Jill Shepherd

Readers suggestions for taking action in relation to climate change

Many thanks to all the people who sent in suggestions in response to my last newsletter. Below are a few highlights, and I plan to keep updating this from time to time. Bike path, Auckland, New Zealand Speaking of New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand is on the ‘right side of history’ asContinueContinue reading “Readers suggestions for taking action in relation to climate change”

Insight Meditation Society 2020 Registration Now Open

Just letting you know that the Insight Meditation SOciety in Barre, Massachusetts, has just announced its 2020 retreat schedule and registration is now open. Based on previous years, most retreats tend to get fully booked within a few days, so if you’re interested in practising at IMS, best to register as soon as you canContinueContinue reading “Insight Meditation Society 2020 Registration Now Open”

¿ Hope ?

I arrived back in New South Wales just as the 16th Sakyadhita International Conference for Women in Buddhism was happening in the Blue Mountains, and I was fortunate to be able to attend a keynote address by Roshi Joan Halifax on the theme of “Wise Hope.” Her reflections on the differences between optimism, pessimism and whatContinueContinue reading “¿ Hope ?”

Retreat as rebellion

Resisting the tyranny of productivity Over the last few months, I’ve been having conversations with students – and with myself! – about what feels to be the increasingly relentless busyness of our lives. People often say to me that they don’t have time to meditate every day, and they certainly don’t have time to goContinueContinue reading “Retreat as rebellion”

Christchurch mosque shootings

Again and again and again we need to understand … HATRED NEVER ENDS THROUGH HATRED. BY NON-HATRED ALONE DOES IT END. THIS IS AN ANCIENT TRUTH. The Dhammapada: Teachings of the Buddha translated from the Pali by Gil Fronsdal 2008 Whether you are a Muslim, or an ally, this is a moment to show upContinueContinue reading “Christchurch mosque shootings”

April 2018 full moon – Retreat and post-retreat practice

Before and after A couple of years ago, I wrote a post titled “Retreat and pre-retreat practice”, which explored ways to navigate some of the anxiety and other challenges that often come up before we go on retreat. This month, I’m writing about another aspect of retreat practice that doesn’t always get a lot ofContinueContinue reading “April 2018 full moon – Retreat and post-retreat practice”

January/February 2018 super blue blood moon – Buddhist visual art and architecture

This month, I felt the need for some inspiration of the senses, so I’ve decided to set up a webpage dedicated to visual art that’s either been created by practising Buddhists, or features images or sculptures of the Buddha, or evokes meditative states. Below are just a few samples I’ve found recently. There are largerContinueContinue reading “January/February 2018 super blue blood moon – Buddhist visual art and architecture”

January 2018 full moon – re-set

Sydney Insight Meditators 2018 New Year’s retreat Making positive changes The New Year is traditionally a time to try to make positive changes for the year ahead. And yet most of us have had the experience of starting out with a rush of good intentions, only to find ourselves collapsing back into old habits veryContinueContinue reading “January 2018 full moon – re-set”

December 2017 super moon – impermanence, vastness, and intimacy

Impermanence This month’s full moon post is a little late, because just this morning, I finished co-teaching the last six weeks of the three-month retreat at IMS in Barre, Massachusetts. The ending of any period of intensive meditation practice is poignant, but even more so when it’s been a longer retreat. As this retreat wasContinueContinue reading “December 2017 super moon – impermanence, vastness, and intimacy”

New neuroscience research on the lasting benefits of meditation

Dan Goleman and Richie Davidson are both well-known names in the fields of psychology, science journalism and neuroscience, and they have recently co-authored a book laying out their most recent research on the benefits of meditation. Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body Daniel Goleman and Richard J. Davidson, publishedContinueContinue reading “New neuroscience research on the lasting benefits of meditation”