setthanada - the lion's supreme roar: March 2013

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.

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'

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Monday, March 11, 2013

ARTICLE FROM THE EDITOR: Churchyard Practice

Penshurst Church, Kent. Image by giantsfootsteps

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.

Thursday, March 07, 2013

Mindfulness Means Keeping Things Simple

VISHVAPANI WRITES: Most of us have no end of things to keep up with and sort out. In fact, life sometimes feels bitty, complicated and confusing, and we don’t know how to manage all the demands. Past a certain point we experience stress, feeling that we’ve lost the initiative. Here are some tips on finding an alternative with the help of mindfulness.

Is it even possible to live a celibate life?

Getty Images

BBC NEWS MAGAZINE WRITES: After another sex scandal involving a senior member of the Catholic Church, questions are again being asked about celibacy. Is it realistic for someone to permanently go without sex?

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Tuesday, March 05, 2013

10 (Science-Based) Reasons Why Compassion Is Hot

DR. EMMA SEPPALA WRITES: Science suggests that compassion may well be the most important thing in your life.

Monday, March 04, 2013

Bradley Manning & the Ethics of Communication

VISHVAPANI WRITES: Imagine you are Bradley Manning in 2009: a low-ranking US intelligence officer stationed in Iraq with access to vast amounts of diplomatic and military data. You discover much that you consider unethical. So do you keep quiet, or do you leak the information, risking the prospect of decades in military prison

The Art of Gratitude: A Simple Trick for Life and Work

LISA CURTIS WRITES: We “like” posts on Facebook and “favorite” tweets on Twitter without a second thought. But when it comes to expressing that appreciation in our offline lives, many of us born in the age of instant gratification can’t find the right button.

Sunday, March 03, 2013

IN THE NEWS: A lesson for us all from one woman's true compassion

THE GUARDIAN WRITES: A widow's care for the man who took her husband's life is a far cry from the desire for retribution we often see

Friday, March 01, 2013

Leeds Buddhist Centre: Oasis of peace amid modern life’s bustle

THE YORKSHIRE EVENING POST WRITES: Amid the hustle and bustle of the city centre’s Leeds Bridge area, there lies an oasis of calm.