The Power of Words: Why It’s Time to Update the Language of Yin Yoga, by Josh Summers MaOM In Yin Yoga, our words hold just as much weight as our actions. The way we speak about the practice can deepen our students’ understanding, offer clarity, and encourage self-compassion. Or, our words can create confusions, misunderstandings […]
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Miles Sherts | The “I” of the Problem
Josh and Miles explore the problem of being somebody and the role of the ego in creating internal conflict and external turmoil. We highlight the importance of addressing the cause of suffering and turmoil rather than focusing on the symptoms. We also touch on the concept of the ego as an avatar or projected […]
Seeds + Beads | Introduction to Mantra + Mala
A Gift From Our Sangha We – Terry and Josh – wish to thank the members of the River Bird Sangha for their practice and support. It is their supporting membership that allows us to offer this free introduction to a bead-based devotional meditation practice. If you enjoy this practice, please consider joining our Yin-based […]
What Good Qi Does | The Six Functions of Qi
In Chinese Medicine, when we think about the health or dysfunction of our bodies and minds, we talk about the health of our Qi, or our vital energy. When our Qi is thriving, our bodies and minds feel grounded, energized and strong. We eat and digest food well; we rest well; we engage in meaningful […]
Free Journaling Guide | Ways of Contemplative Journaling
We hope you enjoy this free journaling guide. For hundreds of Yin Yoga, Qi Gong and meditation classes with Josh and Terry, as well as access to practicing with us live each week, join our Yin-based membership and reap the benefits of practicing with others. Join River Bird Sangha.
Tami Simon | The Dharma of Dogs (republished)
In 2018, I interviewed Tami Simon, founder of Sounds True, about a book she edited called The Dharma of Dogs. The original interview was published by MeaningofLife.tv on February 15, 2018. Five years later, to the day, my dog and life companion, Ozzie passed. In loving memory of Ozzie, I’m republishing the interview. As I […]
Ode To Oliver
It’s been about a week now. Last Sunday, Dr. Oliver Sacks died. For those who have not yet had the great pleasure of reading Oliver Sacks, I’ll make the briefest of introductions here: Dr. Sacks was a neurologist, an author, and a mesmerizing story-teller. I don’t intend to eulogize him. Others have done that far more eloquently […]
Thoughts on Thinking
From the previous discussion of Wise View, we move along the Eightfold Path to contemplate Wise Intention, sometimes referred to as Right Intention. The Buddha describes Wise Intention as a threefold subdivision: the intention of renunciation, the intention of good will, and the intention of harmlessness. Each of these is meant to provide the antidote to […]
A Mind With a View
In the last Minute, I gave a brief overview of the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path and how it works to uproot problematic patterns within the mind and leads to an experiential peace beyond the scope of conditioned existence. At first glance, the process seems to unfold in a stepwise progression. The path begins with forms of […]
Radiant and Pure
A frequently cited passage from the Buddha’s teaching is this: “the heart’s nature is intrinsically radiant; defilements are only visitors.” (A 1.61) The term ‘defilement’ is slightly anachronistic. But used here, it refers to the spectrum of mind-states that obscure the heart-mind’s essential radiance. So anything from greed, hatred, delusion, to irritation, restlessness, jealousy, doubt, distress, depression, etc… […]
The Worldly Winds
Again and again, whether in casual conversation or during workshops, a well-intentioned student or friend will suggest that the aim of meditation is to “get into a ‘neutral’ state of equanimity” where the ups and downs of life no longer agitate one’s mind. In Buddhism, reflections on what are called The Eight Worldly Winds might […]
When The Zen Hits The Fan
I hope this finds you well, relatively cool, and relaxed. In spite of my name, I find the summer to be the most challenging of seasons. It’s the heat, you see. It makes sleep problematic. It’s hard not to sweat profusely, all the time. It’s hard to stay cool-headed. Or as a modern idiom might phrase it: […]
Stop Making Sense
I know, I know. I KNOW. You’re probably wondering where the hell I’ve been! I apologize. Again. Many of you have taken notice of the gaping swaths of time that have passed between these newsletters. To quote Wodehouse: “I [can] see that, if not actually disgruntled, [you] are far from being gruntled.” I’m sorry. Of […]
A Magical Illusion
Over the last several months, I’ve been offering reflections on the khandas, or aggregates of experience from which we fashion a sense of self. I’ve looked at the body, feelings, perceptions, and thoughts. All of which, before the contemplative gaze, appear to be impermanent and lacking any sense of static self-hood. The last cluster of experience […]
A Large Banana Tree
After a long hiatus from these Minutes, I want to extend a warm greeting to you all. A lot of new and exciting endeavors have been bubbling in my life, squeezing me of my precious writing time. In any event, I will now continue with some contemplations on the khandas, or aggregates – the elements of […]
A Shimmering Mirage
I’m back in Boston, after a wonderful tour of Europe, and ready to bring you the next installment of reflections on the khandas(aggregates). For newcomers, the khandas are the elements of our experience from which we construct a sense of permanent I-am-ness; the building blocks or raw material of the ego, so to speak. Contemplating them individually and […]
Bubbles Of Water
At present, I’m visiting dear friends whom I met 13 years ago while studying Iyengar Yoga in Pune, India! A lot has changed, and, of course, there also seem to be essential elements of personality and character that feel immutably unchanged. No wonder it feels so compelling to subscribe to views of essential self-hood. How […]
A Lump Of Foam
First and foremost, you will notice that the format of this Minute has been spruced up a bit. Many thanks to Dana Busch for her artistic design!! Soon, also, there will be an archive of theseMinutes on my website. So stay tuned. In this Minute, I’ll be continuing to examine a theme that was introduced in my last Minute, The Resolution […]
The Resolution Of Self
In this final installment of reflecting on the nuances of resolution, I’d like to consider a third working definition ofresolution. By way of review, the first two definitions we considered were: 1. The act of determining upon an action (ie. steadying the mind, seeing things clearly) and 2. The mental state of being resolved. The […]
The Buddha’s Resolve
Last week, I encouraged you to consider the difference between aspirations and goals, particularly as they relate to your New Year’s intentions and meditation practice. This week, I’ll look a little more closely at the optimal mindset for the cultivation of those aspirations. And this will consider a second definition of ‘resolution’: the mental state of […]
Minute For Hitch
This morning, I woke early. 4:32am, exactly. My new canine companion needed relief, which was fine enough. But after the walk, I stumbled past the computer only to learn that my dear hero, Mr. Christopher Hitchens, had died, failing at last from his battle with esophageal cancer. In the words of Andrew Sullivan, I “blubbered […]
