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 […]
Embracing Grace
When I was in my chaplaincy program at Naropa University, an insight occurred to me one day. I realized that even though I was studying Buddhist chaplaincy, it was much more likely that I would be ministering to people who identified as Christian rather than Buddhist (and I was right, especially when I worked in […]
The Value Of Showing Up
“My students have shown me so many times that it’s not always about being the perfect person in the perfect position – it’s about showing up when you’re needed.” ~ Jill Biden For the team of teachers here at MOI offering mindfulness classes in the Re-Entry Program at the Douglas County Correctional Facility, the value […]
Why Generosity Is Not Enough
I was inspired to write this while listening to the radio a couple of weeks ago. The essence of what was said was that while generosity was a positive action and quality, it was not enough, and that justice was more important. The reason given for this was that generosity made the giver feel good […]
2022 New Year’s Message
Greetings to all our dear friends and generous supporters! It’s the start of a new year and we at MOI are excited for all that’s ahead. It’s been a difficult time with many changes and a great many challenges over the past couple of years. While the work that we do in the community is […]