Movement as the first teacher Long before meditation becomes something we think of as a practice, the body has already begun to teach us how to be. Yoga and dance that both have been big parts of my life introduces attention and presence as a relationship. Sensation speaks, breath responds, effort negotiates with ease. Here,Continue reading “Take the step from the Yoga Mat to the Meditation Cushion”
Author Archives: Lama Chimey
How to Deal With Toxic People by Setting Boundaries With Loving-Kindness
Few things drain our energy like repeated exposure to toxic behavior—constant criticism, emotional manipulation, or uncontrolled anger. Psychology often describes three common reactions: we fight back, we shut down, or we avoid and withdraw. All three are understandable. All three cost us something. The Dharma points to a fourth way. The Gift You Don’t HaveContinue reading “How to Deal With Toxic People by Setting Boundaries With Loving-Kindness”
How to Stay Peaceful and Compassionate in an Unstable World
In a world that feels unstable, it can be hard to remember that peace is a choice we can return to. Staying peaceful and compassionate is not about avoiding anger, grief, or difficulty. It is about recognizing them, seeing them clearly, and deciding, moment by moment, not to let them control us. There is aContinue reading “How to Stay Peaceful and Compassionate in an Unstable World”
My Renunciation at Christmas Time
I was still a child when I first felt the tug toward renunciation—though I didn’t have the full language for it then. I had already encountered Buddhism, just enough to sense that life is shaped by causes and conditions, by samsara’s looping patterns, and by the quiet power of choosing differently. Something in me understood—instinctively—thatContinue reading “My Renunciation at Christmas Time”
When Strength Isn’t Enough: A Lesson from the Great Monkey King
AI image A story from the Jataka Tales — the early Buddhist tradition of teaching through past-life stories The Jataka Tales are among the oldest narrative teachings in Buddhism. They describe the Buddha’s previous lives—not as a distant figure, but as someone cultivating wisdom, compassion, clarity, and responsibility over countless lifetimes. One of these storiesContinue reading “When Strength Isn’t Enough: A Lesson from the Great Monkey King”
Giving Thanks to a Departure Marked by Quiet Gratitude
The Pause Before a Threshold There are mornings when the world seems to pause just long enough to remind us what matters. The air is quiet, the light soft, and even familiar paths feel charged with possibility. My last day at Gyuto Monastery was one of those mornings. It was not an ending, but aContinue reading “Giving Thanks to a Departure Marked by Quiet Gratitude”
How to Find Warmth in the First Snow
Outside, snow falls steadily, folding the world into white. Sound softens, muffled by trees and rooftops. Frost gathers on branches and windowsills, bending the light into subtle patterns. Each breath carries a quiet stillness, a gentle weight in the chest that draws attention inward. The first snow offers a pause, a threshold between what hasContinue reading “How to Find Warmth in the First Snow”
The Play of Illusions in Global Leadership and Our Collective Life
We live in a moment when our world is not only asking to survive, but quietly—and sometimes urgently—hoping to flourish. In such times, the subtle play of illusion that moves through our collective life becomes easier to notice. It is not as something “out there.” It does not belong to a particular group of leaders.Continue reading “The Play of Illusions in Global Leadership and Our Collective Life”
Mindful Living: The Way to Experiencing Wisdom in Your Daily Life
Seeing the Strength in Your Shortcomings Since deepening my practice, I’ve noticed certain qualities arise and recede within experience. Buddhism describes these through the five Buddha families. Anger, attachment, pride, confusion, and jealousy are not mistakes to be erased. They are signposts pointing toward clarity, openness, confidence, insight, and appreciation. The so-called “shortcomings” and hiddenContinue reading “Mindful Living: The Way to Experiencing Wisdom in Your Daily Life”
Quantum Leaps and the Quiet Space Before Your Shift
Reflection on Transformation Through the Five Buddha Families The Dance of Your Mind’s Potential Sometimes change arrives not as a slow unfolding, but as a sudden opening — a quantum leap. One moment we are circling the same habitual thoughts. The next moment, we are standing in a wider field. We wonder why we everContinue reading “Quantum Leaps and the Quiet Space Before Your Shift”
Lama Chimey 