- The Karmic Gym: Why Kindness to AI Matters (Even if it Can’t Feel)
If AI might or might not be sentient, how should we treat it? In this companion video to "AI and the Vagueness of Sentience," I propose "strategic compassion": treating AI systems with kindness and moral consideration regardless of…
- Silence Your Inner Critic: Buddhist Antidote to Anxiety
We can be relentlessly self-critical, to the point of anxiety. Early Buddhism gives us insight into how best to understand and work with this negativity, helping us to tone down our inner critic.
- Co-dependency in Buddhist Practice
Can Buddhist practices of lovingkindness and compassion reinforce our tendencies towards co-dependency? We will look at what co-dependency is, how it may arise, and how it differs from Buddhist ideals of kindness and compassion among…
- The Buddha on Loving Ourselves: Why Wasn't It Included?
In his many discourses on cultivating lovingkindness, the Buddha doesn't touch on any practices directed at self-love. Why might this be? We will look at an early sutta for clues.
- Ajahn Brahm's Lovingkindness Practice
Popular Buddhist monk Ajahn Brahm recently suggested a new practice to help us foster kindness. I'll look at the history of kindness practice in Buddhism and how Brahm's meditation fits into it. Then I'll go through his practice and…
- The Perils of Openheartedness
Openheartedness is one of the qualities fostered in Buddhist practice. I'll look at some of its apparent downsides that lead some of us to have trouble opening up our hearts, using an article from Tricycle Magazine by the Tibetan teacher…
- Kindness is Central to Practice!
In difficult times, kindness and friendliness can make a real difference. We'll discuss how kindness is a central part of practice, and how even if we can't make as much of a difference in the world as we would like, there is plenty we…
- Lovingkindness Meditation: First of the Brahmaviharas
We'll look at the development of lovingkindness meditation practice beginning with its roots in early Buddhism and then at a couple of later practice techniques. We'll consider how the practices differ, and how they developed over time,…
- When Anger Takes Over: Brittle Metta
We may practice kindness, but anger and hatred will take over at times. We'll deal with one syndrome involving anger and talk about ways to approach it that may be helpful.
- Kindness Towards Everyone?
When we practice loving kindness, are we really supposed to direct kindness towards everyone? Does everyone really deserve kindness? We will look at the early texts as well as a recent article in Tricycle Magazine by scholar Andrew…
- Loving Kindness Meditation
What is Loving Kindness (mettā) meditation and how did it develop? Many people today practice a form that probably originated centuries after the Buddha's day. Thanks to Andy Olendzki for his work on the historical roots of mettā…