Personal Growth
Personal growth is the main topic of discussion across my entire catalog of articles. That is to say, whether I am writing about philosophy, psychology, meditation, or breathwork – all are focused, ultimately, on personal growth. These articles below are, therefore, a collection of my writing that does not fit nicely into the other four.
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Philosophy — Psychology — Meditation — Breathwork — Personal Growth
4 Key Steps to Unlock Deep Meditation
Have you achieved deep meditation yet? Probably not, and that’s ok. Most people, even after they understand the theory of how to achieve deep meditation
Ego & The Achievement Problem
When I was a kid, I went through a phase of loving everything Bruce Springsteen. I’d seen him on TV and thought he was cool.
The Three Pillars of Meditation
When I was first starting my journey into self-development, meditation, and Buddhist philosophy I was still studying music at university here in Melbourne, Australia. The
How to Stop Falling Asleep While Meditating
Do you suffer from falling asleep while meditating? Have you asked yourself, why do I keep falling asleep during meditation? Perhaps you’ve even wondered if
Can You Meditate Lying Down?
Have you ever wondered if it is possible to meditate lying down? Perhaps you’ve wondered can I meditate lying down? If this is you, then
Finding Time to be Quiet
Back in the day, when I was working a corporate job and had just moved into the monastery, I would often spend Sunday afternoons with
How to Practice Samatha Meditation
Welcome to this article on Samatha meditation. I go deep into the details of the practice to give you everything you will ever need to
Does Meditation Work for Everyone?
One of the core motivating factors of any human life is a general move toward greater happiness. Not the fleeting happiness that arises from hedonic
Why Do I Feel Drained After Meditation?
Meditation is about awakening to deeper states of well-being. So if you are feeling drained after a session, this indicates that you are doing something
How Do I Know If I am Meditating Correctly?
It is easy to be fooled into thinking you are meditating correctly if you think meditation is all and only about creating a relaxed “in
How to Get a Good Night Sleep
For the longest time, I’ve had difficulty getting a good night’s sleep. I would often wake feeling more tired than when I went to bed.
Can I Meditate in Bed?
A common question I hear every now and then is: Can I meditate in bed? The short answer is, yes! You can meditate in bed.
How Long Should You Meditate?
How long should you meditate each day? This is a commonly asked question, and the answer may surprise you. But before I get to the
How Do I Start Morning Meditation?
Daily meditation in the morning starts with a decision to start but, understand you are likely to need more than sheer willpower to sustain this
Is It Good to Meditate In The Morning?
Yes, it is good to meditate in the morning! And it is important to understand why. Why it is good to meditate in the morning?
We All Live With Something from Our Past
In this week’s edition, I go into how our past colors your present, before talking about a bottom-up approach to psychological health and end with
Beta to Theta – Where All the Magic Happens
If you stop to think about it, it’s easy to understand that happiness does not come from outside ourselves. Yet few think about what this
EDMR, Practice, and Lying Down to Meditate
When I was fourteen I got my first electric guitar. It wasn’t bought for me. I had to save the money myself. And I loved
Deep Work & Obstacles to Meditation
This week has afforded me some time to think, breathe, and do the work I love—deep work. But before we get into that I wanted
How to Overcome the Obstacles to Great Meditation
Science, medicine, and the wisdom traditions are all in agreement—meditation is good for the body, the mind, and the spirit. But, for many people, their
Let the Darkness In
This week, for me, has been one of trying to find time to do the deep work I so dearly love. And like a thread
Addiction to Self and the Mess it Creates
The week for me has been one of technology madness with a final “win.” Although I’ve had a hell of a time getting the tech
Idiot Energy and a Guide to Morning Meditation Guide
Hey friends, Let me tell you a story. It’s the story of a young man. A young man with big dreams, not much wisdom, and
How to Start a Daily Meditation Practice
Welcome to this article on how to start a daily meditation practice. I’ve done my best to lay out everything you will need to know
You Cannot Argue With a Mad Dog
