YOGA JOURNAL WRITES: Tao Porchon-Lynch, the yoga teacher who made headlines last year when she was recognized by Guinness Book of World Record as the “Oldest Living Yoga Teacher,” celebrated her 95th birthday yesterday.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
IN THE NEWS: Adam Tebbe announces comprehensive “Zen in America” film project
BUDDHADHARMA WRITES: The Sweeping Zen site brands itself as “the definitive online who’s who in Zen,” and now editor Adam Tebbe has announced his ambition to make an equally comprehensive film about Zen in America.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
IN THE NEWS: National Investigation Agency takes over Bodh Gaya blasts probe
THE TIMES OF INDIA WRITES: PATNA: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the investigation of the serial bomb blasts at Mahabodhi Temple in BodhGaya on July 7. Principal secretary, home, Amir Subhani said the state government received a communique from the MHA on Tuesday night.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
The Lazy Person’s Guide To Not Being Lazy
MATTHEW M. McEWAN WRITES: Do you feel dead tired after work? Can’t wait to sit down in that comfortable sofa of yours? Basically, you feel lazy, right?
You see, what I have noticed is how the negative spiral of laziness just takes a big hold of our entire lives and never lets go. Until we really make a change that is.
Friday, May 24, 2013
IN THE NEWS: Thailand Celebrates World Day of Vesak 2013
DAY NEWS WRITES: The Thai government, together with the Office of National Buddhism is preparing for several activities to commemorate World Day of Vesak from May 18 to 24, 2013.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Music and Memory: Using Music to Treat Alzheimer’s
MINDFUL LIVING NETWORK WRITES: Music may brighten our day, but for seniors suffering from dementia, it can do so much more. Non-profits organizations like Music and Memory are leading the way, using music to help elders recall memories, reduce their anxiety, and improve their sociability.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
FOCUS ON SANGHA: Christmas Humphreys
When my interest of Buddhism was kindled as a secondary school
student, the first book I bought was ‘Buddhism, An introduction and guide’,
written by Christmas Humphreys. Over the last century, Christmas Humphrey’s
numerous literary works and endeavours elsewhere within Western Buddhism have
inspired and educated many.
IN THE NEWS: Peace and reconciliation are possible if Thai citizens and politicians renew and apply engaged Buddhism in their lives and political activities
THE BANGKOK POST WRITES: The interview with Zen master and Buddhist icon Thich Nhat Hanh was unique. He did not impart his message through words, but principally through his being and interaction with the interviewer.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
ARTICLE FROM THE EDITOR: Observing the Uposatha
“So whoever — man or woman — is endowed with the virtues of the eight-factored Uposatha, having done meritorious deeds, productive of bliss, beyond reproach, goes to the heavenly state.”
Muluposatha Sutta: The Roots of the Uposatha, AN 3.70.
Uposatha is a day of observance for both monastic and lay Buddhist communities around the world. This time-honoured tradition has been maintained since the time of Gautama Buddha and continues to be practiced as the Enlightened One intended.
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Friday, May 17, 2013
IN THE NEWS: UK Census: religion by age, ethnicity and country of birth
THE GUARDIAN WRITES: Muslims are the most ethnically diverse, Christians the oldest and Hindus are the most likely not to be born in the UK. Here is what the latest 2011 census data tells us...
The Buddhist Concept of Impermanence
MANAV SIMHA WRITES: Early Buddhism dealt with the problem of impermanence in a very rationale manner. This concept is known as anicca in Buddhism, according to which, impermanence is an undeniable and inescapable fact of human existence from which nothing that belongs to this earth is ever free.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Worry Beads
CLARK STRAND WRITES: TAKE UP A BUDDHIST MALA, and right away you notice how good it feels in your hands. The same is true of the prayer beads of any religious tradition. First, there is the soothing feel of the beads themselves, which only increases as they become smoother or darken with use. Then there is what they symbolize—the tangible link to an age-old tradition.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
When I Die : Lessons from the Death Zone
WHENIDIEFILM WRITES: In "When I Die" Philip Gould shares his thoughts and insights as he confronts his impending death from oesophageal cancer. How do we approach death whilst embracing life? How can we change the conversation around death and palliative care for the terminally ill?
Friday, May 10, 2013
IN THE NEWS: Tamerlan Tsarnaev Buried: Body Of Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Entombed At Undisclosed Location
THE HUFFINGTON POST WRITES: WORCESTER, Mass. -- The body of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was entombed in an unknown gravesite Thursday after police said an anonymous person stepped forward to help arrange the secret burial.
Thursday, May 09, 2013
Build a Regret-Free Life
MINDFUL MAGAZINE WRITES: Bronnie Ware, author of The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, on what she learned while working in palliative care and how her meditation practice saved her life.
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
IN THE NEWS: Tamerlan Tsarnaev Burial Spot: Paul Douglas Keane Offers Plot To Deceased Boston Bombing Suspect
THE HUFFINGTON POSTS WRITES: A Vermont man is offering to donate a burial plot to deceased Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev.
