Faces etch with fear when I invite students to let their mind be free in meditation. Someone exclaims “I can’t go down that rabbit hole”. She lets me know that I don’t understand just how dangerous her mind traps are. Is she afraid she’ll go down a rat hole full of inescapable vermin? I try…
My left bottom tooth is upright and cavity-free, a smooth incisor that chews without complaint. I floss and brush and pick at it each morning and night. Then I protect it with fluoride to waylay an infection that could lead to a dreaded root canal. Honesty is a great concept but the truth can hurt,…
Maybe I shouldn’t be writing this blog, the day after Trump was elected President of the United States. Up until now I’ve restrained myself from combining dharma teaching and politics. I don’t want to use my position to lay my views upon you. I hope you’ll be tolerant and not acquiesce when my expression and…
What an ideal time to be given this writing assignment. Had I been asked to write about what was under my bed six months ago I would have cringed. Not just about mustering up the courage to write but also the embarrassment of what I would have found there. As luck would have it we…
An internet search of Buddhism turned up close to 58,000 possibilities on Amazon, more than you could ever read. How to choose? What to study? Where to begin? The Buddha did not leave a predecessor, Buddhism is constantly transforming as are interpretations of the teachings. What’s more there are so many schools of Buddhism and…
Listen to Nelly interview Carl Wolfson on his blog radio show Carl in the Morning. Carl has been practicing Recollective Awareness Meditation and working with Nelly Kaufer since 2007. Hear how one person’s meditation practice develops over time and helps him let go of preconceived assumptions and face the difficult transitions in his life. Learn…
In this blog I reflect upon initiating a daily discipline of free-form writing because I think it parallels challenges you might experience starting an on-going, independent practice of Recollective Awareness Meditation. Excerpts from my free-form writing journal are in italics. I want to write, this blog and other articles about meditation. Writing is hard for…
Relax. Don’t struggle to direct your attention in meditation. You might fear this kind of freedom, worrying that your thoughts will do exactly what they usually do: daydream and ruminate, and question how will this be different or helpful. The answer is somewhat simple, conceptually. You will do what you usually do, but you will…
Listen to a short interview with Nelly about her meditative journey and experiences. Carl Wolfson interviewed her on “Carl in the Morning”, his blog radio show. Carl considers Recollective Awareness Meditation essential to his self care. This is the first of a series of interviews. [haiku url=”https://pinestreetsangha.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/show_43518751.mp3″]