Research shows that mindfulness practice is linked to increased gratitude and life satisfaction (Cheung & Lau, 2021; Ivtzan et al., 2016; Strohmaier & Cane, 2021). But how does it work? How do we cultivate gratitude as we are sitting here breathing in and breathing out? When we practice mindfulness, when we practice nonjudgmental awareness ofContinue reading “How Can I Have More Gratitude?”
Tag Archives: zen
How Do I Work with Thoughts?
Thoughts are always coming and going. Thoughts in our mind are like clouds that appear and disappear. Our mind’s true nature is like a mountain that never moves, as countless clouds appear and disapplear around it, pass by, and perhaps even bring rain and snow. The mountain never rejects any cloud or tries to hangContinue reading “How Do I Work with Thoughts?”
What is the Place of No Thought?
Zen Master Dahui talked about the place “where the road of words and speech ends” (言語道斷) and “where the domain of mental activity disappears” (心行處滅). Meditation is connecting with that place through immediate experience – What’s right in front you, right now? Mindfulness is letting go of thinking and judgment, and returning to the mindContinue reading “What is the Place of No Thought?”
How Do I Live an Authentic Life?
We all desire to live a life that is open, one in which each moment is imbued with freshness and aliveness. Zen Master Wumen said, “The great way has no gate.” Great way means a life that is completely wide open. And similarly, Zen Master Sengcan said, “The great way is not difficult, just don’tContinue reading “How Do I Live an Authentic Life?”
What is Beginner’s Mind?
Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki said, “In the beginner’s mind, there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few” (Suzuki, 1970). Beginner’s Mind (Chinese: Chuxin, 初心, Japanese: Shoshin) is a mind that is completely open, without judgment, without expectations. A beginner does not have the baggage of prior experience. Why is prior experience aContinue reading “What is Beginner’s Mind?”
What Can Mindfulness Add to My Life?
In our busy lives, we have to prioritize our time so that we don’t spread ourselves too thin over the many tasks and responsibilities that seem to keep piling up. So it’s understandable to ask, when we consider devoting time to an activity, what this pursuit will add to our life. Given the commitment ofContinue reading “What Can Mindfulness Add to My Life?”
Is Mindfulness a Hype?
Mindfulness is ubiquitous these days. It is purported to be helpful with mind, body, and soul, and everything in between. But is mindfulness everything it’s hyped up to be? Well, mindfulness is a technique that originated from Buddhist meditation practice, which has been around for over 2,500 years. So if it is a hype, thenContinue reading “Is Mindfulness a Hype?”
How Do I Stay in the Moment?
As we devote more time to meditation practice, we begin to taste what it’s like to be in the present moment. We gain a deeper appreciation for being in the moment, but we also notice how often we get pulled away from the moment by our thoughts and fantasies. At this point, we ask, “howContinue reading “How Do I Stay in the Moment?”
How Do I Quiet the Monkey Mind?
“Monkey mind” is a Buddhist term likening our mind to the restless and unsettled nature of a monkey. Our mind is always jumping around, grabbing at different things, and never staying still. How do we slow down this monkey mind? The good news is, we don’t have to slow it down. All we have toContinue reading “How Do I Quiet the Monkey Mind?”
How Do I Work with Procrastination?
Procrastination is a very common human experience and tendency. With small things or big things, we can at times not want to deal with it at the moment, and defer to a future time instead. It’s good to have that flexibility, but when we keep putting things off that need to be done, anxiety canContinue reading “How Do I Work with Procrastination?”
Mindfulness FAQ 