Mary Oliver on Living in the Present

Some poets have this power. They can help us stop and discover moments of spaciousness free of mundane troubles, free of our mind with its automatic reactions and obsessive self-concerns. One such poet is Mary Oliver (September 10, 1935–January 17, 2019), winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, who is known for … Read more

Can Mindfulness Prevent Emotional Reactivity and Suppression? (Answered by a Buddhist Monk)

Can mindfulness prevent emotional reactivity and suppression? If you’ve been practicing mindfulness meditation, you may have noticed that the way you react to situations and people has changed. When faced with challenges, you’re able to keep your emotional equanimity just long enough to assess the situation and take the right action, both for yourself and … Read more

The Hidden Meanings of Yin Yang

What is yin-yang? This question is at once utterly simple and wildly complicated. Because yin and yang are the most commonly known concepts from Chinese philosophy, they have practically become English words themselves. This familiarity may suggest that their meanings are obvious but this is hardly so. In the TED-Ed video below, John Bellaimey explains … Read more