A koan is a short story, a sentence, a parable, an image, a few words, a dialogue, a riddle that, at first glance, does not make any sense, being perceived as absurd, illogical, crazy, aberrant, or meaningless.  Example: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" Koans were created in the 13th century in China […]

  Proper Action  by Miranda Proper action, the fourth step of the Noble Eightfold Path, falls under the category of ethical conduct. It guides us toward living morally, peacefully, and honourably by refraining from harmful behaviour. Skilful action emphasises abstaining from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct, encouraging us to cultivate a life rooted in compassion and […]

Japanese Zen Master Dogen  (13th century ) used to teach that seeking something, someone, somewhere, all the time, is feeding suffering. We are always seeking whatever in the same way we are always thinking, always breathing.   1 Seeking to get what we don’t have:         Material stuff, a fruitful emotional/affective environment, peace of mind, control,          vacation, […]

Stressors are everywhere, permanent, intermittent, subtle, violent, sudden, slow, chronic, acute. They come from our past via memory, from the present, and even from the unknown future. They are mostly hidden in our subconscious or fully exposed consciously.   Stressors are defined as events, situations, or people that are perceived as out of our control or […]

         Being in the “NOW:  a Zen Dharma icon Thich Nhat Hanh is calling “NOW” a miracle, E. Tolle the “Power of Being.”  Being in the moment or in the “Now” is critical as far as Zen philosophy and its practice are concerned.  Why that?First reason: to experience our “original self” through the current genuine reality […]

Towards Equanimity to Serenity: a Zen journey. With our waves of stressors,  multi-tasking, and information overload -real and false-, finding and maintaining a sanctuary of proper mental balance and calmness is almost impossible to reach, and yet critical to achieve. This is affecting not only adults but also kids.  While facing stressors, Zen serenity, a […]

I will divide the talk into 3 parts:  1 regarding meditation itself, 2 regarding the meditator, and 3 Other causes for quitting.  A- Meditation: 4 main factors for quitting   1- The process of mindfulness-based meditation, meaning the “know-how” to meditate.   2- About its purpose: We don’t meditate:         >To relax body and mind for a few […]

                                              Proper Speech on the Eightfold Path ( 4th Noble Truth ) Proper speech is the third element of the Eightfold Path, falling under the category of ethical conduct. It is a practice of profound relevance, especially in today’s world, where we are constantly conversing in person and online. It is, therefore, essential to understand how […]

NIRVANA  by SUNIL  Nirvana is the ultimate goal of all Buddhist practices. In Theravada Buddhism, it is seen as a state beyond space and time, while in Zen or Mahayana traditions, it is synonymous with realizing one's innate Buddha nature. That may be a semantic difference, one describing a physical experience, while the latter, wisdom.  […]

 The art of being appreciative. During the day identify what you can appreciate in any specific moment. It could be anything. To be appreciative does not mean to associate it with something exceptional, such as a huge promotion, escaping a terrible accident, receiving a fantastic gift, or sharing a good meal with friends. Instead, try […]