I practice acupuncture and while there are a few paid positions here and there, most practitioners run their own practices. I have run my practice for the past 9 years and have earned my living while supporting my two daughters. Part of this requires me to bring in new patients, retain current patients and stay …
Balance
While meditating 2 hours a day for 6 years, I adopted some unhealthy patterns. I exercise less, spend less time developing relationships, go on less adventures, and I'm more passive when facing life's challenges. By surrendering to dhamma, I surrendered control of my life and created an expectation that dhamma would fix everything for me. …
Yoga as a Support for Sitting
I’ve practiced yoga for many years and have found it to be very complimentary to vipassana. I’m lucky to have a studio just 2 minutes away and have been pretty consistent this last year and a half. Goenkaji had talked about yoga as being very beneficial for the physical body and even more beneficial if …
Devika Patil
Introduction by Ryan Shelton: I met Devika through a mutual friend at Dhamma Delaware shortly after her first course. She started getting involved with dhamma service immediately and we became friends through our service together. It has been exciting to see her grow in dhamma over the last 2 years, and I look forward to more …
Beyond Pleasure and Pain
Nibhana sounds awful. Why would I want to strive for a state beyond mind and matter? Isn't that simply non existence? Why am I supposed to believe that this state is blissful? Couldn't it just as easily be hellish? The intellectual goal of seeking Nibhana is insufficient to motivate me to sit twice a day. …
What Happens at Death?
I was inspired to share this article written by Goenkaji which describes what happens at the time of death. Reading this always brings the reflection that we could die at any time (Maranasati) and is a reminder to pay attention to states of mind, because the last mind moment determines the conditions for the next …
Mark Hoefer
Introduction by Ryan Shelton: Mark and I had a lot in common when we met in 2012. We both worked for universities in the Research Triangle of North Carolina doing research related to applied math and physics. We were also serious meditators trying to balance work, dhamma, and our relationships. As is the nature of dhamma …
A Social Approach
Expecting meditation to do all the work is isolating and incomplete. We must be able to process and integrate all of our experiential learning both on and off the cushion. As social creatures, we must be able to articulate our experiences so we can exchange wisdom and mission with others in our community to maximize …
Conspiracy Theories and Dhamma
We live in an incredibly complex world brought to our attention by the vast flow of information available. No longer are we confined to a narrow range of media sources. The internet has opened us up to a vast information exchange, unimaginable even 20 years ago. With this has come information that greatly contradicts what …
Chris Hammond
Introduction by Jonathan Penn: I met Chris when I was coming back to the DC area after sitting my first course in Australia. At the time I didn't know whether there were even other old students or opportunities for group sittings in my home town. I met Chris pretty quickly, very likely at a 1-Day course …
Living Vipassana 