Margaret is the author of the just released book, Quiet Strength: Find Peace, Feel Alive, and Love Boundlessly through the Power of Equanimity. In this she leads in an exploration on this key quality that is so needed in these times. As a therapist, Margaret facilitated psycho-social support groups for cancer patients and their loved ones for over 30 years. She has led research studies on the impact of contemplative programs, co-developed the Compassion Cultivation Training with Thupten Jinpa at Stanford University. Margaret is the founder of Compassion Corps, a program which brings compassion programs to underserved populations around the world. She has been a meditation practitioner for over 40 years.

00:36 Q1 In your way of speaking awareness is not vinyana. What are the other Pali terms would you use for it? Is it related to citta or nibbana? 20:32 Q2 How to know the heart in the heart? 37:35 Q3 You've explained how the mind creates forms and that we need to see through these delusions. Is it the same mind that first creates and sees through these delusions? 45:10 Q4 What are your recommendations on reflecting on the value of sila? How to avoid getting lost in concepts? 48:06 Q5 What's the difference between rights and rituals one should give up and those that seem to be part of monastic life.

Learning to understand that the Dharma path unfolds in an organic, natural way helps to lessen the tendency to make Dharma practice another self-help project. Seeing the conditioned nature of suffering and the conditioned nature of happiness allows the self to get out of the way and let wisdom and discernment guide us along the path.

The deepest transformation unfolds over years, too gradually to see — yet the only unit we ever actually work with is a single moment, met with kindness and a willingness to let go. Like a tree growing ring by ring, a whole life takes shape one moment at a time, with far less to manage than we think.

Keeping the mind in the present moment, observing what is conspicuous in an effective manner.