Mark is a spiritual teacher, wonderful poet, and author of many books including best selling The Book of Awakening. In this wide-ranging and rich conversation, Tara and Mark explore shedding our defenses, faith, compassion for ourselves and others, spiritual practice, and facing illness, aging and death.

We have the gift of a priceless inheritance, a BPS – Buddha's Positioning System. It's a map to freedom from hatred by way of undaunted love and compassion. It sets our feet on the hero’s path to the oasis of Truth. With the power of forgiveness, we pass unscathed through what seem like the fiercest storms and sufferings of life: ill-winds, dangers, traumas, and exhaustion. But we are vigilant, guided in awareness and wisdom. Refuge in the Dhamma is our compass, and spiritual friends shine as jewels within our hearts. We are pilgrims of peace and awakening – to the last breath.

Beginning by settling the body, before orienting to compassion for a good friend, then extending that compassion to oneself, closing with compassion for all beings

An introduction to compassion practice, with some suggestions of how to stay balanced when connecting with pain, distress, dukkha

Standing can help adjust you physically, anatomically and psychologically. Establish balance, connection, openness and ease. Let breathing flow through you. Aim for what’s harmonious in all that – open, allowing. This is the birthplace of wisdom and compassion.

We see ourselves as separate from the rest of the world, but we’re not. We are a meeting point of all kinds of relational qualities, qualities that can be imbued with Dhamma to make our experience a mandala of sharing and communion. Stress comes from developing an ineffectual relationship with what happens. We practice to come out of the worldly dividedness into something more compassionate, deep, less isolated. This is sacred practice.