Tsarnaev's family has struggled for weeks to find a location willing to bury him.
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
IN THE NEWS: Buddha Buzz: Sex Tape and the Sangha
TRICYCLE WRITES: In Lowell, Massachusetts, a sex-tape scandal involves neither unscrupulous celebrities nor hapless victims of disgruntled exes, but a Buddhist temple, a monk, and a community organizer with some shady finances.
Saturday, May 04, 2013
Dalai Lama calls for end to violence in Burma/Myanmar
JAMES BLAKE WRITES: Read on for links to statements by the Dalai Lama and other leading Buddhists, plus sources for following the news from Burma.
Thursday, May 02, 2013
IN THE NEWS: Buddhist leaders use technology to reach masses
YONHAP NEWS WRITES: Seoul, South Korea -- Yes, South Korea is the most wired country in the world, but the preconceived stereotypes of Buddhist monks living in ascetic, rustic conditions nevertheless do not blend well with smartphones.
A state of mindfulness
DANIELLE KIRK WRITES: It’s 5.30am. It’s dark outside the yoga studio, it’s dark behind my eyelids and I’m struggling to focus on anything that isn’t my stomach. It may not be the most fortuitous of starts to 31 days of mindfulness, but it can only go up from here.
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
The Mouse That Roared
H.E JETSUN KHANDRO RINPOCHE WRITES: This morning, a little mouse—probably more than one—got run over by our tractor. Please include these mice in your prayers today, as well as all the many seen and unseen animals that we accidentally, unintentionally, and so often run over with our various machines. Only those that are visible strike our hearts very much; but if you could see the invisible numbers of beings killed on the land, it is many times that. So light a few butterlamps dedicated to all of them and keep them in your prayers.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
IN THE NEWS: Tibet issue is raised by France with China
THE EXAMINER WRITES: On April 26, 2013, the Central Tibetan Administration reported, France Raises Tibet Issue with China. French President Francois Hollande has said he raised the issue of Tibet during his talks with the new leadership in China. The situation in Tibet has been becoming increasingly tragic as 117 Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest against the Chinese government’s repressive policies in Tibet.
RECIPE: One-pan summer eggs
FROM BBC GOOD FOOD: Satisfy your hunger with this fresh and easy vegetarian supper, or brunch if you prefer
5 Flexible Jobs for Flexible People
MY YOGA ONLINE WRITES: If you’re a yoga enthusiast, along with being physically flexible, you may have also adopted a flexible mindset. Breathing,meditation, focus -- doing these on a regular basis can kind of change your whole outlook on life.
IN THE NEWS: A sacred strategy emerges
THE NATION WRITES: A breeze was blowing, the birds were singing. It was a sunny day in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pakchong district, perfect for a rare interview with the globally revered Vietnamese Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Urban Food Forests in Seattle
MINDFUL LIVING NETWORK WRITES: Seattle, Washington is reported to be one of the top ten green cities in the United States. And, it seems now that Seattle is taking their eco-friendly initiative a step further by planting the largest urban food forest on public land in the U.S.
IN THE NEWS: Nepali TV host earns Guinness record for longest talk show
REUTERS
WRITES: A Nepali television host has earned the Guinness world record for the
longest television talk show in a marathon discussion about the founder of
Buddhism which lasted more than two days.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
IN THE NEWS: Buddhism in the Midwest
The genre of Jataka Legends
DR. SENARATH TENNAKOON WRITES: The Pali Cannon is also known as the Tipitaka (three baskets). The Vinaya Pitaka (monastic law), Sutta Pitaka (The Buddha's Discourses) and Abhidhamma (scholastic treaties) are these three baskets. The fifth and last division of the Sutta Pitaka is caleed Khuddaka Nikaya (Minor collection). Under the Khuddaka Nikaya there are fifteen works in all and the title of the tenth book is the Jataka (Birth Stories) which contains 547 stories of the Buddha's previous lives.
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Thursday, April 11, 2013
Random act of kindness surprises area couple
FOX 11 NEWS WRITES: GREEN BAY - A simple trip to Green Bay's East Town Mall turned into an unexpected gift for a local double amputee. But this random act of kindness will impact more than just the one individual.
IN THE NEWS: Zen and the art of keeping the NHS bill under control
THE GUARDIAN WRITES: Jon Kabat-Zinn is widely credited as the man who brought Zen Buddhism to the masses. Now he's bringing it to Downing Street.
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Saturday, April 06, 2013
Food is My Friend: 6 Tips for Mindful Eating
AMANDA OWEN WRITES: Thank you for this food we are about to eat.
Many of us grew up with families who began each meal with a blessing. These prayers followed people from generation to generation like an affectionate family member showing up when everyone sat down at the dinner table.
