A female Buddhist teacher contemplates the question, “Why there aren’t more women dharma teachers?” and suggests a way forward.
The author shares a contemplative approach toward one’s environment, both inner and outer.
A father contemplates the Four Reminders, specifically the three qualities of a precious human birth, and offers an exercise to try.
A healthcare chaplain explains how the Buddhist practice of taking refuge supports her in times of crisis and offers a contemplation practice to try.
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
