There is endless suffering in our world, and there is endless compassion to meet it.
Frank Ostaseski is an internationally respected Buddhist teacher,
visionary cofounder of the Zen Hospice Project, and
founder of the Metta Institute.
Public Programs
Frank offers a series of public programs both in the US and Europe, often in collaboration with others. Frank’s primary work and teaching continues to focus on issues related to death, grief, loss, and mindful and compassionate care of the dying. His programs emphasize lessons learned near death that have relevance for living more fully. He utilizes curious inquiry and meditative practices to develop whole-heartedness and the clarity needed to enhance our capacity to be present for self, other, and our world.
Keynotes and Workshops
Frank is an inspiring and energetic speaker. He is a sought-after speaker for keynotes for regional and national events, and for talks at universities, and non-profit organizations. He has engaged diverse audiences from Harvard Medical School students to Mayo Clinic clinicians, to Apple and Google staff. His presentations span a wide range of topics including compassionate service, social justice, and the integration of mindfulness and compassion in daily life. Frank is available for speaking engagements. Contact him to let him know a bit about your company or group, the location of the event, possible dates, and the size of the participating organization.
Meditate with Frank
Frank leads Buddhist mindfulness meditation retreats throughout the USA and Europe. Mindfulness practice is a simple and powerful technique that allows one to see through the mind’s conditioning to cultivate wisdom and compassion. Residential retreats are generally 3-7 days in duration and include silent meditation and inquiry practices.
Upcoming Events
Frank’s Writings
Fearless Compassion in the Face of Violence
There is no shortage of human suffering in our world. Disease, war, famine, poverty, fear, school shootings. Each of us experiences pain. And, so it is reasonable to ask: if compassion arises as a response to suffering and there is so much suffering, why isn’t there more compassion?
Continue Reading Fearless Compassion in the Face of Violence
Kiss the Moment
The breath invites us into the body. John O’Donohue, the wonderful, wild Irish poet, once wrote, “We need to come home to the temple of our senses. Our bodies know that they belong… it is our minds that make us homeless.”
Portals, Not Problem Solvers
Too often, caregivers tend to amplify the patient’s fear or exacerbate the condition of confusion by focusing exclusively on problem solving. In so doing, they may intensify the contraction. Soon, the patient loses contact with their innate resourcefulness.
Dying is a Sacred Act
Dying is at its heart a sacred act; it is itself a time, a space, and process of surrender and transformation. The sacred is not separate or different from all things, but rather hidden in all things. Dying is an opportunity to uncover what is hidden.
Accept Mortality to Lead a Happier Life
No one alive really understands death. But as one woman who was close to death once told me, “I see the exit signs much clearer than you do.” In a way, nothing can prepare you for death. Yet everything that you have done in your life, everything that has been done to you, and what you have…
How to Tame Your Inner Critic
The pursuit of perfection is learned early on and, for most of us, becomes a lifelong addiction. It is an ego-based quest that easily can eclipse the soul’s journey to wholeness. This is why, in order to bring our whole self to the experience, we must address the often unconscious, corrosive voice of the inner critic.
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