Category: Updated Resources

Rick Hanson, author of Buddha’s Brain and other books linking Buddhist teachings and scientific research, wrote a good introduction to the second noble truth of the Buddha, the causes of stress, discomfort, and suffering. You can find his article here: The Second Noble Truth-The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering Thanissaro Bhikkhu, a well… Continue reading Updated Resources for Meditation and Support

Toni Bernhard has written extensively on chronic illness and pain and learning how to live with them with more grace and ease. The Buddha’s teachings on dukkha (suffering and discontent) have been an important part of her practice. She wrote an introduction to the three kinds of dukkha that is helpful in understanding the basic… Continue reading Updated Resources for Meditation and Support

Sean Oakes, a student of Jack Kornfield, produced a number of short Practice Guides on the concepts and practice of Insight Meditation that are available on the Spirit Rock website. One of them is a good introduction to the Four Noble Truths. You can find that Practice Guide here: The Four Noble Truths The other… Continue reading Updated Resources for Meditation and Support

Gil Fronsdal looks at Dharma practice and the path of non-harming and the way that they facilitate the arising of beautiful qualities of the heart. Those practices and the qualities that arise can allow us to see the meaning and purpose in our lives more clearly. You can find the article here: The Dharma and… Continue reading Updated Resources for Meditation and Support

Phillip Moffitt is well known for his work in helping practitioners to identify their core values and to live with intention, seeking to express their core values in each moment. You can find a page describing his approach to core values and some additional resources here: Core Values and Essential Intentions

Joanna Macy turned 95 on May 2nd, and she’s still active and loving the world. Her synthesis of Buddhist practice, love for the world, systems thinking, and environmental activism has been a major influence on many people, including Thich Nhat Hanh, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and the Dalai Lama. The Sounds True Foundation is sponsoring a… Continue reading Updated Resources for Meditation and Support

Diana Winston does an excellent job connecting the path of deliberate mindfulness typically practiced in Insight Meditation and the practice of natural awareness. Her book The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering Your Natural Awareness is an excellent introduction to classical mindfulness and natural awareness, and is highly recommended. You can find… Continue reading Updated Resources for Meditation and Support

Nikki Mirghafori gave a talk on the relationship of emptiness and compassion that has the engaging title: “Dreaming Together – In the theater of life, emptiness and compassion go hand in hand.” In her talk, she looks at ways in which we can explore letting go of our self-centeredness and how that supports and is… Continue reading Updated Resources for Meditation and Support

Gil Fronsdal wrote an article on the path to awakening that is very helpful. It lays out the way in which the qualities that arise as one practices naturally lead to awakening. This teaching of the Buddha is known as Liberative Dependent Origination or Transcendental Dependent Origination because it undoes the normal process of Dependent… Continue reading Updated Resources for Meditation and Support

Joseph Goldstein wrote an article on karma and cause and effect that looks at the traditional Buddhist teachings on karma, including discussion of related ideas like rebirth that are not widely accepted in the West. He pointed out that these ideas are not necessary for meditation practice, or even for awakening, but he felt that… Continue reading Updated Resources for Meditation and Support