Susan Piver's Blog

Hello Wonderful Open Heart Project,

I wrote to you recently about not feeling settled, about living among boxes and in-between spaces, about that strangely tender mix of disorientation and possibility. I had a feeling many of you would understand, but, I didn’t quite anticipate the depth, honesty, and humanity of what you shared in return.

A special thanks to all who sent a response to how you settle into a new space. Your suggestions feel like a kind of collective practice. Each voice distinct, but linked by a willingness to stay present in the midst of change.

Some of you wrote from places of real upheaval. One of you described five weeks of homelessness before finding stable housing, and the lingering sense of “holding on” that doesn’t immediately disappear when circumstances improve. There was grief there, too, of a partner, of a long-time home, of a life that cannot be replicated. And yet, alongside that: caring for a 19-year-old cat, cooking familiar meals, walking when possible, and finding solace in trees.

Others of you spoke about moving again and again (four times in a year, eight times in a decade), and learning to “welcome the reset.” I loved that phrase. Not because resetting is easy, but because resisting it seems to cost much more.

You shared so many small, caring acts that create a sense of home:

Fresh flowers on a table.
Bread in the oven.
A favorite mug, local honey, morning tea.
A made bed and good pajamas.
Books within reach, even if unread.

These small gestures say: I am here.

Several of you spoke about the power of rhythm: cleaning a drawer, unpacking one box, watering plants, noticing birds. One of you described making the acquaintance of a cardinal outside a window. Another spoke of meeting “tree neighbors” and “dog neighbors” on daily walks. I was moved by the way you described belonging as an exercise in attention.

And then there were the rituals. You have several beautiful suggestions:

Creating an altar to say goodbye to a former home.
Standing in a disorienting corner while wrapped in something comforting.
Placing a feather on each windowsill as a reminder of trust.
Offering seeds to birds as a gesture of openness.
Ringing a meditation bowl to soften the unseen edges of a space.
Simply standing in a corner, breathing, and asking: what do I see?

Not one of these is about forcing a feeling of “settled.” They are about making contact with grief, with space, with the unknown, with life as it is now.

A few of you spoke about relating to the land itself. Saying thank you. Asking permission. Wondering what might be offered in return. It’s such a different orientation from the usual “moving into” a place. More like entering into relationship.

And woven through all of this, through loss, transition, uncertainty, and even moments of joy, was practice.

Meditating.
Walking.
Sitting with others.
Lighting a candle.
Drinking tea.

Continuing.

One of you shared a story of moving closer to family after deep loss and uncertainty, and how, slowly, a new life began to take shape. Afternoons at the art gallery, grandchildren around the table, and unexpected closeness all reminded me that “settling” is not just about a place. It’s about allowing a life to form again, in its own way, on its own timeline.

If there is something I take from all of your reflections, it is this:

Settling is not an event. It’s not even a goal, exactly.

It is a practice.

A living, breathing process of arriving, again and again, in a place that may or may not feel like ours yet. Of letting it be unsettled. Of participating anyway.

Thank you for sharing your lives with me in this way. It means more than I can say.

With love,
Susan

Guided Meditations

5 minutes

10 minutes

15 minutes

The post Unsettled, but not alone appeared first on The Open Heart Project.

