Blog: Lessons from Kayaking: Finding a way to be with fear
Most of us spend a lot of our lives tensed up in fear, or pushing against fear. The fear might be fear of: Something going wrong Not being good enough Not being loved Losing something or someone we hold dear What fears do you live with? The key to being with fear is...
Part 2: Relating to the Fearsome Deities
Whenever Mara–the shadow side–appeared during the Buddha’s life, his response was simple and liberating: “I see you Mara,” and,”Please, come…let’s have tea.” In that spirit, this talk explores three approaches to relating to fear with a mindful and compassionate presence.
Blog: Can You Medicate Meditation?
The use of anti-depressants by those involved in meditation practice is a very hot topic. Students often ask me things like, “If I take Prozac, isn’t that as good as giving up? Aren’t I admitting that meditation doesn’t work?” Those who’ve been advised by a doctor to...
Part 1: Relating to Fearsome Deities
Our relationship to fear shapes our life experience. If we are unconscious, and reflexively try to manage fear, our identity takes the shape of the body of fear. If instead we learn to attend and befriend fear, we discover the freedom of our awakened heart.
Blog: The Trance of Fear
All of us live with fear. Whenever fear takes over, we’re caught in what I call the trance of fear. As we tense in anticipation of what may go wrong, our heart and mind contract. We forget that there are people who care about us, and about our own ability to feel...
Blog: The Space Between the Logs
This is from a poem that I love. It’s called, “Fire” by Judy Brown. What makes a fire burn is the space between the logs, a breathing space. Too much of a good thing, too many logs packed in too tight can douse the flames almost as surely as a pail of water would. So...
Mindfulness Strategies for Working with Trauma and Strong Fear
View or download a print-friendly PDF version. For More Resources on Fear, See Working with Fear There are a number of mindfulness-based strategies that can temporarily calm us when fear is strong. These practices can be combined or sequenced in any way that you find...
Meditation and Healing Trauma
Spiritual awakening often involves offering a healing presence to the suffering of post traumatic stress or deep emotional wounding. This talk explores the three key elements that support this process: self-forgiveness, accessing a source of love and safety, and...