Pope Francis invited Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) to speak about the signing of the declaration against slavery. Since Thay is still sick in the hospital, Sister Chan Khong spoke for Thich Nhat Hanh from a prepared speech. The speech is available in its entirety on the Plum Village website. Pope Francis invited spiritual […]
We Are in Deep Trouble
November 19, 2014 by
I just finished watching Origins, a movie about our roots, our planet, and our future. It made me cry as I thought about how we are in deep trouble. We are in deep trouble with our food system. This puts us in deep trouble with our health and our medical systems. This means that big […]
Thich Nhat Hanh is Ill in Bordeaux
November 13, 2014 by
I am sorry to report that Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is ill in Bordeaux. Perhaps these words of wisdom will help us remain strong during this trying time. “This body is not me; I am not caught in this body, I am life without boundaries, I have never been born and I have never […]
Forest Bathing
November 9, 2014 by
Today is November 7, 2014. I arrive at the Ben Lomond Quaker Center snuggled in the redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains. I walk in the woods a bit and realize I am forest bathing. The joy I feel being there is enhanced by the early morning sunlight streaming through the trees. The canopy […]
Taking Care of Our Families
November 8, 2014 by
Taking care of our families is just as important as dharma practice. Even though we are taught that “non-attachment is essential,” we must continue to love and support our family members. I find this teaching to be really essential. At a time when many of my friends were attending retreats away from their families, I […]
Can We Avoid Becoming Complete Robots
November 5, 2014 by
D. T. Suzuki was one of the seminal figures in bringing Zen to the West. He noted that our modern civilization is dehumanizing us at a rapid rate, even back then when he wrote in the ’50s and ’60s, he could see this was already becoming true. Now it is worse than ever. Can we […]
Can We Recover from Our Sugar Addiction
October 25, 2014 by
Two women walk into a bar and discover extremely dangerous white stuff…. Sounds like a joke, but it’s actually a powerful pattern interrupt for you and your health. Sugar is the dangerous white stuff that has probably hijacked your health, blood sugar, waistline, and taste buds. Can we recover from our sugar addiction? I know […]
A Buddha in Sitges
October 24, 2014 by
You read it right. There is a Buddha in Sitges, Spain! It was sitting in a window in a shop on the narrow street leading to the beach. I couldn’t resist taking the picture. This picture records a moment in time, according to David Butow. For me, it was a wonderful moment. For most of […]
Addicted to Beauty
October 15, 2014 by
I have always been attracted by beauty. You might even say that it is my principle habit and that I am addicted to beauty. When I see a beautiful women, man, child, flower, or sunset, I am definitely arrested. My attention goes directly to what is beautiful and attractive. Take, for example, the beautiful sunset […]
What Christianity is Missing
October 8, 2014 by
Today is my continuation day! I am celebrating with my wife, son, and daughter. We will spend some of the time in the lovely Napa Valley. Just eleven days ago, my wife and I returned from a wonderful gastronomic tour of the Catalan region of Spain. We spent ten nights in Barcelona, where my other […]
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