Are we in touch with our rebel spirit, always questioning and testing? Can we take our “no fear” approach too far? Or by rigidly holding to the “right” rules and rituals, are we actually losing spiritual ground and just shoring up the ego? — by Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl
It seems that Western Buddhists today are pretty much aware that we need to get rid of the Asian backpack we are carrying around—with its heavy load of cultural forms and all the stuff we use to dress up the dharma. If we want to discover “what works” for us today, we have to look into this backpack, and see what’s essential and what’s for show. — by Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl
What does it mean to practice the discipline of meditation, when your kids or your co-workers are driving you nuts? When you keep making mistakes? If you can’t get away to a cave, how can you face your demons? — by Mitra Lee Worley
When we’re choosing a spiritual practice, a path or even a meditation teacher, what guidance can we rely on — how do we know what works? Even though a friend may be having a great experience with it, how can we know whether it’s right for us? How do we decide if the teachings of the Buddha are going to be a good fit? — by Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl
What does it mean to practice the discipline of meditation, when your kids or your co-workers are driving you nuts? When you keep making mistakes? If you can’t get away to a cave, how can you face your demons?
How important is it to get free of the Asian baggage we may have picked up along with our meditation practice? How can we tell if we’re clinging to the familiar for its own sake, or if we’re revering the truth? How do we evolve a Buddhism that works for Westerners without creating new obstacles for ourselves?
