Meditation

One of the most common questions I hear from new students of mindfulness practice is, “Sitting meditation is really uncomfortable for me. What should I do?”...

Sometimes when I tell a friend I’ll be going on a silent meditation retreat, they’ll respond, “That sounds so peaceful.” That’s when I know they probably...

A number of years ago, I was listening to “The Diane Rehm Show” on NPR while driving to work. Diane’s guest was a woman who had...

Do you find sitting meditation uncomfortable? You’re not alone. For many people, the traditional posture, sitting cross-legged, is not ideal. The good news is that cross-legged...

I have the great privilege of teaching a mindfulness class each week for Huntsman Cancer Institute. The class takes place at Salt Lake City’s gorgeous Red...

The second verse of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras describes the whole practice of yoga: Sutra 1.2 says: Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence. (Translated...

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is...

I probably first heard music before I was even born. My parents were singers who met while studying with the same voice teacher. My sisters and...

Several years ago, I spent a long weekend at Green Gulch Farm in Northern California. Green Gulch is a lovely, green valley in the hills above...

2020 is the “gift” that keeps on giving. It started with the rise of COVID in March. Even if you have stayed healthy, chances are the...

Every July since 2014, my life partner and I have attended an 18-day metta/insight meditation retreat at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. We signed up again last...

Meditation ain’t easy. It’s arguable that it’s a whole lot harder than yoga asana practice. When you’re practicing asana, your mind has plenty of sensations to...

In recent years, our lives seem to have gotten harsher. Our culture has factionalized. No one wants to listen to anyone with whom they disagree. Dialog...

Mindfulness is trending these days. Since 2014, mindfulness has made the cover of TIME twice. The practice even has its very own magazine, Mindful, with articles...

In 1988, I attended my first silent mindfulness meditation retreat. Since then, I’ve attended more than 20 such multi-day—or multi-week—retreats. Often when I tell people I’m...

In 1996, I attended one of a series of 30-day silent mindfulness meditation retreats. As with many retreat centers, the cabin where we practiced was designed...

I recently posted a blog about practicing outdoor yoga. In it, I shared a favorite quote about the natural world: “The earth is the guru of...

There are lots of things to love about spring—the freshness of new life, the invitation to shed layers of clothing, and the opportunity to spend more...