What is the most powerful force that can help us live with maximum aliveness? Frank Ostaseski found an answer to this question through his work at Zen Hospice Project, a safe haven for those not long for this world. Listening to the last words of the dying gave him a unique perspective on what truly … Read more
Sometimes, you might need a personal consultation on how to meditate or overcome specific obstacles that hinder your practice. I believe my advice will be useful to those who consider meditation a part of their spiritual journey. As a lay follower, I do my best to embody the Buddha’s teachings in my daily life, no matter … Read more
Compassion is one of the core Buddhist practices that allows us, at least for a few moments, to step out of our ego-created shells and direct our energy towards others, to feel what they feel, and soften our hearts. Very often this is hard to do, for to feel another person’s pain requires not only … Read more
The subway car was unusually empty for a Sunday morning, bathed in that pale, underground light as we rattled toward the museum to see the new Van Gogh exhibit. Jane sat next to me, her coat neatly buttoned, her eyes tracking the digital stop announcements with perfect regularity. When the train lurched, she adjusted her … Read more
Chuang Tzu, or more commonly Zhuangzi, is the name of a great Chinese philosopher who lived around the fourth century BCE in the Meng province, present-day Henan. Chuang Tzu is also a name of a work considered to be one of the foundational texts of Taoism. Central to it is the belief that only by … Read more