These days, this honoring ritual is largely absent as we pick up food in a bag at a drive-through window, eat from cartons taken directly from the refrigerator without bothering to put the food on a plate or sit down, and spend meal times separated from family members.
When did our connection to the food we eat become so distant and problematic?
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
IN THE NEWS: Blackwater to Integrate Intensive Mindfulness Course into Tactics and Weapons Training
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ARTICLE FROM THE EDITOR: The Four Divine Abodes
The Four Divine Abodes (Pāli: cattāri brahma-vihāra) are four virtuous states of mind which once developed, according to the Lord Buddha, lead to higher rebirth in the Brahma realm (Pāli: Brahmaloka) and beyond. To cultivate each of the Four Divine Abodes, there are four corresponding meditation practices.
Changing My Mind, Year After Year
JACK KORNFIELD WRITES: Asked to reflect on how I have changed my mind and perspective over years of Dharma practice and teaching, I recognize that I have changed my mind about a hundred things. Effort in meditation is one example.
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Friday, March 29, 2013
Love letters and kindness may improve mental health
BBC NEWS WRITES: "You matter to me. In a way I cannot explain, you matter to me. And you, you are a marvel... you and all the parts of you." It's not the kind of thing you normally write to a complete stranger.
But after graduating from college and moving to New York City, Hannah Brencher was feeling anxious and depressed. She found herself not wanting to be around other people and "just really unravelling".Then she started writing love letters to strangers and leaving them all over the city. The first letter she left on a train simply addressed: "If you find this letter then it's for you."Wednesday, March 27, 2013
IN THE NEWS: UN Official Says Muslims Targeted in Burma
BIG NEWS NETWORK WRITES: UNITED NATIONS The United Nations' top official for Burma said Tuesday that recent sectarian violence in the central part of the country was "clearly targeted" against Muslim communities in the mostly Buddhist nation.
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Thursday, March 21, 2013
The Science and Soul of Giving
MINDFUL LIVING NETWORK WRITES: “Helper’s high” is the term used to describe the euphoric feeling we experience when we give to others. As we shift from focusing on our own troubled busy lives, we turn from the shadows of daily life and open our hearts to the magnificent
light and love possible this month
IN THE NEWS: China police accuse Tibetan of killing wife amid latest 'self-immolation protest'
THE GUARDIAN WRITES: Critics claim Sichuan authorities detained husband after his refusal to blame self-immolation on 'domestic problems'
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Tuesday, March 19, 2013
IN THE NEWS: Thai Buddhist leaders pray for poached elephants, call for end to ivory use
THE BUDDHIST CHANNEL WRITES: Bangkok, Thailand -- As world governments meet here to discuss global wildlife trade, revered Thai Buddhist leaders today held the first-ever Buddhist merit-making ceremony to pray for the tens of thousands of elephants poached annually. They also called on their congregations and other temples to reject the use and trade of ivory.
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4 Simple Ways to Focus on the Positive
ALI LUKE WRITES: If you read any personal development advice, you’ll rather quickly come across the idea that it’s important to focus on positive aspects of life. Rather than dwelling on what could be better or what you feel you should be doing, you’re encouraged to pay attention to the areas which are already going well.
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Sunday, March 17, 2013
Just Remember, Thoughts Aren’t Facts
ELISHA GOLDSTEIN, PH.D. WRITES: A wise man once said, “Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your unguarded thoughts.”
~ The Buddha
IN THE NEWS: Sri Lanka bars Briton with Buddha tattoo
THE DAILY STAR WRITES: COLOMBO: Sri Lanka denied entry to a British tourist sporting a Buddha tattoo on his arm because he showed disrespect to Buddhism, a newspaper report said Saturday.
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Tuesday, March 12, 2013
FOCUS ON SANGHA: Ajahn Chah
Ajahn Chah is one of the great meditation masters of the twentieth century and was responsible for propagating the spread of the Thai Forest Tradition to the West. Respected and loved by all those who were fortunate enough to meet him, he left a vast legacy of monasteries, students, books and talks. His seventy-three year life was one of complete dedication to the practice and teaching of Dhammavinaya, the doctrine and discipline set out by the Buddha.
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IN THE NEWS: China launches crackdown on personal cellphones in Tibet's capital
THE TIBET POST WRITES: Dharamshala: - After setting up satellites dishes and broadcast equipment on fire, Chinese authorities in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, have now begun implementing a campaign to search personal cellphones owned by Tibetans, particularly those in monastic institutions.
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Monday, March 11, 2013
ARTICLE FROM THE EDITOR: Churchyard Practice
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Penshurst Church, Kent. Image by giantsfootsteps
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Burial grounds, churchyards, graveyards and cemeteries, can provide us with a space for relaxation and contemplation. Whilst providing a respite from the turbulent and crowded high streets, these wonderful spaces can also provide the opportunity for deeper reflection regarding the true nature of reality.
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Thursday, March 07, 2013
Mindfulness Means Keeping Things Simple
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