How often do we slow down enough to let another person truly be seen? We talk about wanting authentic relationships, yet we habitually condense lives into surface evaluations. As Wayne Dyer noted, "Judgments prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances." When we react to someone’s outward presentation, we draw a curtain across … Read more
As a poet and meditator, John Brehm believes that poetry can deepen our spiritual practice. Over the many years of teaching, he’s found a simple method of leading discussions that elicits lively engagement, leads to profound insights, and helps us live in the present moment. He begins by reading the poem aloud, or having … Read more
Do you feel like social media is making you depressed? Do you want to take a break from social media but feel helpless to do so because of the fear of missing out? There is no arguing that social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have become an integral part of our … Read more
One of the most influential Japanese poets of all time, Matsuo Basho (1644–1694) elevated haiku from a mere literary pastime into an exquisite poetic craft. Leaving his hometown of Ueno behind, he moved to Kyoto, where he studied poetry and Zen as a young man and later became a Buddhist monk. This, perhaps, is why … Read more
If you’re looking for books by Andy Puddicombe, you’ve probably seen his TED talk on mindfulness. What struck me most the first time I saw it is that we spend 47% of our time lost in thought — that’s almost half of our waking hours spent ruminating on the past or being anxious about the … Read more