Dear friends and supporters of Mindfulness Outreach Initiative, As we come to the end of this year, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support and involvement in our mission to provide comprehensive meditation instruction and mindfulness training to as many people as possible. Your contributions have allowed us to reach new communities […]
Like Water in the Desert
Tanha; usually translated for the Pali as craving or desire. Tanha is at the root of dukkha which is usually translated as suffering, this is the second Noble Truth that the Buddha discovered. A more literal translation of tanha is “thirst”. When desire becomes a motivation for our actions, thoughts, speech, then it is very […]
Candy Bar Kindness – A practice of Renunciation
Instructions: Place this extremely rich and delicious candy bar in your refrigerator. Each time the craving to nibble, eat, or taste the candy bar arises, gently say “No.” to the mind. Say “no” to the mind with tenderness and understanding. This is a “no” of lovingkindness. In the same way you might say “no” to […]
Guidance on Giving & Dana
Recently, I volunteered to serve as the registrar for an online retreat. This role primarily involved keeping track of participant registrations. It also included responding to their emails if they had issues or questions. Every email I received was about offering donations (called dāna in Buddhism). So, for this month’s blog article, I thought I […]
Tending The Garden
The Pali word that is most often translated to “cultivate” (also develop, produce, call into existence) is bhavana also often translated as “meditation”. We often overlook what bhavana can mean in the broader sense. In gardening, to cultivate can refer to the whole process of gardening, from preparing the soil, removing weeds, planting seeds, watering, […]
Shock The Monkey
The practice of renunciation is the practice of non-addiction. It is the practice of saying “no” to the mind. It’s not a “no” motivated by aversion but a wise “no” that sees clearly craving in the mind. Where there is fixation and dependency a skillful discrimination and kind “no” are needed. This afternoon while I […]