Life is very multifaceted. There is rarely, if ever a clear black and white distinction in many of the paths we must take in life or relationships. In Buddhism you will see many wrathful deities like Heruka and Yamantaka who signify our more angry, forceful types of compassion. Sometimes we need to be kind and […]
I love the stillness of a snowy winter evening. The quiet cacophony as each tiny snowflake lands with a small *tink* and, for a few moments, maybe a few hours, all is calm, still, yet expansive. I like to think that those small, quiet *tinks* of the snowflakes are the universe calling us to take […]
Gods: we project them first in the boldest of sketches, which sullen Fate keeps crumpling and tossing away. But for all that, the gods are immortal. Surely we may hear out the one who, in the end, will hear us. -Rainer Maria Rilke As I sit here in my overstuffed chair, I gaze across the […]
How much of our lives do we spend in sadness, anger, frustration, and worry? Probably quite a bit. Through observation of the mind, we can notice, at least for the typical being, a tendency to move in the direction of upset and negativity rather than peace and joy. But why is this? The Buddha spent […]
In Buddhism there is often mention of taking refuge in the Buddha. But what does this mean? In our every day, usual way of living, we are typically going for refuge, that is, seeking comfort and solace from the stresses of life, in things that don’t ultimately serve us. Things like internet addiction, alcohol, television, […]
In our society we are so fearful of change. We fight against it. We deny its existence. We treat it as a great misfortune. Look at how our culture meets death, the biggest change there is. We sterilize death. We remove it from our consciousness as best we can. Immediately, a dead person is taken […]
You are always, already whole and complete. This is a very important message to take to heart. You are constantly inundated with messages of lack, messages that tell you that you are not good enough, that you are not smart enough, that without this or that product, you are not whole. The outer world wants […]
It’s possible for us to establish a way of life that is conducive to being spiritual, mindful, and fully conscious in our daily lives. However, this requires practice and vigilance. There is never a point where we can sit back and say “A HA! I’ve made it!” Because as soon as we do, something will […]
I think people often turn to spiritual paths as a means to end suffering, with the expectation that circumstances which can breed suffering will cease to exist. The spiritual path can help point us to a more conscious, empowered means to move through the suffering where we have better tools in our pack to meet […]
Our minds are fickle things. They fly from one thing to another. Who knows from where the thoughts come or go. We oscillate from one role to the next. One moment we are an employee, the next we might be a mom, we don all these different masks and our minds go with us. Our […]