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    Passing It On Paid Member

    By Mark Magill
    A cookie works for a few minutes. An animated sponge and a couple of well-meaning monsters pass the time until the final credits bring a howl of despair. The stuffed pig from FAO Schwarz provides some comfort, though a fruitless search for a duplicate since Schwarz went bankrupt only magnifies the dreaded day when the pig goes missing for good. I want my son to be happy. But cookies and missing pigs only prove how fitfully temporal these measures are. So what will it take? I’m quite sure the answer doesn’t lie at Toys R Us. More »
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    The Pleasure Paradox Paid Member

    By Daniel Gilbert
    Why we persist in pursuing the very things that fail to bring us happiness—a core issue in Buddhism—is also of great interest to researchers like Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University. Gilbert, whose book Stumbling on Happiness will be published by Knopf in April 2006, took time out on the eve of his wedding to talk with Tricycle contributing editor Joan Duncan Oliver about “miswanting” and how it hampers our efforts to be happy. More »
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    Clouds and Water: The Monastic Imperative Paid Member

    By John Daido Loori
    It has been said that without monasticism there is no Buddhism. When the first Sangha began to grow around the Buddha there was, of course, no distinctly “Buddhist” form of monastic practice. The history of the Buddhist monastic conventions begins with Shakyamuni’s modifications of the matrix provided by Indian monasticism. The changes he made in the models he received reflected his appreciation of his students’ needs of as well as the realities of his culture and society. More »
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    Commit to Sit: Seated Tips Paid Member

    Experiment with posture. Sometimes, very slight adjustments can ease discomfort. You might also want to try different types of meditation cushions and benches; or see hot it feels to sit in a chair Use what might otherwise be considered "dead" time (eg. in your car, or waiting for someone to show up for an appointment) to focus your awareness on your immediate experience. If you find it helpful, use your breath as the primary object of concentration. This practice will help you to expand the sense of presence and connection you're developing in formal meditation into your everyday activities. Adapted from Insight Meditation: A Step-by-Step Course on How to Meditate with Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein, an interactive learning program from Sounds True. More »
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    Commit to Sit: Meditation Supplies Paid Member

    The three most common types of meditation support are: More »
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    Commit to Sit: Aversion Paid Member

    Just as with desire, we need not judge our fear, anger, frustration, contraction, irritation, annoyance, or the many other forms of aversion we experience. We simply note the moments of ill will, disappointment, or indignation as they arise. We keep noting these feelings, even labeling them—“anger, anger”—and watching our tone so that we’re not noting in an angry way. We simply take note of our experience as a means of recognition and acceptance. More »