About five years ago, my sister Angie and I both happened to be in Europe. She was teaching in England, and I was working at my company’s branch in Dusseldorf, Germany. Yes, there was a time that I had a “real” job. After six months of that I extracted myself from the lifestyle (read: I […]
Craving Silence: Yoga Amidst the TV’s Yammer
When the neighbor’s TV continually crushes the peaceful mediation of yoga practice, a person either needs to take action or rethink his reaction.
Freed: How I Lost God and Gained the World
It struck me hard and loud at the age of 17 when I finally understood that I did not really believe in the capital-G God that had been taught to me since someone could press my palms together in nightly prayer. I had no faith, because I had no belief.
Spring Equinox Brings Divine Energy and New Beginnings
Springtime contains divine energy associated with new beginnings, dawning realities, rebirth and resurgent life. This is an opportunity to embrace our fertility magic, and the development of new concepts and plans that will reshape our future.
Social Dukkha: Addressing Suffering on a Global Scale
In reflections on western Buddhism, our writer ponders how to see beyond individual practice to address the suffering of the world.
Abortion and the First Precept of Buddhism
A thoughtful article about the spiritual and social questions about abortion that arise when a Buddhist reflects on the issue in light of his vows.
Creating with the Wild Will: Conscious Self-Expression
The impulse to create is so strong within all life that it must find expression, and as humans we have the choice to create intentionally or to create passively. Wild Will is choice in action.
Admit It. You Don’t Want to See the Truth.
In the film A Few Good Men, Jack Nicholson shouts at Tom Cruise, at a courtroom full of people, and at all of us really, “You can’t handle the truth!” But maybe we can. Nathan Thompson explores how we hide from ourselves and the benefits of seeing through the illusion.
Squirrel Watching as Meditation
Squirrels: the bane of gardeners and cranky homeowners; at mercy of speeding drivers and hungry winter birds. You might be asking by now: what do squirrels have to do with meditation?
Ashes and Snow Stills the Craziness and Stirs the Human Spirit
The spellbinding film Ashes and Snow was born out of Gregory Colbert’s journeys to India, Egypt, Burma and Kenya. He photographed more than 40 species — including a whale, an orangutan, a manatee and elephants — to create what critics call “a 21st-century bestiary.