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it can often be kinder and more effective to make their burden heavier

The late British Zen master Hōun Jiyu-Kennett, born Peggy Kennett, had a vivid way of capturing the sense of inner release that can come from grasping just how intractable our human limitations really are. Her teaching style, she liked to say, was not to lighten the burden of the student, but to make it so heavy that he or she would put it down…Kennett’s insight was that it can often be kinder and more effective to make their burden heavier – to help them see how totally irredeemable their situation is, thereby giving them permission to stop struggling.

endure: book notes and thoughts

In recent years I’ve begun to develop an interest in the concept of endurance, be it psychological or physical. This is a response to a combination of recent world events, the imminent…

one-year covid anniversary reflections

Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of the day I tested positive for covid for the first time. All things considered I thought I had done well to avoid it for three years…

what does it mean to live well

A while ago an old friend texted me that an unexpected event had once again reminded her how transient life can be, and she thought of me because I was one of…