Hey friends, Welcome to the Meditate or Die Newsletter.The week ended with a bang!And the newly designed website is now complete. Such a relief to have
The Ice-Cream Principal and a Hamburger With the Lot
Hey friends, An idea occurred to me this week. I’m calling it…The Ice-Cream Principal. The Ice-Cream Principal is, in short, the idea that intentionality follows bliss. And
How to Bend Like a Piece of Wood
Below is an extract from the vomit draft of my upcoming book…I hope you enjoy it. I was excited to move into the next phase
Gimme More Magic Gas
I continued to read Breath this week. In fact, I went back over key areas around some of the practices. I’m also interested in going
Domain of the Illusory
Hi there, Welcome to another Meditate or Die newsletter. It’s been a funny old week here in Australia. We are still in lock down. Indeed, this weekend
Domain of the Illusory: Tsongkhapa’s Personal Identity
Persons, according to Tsongkhapa are illusory-like. They are illusory- like for while existing truly in one sense they are nonetheless thoroughly unreal. For Superiors (ārya,
Manics, Mindsets, & Meditation
This work I’ve been reading, Deep Work by Cal Newport. “To make the most out of your deep work sessions, build rituals of the same level of
Maniacs, Mindsets, and Meditation
Have you ever wondered how it is that some people are successful in everything they do? Whether they’re an artist, sportsperson, or business person, everything
My Amazing Crazy Lunch with the Dalai Lama
Circa. 2009 I’m sitting in my little cubicle at the University of Tasmania working on my Ph.D. dissertation when the head of the philosophy faculty
Cinema — Maps of the Human Condition
As a Writer I strive to find meaning in the moments between the words—there is always more meaning in these moments. This is important because
Silent Mind Open Heart – the Art of Being
In the Buddhist tradition, it is said that all things are illusory but, if this is true it can only be so if there is
My Story A Life A Journey
Today we have a lesson in history! Or perhaps I should say some personal history that contains a lesson. As I am naturally loquacious however
Norbulingka Institute
Last Sunday I went to Gyuto monastery to shoot a narrative film with two young monks. On my way home I stopped by Norbulingka Institute.
Saving Zanskar: A Short Documentary
Saving Zanskar: A Short Documentary is the story of a Tibetan Buddhist monk’s vision to save his dying culture by providing the children of his
Does Buddhism Need Science In Order to Be Legit?
Does Buddhism need science? That is to say, does Buddhism need the validation of science? Perhaps not, however, in order to lift the essence of
Is Wisdom Really Necessary In Order To Generate Compassion?
It seems that my assertion from the article Philosophy as Practice raised some eyebrows among Buddhists. Here is the section in question: …without the ability
Thank You Geshe Thubten Loden
This is a copy of a letter I wrote to my teacher – Geshe Thubten Loden – a few days before leaving for Ph.D. in
Be Like a Meditator, Think Like a Meditator – Embrace Failure
However, every meditator at some point has to deal with the restlessness that arises from boredom. If you can make it through this point in your meditation career, realizations will flow naturally. Unfortunately few do. This is because the mind can play tricks as boredom manifests. For instance, as your meditation deepens and your creativity increases, new ideas for various projects can arise. New ways to do ‘this’ or ‘that’ dawn upon us, and we can get caught in the trap of forgetting the purpose of meditation or even forgetting that creative energy comes from a clear mind and this in turn comes from meditation.
Dharamsala Field Trip 2009
In 2009 as part of my Ph.D. research, I took a trip to India, Dharamsala the home of the 14th Dalai Lama where most of
The Twisting of a Phrase For Clarity
A pithy turn of phrase, a quip engendering insight, all these linguistic devices are the tools of smarter men (and women) than I. Philosophy, for the most part, is not easy. It is not easy because of the hours spent frustrated by misunderstanding, or, as is more often the case, a sense of not understanding what the hell it is that you are reading. In the end, I must add, it is an experience for which one is better off for having. With the afore written in mind, and as good evidence of my point, I wanted to address the notion of clarity in philosophy.
News, Updates and a Timely Message – December 2009
It has been a while since the last post. I promise this one will be less obscure. Since we last spoke His Holiness the Dalai