Teachings of the Buddha

In today’s lesson, we learn some of the teachings of the Buddha that have come to me from generous dharma teachers, Zen masters, and other resources. The first is from Roshi Joan Halifax: What the Buddha Taught The Buddha taught that we should practice helping others while cultivating deep concentration, compassion, and wisdom. He further […]

Always Interdependent with Nature

When I first read Naomi Klein‘s interview in Tricycle Magazine, I was stunned by the radical nature of her statement about global capitalism. On second thought, I recognized that she was actually talking about how we are always interdependent with nature. She was expressing the idea that we cannot get away from nature, no matter […]

Celebrate the International Day of Peace

I invite you to celebrate the International Day of Peace with me today, September 21, 2015. The UN has dedicated the 2015 International Day of Peace to “Partnerships for Peace — Dignity for All.” In conjunction with Pope Francis‘ visit to the United States to speak with President Obama tomorrow, deliver a climate message to […]

We are Here to Awaken from the Illusion of Our Separateness

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (affectionately known as Thay by his followers) says, “We are here to awaken from the illusion of our separateness.” This quote appeared in a Tricycle.com article by dharma teacher Wendy Johnson. She is the longest-running writer for Tricycle Magazine. Her articles on gardening appear each month and we have been […]

Equanimity and Wisdom Work Together for a Happy Life

Andrew Olendzki is one of my favorite writers on Buddhism. Together with S. N. Goenka, we learn that equanimity and wisdom work together for a happy life. In the Tricycle article, Andrew says, “Mindfulness is the thin edge of a wedge that, if inserted deeply enough into our minds, will open them to wisdom. Whether […]

The Everyday Sublime

Stephen Batchelor is one of my favorite teachers on the path of the Buddha. His book, Buddhism Without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening is one of the most frequent books I listen to on my iPhone. His rational and nonreligious approach to Buddhism is refreshing and insightful. These words of wisdom by Stephen Batchelor […]

The Buddha Never Said

The Buddha never said, “There is no self.” When I first read this in Tricycle Magazine, I was as surprised as anyone. Yet, when I thought about it, I considered what Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh teaches. He puts it like this: There is no such thing as permanent and separate. There’s nothing that can […]

Focus On One Thing At A Time

Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence is the new book by Daniel Goleman. He was recently interviewed by Joan Duncan Oliver in an article in Tricycle Magazine titled, Focus: The Power of Paying Attention. Unless you are a Tricycle.com member, you won’t be able to read the whole article. What caught the focus of my […]

Forgiving Ourselves And Others

Last week, I wrote an article titled,  A Wise And Understanding Heart. In this article, I reported on my Bar Mitzvah speech in which I asked God for “A wise and understanding heart to discern between good and evil.” Today, I read an article in Tricycle Magazine about The Power of Forgiveness by Gina Sharpe. […]

Impermanence Is Everywhere

These words of wisdom presented here today were written by Lama Surya Das in an article in Tricycle magazine. Normally, I post these types of quotes directly on Facebook. However, the weekly words of words of wisdom chosen by him have not been available recently, so I chose these instead! Impermanence is one of the […]