Use code SUMMERPRACTICE for a 25% discount on all On Demand Courses through August 31.

Why we practice: reclaiming authority, ending dissatisfaction, and engaging wholeheartedly

With Deborah Eden Tull recorded on February 25, 2018.

Found our teachings useful? Help us continue our work and support your teachers with a donation. Here’s how.

So many people are asking the potent question, How can I make an impact in a time of such adversity? How can I contribute to positive change in our world? How can I stay rooted in presence and well-being during such tumultuous times?

Presence itself is enough. Just to have a practice and affirm the authority of the heart is a subversive act. Compassionate awareness makes us available for the clear seeing and skilful action that allows us to respond consciously, rather than react habitually, to the challenges we face – individually and collectively. During an age of so much fear and reactivity, let us remember why we practice, and the profound impact that practice can have in our world.

Listen to the audio version below, or click here to download the mp3.

Discussion

Leave a Reply

Discover more from the Dharma Library

  • Lucid Dreaming: Awakening While We Sleep

    A lucid dream is a dream in which we are actively aware that we are dreaming as the dream is happening. Once we are lucid we gain access to the deepest depths of the unconscious mind which allows us to engage in psychological healing at a level often unattainable in the waking state. And beyond…

    Read More

  • photo of Martin Aylward smiling

    Daily Meditation Recordings, with Martin Aylward – Week of 16 February, 2026

    This week’s theme is: Going Gently Through the Dark

    A week of practice together, navigating both the darkness of winter and the inner states that can also feel dark, barren, wintry. A week of meditation and of community, of teachings and practice, or reminding ourselves of the preciousness and the possibilities of a flourishing human life.

    Our Dharma Library thrives through collective generosity. Your donation helps sustain this offering for our entire community.

    Read More

  • James Baraz

    Equanimity: Finding Balance in Uncertain Times

    Equanimity is a highly-valued quality in Buddhist teachings. But what is it, and how do we cultivate it in our meditation practice? How can we access equanimity in daily life, especially in the midst of uncertainty, fear, and sadness over the suffering in the world? Howard Zinn from “The Optimism of Uncertainty”To be hopeful in…

    Read More

  • Deborah Eden Tull - Senior Dharma Teacher

    The Sacred No: Setting Conscious Boundaries Alongside Boundlessness

    To truly embody our Yes to life, we must equally honor our No. Liberating our minds and hearts and taking responsibility for our contribution to collective consciousness requires setting loving boundaries around authentic being. Sometimes, through spiritual bypass; concepts/ideas about mindfulness; or lack of distinction between being nice and being kind, we devalue the sacred…

    Read More

  • Dave Smith

    A Practical Approach to Understanding Right Effort

    All schools of Buddhism acknowledge that if we are to “awaken” in this lifetime, our aim is to cultivate and develop the eight-fold path. This path consists of behavioral (sila), meditative (samadhi) and philosophical (panna) dimensions. When skillfully interwoven, this system of training directs us towards a liberation-based lifestyle by embracing the limitations and the…

    Read More

  • Nirmala Werner

    Daily Meditation Recordings, with Nirmala Werner – Week of 23 February, 2026

    This week’s theme is: The Fire of Desire and the Path of Release

    Strong desire moves us-towards love, security, meaning, awakening. Our longings promise fulfillment and yet generate restlessness. This week we’ll explore how craving solidifies identity and how clinging feeds suffering. By understanding the dynamics of attachment, we cultivate the courage to release. Where grasping softens, life renews itself from within.

    Our Dharma Library thrives through collective generosity. Your donation helps sustain this offering for our entire community.

    Read More