Hello Wonderful Open Heart Project,I’m writing to you from a new home.Moving, as you may know, has a way of revealing everything at once. There is the thrill of beginning again, of opening a door and not quite knowing how the light will fall in the afternoon. And there is also the compression of it all, the boxes, the disorientation, the sense that life has been temporarily reduced to its most essential and sometimes inconvenient parts.Both are here.There is genuine joy in this new space, and also the unmistakable constraint of being mid-transition. Not everything is settled. Not everything is clear. In some ways, that feels exactly right.Because if these teachings point to anything, it is not toward perfect conditions, but toward meeting conditions as they are.And so, in the midst of all this, the work continues. I want to let you know how we can stay in touch during the upside down-ness (for me) of this time.This weekend, the enneagram course begins. It’s a powerful path, not toward categorizing ourselves, but toward loosening the grip of who we think we are and opening to something more fluid, more relational, more true.There are also two in-person retreats coming up at Drala Mountain Center. Fearless Creativity (May 13–18, 2026) is a meditation and writing retreat exploring creativity as a practice of presence, where expression emerges beyond self-doubt and fixed ideas. Proclaiming Basic Sanity: Living the Bodhisattva Path (August 10–18, 2026) is a weeklong retreat on the bodhisattva path, focusing on basic sanity, compassion, and how to live these teachings in everyday life. These gatherings offer the rare opportunity to practice together in a shared space, to step out of the usual rhythms and into something more intentional, more awake.And next month, my new book, Inexplicable Magic, will be released. (Here is an excerpt from the introduction.) I’ll share more soon, but for now I’ll just say that it explores the same question that seems to follow all of us: what remains when we stop trying to make everything make sense?In the meantime, new podcast episodes are continuing each week. These conversations feel, to me, like an extension of sitting together. Not to arrive anywhere in particular, but to keep looking, listening, and questioning.Wherever you are, whether things feel open or constrained or somewhere in between, I hope you’ll continue along with me.With love,
Susan

PS: If you have any rituals or practices for making a home feel settled, please hit reply and let me know! In the meantime, I’m running around with juniper smoke and crystals and all the things that attempt to create kind connection with the extant energies of space. <3 <3 <3

The post Not settled, still practicing appeared first on The Open Heart Project.

Hello Wonderful Open Heart Project,

I am thrilled and nauseated and delighted to say that I’ve finished the manuscript for my next book. Thrilled, because it was created to honor my extraordinary teachers of the last three decades. Nauseated, because what writer isn’t. Delighted because it’s done. It should be out in the next few months. It will be self-published in print, e-book, and audiobook formats. (I LOVE SELF-PUBLISHING.)

My hope with this work is to remind us that meditation is not about stress-reduction or mastery particularly. It’s about waking up to the vast mystery that we consistently mistake for “me.” I think that’s an okay way to say it. But let me refer you to the words of Samuel Bercholz, publisher and teacher extraordinaire. He has published many great teachers, including Pema Chödrön and many Rinpoches and Roshis, so his words mean the world to me. Sam founded Shambhala Publications, the greatest dharma book publisher in the world.

He said:

If you’re looking for a book that will make you calmer, more efficient, and slightly better at meetings…keep walking.

Inexplicable Magic is about what meditation actually does: it messes with your plans, softens your defenses, and introduces you to a kind of intelligence you don’t control.

Susan Piver isn’t selling mindfulness as a lifestyle accessory. She’s pointing to the real thing—lineage, mystery, heartbreak, and the strange fact that what you’re looking for doesn’t come from you… it comes to you.

Not self-improvement.
Not optimization.

Something far more interesting.

—Samuel Bercholz, author of Rude Awakenings, An Unconventional Guide to the Buddhist Path and A Guided Tour of Hell

Here are the opening paragraphs of the introduction:

Picture this: Siddhartha Gautama (AKA Buddha Shakyamuni) has just attained complete enlightenment. After years of searching, fasting, meditating, and contemplating, getting closer and closer but never quite realizing nirvana, he decides to take a seat under a tree (now called the bodhi tree) and not rise until he pierces the veil of delusion. Which he does. He wakes up.

He rejoins his spiritual community to share with them what he discovered. There are many accounts of what he said, and those accounts have created the foundation of Buddhist thought throughout the world. He talks about the Four Noble Truths. He discusses the Middle Way. He teaches meditation. He does not say, “I’ve discovered a life hack, y’all” or “Meditation will make you a better leader” or “Trouble sleeping? This will help!” He makes no mention of cortisol, nor does he discuss ways to improve mental processes. Rather, I imagine he says something like,

“Please try to wake up from delusion and then help others to do so. We exist within a great expanse without center or fringe, so simply open up—to yourself, others, animals, trees, the planet, everything. Meditation practice teaches just this.”

