According to the gut-feelings I have in response to my regular Facebook and Instagram use, I am a lonely and unsuccessful person without authentic sources of inspiration and passion in my life. According to my self-presentation on Facebook and Instagram, I am an extroverted and entrepreneurial writer with a laundry list of interests, creative pursuits, and professional triumphs about which…
I’ll never forget my astonishment when I heard the Tibetan teacher Nyshul Khen Rinpoche say, “Everything hangs on intention.” I thought, “Of course! Nothing happens without intention. It’s so crucial!” Wise intention is one of the steps of the Buddha’s eightfold path, and it might be the most important one. Wise intention is what keeps our lives heading in the…
As human beings, we all try our best to bring about a world based on kindness and compassion. What seems to go wrong, however, is that what I want, what I personally would like, becomes more important than the benefit of the whole community. Whether we look at religion, philosophy, science, development, or politics, wherever there has been human society…
The author’s recent research suggests that even the busiest, most stressed professionals have more emotional flexibility than they would expect.
There are clear and obvious benefits afforded us by mobile technology and social media. For example, some studies suggest that social media use can have a positive impact on well-being through increased social support and encouragement of real world relationships. But while we acknowledge the benefits, how do we also identify and combat the potential negative effects of our digital lives? Both…
I first began meditating at the age of 17, at a time when mindfulness was not mainstream and meditation was not touted as the burgeoning business opportunity or “wellness” trend that it is today. I remember being relieved and energized by my first experiences of intentional mindful attention. I say “intentional” because, of course, every human being has the potential…
When you pay attention to what’s happening to the world—the destruction of our air, soil, and water—it is common to want to do something to help the situation. But what if part of the reason that we’re in this perilous ecological situation is our tendency to treat the world as if it’s a problem to be solved? In his book…
On my right, three rows back and seven chairs over, a woman began to sob heavily. Usually, sobbing doesn’t happen in my class on authenticity. My classes on recovering from illness, living with dying, happiness after loss—these are guaranteed sob fests for at least one or two attendees. The authenticity workshop—not so much. After a few moments, her tears were…