snow covered peaks

Stoic philosopher Epictetus on taking action: “Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer. Put your principles into practice – now. Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This is your life!…

Already 2022 has taken two great teachers from us: bell hooks and Thich Nhat Hanh. Like millions of others I have spent hours reading over their works, learning, struggling, applying. When I read that bell hooks had died – I immediately ordered a copy of Feminism is for Everybody for my daughter – something felt…

Introduction As practitioners of the Buddhist dharma, we continually strive to act in ways that reduce the amount of suffering in the world, both for ourselves and for others. When it comes to animals, the single greatest impact we have on their suffering is the decision to eat – or not to eat – them.…

Dharma Rain held a small gathering on Thanksgiving Day for people close to the temple with food, deserts and games. I only attended after everyone ate, indenting to just say hello. I sat with my teacher, Genko and my dharma sibling and their wife, as well as a friend who I help often. It was…

by Domyo Burk at Bright Way Zen Center Why, in a tradition like Buddhism in which you are supposed to verify everything for yourself, is there such an emphasis on Teachers? Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Zen Mountain Monastery In Zen our relationships to teachers are complex and multilayered. Relationships with teachers, whether brief and informal or…

From Zen Community of Oregon

I am continuing learning to be the Jisha from my mentor. She is patient with me and has spent time outside of service to train me. The day it was my turn to run the whole service in the Jisha role, she was nearby but let me perform my tasks. I think I did OK,…

From aeon by Graham Priest. Western philosophers have not, on the whole, regarded Buddhist thought with much enthusiasm. As a colleague once said to me: ‘It’s all just mysticism.’ This attitude is due, in part, to ignorance. But it is also due to incomprehension. When Western philosophers look East, they find things they do not…

Cultivating the Way was my first non-weekend retreat. I picked up another sangha member, L, and carpooled. The day of the retreat I felt rushed, and regretted signing up at all – could I even do this without embarrassing myself? Could I sit that long? Did I get the right camping stuff? There was no…