Is this a world where we can be loving and fearless at the same time, no matter what? I ask myself that a lot. Conditions seem to be conspiring against us right now, don’t they? And yet….

And yet don’t we always have that choice? The choice to be loving, remembering that we’re all in this incredible mess together, and the choice to be fearless, remembering how to speak only the truth, and to speak truth to power, no matter what?

In fact, if we aren’t loving and fearless right now, when will we be? And what will we have left?

Motive matters. Intention matters. Impact matters. We know that.

And, there are some things mindfulness invites us to consider, and practice, just for the love of it.

Kindness, for the love of kindness.
Generosity, for the love of generosity.
Justice, for the love of justice.

All of these, for the love of one other and the other creatures and our beautiful earth.

Maybe that doesn’t always feel like enough. After all, we’re heavily programmed to seek results.

But what if the results of kindness, generosity, and justice for their own sake, are simply leaving each moment, each day, our world, just a little bit better than we found it? And what if, when we really pay attention, that feels like enough?

Mindfulness never pulls any punches. There’s no leeway when it comes to anger. It’s not that there’s a prohibition against the feeling. That wouldn’t be realistic, or even healthy. But there is, against speaking angry words and acting out of anger.

Instead, mindfulness invites us to solve for anger – “conquer” is the world in the teachings. If we can’t quite yet, then the instruction is to acknowledge and deal decisively with anger by shifting the mind: firmly and lovingly saying “no” to anger, and proactively saying “yes” to kindness, generosity, and truth.

It’s a tall order. The ancient teachings acknowledge this and also say, we wouldn’t be invited to do this if it weren’t something we’re entirely capable of doing.

Hi, it’s nice to be back. We had an amazing final retreat for our 2026 Mindfulness in Law Teacher Training. What a cohort! Already there are two new Mindful Lawyering courses in U.S. law schools, presentations happening in BigLaw, public interest, immigration, and elsewhere, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We couldn’t be prouder of our sixteen courageous new teachers.

Meanwhile today’s chapter of the Dhammapada, the great mindfulness poem we’ve been unpacking on the Wake Up Call, is all about the courage to untangle: about how easy it is to get tangled in longing, infatuation, and craving. How grief and fear come up when that happens. And how having the courage to untangle and let go, creates peace.

Does it work that way in your life? It sure does in mine.

With peace…

It’s one thing to be passionate about something that might make for a better world. It’s another thing to be passionate about power or wealth or influence. Probably we all have both kinds of passion. I know I do. But if I pay attention, I can feel the difference.

In the mindfulness teachings, it’s considered unfortunate to nurture passion for anything that could cause harm. There’s no judgment because, like I said, probably we all do because…we’re human.

The key is knowing the difference. When I feel fiery and also remember to check in, and I realize what kind of fire I’m feeling, I have a choice. Move forward, when it’s a passion that might heal the world. Let go, when it’s not.

A simple way to avoid misfortune. Not always easy, but simple.

L’shana tova to those celebrating, and wishing everyone a sweet year.

What is happiness when there’s so much hate and misery? Hate as in hate, but also hate as in anger, irritation, disparagement, aversion? And misery as in desperation?

And what if these states are contagious? If my response to external hate is to volley right back, aren’t I just perpetuating sorrow? If my response to my own tight heart is to hate myself (or even to quietly chastise, or despair), same question.

But then what’s the “happiness” shift? It has to be to care about those in misery, and to love those who hate. Including ourselves. The more misery and hate I see, the more I think Dr. King and Mother Teresa and Gandhi and Siddhartha were right: hate never ceases by hate, but by love alone is healed – and they must have meant love, full stop, not just for the good guys.

What else can we do but sit down, if we’re trying to cultivate a settled body and mind? What else can we do but sit down and meditate, quietly, each day, noticing our wild mind and our broken heart?

I wish there was a book or a podcast or even a teacher, to show me another way. Maybe an easier way or at least a quicker one. For sure the good books and podcasts and teachers are wonderful, essential. But they’re still just pointing the way. No one can actually walk the path but me. And you.

After years and eons of wishful thinking, in the waning hours of my current trip around the sun, that’s where I’m landing: that there just isn’t anything else can we do, but sit down.

I have a sense of good fortune to know a little about mindfulness. I feel like if everyone knew a little, the world would be a better place. So maybe “Is Mindfulness for Everyone?” is a sneaky question because to me, the obvious answer is yes.

But does everyone agree? No. For sure there are people who feel that paying attention, cultivating kindness, patience, compassion, and generosity, loving everyone, is either not possible or not appropriate. Or maybe not even useful. Are they missing something? To me it feels like, yes, but to them? Again, no.

The thing is, mindfulness includes seeing everyone in the same light. Seeing everyone as having at least the potential for love, for compassion, for realizing, someday, that we’re all in this together. Everyone, full stop. So I guess yeah, mindfulness is for everyone.