At meditation retreats, it’s common to hear the question, “What’s your practice?” or “How long have you been sitting?” The question often brings a smile because of a well-known story from Jack Kornfield’s time with Ajahn Chah. When asked how long a person should sit, Ajahn Chah answered, “I’ve seen chickens sit on a nest for days, and they don’t become enlightened.” Real practice isn’t about the hours spent sitting still or looking the part. From the moment of birth, everyone is practicing — lea

How can we do a meditation retreat while balancing work, family, and daily responsibilities? In this teaching, Mingyur Rinpoche reminds us that retreat doesn’t have to mean withdrawing from life. It’s about creating space — even briefly — to reconnect with awareness, calm, and joy. Thank you to everyone who joined our online gathering over the weekend, Befriending Emotions, the Joy of Living Annual Retreat. As Rinpoche says, beginning practice is like gathering small twigs to start a fire — but