Buddhism

I recently listened to a dharma talk by Buddhist teacher Tara Brach about honesty. She described a cartoon featuring two dinosaurs who look up and see an asteroid hurtling towards the Earth. One reassures the other, “Maybe it won’t be so bad.” The problem with denial is that it prevents us from seeing things as…

On December 21, 2020, the largest planets in our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, will meet at 0 degrees Aquarius, a highly significant event both astronomically and astrologically. This very special reunion of Jupiter and Saturn will be able to be seen all over the world. During the week surrounding December 21st, if the skies are…

I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” —J.R.R. Tolkein “The Fellowship…

When I am feeling down and alone,  I often feel soothed by listening to dharma talks by Jack Kornfield, one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. He moves me, often makes me laugh, and always gives me valuable perspective on the human condition. Listening to him, I invariably feel…

This is a picture of a sand mandala, a traditional Tibetan Buddhist symbol of transience. Tibetan Buddhist monks perform a ritual of meticulously creating beautiful intricate mandalas from colored sand, which they then ceremonially destroy, symbolically representing and reminding us of the doctrinal Buddhist belief that impermanence is the quintessential quality of our lives. My…