An Open-Hearted Life (2017-present)

Ongoing teachings based on An Open-Hearted Life given at Sravasti Abbey’s monthly Sharing the Dharma Day since April 2017. Co-written with clinical psychologist Dr. Russell Kolts.

Compassionate understanding of emotions

How a compassionate understanding of how emotions play out in our minds gives us a roadmap for developing the positive mental qualities we want to…

View Post

The power of optimism and types of emotion

How an optimistic attitude is important in maintaining compassion. A look at different ways to understand, and work with, our emotions.

View Post

Working with unwanted thoughts and emotions

How we can work over time to replace troublesome thoughts and emotions with more compassionate ones, and establish new, compassionate mental habits.

View Post

Becoming friends with ourselves

Becoming our own friend means treating ourselves with kindness, respect and compassion; celebrating our successes while working to improve.

View Post

A Healthy Diet for the Mind

How cultivating compassion is like engaging in a mental fitness program for the mind. What we feed our mind, what we attend to, shapes us…

View Post

Being responsible for our emotions

When disturbing emotions arise we have a choice. The Buddhist teachings offer practical methods to change counterproductive, habitual emotional responses.

View Post

Beyond Blame

How it's possible to go beyond blaming others or our self and work together to alleviate the suffering that everyone experiences in a difficult situation.

View Post

Establishing compassionate habits

As with learning any new skill or habit, it takes purposeful effort to establish compassionate habits. Eventually it becomes effortless.

View Post

Imagery and method acting: Cultivating our comp...

How we can use our imagination to develop compassion and other positive qualities.

View Post

Cultivating compassion and equanimity

Equanimity, a mind free from bias and indifference, is important in order to have the kind of love and compassion that extends to all beings…

View Post

The seven-point instruction of cause and effect

How to reflect on the first three steps of the seven-point instruction to recognize the kindness of others and arouse the wish to repay their…

View Post

Love and compassion

Developing love and compassion, steps four and five of the seven-point instruction to cultivate altruism, and what it means to have compassion for your self.

View Post