Many of us who began to practice Buddhism as adults came with certain expectations of what Buddhism was about and what it could do for us. And likewise, once we faced the reality of how Buddhism is actually practiced in the West, many of us have been severely disappointed and disillusioned. First of all, if… Read More In My Tribe: Confessions of a Post-Buddhist Dissident
by Alycee Lane I do not like this man. Every day, if you walk by my office, you just might hear me mutter the words “motherfucker” or “racist asshole” or “stupid fucking man” or something like that, because as is often the case, I listen to the news while I work. And since Donald Trump… Read More Going low with Donald Trump
I had a wonderful time celebrating Vaishaka Day, the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana. I celebrated with the Sri Lankan community of Halifax, whom I had never heard of before; but apparently they have been celebrating ‘Vesak Sil’ for 25 years at the Shambhala Centre of Halifax. They welcomed me to their celebration and invited me to… Read More Blessed Vaishaka Day!
I was having dinner with some Buddhist friends recently. I started to tell them about my interest in Theravada Buddhism, particularly my interest in the Navayana or “new vehicle” of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. These were all Tibetan Buddhists, and they didn’t seem to get it. “What attracts you to Theravada?” I told them that… Read More Children of a Lesser Buddha
For all you Emptiness/Nondual junkies in Halo-fax: enjoy your direct experience. And to compliment the surreality of David Lynch is the sardonic genius of Chogyam Trungpa: MINDFULNESS IS NOT A TRANSCENDENTAL MICROWAVE OVEN A sudden zap works in your microwave oven. You put your food in, you zap it, and it gets cooked instantly. However,… Read More A Light Refreshment Break: David Lynch’s Surreal Promo for Transcendental Meditation
A Five-Part Series on Sexual Exploitation in Buddhist Communities. Part 1: BPF Rising Up to End Sexual Abuse in Buddhist Communities Link to original article in BPF Turning Wheel Media: http://www.buddhistpeacefellowship.org/rising-up-to-end-sexual-abuse-in-buddhist-communities/ Video Transcript Happy Valentine’s Day BPFers! I’m heading out today to join up with One Billion Rising, a movement to recognize that over 1 billion women and girls… Read More Rising Up to End Sexual Abuse in Buddhist Communities Part 1
When we resist change, it’s called suffering. But when we can completely let go and not struggle against it, when we can embrace the groundlessness of our situation and relax into its dynamic quality, that’s called enlightenment, or awakening to our true nature, to our fundamental goodness. – Pema Chödrön, “The Fundamental Ambiguity of Being… Read More Pema: Flowing with Change
