Dear Friends, As we bring this shared journey to a close, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to those who have made this offering possible. If you have appreciated this month of offerings, feel free to support these teachers and resources. To each of you who joined me in this month-long exploration of… Read More »
Dear Friends, As we reach the end of this month-long journey of daily meditations on Strength for the Journey: Energizing Mind and Heart, I am deeply inspired by the themes we have explored and the connections we have cultivated. Together, we have delved into practices that support resilience, intention, and the steady nurturing of wholesome qualities. Here are… Read More »
Dear Friends, Today, I offer Mark Nunberg’s meditation “Spiritual Urgency,” in which he invites us to rest deeply in the present moment by cultivating non-distraction and openness. In this meditation, Mark guides us to relax and open, by assuming a posture that balances courageousness with softness, letting go of defensiveness and opening to whatever arises. Then we are… Read More »
Dear Friends, In our last reflection, we explored what inspires energy in our practice, including reflecting on impermanence, the uncertainty of life, and the inevitability of death as motivators for wise effort. The poem “If You Knew” by Ellen Bass offers a poignant lens for deepening this exploration. Her words remind us of life’s fleeting nature, the moments… Read More »
Dear Friends, As we continue this exploration of energy and wise effort, here is an excerpt from Joseph Goldstein’s Mindfulness that speaks to the courageous energy needed to sustain our practice: Notice carefully the moments of coming out of long trains of thought. It’s like coming out of a movie theater. When we’re lost in the story, it… Read More »
Dear Friends, Courage is an essential quality on this path. It empowers us to face challenges, stay present, and remain committed to our growth. Here is a talk and meditation from DaRa Williams, titled “Reflections, Guidance, and Courage.” DaRa explores the many dimensions of courage, drawing from a framework that includes physical, emotional, social, moral, intellectual, and spiritual… Read More »
Dear Friends, Following our reflections on cultivating courageous energy, I was drawn to this quote by Thomas Merton, which speaks directly to the challenges of navigating times of change: In a time of drastic change one can be too preoccupied with what is ending or too obsessed with what seems to be beginning. In either case one loses… Read More »
Dear Friends, Joseph Goldstein describes energy (viriya) as the power to act–it encompasses strength, perseverance, and the courage to meet challenges with determination and skillfulness. This courageous energy sustains our practice, helping us abandon the unwholesome and nurture the skillful, both within ourselves and in the world. Joseph highlights that viriya is not about avoiding difficulties but engaging… Read More »
Dear Friends, As we discussed earlier, Joseph Goldstein teaches that effort itself generates energy and that the key to skillful effort lies in balance, learning when to engage with curiosity and when to relax with spaciousness. This nuanced approach transforms our practice into an exploration of energy and ease, guiding us toward greater clarity and insight. Going through… Read More »
Dear Friends, Mary Oliver’s poem The Journey offers a reflection on the courage and persistence needed to step away from old habits and toward freedom. As we explore the cycle of effort and energy in our practice, her words complement Joseph Goldstein’s teachings that we contemplated yesterday. Joseph reminds us that effort itself generates energy. Even when we… Read More »
Dear Friends, In his talk on energy as a factor of awakening, Joseph Goldstein offers some insight into the interplay of effort and energy in our practice.Satipatthana Sutta – part 29 – Factors Of Awakening: Energy (the section from about 33:00 through 40:00)https://www.dharmaseed.org/talks/1967/ Joseph highlights something we may have noticed: effort itself can generate energy. He notes, “Usually… Read More »
Dear Friends, As we continue exploring the practice of abandoning unwholesome states, I would like to offer a recording of a meditation, talk, and Q&R with Shaila Catherine, titled Beyond Distraction: Five Practical Ways to Focus the Mind.https://sangha.live/dharma-library/beyond-distraction-five-practical-ways-to-focus-the-mind/ The first 30-ish minutes is a guided meditation that focuses on cultivating mindfulness and meeting thinking with interest, for the… Read More »
Dear Friends, As we explore the methods for abandoning unwholesome states, I invite you to reflect on a poem that illustrates what you might have experienced in this journey: Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Portia Nelson.https://www.mindfulnessassociation.net/words-of-wonder/autobiography-in-five-short-chapters-portia-nelson/ This poem captures the challenges and gradual progress we make as we learn to let go of unwholesome patterns. It reminds… Read More »
Dear Friends, Sharon Salzberg offers a wonderful perspective on the balance between relaxation and energy in meditation in a short talk. She highlights how meditation is about finding a middle ground—cultivating calm, peace, and relaxation while also strengthening energy, alertness, connection, and interest.The balance of relaxation and energy in meditation (4:24) Sharon explains that too much relaxation can… Read More »
Dear Friends, I recently came across a quote from Joseph M. Marshall III, a Lakota teacher, historian, and storyteller, that resonates with our exploration of effort and energy in practice. In his book Keep Going: The Art of Perseverance, he writes: … the difference between a small effort and no effort can be gigantic… lack of effort, doing… Read More »