(I’m guessing here, as you may realize.)

The pith of the Buddha’s teachings is not consonant with today’s meditation trends and this short book offers a counter-reminder that this ancient and profound and absurdly simple practice has a much more soulful context. It is a practice which breaks your heart open—first to yourself, then to others, then to this world, and then, at some point, to the great bliss of abiding in the true nature. Heartbreak is among the essential seed syllables. (More on that later.)

It is wonderful, of course, that in recent years “mindfulness” has become a thing. It’s important to know how to focus and pay attention in this world of surging inputs. However, it seems that something has gone awry. Rather than a path to wisdom, compassion, and bravery, mindfulness has become synonymous with stress-reduction, inner peace, and mastery. A short glance at search engine results for “mindful” reveals the mindful leader, the mindful parent, mindful sleep, football, marriage, communication, even mocktails. (Indeed, there is a book called “The Mindful Mocktail: Delicious, Nutritious Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Make at Home.” Bless!)

When it comes to meditation as a spiritual practice, mindfulness is definitely part of it. But it is only half of what goes on. I posit that this mysterious other half is where the magic lies. When we sit down to meditate, we establish an uplifted posture, allow our attention to rest on the wave of breath, and let thoughts come and go (which they most certainly will do whether we “allow” them to or not). If it happens one thousand times that your attention becomes absorbed in thought rather than breath, you notice this, let go, come back, and begin again one thousand times. (See Appendix A for full instruction.) This is called mindfulness. You rest your mind on an object of your choosing (in this case, breath) and whenever you space out, you come back. That’s all there is to it. In this way, you cultivate focus, precision, concentration, and…mindfulness. It’s a very great thing but it really has nothing to do with parenting or mocktails. Though your increased mindfulness may enhance your capacity for patience with little ones or making a baller Cucumber-Kombucha Margarita (which actually sounds pretty good), that is not its particular purpose. It’s simply a skill.

Mindfulness is the ground, not the fruition.

The other quality that meditation rouses is “awareness.” This is where it gets very interesting. Meditators the world over and throughout time have reported very similar results. Sense perceptions become more vibrant. Life patterns are intuited. Hearts soften. Insights arise. In other words, awareness expands. You see more, feel more, know more. (Riddle me this: how does this happen from sitting there doing nothing? I really hope no one knows because not-knowing preserves the impenetrable mystery—and one can have ultimate confidence only in what cannot be deconstructed.)

Mindfulness can be worked at. You can read books about it, try harder, hone it more and more deeply. Awareness, however, cannot be worked at, only allowed. In meditation practice, mindfulness and awareness are inseparable. They exist as a single enso.

Now we arrive at the secret gate. No matter how smart, learned, well-read, or well-intended you are, you cannot compel what is most desirable—love, wisdom, creative self-expression, innovation—to come to you. These are things that we receive. They are beyond conventional thought. Otherwise we’d all be running around fully loving and wise, spewing great artworks hither and yon. But it just doesn’t work that way. I mean, it can’t be a coincidence that some of the worlds’ greatest insights and ideas have come to people who are sleeping, showering, or walking.

Which brings me to what is probably the central point of this work on meditation as a spiritual practice:

What you seek does not come from you. It comes to you.

When we employ our meditation practice for conventional (albeit noble) aims like leading, parenting, sleeping, quelling anxiety and crafting mocktails, various studies tell us it will help. If you want these things, you could learn to meditate. But if you want to discover who you really are, deepen your capacity for intimacy, become liberated from suffering, and leap tall buildings in order to be of the greatest possible benefit to all sentient beings, you could release your agenda for this practice. Over and over. While the practice has the capacity to help you sleep better and so on, it is also custom-made for demolishing self-concept to reveal a much bigger self than you may ever have dreamed of. As it does, it cultivates the three qualities of the awakened mind, which far exceed anything you might imagine. These three qualities—remarked upon by great masters of the ages—are wisdom, compassion, and power (or bravery, if you prefer). These are the actual consequences of practice and, as such, meditation once again reveals itself as so much more than self-improvement.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more.

