Infusing Western Life with Tibetan Buddhist Compassion
“Why We Lie” is the cover story in National Geographic’s June 2017 issue. Even after 21 pages of reporting on scientific studies, various philosophies and anecdotes from an art forger, secret agent, impersonator, con artist, card shark and prankster, the “why” question remains unanswered. Identifying the whys of dishonesty is a psychologically complex task; there … Read more
There are those who, upon first exposures to Tibetan Buddhism, get the sense that it’s “not for me” . . . a mismatch of sorts . . . too exotic, too complex, etc. But unfamiliar doesn’t necessarily mean ineffective. *** The Dharma contains insightful perspectives and skillful practices that work with/for various sorts of personalities … Read more
Listen. Watch. Be aware. In time a different quality of being arises in you which is neither an aspect of your body, your feelings or your thoughts. It’s as if a different pillar of consciousness is gathering within you. Allow this to occur, and you will feel . . . no, you will know, more … Read more
Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries by Kory Stamper. Pantheon Books, 2017. A fitting choice to lead-off our list of suggested books. Kory’s book brings to life the hallowed (and idiosyncratic) halls of Merriam-Webster, a rich world inhabited by quirky and erudite individuals who quietly shape the way we communicate. Do you love … Read more
“Oh, How I love my self, the essence of my self, the importance of my self.” How thoughtlessly simple this is . . . until our Dharma Eyes open. *** Self-centeredness is an archaic trait, rooted in territorial animal impulses and ignorance of reality beyond personal areas of experience. Most ancient tribes thought their tribe … Read more
This year’s Earth Day observations, we had our first March for Science. Crowds massed in Washington, D.C., and around the world to support science and evidence-based research – a protest partly fueled by opposition to Trump’s threats of budget cuts to agencies funding scientists’ work. *** Science is a process. It does not pretend to … Read more
It is Easter Sunday, and I’ve been speculating on the meaning of this day through the lens of Dharma perspectives. Thinking, in particular, of the idea of resurrection . . . of a perfect, eternal energy ascending from and through the harrowing trials and tribulations of mortal life. In my own Buddha-speak . . . … Read more
And always, there is the outdoors. Trump yesterday signed a bill designed to unravel Obama’s policy/efforts to tackle global warming. There are many predicted results of this, let’s focus on one simple one: our wilderness areas are becoming increasingly endangered experiences for us all. *** How many of us have had genuine contact with … Read more
Our responsibility, as individual cells of a living organism, is to perform our functions as well as possible. Our own lives will grow richer and richer as the health of the total organism improves. The Dalai Lama refers to this as “wise selfishness” *** Responsibility is not a who or a thing. It is a … Read more
Dharma teachings can be extremely simple, quite profound, and/or anything in-between. (Often they are all of these, simultaneously.) In hearing these teachings, full of empowering perspectives and insights, people often think or say to themselves something like: “Makes sense” . . . “Sounds good” . . . “But it’s so hard to do” . . … Read more