As practitioners of the buddhadharma—whether we are new or experienced—we practice because we’re unhappy with the miserable state of samsara. In the Vajrayana tradition, we vow to bring temporary comfort and ultimate liberation to each and every sentient being mired in profound suffering, and at times it can be quite difficult to understand how we might possibly achieve such a…
Join Karen Maezen Miller, Anyen Rinpoche and Josh Korda at “Finding Freedom from Painful Emotions,” this year’s Lion’s Roar retreat at the Garrison Institute, July 29-31. Click here for info and to register. How do you know if you are prepared to handle the silence, the physical rigors, the discipline, and the mental intensity of a prolonged meditation retreat? Relax. You can’t know.…
Join Josh Korda, Karen Maezen Miller, and Anyen Rinpoche at “Finding Freedom from Painful Emotions,” this year’s Lion’s Roar retreat at the Garrison Institute, July 29-31. Click here for info and to register. A little over a decade ago I spent my first retreat with a wonderful British Theravada monk—Ajahn Sucitto—and found myself arriving to the meditation center with an…
How do you change a world culture that is, in many ways, going in the opposite direction of love at top speed? This is the question at the heart of a recent wide-ranging conversation between Garrison Institute co-founder Jonathan Rose and Garrison Institute Spiritual Advisor Father Thomas Keating. They begin their conversation by discussing contemplation in the schools, which can…
Kathleen Norris is an award-winning poet and essayist. In her books—such as The Cloister Walk and Dakota: A Spiritual Geography—she often explores spirituality in a way that is both personal and historical. We spoke with her recently about the importance of place, the relationship between creative and contemplative pursuits, and the benefits of belonging to a community. This post is…
Joy Baum is a photographer, weaver and meditation teacher. In addition to these pursuits, Joy has a professional background in psychology, education and counseling. These different strands of her journey have, in various ways, led her to the Garrison Institute, where she has been participating in programs for over seven years. We caught up with her recently to discuss what…
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer is a leader in the compassionate cities movement. The Compassionate Schools Project is a result of his vision and leadership. It is the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of a 21st century health and wellness curriculum in an elementary or secondary school setting. My colleagues and I at the Curry School of Education and the Contemplative…
Welcome to the third episode of the Climate, Mind and Behavior Podcast. Each episode, we’ll explore groundbreaking intersections between climate change, resilience, contemplative practice and human behavior. Jaimie Cloud is the founder and president of the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education in New York City. The Cloud Institute is dedicated to the vital role of education in creating awareness, fostering commitment, and guiding…