Love,
Susan

The post Meditation is not for self-help. It’s for mystics. appeared first on The Open Heart Project.

Hello wonderful Open Heart Project,

So far in our exploration of the Noble Eightfold Path, we have been laying a foundation for how we see, how we act, and how we meet our lives. We began with Right View and Right Intention, then moved into Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, and most recently, Right Mindfulness, returning to the placement of attention and the synchronization of mind and body.

Now we come to the final step: Right Samadhi, often translated as concentration or absorption.

What does this mean? It is not about forcing the mind to focus or becoming good at meditation. It is about learning to place your attention on something and, when it wanders, bringing it back. From there, it becomes the ability to stay with what you are doing, to follow it through, and to let your attention fully land in the experience.

There is also something more here. As attention steadies, it can extend beyond ourselves, into real connection with others, and even further into a loosening of the sense that there is a separate “me” at the center of everything.

Please have a listen. I truly hope this exploration of the Noble Eightfold Path has been useful to you. Let me know what you think. I always love hearing from you.

Warmly,
Susan

The post Ancient Wisdom for Difficult Times: The Eighth Step of the Eightfold Path appeared first on The Open Heart Project.

Hello wonderful Open Heart Project,

So far in our exploration of the Noble Eightfold Path, we have been laying a foundation for how we see, how we act, and how we meet our lives. We began with Right View and Right Intention, then moved into Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood, and most recently, Right Effort, the commitment to not give up on ourselves or our world.

Now we come to the seventh step: Right Mindfulness.

What does it mean to be mindful? Not perfect, not constantly calm, but present. Here, mindfulness is less about achieving a particular state and more about placing your attention on what is happening right now.

When attention drifts, as it will, we simply notice and return. Again and again, we come back. In this way, we begin to synchronize mind and body, resting in what is actually here rather than getting lost in what we think about it.

Interestingly, there is a kind of relaxation that arises from this. Not necessarily feeling peaceful, but being fully engaged. When mind and body are in the same place, something softens.

Please have a listen. I would love to hear what you notice, and any reflections or questions that arise.

Warmly,
Susan

The post Ancient Wisdom for Difficult Times: The Seventh Step of the Eightfold Path appeared first on The Open Heart Project.

Hello wonderful Open Heart Project,

So far, in our conversations about the Noble Eightfold Path, we have explored Right View, seeing clearly; Right Intention, examining our motivations; Right Speech, verifying the honesty of our words; and Right Action, understanding our impact and committing to non-harm; and Right Livelihood, bringing our work and resources into alignment with the path.

Now we move on to the sixth step: Right Effort.

What does it mean to apply effort without strain? To be diligent without pushing or forcing?

Right Effort is not about working harder. Most of us are already doing that. Instead, it invites a steady, caring persistence. A willingness to begin again, to stay engaged, and to not give up on ourselves, on others, or on the world.

This kind of effort is both gentle and strong. It supports what leads to clarity and lets go of what leads to confusion. It keeps us oriented toward what is beneficial, even when it’s not easy.

Please have a listen to this short talk, followed by a guided 10-minute meditation. I would love to hear what you think, and any reflections or questions that arise.

Warmly,
Susan

 

P.S. I’m covering the Noble Eightfold Path on my podcast. There’s an in-depth talk on Right Livelihood, Episode 48, that you can listen to here (if you want to).

The post Ancient Wisdom for Difficult Times: The Sixth Step of the Eightfold Path appeared first on The Open Heart Project.

Hello Wonderful Open Heart Project,

Today I wanted to let you know that my book, The Buddhist Enneagram, has just been released in a new edition by Shambhala Publications.

