One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his […]
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 […]
Non-Attachment to Views
This week’s Words of Wisdom from Lama Surya Das are from the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. The 17th Karmapa is the leader of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. “When spiritual beliefs are used to build up walls between people, this is a total misunderstanding of the purpose of spirituality. Spirituality should mean coming […]
The Second Mindfulness Training
The second mindfulness training of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh states, Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am committed to cultivate loving kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am committed to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and […]
President Obama Spoke To The Children
President Obama spoke to the children and grieving families in Newtown, Connecticut where 20 children and 6 adults lost their lives. He said, “We as a nation are left with some hard questions… Our first task is caring for our children… Are we doing enough to keep our children safe from harm?” President Obama answered, “No!” […]
Moral Injury
Today, I am in the beautiful redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Ben Lomond, California. The trees are so beautiful. People know about the redwoods in Muir Woods, and these are just as wonderful. Just a little while ago, I was walking on a path and felt a gentle breeze blowing in the wind. […]
Richie Davidson Came To Stanford
Dr. Richie Davidson gave the Meng-Wu lecture for The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University last night. I felt really privileged to be able to attend. Richie Davidson is one of the world’s leading neuroscientists and considered by Time Magazine to be one of the 100 most influential people. He founded the field […]
We All Have What It Takes To Thrive
Thrive is a two hour movie that has been reviewed on Best Meditation Videos. The movie demonstrates that we all have what it takes to thrive rather than merely survive. We All Have What It Takes To Thrive httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OibqdwHyZxk This article presents an expansion of three of the themes presented in the movie: interbeing or […]
Christian Wisdom From Meister Eckhart
Meister Eckhart was an influential fourteenth century Christian mystic. His given name was Eckhart von Hochheim. He lived in Germany and was a member of the Dominican Order. He was kind of a revolutionary for his time, He was tried as a heretic by the inquisition led by Franciscan monks. No verdict seems to have […]
Practicing Right Speech – Roshi Joan Halifax
The article that contains the source material for this post about practicing right speech comes from the Upaya Institute and Zen Center blog. Roshi Joan Halifax is the founder and leader of Upaya. She is also a dharma teacher in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, so you can expect to see a […]
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