Such Sweet Thunder Meditation Podcast.

How many people do we encounter each day for whom we have no feeling of attraction or aversion? Probably most people we see gives rise to a bland, neutral feeling in our minds and hearts. This indifference can and often does lead to many social illnesses which we are currenty suffering from.  Here I offer a guided meditation using the tibetan technique known as Tonglen (taking and sending) an...

Some credit this meditation to Pema Chodron. Others to Ram Dass. But regardless of who penned this beautiful practice, it remains one of the most powerful and direct meditations for the cultivation of compassion and equanimity.  I put my own spin on it as well. Recorded live, June 2019 The New Life Foundation in Chiangrai, Thailand. May All Benefit.

Here I guide a meditation practice designed to cultivate lovingkindness to those people who are dear to us. Although this may seem very accessible, some of the phrases of lovingkindness can bring up resistances. These resistances are not bad, or a sign we are "doing it wrong." On the contrary, the resistances which may arise in practice illustrate how we may be resisting lovingkindness in our day...

Here I guide a RAIN meditation designed to allow one to sidestep self limiting ideas and beliefs, cultivating a stable inner strength. RAIN: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture.  Meditation can be challenging at times. Occasionally we may experience things which surprise as a result. If you have any questions or concerns in regards to this, or other meditation practices, please feel free t...

Here I guide a meditation designed to allow one to explore the feeling of receiving lovingkindness and then offering it to a loved one.  Meditation can be challenging at times. Occasionally we may experience things which surprise as a result. If you have any questions or concerns in regards to this, or other meditation practices, please feel free to message me through my website: www.suchswee...

Compassion for Loved Ones guided meditation. Here I'll be guiding a traditional meditation designed to allow one to cultivate the qualities of compassion for a loved one.  Meditation can be challenging at times. Occasionally we may experience things which surprise as a result. If you have any questions or concerns in regards to this, or other meditation practices, please feel free to message...

Here I guide a meditation designed to bring a sense of appreciation and gratitude to the miracle of the human nervous system. Since our nervous system is with us all the time, cultivation of this skill will allow one to feel into a sense of joy with each breath. If you enjoyed part one, this allows us to go a bit deeper into Joy. If you missed part one, no worries! This serves as a stand alone pra...

Upon his release from prison, after 27 years of incarceration, Nelson Mandela made the astonishing statement :"I forgive my captors, because holding on to anger is like drinking  poison and expecting the the other to get sick" When we forgive, it is not the forgiven who benefits. It is us. Forgiveness allows for a deeper acceptance. Deeper acceptance allows for deeper compassion. Meditation c...

Here I guide a traditional meditation used to discover our innate self-compassion.  Meditation can be challenging. Sometimes we may experience things which surprise as a result. If you have any questions or concerns in regards to this, or other meditation practices, please feel free to message me through my website: www.suchsweetthunder.org Chris has been practicing meditation for 35 years an...

Here I guide a meditation designed to bring a sense of appreciation and gratitude to the miracle of the human nervous system. Since our nervous system is with us all the time, cultivation of this skill will allow one to feel into a sense of joy with each breath.  Meditation can be challenging. Sometimes we may experience things which surprise as a result. If you have any questions or concerns...

Here I guide a meditation designed to allow one to rest deeply in a state of calm resilience and inner strength. Based on the pioneering work of Dr. Rick Hanson.  Meditation can be challenging. Sometimes we may experience things which surprise as a result.  If you have any questions or concerns in regards to this, or other meditation practices,  please feel free to message me throug...

Here I guide a brief meditation through the three pillars of Self Compassion as codified by Dr. Kristen Neff. By moving through the stages of mindfulness, common humanity, and kindness, we may soften around our  struggles and allow in healing.  Meditation can be challenging. Sometimes we may experience things which surprise as a result.  If you have any questions or concerns in rega...

Here I guide a meditation designed to allow one to experience our struggle, holding our struggle mindfully, recognizing the common humanity inherent  in the experience of struggle, and then offering nurture and support to help  ourselves compassionately. May All Benefit. 

In this guided meditation we take a deep dive in "Mudita", which is Sanskrit for joy.  By cultivating the ability to rejoice in the success of strangers, every face in the crowd becomes an opportunity for joy!  

Here I guide a traditional Tibetan meditation technique designed to allow one to connect with our basic human desire to be free from struggle, pain, and difficulty. In that connection, we discover our basic human goodness of Compassion  Meditation can be challenging. Sometimes we may experience things which surprise as a result. If you have any questions or concerns in regards to this, or oth...

Lovingkindness, or Metta, has a healing, transformative quality. Here I present a meditation designed to allow us to open our heart and extend the healing warmth of lovingkindness to the entire world.  Meditation can be challenging. Sometimes we may experience things which surprise as a result. If you have any questions or concerns in regards to this, or other meditation practices, please fee...

Everybody's story has at least one villain. Likewise, we all play a villian in someone's story.  Here I present a powerful practice, designed by meditation teacher and psychologist Tara Brach,  to help us remove the stone of resentment and anger from our heart.  RAIN= R=Recognize A=Allow I=Investigate N=Nurture. Meditation can be challenging. Sometimes we may experience things which...

Sometimes it takes a fierce demon to cut through our habitual reactivity. Anger, hatred, and fear are normal and natural human responses to violence, ignorance, and discrimination. Yet boundless compassion asks us to accept all, just as it is. (Ready to ally with that fierce demon?) Join meditation teacher Chris Luard in his next offering: “Compassion for the World." Dedicated to all whom are suff...

Kuan Yin: her name means “to hear the cries of the universe.” In the open, compassionate space of present moment listening, healing arises. Join meditation teacher Chris Luard in his next offering: “Compassion. Q n A session.” In this session we will compare and contrast Empathy and Compassion, and working with challenging emotions. Facebook and Instagram Live Chris has been practicing meditation...

By offering compassion freely to others, regardless of belief, view, race, gender, and circumstances, we cultivate the possibility of peace.  Join meditation teacher Chris Luard in his next offering: “Compassion. Widening our Circle of Care, where he will explore this very timely and much needed topic. Chris has been practicing meditation for 35 years and has been successfully teaching medita...

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Clint Sabom for the website Contemplative Light. In this talk, I get the opportunity to take a deep dive into the Four Immeasurable Minds (Lovingkindness, Compassion, Equanimity, Joy) and the online retreat program which I am offering based on these practices.  May All Benefit. 

Here I guide a meditation designed to allow us to drop the inner-critic and the comparing, judging mind, and celebrate the victories and successes of our loved ones as our own success.  Meditation can be challenging. Sometimes we may experience things which surprise as a result. If you have any questions or concerns in regards to this, or other meditation practices, please feel free to messag...

Complete acceptance leads to compassion. The practice of forgiveness leads to acceptance. Join meditation teacher Chris Luard in his next offering: “Compassion. A Detour Into Forgiveness, part 2” A Dharma Talk and Guided meditation  Chris has been practicing meditation for 35 years and has been successfully teaching meditation worldwide since 2009, giving talks, facilitating retreats, and hav...

What is the only word for “them” was the word “we” What if the only way to express “other” was with the word “us” With this practice we may begin to experience the entire world population free from preference and prejudice.  Meditation can be challenging. Sometimes we may experience things which surprise as a result. If you have any questions or concerns in regards to this, or other meditatio...

Welcome to meditations on skillful action! Here we take a deep, visceral dive on what it feels like to take the life out of something. Whether it is a mosquito, an idea, or the volume on our least favorite song, there is a unique feeling which arises each time. By identifying that feeling in the body, we can learn to use our body as a barometer for present moment, skillful action.  Meditation...