Namchak Community Blog

It’s easy to talk about transitions, like a cocoon becoming a butterfly or some similar beautiful analogy. However, times of transition may include anxiety, grief, and simultaneously joy, which is a lot to feel all at once. The cocoon-to-butterfly process is not smooth or simple. In order to fly, the butterfly has to break out of the cocoon....

Resiliency is an ambiguous term that’s used a lot these days, particularly around the themes of adversity and transition. What exactly is it and why should we care? How is resiliency good for us and how can it help our workplaces thrive? To craft a resilient workplace, we need to start understanding resiliency and how cultivating it can send out...

Taking some inspiration from the Buddha himself, let’s enrich our practice with a little springtime mix-up. Siddhartha Gautama was born a prince. As an adult, he secretly left the palace to begin his journey to enlightenment. He traveled for about six years, learning from monks and religious teachers. Eventually, he sat beneath the Bodhi tree for...

Let’s talk about projection. Not the old way our grandparents used to watch movies, but the way we tend to project our insecurities on those close to us, often seriously damaging our relationships. It’s fairly easy to know when someone is projecting on us. Most likely we feel as though we have been grossly misinterpreted, or that someone’s...

One of the unique aspects of Buddhist practice is the freedom to challenge the teachings. Buddhism invites us to question our own perceptions and convictions, even question ancient wisdom and insight. Questioning encourages us to be active in our own awakening, and demands that we fully engage rather than operate on blind faith. This experiential...

“You have a long way to go,” I said to myself as Lama Tsomo called our awareness back to the room. It was a bright, slightly chilly Saturday morning at Lama Tsomo’s True Connection Retreat in Oakland, CA. My eyes welcomed the energizing light as I rubbed the still present tiredness from them. We had just finished a 45-minute meditation on the...

This week’s blog is written by a Namchak Learning Circle member and meditator who is doing his best to keep a calm and balanced mind. At 6 a.m. my alarm rings. I put my clothes on, go in the washroom to shave, and get ready for the day by…sitting down and closing my eyes. I open my meditation app, chose the meditation of the day, and follow the...

I don’t know how old I was when I started to recognize unease: that hollow, edgy discomfort that inhabits the space under your ribs.smooth..

Our inherent desire to predict and control our world brings us in direct conflict with the impermanent nature of all things, and the fact that uncertainty is unavoidable. The answer seems to lie in resiliency, namely the ability to adapt to, and even welcome, adversity. Here are a few ways to approach the challenge: Model the way. Those who...

Spring is traditionally associated with birth and renewal, a welcome freedom after the challenges of winter. This lightening of spirit urges us to embark on new projects, including our own personal aspirations. What do we want to achieve? How do we want to move through the world? The following posts explore intention – how we can ensure that they...