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The Zen Life
Modern Zen Lessons and Stories from a former Zen Buddhist Monk
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Illimitable heights and depths
Illimitable heights and depths
“I seek only discovery, Of the illimitable heights and depths of my own being.” — Pauli Murray
Alex Mill
Jan 25, 2022
There Is No Balance
There Is No Balance
One of the most popular questions I regularly receive from clients and students is, “What is the balance between ‘just letting things…
Alex Mill
Oct 7, 2019
A Worthy Problem
A Worthy Problem
“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it…
Alex Mill
Sep 3, 2019
Why I don’t believe in “mistakes”
Why I don’t believe in “mistakes”
Everything that’s happened in the past has prepared me to be who I am now. Just as what’s happening now is preparing me for who I am to…
Alex Mill
Oct 13, 2019
The Anti-Coach
The Anti-Coach
“When someone beats a rug, the blows are not against the rug, but against the dust in it.” ―Rumi
Alex Mill
Oct 28, 2020
Your unknown
Your unknown
“Making your unknown known is the important thing, and keeping the unknown always beyond you — catching — crystallizing your simpler…
Alex Mill
Nov 6, 2020
Every moment is the guru
Every moment is the guru
“Life always gives us exactly the teacher we need at every moment. This includes every mosquito, every misfortune, every red light, every…
Alex Mill
Dec 7, 2020
There are no answers
There are no answers
“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not a truth.” — Marcus Aurelius
Alex Mill
Jan 29, 2022
Everything desires you
Everything desires you
“For a few minutes at a time, instead of being the one who does the desiring, imagine instead that everything desires you: Your morning…
Alex Mill
Mar 6, 2022
The universe loves you too much
The universe loves you too much
“But life has a way of pulling the rug out from under you just when you need it least, which is what they like to call growing, I guess…
Alex Mill
Jan 24, 2022
The Practice of No Reviews
The Practice of No Reviews
At the Zen monastery where I trained, we had a guideline that specifically helped senior monks who facilitated group discussions. It was…
Alex Mill
Oct 8, 2019
Rest in equanimity
Rest in equanimity
“Happiness is a how, not a what; a talent, not an object.” — Hermann Hesse
Alex Mill
Sep 11, 2019
A shift to love
A shift to love
“But what about your savings for when you retire? Aren’t you concerned about your future?”
Alex Mill
Nov 25, 2020
The Three Stages of Meditation Practice
The Three Stages of Meditation Practice
Stage One: Survival.
Alex Mill
May 30, 2019
The hole problem
The hole problem
Imagine a world that had a unique problem:
Alex Mill
Feb 24, 2022
Spending attention
Spending attention
“Thoughts are mental energy; they’re the currency that you have to attract what you desire. Learn to stop spending that currency on…
Alex Mill
Feb 2, 2022
No. You do not beat yourself up!
No. You do not beat yourself up!
One of the most unfortunate lies people believe is that they beat themselves up.
Alex Mill
Mar 2, 2022
If You’re Facing Sudden, Unexpected Challenging Change
If You’re Facing Sudden, Unexpected Challenging Change
First of all, I’m very sorry that this is your experience.
Alex Mill
Oct 2, 2019
Extended love
Extended love
“We are not held back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present.” ―Marianne Williamson
Alex Mill
Nov 9, 2020
How to sit still with emotions
How to sit still with emotions
You are a buoy in the ocean.
Alex Mill
Mar 9, 2022
Worthy opponents
Worthy opponents
“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” — Lao Tzu
Alex Mill
Jan 26, 2022
Superman can’t
Superman can’t
“The fulfillment of everything you think you want will entail the destruction of everything you currently think you are.” — Carolyn Elliott
Alex Mill
Sep 8, 2019
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