Caribbean Beef Rolls with Papaya Salsa (4 servings)

Ingredients 1 Cup diced seeded peeled papaya 1/2 Red bell pepper, diced 2 Scallions, chopped 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 4 Teaspoons lime juice 1/4 Teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 Teaspoons salt 3 Tablespoons apricot preserves 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce 2 Garlic cloves, minced 2 Teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger 1...

Garlicky Lamb Chops with Snap Peas (4 servings)

Ingredients 6 Garlic cloves, minced 1 Teaspoon dried herbes de Provence 1/4 Teaspoon black pepper 4 Teaspoons olive oil 1/2 Teaspoon salt 4 (1/4-pound) boneless loin lamb chops, trimmed 2 Cups sugar snap peas, trimmed 1-1/2 Teaspoons grated lemon zest 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill Instructions 1. Combine the garlic,...

Pomegranate-Glazed Shish Kebabs (4 servings)

Ingredient 1/4 Cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 2 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses 1 Teaspoon salt 1 Pound boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 4 Large mushrooms halved 1 Green bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces 1 Red onion, cut into 8 pieces 1 Zucchini, cut into 8 pieces 1/4 Cup pomegranate seeds for...

Learn the "BASICS" of insight meditation

THE PRACTICE OF INSIGHT MEDITATION, or vipassana, reveals what has created our present conditions and allows us to more fully live in the present moment. This is so valuable for our ability to make conscious choices to better our lives. It is why the Buddha said that living twenty hours with mindfulness is more worthwhile...

How I started to wake up (Part 2)

ABOUT 2600 YEARS AGO, an Indian prince named Siddhartha was born amid many favorable signs. His father, the king, was determined to protect him against the reality of suffering, and the prince grew up within the walls of the palace with every luxury one can imagine. Around the age of twenty-nine, Siddhartha began to feel...

Good question about meditation

"There are so many different terms for Buddhist meditation, like shamatha, vipassana, zazen, vipashyana, mindfulness, awareness, calm abiding, insight, just sitting, etc. What's what?" There are nuances in the way different school approaches it, but basic Buddhist meditation comes down to two fundamental practices: concentration...

Questions about meditation

"What should I do with my eyes when I meditate?" In some schools of Buddhism, you meditate with your eyes open and in others you keep them closed. If your eyes are open, what you do with them depends on the kind of meditation you are doing. Generally, you look downward and shorten your gaze when you are doing meditations...

Your meditation foundation

Just follow along and you will be doing basic breath meditation, also known as “ calm abiding”, shamatha, or mindfulness meditation, the foundation of Buddist meditation practice across traditions. First, you ‘ll want to find a quiet and uplifted place where you can do your meditation practice. Once you’ve done that, just...

What is Buddhist meditation (What meditation Is - and Isn't)

"The practice of meditation is not so much based on becoming a better person, or for that matter becoming an enlightened person. It is seeing how we can relate to our already existing enlightened state." _Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche_ As meditation teacher Sylvia Boorstein has quipped, "it's not what you think."...

The Yoga Path to Self-Compassion

Are you too tough on yourself? Would your inner voice talk to a friend the way it talks to you? If you can't remember the last time you forgave yourself for a mistake or appreciated your body, try this sequence of moves - with every breath, you'll bring more kindness into your day. The way many of us talk to ourselves is not particularly kind. Our mental conversations are full of criticism - perhaps...