Today we’re so excited to share our conversation with Bruce Tift, author, psychotherapist and longtime practitioner of Vajrayana Buddhism. This summer, our friends at Uplift Kids introduced us to Bruce’s fascinating book Already Free, and we’ve been thinking about it ever since.
In this conversation, Bruce dives into some of the ideas in the book. He explores how to make peace with being human. He looks at two seemingly opposing paths—both Western and Eastern wisdom—and shows how each offers a vital piece of the puzzle. Where psychotherapy may teach us to bring our early wounds and disowned emotions into awareness, Buddhist practices help us recognize the deeper freedom that’s available when we stop identifying with the fixed self.
We loved that Bruce talked us through the ways we organize around our core fears, why so many of our childhood survival strategies still run the show in adulthood, and why real freedom often begins with simply allowing ourselves to feel uncomfortable without trying to fix or escape.
Bruce’s insights feel so useful for navigating seasons of growth—emotional, spiritual, and relational.
This conversation really helped us see that personal growth isn’t about achieving some ideal version of ourselves—it’s about meeting our actual experience with curiosity, compassion, and presence. We found Bruce’s wisdom to be gentle, honest, and deeply liberating, and we’re so grateful he joined us.
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STUDY “COME FOLLOW ME” WITH FAITH MATTERS
Getting to Know "The God Who Sees"
What does it mean that "God will bless me for my faith and righteous desires"? What are covenants, really, and how might I think about them? How might I think about money? How does God lead me by the hand? How can I learn to be a peacemaker? How do I faithfully wrestle with the story of Abraham and Hagar?
What do we make of the story of Abraham and Isaac? Of Hagar? Of Sodom and Gomorrah?
What is the story of Abraham and Isaac really about? What does it reveal about God? What about when our promised blessings never come, and God is silent? What does it mean to "flee wickedness" and "never look back"? What do we make of "Abrahamic tests"? Is there a healthy way to think about "obedience"? How do we deal with hard, challenging stories in the Bible?
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LISTEN TO A NEW EPISODE OF SANCTUARY!
GOSPEL MEETS DHARMA MEDITATION RETREAT
Putting on the Mind of Christ and Exploring Buddha Nature Through Meditative Practice
Join Thomas McConkie and Lower Lights for a 3-day meditation retreat in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 27-March 1.
This retreat will include:
Copious amounts of meditation!
Mindful walking, eating, and interacting with like-hearted pilgrims
A nourishing lunch provided each day
Detailed instruction and lecture on Buddhist and Christian approaches to meditation
Time in nature
An ongoing invitation to weave yourself into a community that walks the inner path
You will love this meditation retreat if:
You sense that the Christian tradition is more expansive than what you were taught to believe.
You prefer soul work to Netflix, but damn if it ain’t hard doing soul work alone.
You want to bring wisdom teachings to life through shared reading and practice
You trust silence, nature, and community to help you heal and grow.
You want to suck the marrow out of life. (Hat tip to Henry David Thoreau).
Thomas McConkie has been practicing in Buddhist meditation and Christian contemplation for over 25 years. He holds a master’s degree from Harvard Divinity School in transformative practice and envisions a renaissance in consciousness on the Wasatch Front.
FEBRUARY ONLINE MINI RETREAT WITH THOMAS MCCONKIE
Saturday, February 21st | 7-11 am MST
This month, I’d like to return to my original intention of exploring “rhythms of practice.”
Whether we take after St. Paul and “pray always”, cultivate unbroken awareness via Buddhist training, or Sufi-style, fan the flames of tawqā, remaining ever present to God’s Reality, there is an invitation in the Wisdom traditions to live in an abiding state of Grace and Wakefulness.
But how? The mind is unruly and modern life so fragmenting.
On February 21st, we will continue to deepen our exploration of the rule of life—establishing rhythms of practice to sustain us throughout the day and night. Specifically, we’ll pay attention to continuous meditation practice and basic strategies to help make this awesome shift in awareness.
Love,
Thomas
You can register here for $55 (registration must be completed by 7 PM MST the evening prior to the retreat to ensure you receive the link to join.)
We recognize that four hours on a Saturday morning is an investment. If questions are arising about format and/or time commitment, reach out to us at info@lowerlightswisdom.org—we’re happy to help you discern if this is right for you.