The book explores how the wisdom of Buddhism and the Enneagram can illuminate each other. Together, these two systems offer a powerful way to understand how we move through the world, how our attention organizes experience, and how we can deepen our relationships with ourselves and others.

In its pages, I explore the nine Enneagram types through a Buddhist lens and share reflections, teachings, and practices drawn from nearly three decades of studying both traditions side by side. The goal is not simply to describe personality patterns, but to offer a path of genuine self-discovery and spiritual growth.

Whether you are new to the Enneagram or have been studying it for years, my hope is that this book helps you see yourself more clearly and connect more deeply with the people in your life.

If you’d like to learn more or pick up a copy of the new edition, you can find it here.

Thank you, as always, for being part of this community. We’ll get back to the Noble Eightfold Path series next week (picking back up at Right Effort).

Warmly,
Susan

P.S. There’s a new episode (47) of Buddhism Beyond Belief that goes into more detail about the book available wherever you enjoy podcasts.

The post The New Edition of The Buddhist Enneagram appeared first on The Open Heart Project.

Hello, wonderful Open Heart Project.

In our conversations about the Noble Eightfold Path, we have explored Right View, seeing clearly; Right Intention, examining our motivations; Right Speech, verifying the honesty of our words; and Right Action, understanding our impact and committing to non harm.

Today we move on to the fifth step: Right Livelihood.

How can we turn work, money, and the effort to express ourselves into part of the spiritual journey?

Right Livelihood asks us to look directly at how we earn a living. Not as a separate, practical concern, but as practice itself. The workplace, our financial exchanges, and our creative efforts all become part of the path.

Certain ways of working increase confusion and suffering. Others decrease them. The question is not whether we are being good. The question is whether our livelihood supports clarity, integrity, and benefit for ourselves and others.

Please have a listen. I would love to hear what you think, and any questions or reflections that arise.

Warmly,
Susan

P.S. I’m covering the Noble Eightfold Path on my podcast. There’s an in-depth talk on Right Livelihood, Episode 46, that you can listen to here (if you want to).

The post Ancient Wisdom for Difficult Times: The Fifth Step of the Eightfold Path appeared first on The Open Heart Project.

Hello Wonderful Open Heart Project,

In our talks about the Noble Eightfold Path, so far we have explored Right View (seeing things clearly), Right Intention (evaluating our motivations), and Right Speech (verifying the honesty of our words).

Now we look at what we actually do in Right Action.

Right Action is straightforward. Do not harm. Do not take what is not given and act with integrity. Stay clear enough to know what you are doing.

This is not about being “good.” It is about understanding our impact. Certain actions increase confusion and suffering. Others decrease them.

The practice is to notice. Before, during, after taking action.

In this short talk, we explore how to work with this step in real time — Not as an ideal, but as a daily discipline.

I would love to hear your questions or reflections.

With love,
Susan

The post Ancient Wisdom for Difficult Times: The Fourth Step of the Eightfold Path appeared first on The Open Heart Project.

Hello, wonderful Open Heart Project.

I hope you are well and staying steady in these very unsteady times. There is so much upheaval in our country and around the world. Strong views. Strong emotions. A lot of suffering.

Where to begin to find any type of steadiness? In Buddhist thought, there are 8 steps on the path to sanity.

We began a discussion with the first step, Right View, followed by step two, Right Intention.

Today’s talk is about the third step: Right Speech. This teaching is always relevant, but it is now more than ever.

I share the four forms of unskillful speech: abusive, untrue, divisive, and idle. And I offer six questions to ask before you speak.

None of this is easy, especially when we feel afraid or outraged. But with meditation, we begin to create a small gap between what we think and what we say. That gap can change everything.

I’m covering the Noble Eightfold Path on my podcast. There’s a full, in-depth talk on Right Speech, Episode 44, that you can listen to here (if you want to).

Thoughts? I would love to hear them.

Much love,
Susan

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