Namchak Community Blog

Here are three reasons why you may want to consider a Learning Circle as a way to strengthen your practice: 1. You may meditate with a stronger sense of purpose. Having others around who are on a similar journey helps instill a feeling that you and others are turning to meditation for a number of important reasons. Plus, by seeing and learning...

Gratitude. We hear about it all the time in social media and from our friends and colleagues. But with our minds so focused on checking off the next item on our to-do list, it’s hard to change our attitude from one of glass half-empty to a glass half-full. How can we develop an authentic gratitude practice that fills our cup instead of becoming...

Take a moment to imagine someone meditating. What do you see? Pure bliss? Serenity? Instagram photos of a fit individual seated in full lotus on the beach as the sun rises? Like so many things in our lives, we’re overthinking it. During meditation practice, we train our minds using our minds. Now, that may sound very confusing. Fortunately for...

Everyone deals with difficult people in their lives – teachers, colleagues, bosses…even friends and family. With so much practice, one would think dealing with the unpleasant encounters would become easier. Unfortunately, most of us struggle with anger, sadness and confusion when confronted with rude and unwarranted behavior. These emotions may...

Meditation has the power to change your brain from the better, physically! It can enhance neuropathways in your brain to improve everyday experiences and treat mental illnesses such as trauma, depression, and anxiety. A recent study from Rutgers University showed that meditation paired with aerobic exercise improved outcomes for victims of sexual...

Let’s face it, modern life can be difficult. We’re overworked, stressed, and tired. Sometimes we even feel isolated and lost. In recent years, the concept of mindfulness has gained popularity as a way to find some equanimity in one’s life despite the ups and downs of daily existence. And with so much of the world at our feet, we want to...

In Tibetan Buddhist practice, the word “Sangha” refers to the community of people that surround and support you in your contemplative and spiritual journey. Why does it matter that you have a community? Why can’t you just meditate on your own? Yes, a person can get tremendous benefit from an individual practice. But coming together in community...

Meditation helps our brains to develop the right “muscles” that allow us to pause before that habitual knee-jerk reaction. When you learn how to pause a bit, how to return to the present moment, and return to your truer self, you ultimately benefit yourself, your community, and everyone around you. You can bring peace—other people are not the...

Each of us has a unique gift to bring the world, and we aren’t going to be satisfied if we can’t bring it forth. And what brings us the most satisfaction is not to offer just one gift– we probably all have a wonderful combination of gifts that we can bring. We want to bring those, and that’s the most satisfying thing. This is what makes a...