Shame: A Bright Guardian of the World

The Buddha once taught his 7-year-old son Rahula to examine his actions, as he would his face in a mirror, to make sure that he harmed no one—neither himself nor anyone else. It's easy to judge the actions of others, but what happens when we look in the mirror and can't quite sit with what we see reflected back? We have all felt shame to a varying degree in our lives. And while these moments can be some of the most difficult we experience, they can also serve as important teachers on the path toward liberation and living mindfully. In this guided online meditation and talk, we will explore what it means to work with the powerful emotion of shame and more healthily restore balance as we negotiate personal challenges.