by David Chernikoff

I first heard the phrase effective suffering from meditation teacher Shinzen Young, who used it in a story he told about the renowned Christian contemplative Thomas Merton. Merton lived quite a bohemian life before he converted to Catholicism and then entered one of the church’s strictest and most ascetic monastic orders. When he was asked about his decision and the suffering that such a lifestyle involves, Merton said that he didn’t become a Trappist monk so that he would suffer more than other people but that he wanted to learn to suffer more effectively.

What Is The Meaning of the Term and How Do We Practice?

by Joe McCormack
Many of us have had the experience of being on a weekend or a week-long retreat, and in that setting finding that the mind becomes quite peaceful and still. Then after the end of the retreat, the peacefulness of the mind wears away and our mind’s reactivity comes back, sometimes with as much suffering as we had before the retreat. This can happen in as short a time as a couple of hours, or perhaps after several days. What would it be like to learn to mindfully meet the challenges of living our everyday lives with as much mindful presence as we cultivate on residential retreats?

by Erik Hulse
Buddhist philosophy and the principles of Restorative Justice have at their respective cores a deep understanding of human suffering and the habits of mind one can cultivate to uproot the causes of their own suffering and to flourish as a productive member of their community. These principles include an appreciation of interconnectedness, which tethers us to all beings through our intentional actions. Another principle has to do with the role of compassion in recognizing the dignity inherent in all beings, coupled with a wish to alleviate that suffering whenever possible. Compassion is not weak though – deep, abiding care for self and others demands that appropriate boundaries be a part of any compact that exists between members of a community. Fierce compassion requires the assumption of accountability for one’s harmful acts and a willingness to ‘make things right’.

We are happy to introduce our two newest board members, Connie Rhodes and Terry Varner

By Jim Brumfield

This is my second time through Joseph McCormack’s class studying Joseph Goldstein’s book, Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening. I was looking for some structure, some way to measure or even pace my progress as a Vipassana practitioner when I found this class being offered online. The class has provided the structure that I was looking for and much more.