So often, our practice involves the invitation to remain in the present moment, to draw attention toward what is happening, and to let go of the past. But is it really possible to let go of the past? Can the present moment be devoid of everything that came before? How might our mindfulness practice be framed as a way of understanding the past? Let’s consider it and practice with it.
This talk was offered for Big Heart City Meditation SF on July 24th, 2025.
Can the present moment be devoid of everything that came before? How might our mindfulness practice be framed as a way of understanding the past?
Flightless Bird explores incarcerated firefighters, talking to former inmate Matthew Hahn who signed up to fight fires when he was serving time.
Equanimity is the quality being cultivated from the very beginning of practice, from the first time a meditation teacher invited us to bear witness to our experience “without judgment or reactivity”.
This is not your average sobriety story. Matthew Hahn was a meth-addicted burglar who thought he’d just pulled off the heist of his life. Then he cracked open a safe and found a memory card.
Loosely, the goal was to offer a practice guide framed around the triple gem – the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha – using language that more closely aligned with familiar understandings of the Buddhadharma.
Pain, in its myriad forms, is often the entry point for practice. Tragedy and heartbreak, discontent and unease, something among these inspires us toward something different. The Buddhist path offers a path out of the pain by transforming our relationship to it.