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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Remembering the Kindness of All Living Beings
We live in a world full of kindness, but for many, it takes conscious effort to recognize the kindness all around us. The Great Scope meditations of Lamrim, the majority in the sequence, serve to deepen feelings of compassion and extend those feelings to all living beings. The first of the meditations provided the groundwork…
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The Traumatic Stress of American Capitalism
We all pay a steep emotional price for the benefits we obtain from our capitalist system. A dog-eat-dog world Modern economic theory tells us that each person acting through their own selfish desire animates the “invisible hand” of the market. Apparently, this is considered a good thing. Economists would have us believe that nobody acts…
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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Recognizing That all Living Beings Are Our Mothers
Meditation for developing affectionate love for all beings. Buddhism guides us to examine our natural behaviors and responses, assess the pain they cause, and use our insight to choose more wisely, lessening our suffering and that of others. The Buddha’s teachings highlight the importance of developing equanimity, encouraging us to see ourselves as valueless and…
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Is Belief in Rebirth or Reincarnation Essential to Buddhist Practice?
You don’t need to believe in magnetism to use a compass. Reincarnation is Useful Bullshit Do I actually believe, as ontological Body reality, that I have actually existed through endless lifetimes? No. I don’t. But I don’t need to. I don’t need to believe in magnetism to use a compass. Karma still works when I act…
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Political Partisanship: The Inherent Unhappiness of Identifying with a Political Party
No matter which side you choose, if you identify as a political partisan, you will always be unhappy, anxious, and dissatisfied. The American People are deeply divided, more so than at any time since the Civil War. There are many reasons for these divisions, none of which matter to political partisanship’s emotional effect on everyone…
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Reasons or Rationalizations: Wisdom Versus Delusion for Interpersonal Relationships
Are your behaviors and attitudes toward others based on wisdom or poor self-serving rationalizations? Conflicts are inevitable whenever people interact with others. How people approach and resolve these conflicts determines the quality and durability of their relationships. A completely selfish person will demand what they want and manipulate others to obtain it. They don’t feel…
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Forgiveness: Choosing to Overcome Anger and Resentment
Feeling angry or resentful is a decision one makes, and individuals can use particular techniques to aid in their forgiveness. Hatred never ceases through hatred, but through love alone is healed. This is an eternal law. The Buddha When we interact with other people, we judge our experiences with them as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.…
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Buddhist Meditations on Virtue: The Key to Transforming the Heart
Buddhist meditation practices that encourage feelings that promote peace of mind and happiness. When I was a teenager, I completely rejected the Roman Catholic Church and all its teachings. With no lingering doubts, I believed I was a hardcore atheist. This break from my past allowed me to freely explore other religious and spiritual traditions…
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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Developing Equanimity
Learning to devalue yourself and value others equally. The three types of emotional reactions Whenever we encounter any phenomenon, we judge it as either positive, negative, or neutral. Buddhist psychology recognizes three types of reactions to our judgments. If we encounter something we judge to be pleasant or positive, we tend to want more of…