Tag: Mindfulness

The Saving Grace of a Spiritual Community-Josten Ma

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The Saving Grace of a Spiritual Community by Josten Ma

Josten distinctly remembers when he left Hong Kong over 30 years ago, that he would not be interested in Buddhism. Until many years later, he attended a Dharma class near his home in Northwest Houston and learned about the Buddha’s true words, Jade Buddha Temple and the English Dharma Group. And this started his meditation “career,” which continues to be a vital part of his life. 

Josten served the Texas Buddhist Association in various roles as a long-time EDG coordinator and three-term Board member. More recently, he developed EDG’s semi-annual four-week class on Mindfulness in Urban Living, which he leads in its fourth year. Additionally, he spearheads a local community meditation program called SMG, Satellite Meditation Groups. Meditators meet weekly in three geographical areas around the Greater Houston area.

Meditation is an essential part of his life, and Josten is inspired by sharing his passion with others. It is especially gratifying for him to see dedicated members that join EDG’s classes and take the instructions seriously. The inspiration comes when many begin to see benefits from their earnest practice of the mindfulness exercises. 

Josten Ma

“Personally, my saving grace is the spiritual community (Kalyāṇa-mittatā), nowadays called “support group.”

“Meditation is always present deep inside me, doing it, however, is a different ball game,” Josten points out. “If I didn’t continually associate with people that were interested in meditation, my 20+ years of practice might not have happened.” 

An internet search on this topic reveals a multitude of excuses for not starting or maintaining a regular meditation practice:

According to Mindful Magazine:

  • I’m too busy; I don’t have the time.
  • I find it really uncomfortable to sit still for too long.
  • My mind won’t stop thinking.
  • There are too many distractions; it’s too noisy.
  • I don’t see the benefit.
  • I’m no good at this; I never get it right.
  • It’s all just weird New Age hype.

“If any of these excuses sound familiar, you are not alone. And so, I encourage you to join our weekly Sunday meditation program at Jade Buddha Temple from 10-10:30 am. I am leaving you with a few articles; they might inspire you in the coming New Year 2020. After all, it’s the time of the year to set internal and external intentions!”

Buddhist Podcast Ethan Nichtern

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The Road Home podcast with Ethan Nichtern is a contemporary exploration of Buddhist teachings.  Since 2001, Ethan has taught meditation and Buddhist psychology classes and workshops around New York City and the United States. Formerly a Shastri, a senior teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition, and on the part-time faculty at Eugene Lang College at New School University, Ethan has lectured at Brown, Wesleyan, Yale, NYU, FIT, Antioch and other universities, and as well as at many meditation/yoga centers and conferences around the country and world.

The Road Home with Ethan Nichtern – Be Here Now Network

On Apple podcast.

Episode 30: Leadership & The Art of Growing Up with Jerry Colonna

This time on the Road Home Podcast, Ethan Nichtern is joined by leadership coach Jerry Colonna for a conversation around balancing leadership and wealth with the principles of mindfulness and spiritual practice.

Jerry Colonna is the CEO, and co-founder, of Reboot.io, an executive coaching and leadership development firm whose coaches and facilitators are committed to the notion that better humans make better leaders.

For nearly 20 years, he has used the knowledge gained as an investor, an executive, and a board member for more than 100 organizations to help entrepreneurs and others to lead with humanity, resilience, and equanimity.

Deconstructing Mindfulness: Embracing a Complex Simplicity

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lesly-juarez-307974-unsplashDr. David L. Collins looks at the noticeable increase in studies of mindfulness and meditation in recent years and provides a compact overview on the history of mindfulness. Read on.

Collins wraps up his critical look by recognizing that “a particularly beneficial effect of mindfulness practice is the way it can help us to remember that we don’t know everything.” He brings his blog to a close by sharing a thought provoking koan:

The 10th century Chinese Zen student Fayan was on his pilgrimage. During a rainstorm he put up at the temple of a Zen priest named Dizang. The next morning, as he was getting ready to leave and continue his pilgrimage, Dizang asked him, “What’s the purpose of pilgrimage?” Fayan paused and answered, “I don’t know.” Dizang said, “Not knowing is closest to it.” Fayan had an awakening.
(cf. The Book of Equanimity, koan case 20)

 

The Science Behind Mindfulness

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The practice of mindfulness is everywhere. What is mindfulness? Can it really improve your mental state? What does the research have to say about it?

mindset-743163_960_720Business leaders, professional athletes, mental health professionals, and, of course, your neighbor down the street are all discussing how being mindful can improve our mental state and general well-being. Mindfulness is used as an approach for treating pain, depression, anxiety, OCD, addiction, chronic diseases, and HIV treatment side effects, as well as an aid in weight loss and in being more productive. So what is mindfulness? And what does the research have to say about its ability to better our lives? Read on for a brief look at the evidence-backed benefits of participating in a mindfulness program? By Sabrina Stierwalt, PhD.