These are my recommendations to begin-- or deepen-- your meditation practice and to understanding more about Buddhism: The apps, podcasts, websites and books that I turn to for seeking my True North. These days, the reality of the world, society, and our future feels unsettling. Never mind the day-to-day struggle that keeps us from our Buddha-self! We owe it to ourselves to meditate. No matter how dark the storm is we’re weathering, we need to set aside a moment of kindness t

If you’re like me, first thing in the morning you'll reach for your phone shortly after opening your eyes. But instead of reading email, or the news.. checking Facebook or Instagram... instead, open the app called Insight Timer and start your day with meditation. Insight Timer is a social app that connects you with a library of guided meditations, gongs and bells for a stillness meditation, and thousands of users around the world who are also using the app. A common result fr

If you have a long commute, or if conversation isn’t a requirement for work, listening to podcasts or audiobooks can establish the pace and tone of your day. In the mornings I reach for soothing voices discussing Buddhist concepts, such as living with radical kindness to ourselves and the world. I usually find these messages from Talks and Guided Mediations by Tara Brach, Connie Chapman’s Awaken Radio, Krista Tippet’s On Being, and the range of hosts broadcasting on DharmaSee

The following links are my recommendations for Buddhist sutra available for free online. Tricycle is contemporary dharma produced by today’s practicing Buddhist teachers. Click here for their insightful Buddhism for Beginner’s guide. A joyfully academic online resource for having a greater understanding of Buddhism is Alan Peto’s Explanation of Modern Buddhism. Perhaps because I too have studied Mahayana and specifically, Vajrayana Buddhism, I appreciate the approach he uses

There are an infinite amount of books offering in-depth explanations or guidance into varying Buddhist concepts, and have adapted the teachings into modern-day practicality. This small compilation of popular Buddhist texts is in no way definitive, but should provide a satisfactory introduction to familiarizing yourself with Buddhist concepts and teachings. Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse, is a fictional, spiritual classic about a man in search of meaning. Siddhartha follows the

This post is a follow up to Books & Audiobooks ~ An Intro to Buddhism What I love about The Art of Happiness, an interview with the Dalai Lama by Dr. Howard C. Cutler, is the clarity of dialogue between the venerable leader and the psychiatrist as they explore humanity’s daily struggles with anxiety, fear, insecurity and anger. It provides real insight into the awareness and compassion the Dalai Lama has for everyday people in the world, and inspires us towards loving-kindnes

As a final recommendation for either beginning or advancing your understanding of Buddhism, go to a yoga or tai chi class! The vinyasa and ch'uan performed in yoga and tai chi are themselves methods of practicing Buddhism through movement, and in every class the instructor applies various concepts of this way of life into their sessions. You should never feel intimidated by yoga, as it is always encouraged that one listen to their body and go at their own pace. It is meant to