Category: Practice
Moving Beyond Meditation
Grounded in our formal practice of meditation, we can relax into the vast, open awareness that is our ultimate nature. Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche tells the story of his own introduction to the Great Perfection.
Lucidity Without Limit
Dream yoga, says Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, is a practice of changing our waking life. He shares the four foundational practices of this powerful mind training.
Four Reflections That Strengthen Your Intention to Practice
If you contemplate these traditional contemplations, the "four great reflections," you will strengthen your intention to practice.
Awareness, from the Moment You Wake Up
We’re often encouraged to bring meditation “off the cushion” and into our everyday lives—Sayadaw U Tejaniya shows us what that really looks like.
Venerating Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva by Engaging the World
According to An Tran, reciting the Twelve Aspiration Prayers of Avalokitesvara encourages us to engage with the world as part of our practice, so that we may become instruments of the buddhas of this world, helping ease the suffering of beings and our environment.
Concentrating on the Work at Hand
In this excerpt from The Gift of Work (originally published as Skillful Means), the prolific Nyingma teacher Tarthang Tulku shares a plain-language exercise for concentration, as developed over his five decades interacting with Americans from various business backgrounds.
How Right Action and Loving-Kindness Work Together
Nikki Mirghafori on why the cultivation of good will can lead to wise action—and vice versa.
How to Practice Homestyle Oryoki
Oryoki is the meditative way of eating practiced in Zen monasteries. Gesshin Claire Greenwood on how to bring the spirit of oryoki into our home kitchens — and feel more deeply nourished.
The Sutra That Saved Me
Nichiren practitioner Johnny Edward Dean Jr. reflects on how his daily practice and chanting the Odaimoku helped him navigate mental health challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jack Kornfield’s Instructions for Metta Meditation
Jack Kornfield on beginning the time-honored, heart-opening practice of metta (loving-kindness) meditation.
What “No Self” Really Means
The journey of awakening, says Buddhist teacher Gaylon Ferguson, begins by examining our usual beliefs about who we are. Because maybe we’ve got it wrong.
Resting In Luminosity
Lama Karma Wall on how the practice of clear light (osel) yoga can help us recognize the luminous nature of our mind free from dualistic conceptualization.
Awakening Through Dream
What role do dreams have in our path to liberation? Charlie Morley on the history and benefits of the fourth of Naropa’s Dharmas, milam, or yoga of the dream state. Includes a short dream yoga practice for you to try tonight.
The Practice of Fierce Inner Heat
Judith Simmer-Brown on tummo, one of the most famous esoteric practices of Tibetan Vajrayana and the Six Dharmas. What is it, what are its benefits, and what role does it play in our journey to enlightenment?
Practice Like Your Hair’s on Fire
Enlightenment is possible in this lifetime but time is running out. We have to make the most of this rare and fleeting opportunity to wake up.
Meditations on Buddhanature
Four Buddhist teachers share concise instructions for recognizing the luminous nature of mind.
Pure Dharma, Barefoot Dharma
To practice the dharma purely, we have to walk barefoot before we can run–learning and practicing fundamentals before we go on to more advanced techniques.
The Boundless Energy of No-Self
Zoketsu Norman Fischer on his deep love for Shantideva and how the great teacher’s insights lead us unavoidably to a path of vigorous service to the world.
The Practice of No Practice
Nagapriya on Shinran, the vision of Shin Buddhism, and the practice of Nembutsu.
What Is Zen Buddhism and How Do You Practice It?
Zen teacher Norman Fischer takes you through the principles and practices of the major schools of Zen. Includes specially selected articles for further reading.