Siddartha grew up in ignorance of anything but loveliness. But at age twenty-nine, married for thirteen happy years and with a new firstborn son, destiny called a meeting. On a ceremonial procession through the capital, Siddharta saw the strangest thing in his whole life: a couple of gawking old men who had flouted authority and returned to the parade route after being policed away. Filled with an urgent curiosity about these bizarre individuals, Siddharta jumped off his parade chariot to chase... Read more...

In 1956 Leon Festinger introduced a groundbreaking concept into western psychology: the theory of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is seen to appear when a person holds two conflicting thoughts.

It's a simple idea: if we are presented with evidence that a belief or assumption is wrong, then we're holding two beliefs that aren't psychologically consistent. The result is a drive state, similar to hunger or thirst. Most subjects experience this drive state as being very unpleasant,... Read more...

Mindful presence in the moment,
opens the door to every possibility,
transforms the way we work, worship, and love.

This power that converts anger, hatred, and jealousy
into courage, passion and benevolence,
exists
for anyone to use.

Activated by taking our time,
a return to single-minded awareness of our breathing;
this is the central and irrefutable fact of the Buddhist tradition.

When we refuse to let circumstances overwhelm,
when we take our time,
we can better acknowledge our feelings and... Read more...