by Stacy Chivers
An essay on working in a hospital and how the dharma helps my patients and myself.
by Rik Polfliet
It’s a personal aspiration prayer that I wrote in a flash of devout inspiration. I thought I’d share it here and I hope it can be of benefit.
”Just as on a dark night black with clouds,
The sudden lightning glares and all is clearly shown,
Likewise rarely, through the Buddhas’ power,
Virtuous thoughts rise, brief and transient, in the world.”
Shantideva -Bodhicharyavatara (Padmakara translation)
by Rik Polfliet
It is a short contemplation about the fact that I sometimes chase some exotic looking butterfly and stop practicing Dharma for a while. I hope it can be of some benefit.
by Colleen Clemens
This work explores the connection between my yoga practice and my journey to become pregnant through fertility treatments. I come to realize that yoga and baby loss taught me to practice compassion for myself and to surrender to my breath and the present moment.
by Nyaniko Anagarika
This is an autobiographical essay of how I came to the Dharma, and how the path has been one of continually finding balance through the ups and downs of striving, ill health, love, and work in the world.
by Bill B
A short piece on my misunderstanding of transcendence in my life and practice.
by Melinda Ferreira
Surfing the ice-cold waters of New England, Melinda finds authenticity in living an unconventional Dharma.
by Larissa Ziesmann
An honest account of how following Tibetan Buddhist principles has helped me stay grounded,present and aware at the most crucial time in my life…trying to recover from a 15 year spread of heroin use…and all the experiences that were a result of that life. An account of awakening to my purpose and being honest, for the first time ever, with who i really am, where I really want to go, and what I can give in this lifetime.
by Carol 'Lorton' Shilor
Sweet Child is a story of clarity and awakening; in the strangest of places. This is one woman’s story of coming to grips with infertility.
by Anna Guest-Jelley
“The Official Buddhist Club” describes how I got my invitation to accept the Buddhist path I’ve been on for the past twelve years – at my dad’s deathbed.
by Sanaz Demehry
Meditation has helped me since the birth of my first child. Through the continuation of learning and developing of my techniques and expanding of knowledge of dharma philosophy, it has opened my heart, mind and soul in becoming more mindful and aware of my surroundings and the individuals and things that occupy that space. My essay describes how this has changed for the better my interaction with my husband, children, family, friends, and strangers.
by Chris W.
A reflection on crashing a Thich Nhat Hanh retreat when I was three days clean and sober.
by Nyaniko Anagarika
This is an autobiographical essay of how I came to the Dharma, and how the path has been one of continually finding balance through the ups and downs of striving, ill health, love, and work in the world.
by Joshua Shin
How my new zafu helped me understand the nature of attachment and human interaction, and I wasn’t even sitting on it.
by Morrow Dowdle
My essay parallels the development of my Zen Buddhist practice with my medical career, relating how both have been essential to my personal healing process.
by J. Victoria Sanders
This essay is about my love of Buddhism and the dharma, my failure to commit to the disciplined tenets of it but my desire to incorporate the principles into my every day life through friendships, love and finally, running.
by Patrick Groneman
Bowing and chanting before meals is not a custom that we have in our American culture, but they are forms of ritual that help remind me to be open and grateful. This piece reflects my struggles as a intermediate level meditator to have confidence bringing these meaningful forms of practice into our very confused world.
by Nick Walser
When Self is shown to be empty, what then is the purpose of Self Defence? Are we most in danger from external ”enemies” or our own fear-based reactions?
by Jason Howard
Mindfulness? Walking and knowing you’re walking? ”Why waste my time doing *that* when life is waiting?” I thought. And as a joyful, passionate person, how could I accept this teaching that seemed so focused on suffering? In this essay I explore my initial resistance to dharma and how through retreat practice came to fall in love with it and discover that the miracles of life, indeed life itself, was here all along.
