Even Children Know This!

These words of wisdom come from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) from his book, Being Peace. Even children know this! Children understand very well that in each woman, in each man, in each child, there is capacity of waking up, of understanding, and of loving. Many children have told me that they cannot show […]

The Perfection Of Diligence

According to Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, the fourth paramita is the perfection of diligence. In previous articles, we learned that the Sanskrit word, paramita, means, “Crossing over to the other shore,” from ill-being to well-being. Perfection and completeness are also acceptable translations. The traditional way of talking about the perfection of diligence is to […]

The Perfection Of Ethics

In the previous post, The Perfection of Generosity, we learned that the perfection of ethics was one of the paramitas taught by the Buddha. The paramitas are practices that take us to the other shore from ill-being to well-being. A common translation of the Sanskrit word, paramita, is perfection or completeness, as was stated previously. […]

Wholesome States Of Mind

In my previous post, The Four States of Mind, you’ll find the following quote from Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos: “Notice when flow happens and change your life to make it happen more.” If you haven’t heard this before, you might think that Tony Hsieh had an original thought. The Buddha taught the same thing. […]

How To Change Your Beliefs

This video was posted by Laura Silva, president of the Silva Method, on the Silva Life System blog. It was created by someone named Deborah and tells how to change your beliefs. This will change your life! Laura comments, …The universe is so abundant of everything it makes me wonder when people say they don’t […]

A Coincidence That Opened My Heart

I celebrated my continuation day on October 8. Micah arrived from Ashland, Oregon on the 6th. Rachael was sill in San Diego and was scheduled on a flight to arrive in San Francisco at 9:50 AM on the morning of the 8th. I had planned to pick her up at the airport and meet Micah […]

Be A Bell Tower

Quiet friend who has come so far, feel how your breathing makes more space around you. Let this darkness be a bell tower and you the bell. As you ring, what batters you becomes your strength. Move back and forth into the change. —Rilke Rainer Maria Rilke was a Bohemian-Austrian mystic poet and novelist, “widely […]

The Vanishing Bucket List

My dharma brother and fellow OI1 member, Peter Cutler, posted this article on the OI Discussion board on Friday, October 4. I wrote back that what he wrote fits very nicely with Dr. Sara Gordon‘s article, Undivided Self. Peter’s writing about the vanishing bucket list is clear and interesting. The Vanishing Bucket List Whether we […]

We Have Everything We Need To Achieve Great Things

These words of wisdom were sent to me by Lama Surya Das. He says, “We have everything we need to be and achieve great things.” This statement is very similar to what Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh says, “We have everything we need to be happy in the present moment.” [Read More…] Both of these […]

In Memory Of Dr. Martin Luther King

I offer this post in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King. He and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh knew each other and were friends. They both worked diligently for human rights and to stop the war in Vietnam. Dr. King even nominated Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize. In a letter to his […]