Anyone who grew up in a fundamentalist or doctrinaire religious environment can tell you how hard it is to to think for oneself and choose one’s own spiritual path. In a child’s mind, the authority of one’s parents becomes totally merged with the authority of her religious teachings and teachers. Because a child is totally […]
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Tag Archives: self-responsibility
Looking at the Ninth Zen Precept-I Do Not Indulge In Anger
2010/04/30 
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Today’s post is a “guest” post—the first for this blog. It’s written by Don Mead, new friend of mine who I met through this blog. Getting to know Don and exchanging ideas about the Buddhism, I have come to appreciate Don’s insights, his intellect, and his dry humor. Don has studied and practiced Buddhism most […]
Continue reading How Insight and Loving-kindness Free Us from Mental Parasites
2010/04/15 3 Comments
In an earlier post entitled “Taming Elephants-How To Transform Negative Habit Energies,” I shared teachings from Thich Nhat Hanh on how to deal with what he called “habit energies.” As Thầy, as Thich Nhat Hanh is affectionately known by his students, writes: “We know how strong, how powerful the habit energy is. We notice that […]
Continue reading Yes-Buddhism Teaches Forgiveness!
2010/01/12 8 Comments
Reading discussions on blogs and various web sites about Brit Hume’s assertion that Christianity is much better suited to forgiveness than Buddhism, I was struck by two things: 1) How sure some Christians were that Christianity had a special monopoly when it comes to forgiveness 2) And how unfamiliar some people defending Buddhism seemed to […]
Continue readingMay All Beings Be Happy
- Looking at the Ninth Zen Precept-I Do Not Indulge In Anger
- True God, True Buddha
- The Difference Between Compassion and “Idiot Compassion”
- Ajahn Brahmavamso teaches Loving-kindness Meditation
- Now-and-Zen-Are you still carrying her?
- A Buddhist Mantra based on the Prayer of St. Francis
- Mindfulness of Breathing-The Anapanasati Sutta
- Buddhist Forgiveness-When We Have Hurt Another-Part 3
- Practicing the Middle Way-not too much, not too little
- Healing the Body with Mindfulness of Breathing
- Look at the Three Characteristics in Terms of Actions
- Thich Nhat Hanh – Healing Through Resting in the Breath
- How Metta Can Help You When Meditation is Hindered by Overwhelming Feelings
- The Importance of Taking the “Should” out of Spiritual Practice
- Can We “Choose” to Be Happy? No—and Yes!
- Ken Mcleod on how to use Thich Nhat Hanh’s Five-Step Method of Emotional Releasing
- Non-resistance and the Art of Resisting without Resisting!
- Don’t be fooled! There is a Way and We Can Walk It!
- The Importance of Compassion in Assessing Our Dharma Progress
- Jesus and the Buddha on Good Friday
Metta Refuge 