Benji

I cannot get over how interesting it is that these communities of thought, of influence, exist and we’re unconsciously sharing beliefs with others. And that shared beliefs, patterns of practice, have boundaries. You know, Medicare fraud is rampant in Miami but not in Fort Lauderdale, which is twenty minutes away? 

How did you become aware of this ph... See more

I think what it means to be a member of a community is to accept responsibility for what the community does, or to understand that you need to play an active role in shaping the kind of community you want. Passivity, in other words, is the enemy of community. That’s the idea that I’m pursuing in this book, that there’s too much passivity. The notio... See more

Better, I believe, to maintain hope amid life’s uncertainties—but to distinguish hope from optimism. Many people use the terms almost interchangeably, but they are different. Optimism involves an element of prediction—as we just saw, expecting a good outcome in a way that may be borderline delusional. Hope involves a belief that even if a disappoin... See more

These are three very practical ways to work with chaos: no struggle, poison as medicine, and regarding everything that arises as the manifestation of wisdom. First, we can train in letting the story lines go. Slow down enough to just be present, let go of the multitude of judgments and schemes, and stop struggling.

Second, we can use every day of ou... See more

When anything difficult arises—any kind of conflict, any notion of unworthiness, anything that feels distasteful, embarrassing, or painful—instead of trying to get rid of it, we breathe it in. The three poisons are passion (this includes craving or addiction), aggression, and ignorance (which includes denial or the tendency to shut down and close o... See more

Prince Shōtoku reminds us of the fundamental truth of how our very existence lies within our relationship with others. When we deeply reflect on who and what we are, we come to realize our profound connection and mutual dependence on all things. This is Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching of interdependence and what he viewed as the proper relationship be... See more