Joe Cecil

The ugh of meditating in the winter

It was 40 degrees out this morning when I meditated indoors, in a room with I suspect semi-functional insulation. I doubt it's 40 degrees but it might be 55. I don't like to get up when it's cold. I'll often stay in

"Art is a support for life"

There's a passage from Stephen King's On Writing about how art is a support for life. This rhymed with some other things I've been thinking about, and I couldn't find it online. On pages 100 to 101 of my recent-edition print copy:

How to re-stuff a Samadhi Cushions zafu

Samadhi Cushions unfortunately has closed, so I can no longer get instructions or filling from them to refill or recharge my zafu, but it turns out the insides are easily exposed with no tools so I can re-stuff them. Once I took off the zipper cover, I groped around the

What is the six realms model for?

(This is the second of three posts scheduled for the weekend of Fluidity Forum. It was written the previous weekend.) I've read at least two different descriptions of the "six realms" model now, and I don't know what they're for. What do

A non-example of animal realm mindset?

(This is the first of a few posts I've scheduled for the weekend of Fluidity Forum. It is from the previous weekend.) The other day, I found myself wanting to do something safe and familiar. I wanted to play a video game that's familiar and predictable

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