What is This Thing We Call Self?

By Bart Mendel

We Are Not What We Think (And the Idea of Selflessness) We know from our experience that everything is always...

What Are the Four Foundations of Mindfulness?

By Sara-Mai Conway

Shifting our full attention to the mind itself with direct experience Mindfulness meditation teaches us to be present with whatever...

How Meditation and Morality are Connected

By Sara-Mai Conway

In Buddhism and other ancient traditions, including yoga, training in morality is considered a precursor to meditation practice. At the...

What is A Bodhisattva?

By Sara-Mai Conway

What is the Meaning of Bodhisattva? Definition, Origins & Practices The bodhisattva seated in meditation is among the most iconic...

What Is Mantra Meditation?

By Bart Mendel and Mindworks Team

A mantra is a syllable, word, or phrase that is repeated during meditation. Mantras can be spoken, chanted, whispered, or...

The Art of Letting Go

By Trungram Gyalwa, PhD

Meditation and letting go: the antidotes to suffering Is it possible that many of the difficulties in our lives come...

What Is Buddhist Meditation?

By Bart Mendel and Mindworks Team

There are many forms of meditation and many ideas about what meditation is. While different spiritual paths may associate meditation...

Understanding Empathy and Compassion

By Julia Stenzel

Compassion is a multidimensional process with four key components Compassion is the heartfelt wish to help others become free of...

The Buddhist Teaching on the Five Aggregates – Part 2

By Lama Jampa Thaye

The Final Two Aggregates: Formation & Consciousness This article is a continuation of this article on the first three aggregates...

Buddhist Meditation Techniques & Practices

By Bart Mendel and Mindworks Team

Summary: Buddhist meditation practices stem from the Buddha's insights about existence: Shamatha (mindfulness) focuses on cultivating calmness, clarity, and equanimity, leading...

The Four Qualities of a Wise and Open Heart

By Bart Mendel and Mindworks Team

What are the Four Immeasurables in Buddhism? — An Introduction As meditators, we spend a lot of time practicing the art of...

The Great Message of Impermanence

By Lama Jampa Thaye

Change and the law of impermanence — Life's great wake-up call One of the most powerful things about being alive...

What is merit . . . . . and how can I get some?

By Pamela Gayle White

The wisdom of generosity Merit, as defined across cultures, is the result of good actions or deeds. If you’re familiar...

Patience is Power

By Mindworks Team

What can meditation teach me about the power of patience? Modern society doesn’t know quite what to make of patience....

Change is the Great Leveler

By Lama Jampa Thaye

Recognizing the law of impermanence: Come back to this present moment What meditation does, to put it very dramatically but,...