Adopt the Buddha’s core teaching: ’nothing is to be clung to as I, me, or mine.’ This practice addresses the root of delusion, wanting, greed, hatred, and aversion, which are fundamental sources of suffering.
Deeply inquire into the nature of your being, questioning the stories you tell yourself about ‘who the me is’ and how your life is defined. Learn to inhabit the domain of full being rather than getting caught in limiting thoughts and narratives.
Redefine healing not as fixing or curing things back to how they were, but as ‘coming to terms with things as they are.’ This mindset allows for peace and freedom even when circumstances cannot be changed.
Approach formal meditation not as a chore or a self-improvement strategy, but as a ’love affair.’ Give yourself over to the domain of being outside of time to foster a sustainable and transformative practice.
Learn to distinguish between physical pain (raw sensation) and the suffering that arises from emotional and cognitive reactions to it. Recognizing this difference can attenuate pain by reducing its emotional and cognitive dimensions.
View anxiety as an impersonal ‘weather pattern in the mind’ rather than ‘my anxiety.’ Welcome it as an object of meditation, allowing it to work itself out like a storm without trying to get rid of it or pursue it, which offers new degrees of freedom.
Practice ‘dying now’ to the past and future, as in the corpse pose, to fully awaken to the present. Let go of internal conflict and the pursuit of a ‘perfect life,’ recognizing the inherent miracle of your current existence.
Embody the Hippocratic Oath of ‘first do no harm’ in all your interactions. Cultivate awareness, mindfulness, and heartfulness to recognize if you are causing harm, even subtly, and take responsibility.
If you realize you’ve caused harm, offer a sincere apology and learn from the experience. This helps prevent repeating hurtful behaviors when triggered by defensiveness or other emotions.
Avoid defining yourself solely by the love or projections of others, whether positive or negative. Learn to stand on your own in your full humanity, recognizing that relying on external validation is unstable.
Recognize that the ‘domain of being’ requires daily attention, not just formal meditation. Embrace all daily activities—from greeting loved ones to what you say—with natural, uncontrived awareness.
To infuse wonder into your meditation, remember the preciousness of each breath, as if you were deprived of it. This helps recognize the endless miracles and wonders of existence.
Do not build grand stories about spiritual enlightenment. Such narratives can become a prison, giving seriously wrong ideas about the practice and hindering genuine understanding.
Concentrate your efforts on what you can genuinely do and contribute. Avoid beating yourself up or engaging in self-criticism for things that are beyond your control.