As I have grown in my meditation practice, I have been able to develop deeper and deeper levels of concentration and corresponding insight. And yet, when I’ve read about some of the various deeper levels of jhana (deep concentration, or samatha) I’ve sometimes wondered about my progress and whether I’m going “deep” enough. This great […]
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Tag Archives: concentration
Ajahn Chah on the relationship of Concentration and Wisdom in Meditation
2011/05/03 
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Ajahn Chah A Taste of Freedom “On Meditation” “When the mind is peaceful and established firmly in mindfulness and self-awareness, there will be no doubt concerning the various phenomena which we encounter. The mind will truly be beyond the hindrances. We will clearly know as it is everything which arises in the mind. We do […]
Continue reading Quiet in Every Way – Breaking the Mind’s Chatter
2010/10/10 6 Comments
I just finished a 14-day intensive meditation/metta retreat at home, which is why I haven’t posted for a while. Looking back at the 2 weeks work, I couldn’t help but think of this article by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. One of the things that became so evident to me, day after day “on the cushion” or in […]
Continue reading Are things bothering you or are you bothering things?
2010/09/20 1 Comment
Here are some great insights from Thai Forest teacher Ajahn Chah about how to deal skillfully with distractions in our meditation and in our lives. Learning Concentration Ajahn Chah “In our practice, we think that noises, cars, voices, sights are distractions that come and bother us when we want to be quiet. But who is […]
Continue reading Why Loving-kindness Doesn’t Have to Be Lovey-dovey
2010/08/20 8 Comments
One of my favorite things each day is getting my daily e-mail for Tricyle Magazine. There’s always an inspiring dharma teaching or quotation from an article at the website that I almost always want to go and read. Given that this blog is all about metta practice, and since Gil Fronsdal is a teacher I’ve […]
Continue reading Freedom from fear-is it really possible?
2010/08/18 2 Comments
This article from Thanissaro Bhikkhu is filled with deep and helpful insights into the problem of fear and how delusion makes fear dangerous. It’s one of Thanissaro Bhikkhu’s longer articles, but there are so many gems here, so many very helpful insights, I hope you’ll take the time to ponder what he has to share. […]
Continue reading Four Steps to Better Meditation Practice
2010/05/14 3 Comments
If you are learning to meditate, this is a terrific “short course” in the basics of mindfulness. If you’re an experienced meditator, this dharma talk by Ajahn Chah is a great refresher. (This is a revision of an earlier post called “How Confident Are You About Your Meditation Practice?”) This excerpt come from “The Teachings […]
Continue reading Still, Flowing Water-Dharma Nuggets from Ajahn Chah
2010/05/05 0 Comments
Ajahn Chah was one of the great dharma teachers of the 20th century and was one of the key figures in bringing Theravada Buddhism to the West. He founded two major monasteries in the Thai Forest Tradition and left behind a rich legacy of dhamma talks and books. Many of his students are very well-known […]
Continue reading The Importance of Getting into the Emptiness Mode
2010/04/21 3 Comments
In this short essay, Thanissaro Bhikkhu explains that Buddha didn’t offer the concept of “emptiness” as an abstract metaphysical truth about the world. The Buddha taught “emptiness” as a skillful way to disentangle ourselves from the causes of suffering by not identifying with things like anger as being “me” or “mine.” Emptiness Thanissaro Bhikkhu “Emptiness […]
Continue reading The Peace of Metta-Sharon Salzburg
2009/12/08 2 Comments
One of the dharma mailings I enjoy receiving is Tricycle’s Daily Dharma. These short snippets from Tricycle’s huge archive always give me something useful for my practice. I mention their Daily Dharma because today’s mailing include an excerpt from one of my favorite teachers of metta, Sharon Salzberg. If you haven’t made her acquaintance, I […]
Continue readingMay All Beings Be Happy
- Looking at the Ninth Zen Precept-I Do Not Indulge In Anger
- True God, True Buddha
- The Difference Between Compassion and “Idiot Compassion”
- Ajahn Brahmavamso teaches Loving-kindness Meditation
- Now-and-Zen-Are you still carrying her?
- A Buddhist Mantra based on the Prayer of St. Francis
- Mindfulness of Breathing-The Anapanasati Sutta
- Buddhist Forgiveness-When We Have Hurt Another-Part 3
- Practicing the Middle Way-not too much, not too little
- Healing the Body with Mindfulness of Breathing
- Look at the Three Characteristics in Terms of Actions
- Thich Nhat Hanh – Healing Through Resting in the Breath
- How Metta Can Help You When Meditation is Hindered by Overwhelming Feelings
- The Importance of Taking the “Should” out of Spiritual Practice
- Can We “Choose” to Be Happy? No—and Yes!
- Ken Mcleod on how to use Thich Nhat Hanh’s Five-Step Method of Emotional Releasing
- Non-resistance and the Art of Resisting without Resisting!
- Don’t be fooled! There is a Way and We Can Walk It!
- The Importance of Compassion in Assessing Our Dharma Progress
- Jesus and the Buddha on Good Friday
Metta Refuge 