I think of myself as a generous person, but not a selflessly generous person. For example, I always make sure baristas are looking my way before I place a bill in their tip jar. Although I’m embarrassed to admit it, sometimes I even move extra slowly to ensure my contribution is noticed. No anonymity for me!
Read MoreWhen my beloved Zen teacher, Katherine Thanas, passed away twelve years ago, I booked a session with energy healer Hilary Nichols to help me process my grief over this significant loss. After guiding me into a deeply relaxed state, Hilary asked me to think about Katherine and identify a quality of hers that I loved and wanted to always remember by fostering it within myself. Katherine’s hands instantly came to mind—hands that touched everything with full attention and gentle reverence.
Read MoreI recently discovered a wonderful book about mindfulness that had been hiding on my top shelf for over a decade, How to Train a Wild Elephant & Other Adventures in Mindfulness. It was written by Jan Chozen Bays, MD—a pediatrician, meditation teacher, and abbess of the Great Vow Zen Monastery in Oregon. Many of the mindfulness practices she shares were explored and refined in community with her students.
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