This post is about what the masters say about the present moment. Walking in nature can easily bring us back to the present moment when we look at the wonders of life in the natural world. Just think for a moment what got you right here, right now – what causes and conditions had to […]
Nurturing Practices
This article is a summary of a wonderful dharma talk on nurturing practices given by Sister Mai Nghiem, a French nun and Dharma Teacher in the Plum Village Tradition. The dharma talk was given on April 29th, 2016 at the Earth Holder Retreat at the Deer Park Monastery last week. I was especially moved by […]
The Divine Now
Living life in the divine now, the present moment is taught by all spiritual teachers from all traditions. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh says, “My path is the path of stopping, the path of enjoying the present moment. It is a path where every step brings me back to my true home. It is a […]
True Love Is Made Of Understanding
My teacher, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, is constantly reinforcing the experience that true love is make of understanding. This teaching is simple and profound. If we don’t understand our beloved, how can there be true love? We must develop the willingness and capacity to understand the person we love. True love requires us to […]
Empty of What?
When Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh talks about the Buddhist concept of emptiness, he always asks the question, “Empty of what?” Much of the time the answer is “Empty of a separate existence.” This means that nothing exists in isolation without interaction with everything else. If something did, we would never be able to access […]
Release and Let Go
This exercise to release and let go is part of a 21-day Happiness Challenge from Luminita Saviuc, also known as the Purpose Ferry. According to Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (if my memory servers me :)), the Buddha taught that the third and fourth elements of the first foundation of mindfulness in the Satipatthana Sutra […]
How Not to Reform the World
These words of wisdom from Ramana Maharshi teach us how not to reform the world. With the world in so much trouble right now from climate change, social, racial and economic injustice, and growing populations, we need to consider some methods to reform the world in a peaceful way. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh says, […]
A Walk in Nature Can Improve Memory
In a recent study at the University of Michigan, researchers found that a walk in nature can improve memory. The study was reported in a book by Michael Gelb and Kelly Howell called Brain Power: Improve Your Mind as You Age. They reported, “Poets and philosophers have always counseled people regarding the benefits of being […]
The Bells of Mindfulness from Mother Earth
The polar ice caps are melting. BONG! The sea levels are rising. BONG! The deserts are expanding. BONG! The temperature is rising. BONG! Species are becoming extinct. BONG! Water sources are depleting. BONG! The rainforests are disappearing. BONG! These bells of mindfulness from Mother Earth are ringing over and over again. Are we listening to […]
The Insight of Interbeing
The insight of interbeing has played a major role in many of the articles on this site. The insight suggests that all conditioned things are interconnected in a web of causes and conditions that defy critical analysis. It relates to the insight that the earth and it’s inhabitants are all connected and indivisible component parts […]
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