By Kimball C. Pier
Special to the Sun
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. — Thinking is what the mind likes to do best. It likes to tell you every single thought it has, an endless stream of chatter that names everything and describes everything even when it's obvious. It likes to judge everything, plan everything; to worry about what has already happened and what might happen in the future. But it seems to enjoy criticizing the best. And we could all use a little medicine for that chronic form of dis-ease.

Noah Levine, Buddhist teacher, speaker and author is coming to Truckee for the second time to teach us about releasing the addiction to the mind. For Goodness Sake in collaboration Sierra Agape Center will bring Noah back for a Dharma talk, “Breaking the Addiction to the Mind,” Friday evening, Feb. 10 followed by a full day workshop entitled, “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness,” Saturday, Feb. 11.

Dharma, put simply, means following the laws of nature, living according to moral precepts flowing out of nature in order to live in harmony and balance with nature and all sentient beings.

Noah Levine did not fit what I thought of as a practicing Buddhist. My mind fixated on an image of an older man with white hair (or none at all), wearing saffron colored robes and speaking with an accent. So when I first laid eyes on Noah, I was a little stunned. And … my mind began to think again. “He has tattoos. How can he be a Buddhist and have all those tattoos?” I told my mind to be quiet as I must to do at least 500 times every time I sit to meditate.

More: http://www.sierrasun.com/article/20120207/COMMUNITY/120209929/1035