Urban Mindfulness

I've been giving a lot of talks on mindfulness lately, and I thought that I would share some of what I've been presenting (please pardon the thinly veiled pun!). Many people have expressed appreciation for this simple breakdown of mindfulness, and I hope that you find it useful, too. So, here are the basics of mindfulness: what, who, when, where, how, and why. Read More

How do people practice mindfulness when commuting? Indeed, this can be an incredibly frustrating and stressful experience for us. Read More

It's that time of year again. I see signs of it everywhere, and the "big event" is almost here. You know what I'm talking about: Black Friday! Maybe you thought I meant Thanksgiving, and the wonderful opportunities to express appreciation to ourselves and others in celebration of the holiday. But no. Read More

In the spring, I sat down with Sharon Salzberg who graciously shared her wisdom about practicing mindfulness, compassion, and gratitude in the city. Here is Part 2 of the interview, in which she discusses dealing with two realities of our urban existence, (1) encountering homeless people and (2) being barraged by noise. Read More

Sharon Salzberg discusses the application of mindfulness, compassion, and other Buddhist practices to common urban experiences. Read More

2009 is drawing to a close. Only a few more days left to realize those New Year's Resolutions. Oh, don't you remember? Those aspirations from earlier this year that you wanted to achieve? Read More

Ah, autumn! Many changes are underway as our hemisphere slowly tilts away from the sun:the temperature begins to cool, formerly green leaves turn to brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and red; and the weather becomes more unpredictable. Whether we need a light jacket, heavy coat, or umbrella can change from day-to-day, even during the course of a day! Read More

Last month, the Dalai Lama was the featured speaker at a conference on wisdom and compassion sponsored by Harvard Medical School. In this post, I share some of the insights that he shared, including an observation on the special importance of mindfulness for us city dwellers! Read More

Prompted by an inquiry from a reader, I wrote last time about the importance of introducing mindfulness to our emotional experiences. Emotions come and go, like the passing sound of an express subway train. We have a slight feeling that grows in intensity until it reaches a peak, then subsides. Read More

Seasonal changes can facilitate mindfulness. As the weather changes, so does our perspective. Springtime, in particular, is a wonderful time to become more aware of the growth and life that surrounds us. Read More

Here in the city (and all over the country), anxiety about the financial crisis is palpable and omnipresent. Thousands of people, especially within the financial services industry, have been losing their jobs. Real estate construction and development have slowed or ceased, while home sales plummet. Read More

Meditating on the subway is probably not ideal, but it sure beats playing Brick Breaker on your Blackberry, messing with your iPhone (or PSP), or skipping a meditation session altogether. It is safer (and easier) to meditate at home or as part of a meditation group, but sometimes we simply don't have the time. So, here is a simple way to meditate "on the go."   Read More

From a mindfulness perspective, both pessimism and optimism are states of mind introduced into the present moment, but neither accurately describes what is happening now. They represent our expectations or predictions for what will happen in the future, which has yet to occur. In a way, they are both wrong.  Read More