Articles
Scenes from a Mindfulness Retreat: Introduction
I’m feeling better now. Not that I’ve been feeling bad, exactly; on the contrary, I can tell you without exaggeration that I have had more moments of pure joy in the last two weeks than I have in many years. And that’s been the problem. How do you handle it when your heart opens wide,…
Read MoreSister Cece Teaches Qi Gong: Intrasubjective Resonance and the Possible Function of God
It was 7 a.m. on the last morning of the retreat, and Sister Cecily, a 70-something Franciscan nun in exercise togs – Cece, as everyone called her – was teaching us qi gong. Though the retreat itself was sponsored by the integrative medicine department at UW Health, we were invited to participate in the regular morning yoga…
Read MoreCankī on Preserving Truth
All paths of practice must begin with a simple question. How do we know where to start? How do we know what is correct to believe? In the Cankī Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya 95; I rely on the Ñāṇamoli/Bodhi translation), the Buddha debates a young Brahmin named Kāpaṭhika, who has faith in the Vedas as his…
Read MoreIntroducing the Practice Circle
Many people come to the Secular Buddhist Association website with the same question: “Where can I find a place to practice?” Whether they live where there are no dharma centers at all, or the traditional practice centers available make them feel uncomfortable, they seek a place where they can share their practice with others without…
Read More"Occupy Buddhism" Notes from the Buddhist Geeks Conference, 2012
Ted and I attended the Buddhist Geeks 2012 conference this month, and I must say it was better than I expected. It definitely spoke to both the Geek and the Buddhist in me! There were Buddhists of many traditions in attendance, and geeks of all kinds from scientific to computing, and combinations of both. It…
Read MoreBody Meditation
Buddha directed people to contemplating the body frequently, and for good reasons. Meditating on the body: Helps get you out of your head Reminds us of our physical nature and characteristics Provides several points to settle busy minds Shows us the direct experience of impermanence and not self For the next couple of weeks,…
Read MoreStaying in the Body and Out of the Mind
We’ve all been there. An argument with a relative erupts, and on your drive home you relive the experience repeatedly, so when you arrive, you realize you weren’t aware of most of the drive. For the rest of the night, you replay that argument mentally, say the things you wish you’d thought of then, and…
Read MoreStephen Batchelor and Don Cupitt — The Future of Religion: a Dialogue
The following is a transcript from a May 20th, 2012 dialogue between Stephen Batchelor and Don Cupitt, entitled The Future of Religion: a Dialogue, chaired by Madeleine Bunting of the Guardian. Photo credit: Martin Zetter. James Blake, co-director of London Insight Meditation, writes: “This is a very lightly edited transcript of the dialogue between Stephen…
Read MoreThe Practice of Buddhist Meditation is Not for the Fainthearted
We’re hearing about studies that boast meditation reduces stress, lowers high blood pressure, and calms the mind. These all sound great, and perhaps over the course of time, meditation has that effect, but that is not the purpose of Buddhist meditation. In fact, if your meditations are relaxing and cozy, I’m going to be bold…
Read MoreWho Is The Ultimate Authority?
The concept of authority in Buddhism shouldn’t be complicated — yet it is. Many of us are already familiar with the Kalama Sutta‘s talk about how we shouldn’t rely on outside authorities but weigh what we’re told against our own experience. For many here this was one of the first reasons we became interested in…
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