photo by Paul Davis Dharma Talk at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom August 17, 2010 Good morning, dear Sangha. Here we are in the University of Nottingham, at our retreat, “Living Mindfully, Living Peacefully.” The other day, we spoke about the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, the four domains of…
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An Informal Invitation to Sitting Meditation
This piece is partly a response to practicing in the midst constant sirens on the twenty-first...
Breathing In: Breastfeeding as a Spiritual Practice
The Sangha dwells in mindfulness day and night, providing the foundation for us to realize the fruit of meditation. – Thich Nhat Hanh Thich Nhat Hanh writes, in his book The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching, “Sangha is the fourfold community of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, as well as the…
Open Eyes
By Sam Dubois Please do not ask me to shut my eyesuntil you have demonstrated what a lotus isand how I may be able to be it;until you can show me how to understandthat along with the terrible, even unspeakable,I carry along some kind of potential.I do not mean to…
Deadlines, Hanging Out, and Spiritual Practice
By Charles Suhor It wasn’t until late in my career that I saw connections between my spiritual practice, deadlines, and deep listening to colleagues and friends. It wasn’t until retirement that I linked all of those things to what’s commonly called “hanging out.” In the Workplace My job was a…
Aspiring Bodhisattvas
Reflections on the Order of Interbeing Order of Interbeing Retreat, Blue Cliff Monastery, 2016. Photo by Paul Davis The Order of Interbeing is very dear to me. It has been a source of support, encouragement, and inspiration since I became a member in 1993. I am honored I have been…
Dharma Talk: A New Teaching on the Twelve Nidanas
photo by Robert Felker Editors’ note: This is Part II of the Dharma talk from November 29, 2012. Part I is available here. We know that there is a dimension of reality called the historical dimension. We live in our time; we live in history. Therefore, in the historical dimension,…
Beginning Anew
In Plum Village, we practice a ceremony called, "Beginning Anew," which goes all the way back to the Buddha. Families in great difficulties have been saved by this ceremony, and lay and monastic communities have reestablished their harmony, thanks to it. I feel grateful for this simple ceremony every time I see the effect of…
Dharma Talk: The Four Immeasurable Minds
During the lifetime of the Buddha, those of the Brahmanic faith prayed that after death they would go to Heaven to dwell eternally with Brahma, the universal God. One day a Brahmin man asked the Buddha, "What can I do to be sure that I will be with Brahma after…
Just Listening
By Christian McEwen Christian and the Giant Ear; photo by Laura Iveson “To talk with someone ask a question first, then—listen.”—Antonio Machado For several years now, I have been gathering material for a book on listening. So when a local business association advertised a small grant focusing on “art in…