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Noting in the Empire of Selfies
Notes on a talk by Michael Stone, April 8, 2014, at Centre of Gravity Jerry Jerry Durlack found out he had cancer, and while he wasn’t afraid of the cancer, or of dying, he was scared of the pain that
Abusing the Buddha: How the U.S. Army and Google Co-opt Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation has exploded into an industry that ranges from the monastery to the military. Google, General Mills, Procter & Gamble, Monsanto and the U.S. Army are just a handful of the many enormous institutions that bring meditative practice to
Grasping (Money)
Notes on a talk by Michael Stone at Centre of Gravity, Toronto on March 4, 2014 Stages Here at Gravity our practice doesn’t proceed in laid out stages exactly – mostly we’re sitting and feeling our breathing. Over time you
Who am I? What should I do?
Notes on a talk by Michael Stone at Centre of Gravity on February 4, 2014 Tonight we’re going to mull over this koan: “What is the core of Buddhism?” a student asks. Qinguan (the teacher) replies, “What is the price
Why Can’t the Tail Pass Through?
Notes on a talk by Michael Stone at Centre of Gravity, January 14, 2014 Koans Koans are often teaching devices that take the form of a dialogue between two people. They were dished orally, and eventually collections would form, often
Part 3, Emptiness
This is the third of three parts where Michael speaks about the three characteristics: dukkha, impermanence, and emptiness.
Part 2, Impermanence
This is the second of three parts where Michael speaks about the three characteristics: dukkha, impermanence, and emptiness.
Part 1, Dukkha
This is the first of three parts where Michael speaks about the three characteristics: dukkha, impermanence, and emptiness.
A deeper materialism: Michael Stone at TEDxToronto
The fifth annual TEDxToronto conference took place on September 26, 2013, at The Royal Conservatory of Music. For our 2013 TEDxToronto Conference, all talks, performances and demos were rooted in our selected theme, “The Choices We Make.” In this talk,
Buddha Before Buddhism 6: Conditioned Arising
Notes on a talk by Michael Stone at Centre of Gravity, July 3, 2013 There are many approaches to meditation. We’re using is called one-pointed attention. You take an object: candle, breath, mantra or sound, and it gives you an
Buddha Before Buddhism 8: Last Words
Notes on a talk by Michael Stone at Centre of Gravity June 23, 2013 Present In the Zen tradition, there is a saying: “Reaching the mystery is nothing but breaking through and grabbing an ordinary person’s life.” The mystical experience
Buddha Before Buddhism 7: Karma
Notes on a talk by Michael Stone at Centre of Gravity, June 16, 2013 Beggar When the Buddha spoke to his people, his group, he used a word that is often translated as “monks.” But the word is “bhikku” which
About the Community Library
Michael was a great archivist and the Community Library was—and continues to be—a labour of love. Everything in the Community Library is available for free. Anyone, anywhere can have instant access to material that will help them deepen their practice and contribute to a culture of compassion and collaboration.
Libraries are places where we gather alone together. They are known to be places of refuge for seekers, as well as those who are marginalized. This library is no different. It helps us nourish our beautiful, international community without walls. Now, it will also help keep Michael’s legacy alive.