practice: The Gift of Meditation.     About

The Transformative Power of Regret

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This is the fourth piece in the Venerable Geshe Lhundup Sopa’s introductory teachings, the “lessons before the lessons.” We are still on the verse taken from Nagarjuna, Letters to a Friend.  (For first three blogs click back to previous articles.)     “Whosoever was negligent previously But later became attentive and careful, Shines forth like the moon freed from clouds, Just like Nanda, Angulimala, Ajustastru, and Udayana.”                                                —Nagarjuna, Letters to a Friend, Verse 14 (Leslie Kawanura) After his … Continue reading →

A Skeptic Awakening at the Foot of One Sage

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I consider myself a willing skeptic at the feet of many sages and yoginis. I am willing to explore and to reach for meaning while being given spiritual instruction. During various teachings, rituals and empowerments that I attended over the years at Deer Park in Oregon Wisconsin, I was deeply inspired by the Venerable Geshe Lhundub Sopa’s introductory teachings. I admit that these “lessons before the lessons” often held more meaning for me than the primary teachings. I was able then, and now, to use these teachings in a more practiced way, integrating them into my daily life. After hearing … Continue reading →

The Greatest Experience

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Staying true to a message of living meaningfully by bringing together the creative, spiritual and communal selves can be a challenge. The word “spiritual” works like a spell, casting assumptions and questions over people. People often assume when I say “spiritual” I mean religious. I do not. There are times I want to forfeit the word “spiritual” and exchange it for something more universally user-friendly. Then, any other mystical word invites similar responses. Transcendental? Divine? Metaphysical? Sacred? Should I go more secular in my efforts to express my enthusiasm in living a creatively meaningful life? — Secular humanist perhaps? How … Continue reading →

Pivotal Moments: Use Them or Lose Them

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An active life is strewn with them – pivotal moments that are crucial to the forward movement of life. These moments don’t make life meaningful on there own, ­––we make life more meaningful with them. Perhaps the best story that demonstrates a pivotal moment is my encounter with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1995. I enjoy viewing my life in reflection of such moments especially when I am discouraged or feeling reluctant to stick with my spiritual and creative path. It is one moment that helped me to keep moving forward and to trust the efforts I put into … Continue reading →

Living A Principled Life

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His Holiness of course was generous in his teaching making the Heart Sutra accessible to all those who attended the teachings this May in Indiana. His introduction included emphasis on applying ourselves and studying the Dharma. And he concluded with a reminder to study, to access Wisdom through reading and studying. He reminded us how the Buddha discouraged people to simply follow him and instead emphasized the importance of everyone generating a mind and heart of compassion and enlightenment. “The Buddha can only show you the path but cannot do it for you. Liberation lies in your own hands,” the Dalai … Continue reading →

Basic Mindfulness Sitting Practice

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 This evening we began with twenty minutes of mindfulness meditation practice. To help clear the mind and prepare the body for meditation this simple yogic breath is helpful:  Using your thumb and pointer finger hold your right nostril with your right thumb and breath in through the left nostril. Then on the exhale release the thumb and press the finger against the left nostril and exhale through the right nostril. Do this three times. Nice deep breaths. Then do the same with three breaths breathing in from the right nostril and you hold the left closed, and breath out your … Continue reading →