Category Archives: Expect Nothing

I hate riding my bike over the George Washington Bridge. Yet I do it every weekend at least once and often twice. I do it because once I get over the bridge and onto the other side, well after 10 … Continue reading →

Trust in yourself and your feelings: the 4th essential of mindfulness practice. My Monday night group and I will be sitting with this for the next week. I have a long way to go with this practice. I sit here … Continue reading →

Just lately I realized that I’ve lost my way in my meditation practice. I still get to my cushion most days, but the joy that was once my regular companion is often missing. And I think I finally know why. … Continue reading →

A couple of weeks ago I brought a student to this zendo for the first time. At the end of the evening she said: “Next time will be better; I’ll know what to do.” And I said: NO NO NO … Continue reading →

I once gave a Dharma talk entitled “I Don’t Know” which at the time was huge growth for me since I had come from the land of knowing and had often been referred to as Ms-Know-it-All. I didn’t, of course, … Continue reading →

I’ve had them before, but not so deep and strong as this time. You’d think I’d be glad to be back to my “normal” life given what happened. Maybe it’s just shock and not depression. First, there was the death, … Continue reading →

The first thought that came into my head when I sat down on my cushion one day in late July was: “I don’t like my husband anymore.” We were in the middle of a NYC heat wave, temperatures rising each … Continue reading →

Already we’re on day 5 of another 30 sits in 30 days. I haven’t sat yet today. I’m not following Soyen Shaku’s first rule: “In the morning before dressing, light incense and meditate.” My own rhythm is more like this: … Continue reading →

Four of the 12 people in our 30-day cyber-sitting Sangha got together last night to sit in the same room. We improvised, used yoga mats, sofa cushions, bed pillows and one chair. We sat for 30 minutes and it felt … Continue reading →

30 days ago today, one of my students had a brilliant idea. We were on hiatus from our weekly class (more on the hiatus and the class later), and without the support and encouragement that she got from the group … Continue reading →