Recently a friend asked me if while you're in a dark night of the soul, good things can still happen in your life. Now, this might sound like a strange question, but it's not surprising to hear. People who know a bit about dark nights might know that dark nights are...
My Samadhi is Hot
Radically Personal, Radically Impersonal
Reality is radically personal and radically impersonal. Reality is radically personal in that every experience in our lives IS the ultimate, is God. We do not need to leave any experience, retreat from anything or anyone in order to find or directly experience...
Cultivating Intimacy and Deep Trust with Avalokiteshvara
Over the last ten days I have I been practicing a sadhana with the Bodhisattva Cintamani Cakra Avalokiteshvara, the second deity in my 40-day practice vow, today being the last day with Avalokiteshavara before moving to a practice with Mahavairocana for ten days....
Hello, Vajrasattva
The first 10 days of my 40 day vow (today is day 3) I'll be practicing as Vajrasattva and so I'd thought I'd give a very brief introduction to him as taught to me by my teacher, Hokai Sobol. In describing the qualities that Vajrasattva embodies and represents, what is...
100 Days Complete – My Experience
At the beginning of September, sitting with my dharma brother, Vincent Horn, I completed the 100-day practice vow I set forth in May. I was able to do so in large part thanks to my teacher, Hokai Sobol, who both encouraged me to take the vow and helped me in so many...
Mind Accepting, Heart Embracing
The core of Buddhadharma has to do with unfolding the miracle of meaning itself. This dynamic has both a knowing (mind) and a concerned resonating (heart) aspect to it. -Hokai Sobol I have a series of posts I'm writing this week in which I'll share my experiences so...
100 Days – The Practice
I haven't posted at all since starting my 100 Day Practice vow over 50 days ago, but I have a series of posts coming this week that I think you'll really enjoy. They're mostly filled with teachings and instructions given to me by Hokai, along with my own experiences...
100 Days of Practice
On May 25, 2010 I started a 100 day practice vow with the encouragement of my teacher, Hokai Sobol. It's a pretty straightforward challenge: 100 days of practice. In a row. (that last part is key) Practice every single day, no matter what, no matter how long. Do the...
You Might Be in The Dark Night
*Update: This post gets a lot of traffic from people searching about the dark night in Buddhism and I've finally written another follow up post. The new post is more of candid sharing of my own experience with dark nights. You can read it here. The dark night might be...