All We Ever Have Is Now

Yesterday, I posted a quote from Bill Cosby in which he said, “The past is a ghost, the future is a dream, and all we ever have is now.” Today we examine an article by Kelly Lawrence titled, “Harnessing the Here and Now.” The article appeared on the Shambhala SunSpace website from “The Under 35 […]

The Past Is A Ghost

The Words of Wisdom this week come from a surprising source. They were chosen by Lama Surya Das and spoken by Bill Cosby, of all people. I was astonished to see his name on an email from Lama Surya Das! “The past is a ghost, the future is a dream, and all we ever have […]

God vs. Science

“Let me explain the problem science has with religion.”The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.’You’re a Christian, aren’t you, son?’ ‘Yes sir,’ the student says. ‘So you believe in God?’ ‘Absolutely ‘ ‘Is God good?’ ‘Sure! God’s good.’ ‘Is God all-powerful? Can God […]

Don’t Despair – Take Action

The response to Peter Cutler’s article about the bombings in Boston repeated in All You Need Is Love have sparked another very interesting set of comments from other OI members. In particular, Mitchell Ratner, posted an article on the website of the Still Water Mindfulness Practice Center in Washington, D. C. His article, Despair Is the […]

comedian Patton Oswalt’s Facebook post, Boston Marathon Tragedy Buddhist Response, Violent World, Buddhist, Shambhala, Buddha Nature, Ethan Nichtern | Ethan Nichtern

Patton Oswalt’s Facebook post about the Boston Marathon tragedy, which went viral on the social network:   “This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We’d have eaten ourselves alive long ago.”     comedian Patton Oswalt’s Facebook post, Boston Marathon Tragedy Buddhist Response, Violent World, Buddhist, […]

In Praise Of Mother Earth

This poem came to me by email from the monks and nuns at the Deer Park Monastery of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in honor of Earth Day. IN PRAISE OF MOTHER EARTH (written by Thay, Thich Nhat Hanh)   Homage to you Refreshing Earth Bodhisattva Mother of this world with its many species. We want […]

Discover The Music of Zen Meditation

You don’t have to be able to read and understand French to discover the music of Zen meditation. Simply listen to this beautiful music with headphones. The therapeutic frequencies and binaural beats take you to a lovely spot in your mind. It is so easy to sit back and relax and listen to this music. […]

The Horrible Conditions Of Human Trafficking

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is now offering a retreat in Ayutthaya, Thailand. This particular day, Comeron Conaway’s attention was drawn to the horrible conditions of human trafficking, which is a major problem in places like Thailand. In this article which appeared in the Woman News Network on April 12, 2013, he ponders how mindfulness […]

A Lovely Poem By Merrit Malloy

During an elaborate discussion online with fellow OI1 members, one member offered a lovely poem by Merrit Malloy. The poem was offered in response to a thread of emails prompted by an article that appeared in the Guardian on April 7, 2013 in which Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn is consulting with high officials in the British government […]

A Poem Called Love

This poem was written by Nobel Laureate Czeslaw Milosz. I found it in an old issue of Shambhala Sun. I have never been good at reading or understanding poetry, but this one registered deep in my heart. Love Love means to learn to look at yourself The way one looks at distant things For you are only one […]