Do One Good Thing (Dharma Talk)

I discuss strategies for coping with suffering and the importance of focusing on positive actions that we can take in this present moment.

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Magic Mushrooms and the Buddha Dharma

You meet all kinds of people on the road. Some of them are clearly running from something; a past trauma or an action they regret. Others are clearly looking for something; a tribe of like-minded people or a safe place to call home. This results in a strange mix of people ending up in strange places and sharing their lives for any where from a few weeks to a few months. You part ways knowing that you'll never see each other again despite your endless promises to keep in touch. But you always remember the people you meet on the road, and your life is usually better for having met them. Case in point, I met a guy named "Fred" when I was farming in Indiana who'd lived an insanely cool life. He did corporate America for a while, and decided it wasn't for him. So, he high-tailed it to Vietnam and taught English for several years before deciding that he wanted to become a shaman. After that, he made his way to Brazil where he wandered fo

The Buddhist Teaching of Oneness

The teaching of Oneness in Mahayana Buddhism is one of the most important, and oft-misunderstood portions of the Dharma. If we understand it, then practices like compassion and loving-kindness naturally become part of our lives. However, if we misunderstand it, feelings of fatalism are the result. One of my favorite explanations of this teaching can be found in the Vimalakirti Sutra. In it, a wealthy Layman name Vimalakirti falls ill, and it soon becomes apparent that he's going to die. In his wisdom, Buddha sent Manjushri to Vimalkirti's home to see if anything could be done. When he arrived Manjushri asked Vimalakirti, "Why are you sick?" And the dying man responded by saying: This illness of mine is born of ignorance and feelings of attachment. Because all living beings are sick, therefore I am sick. If all living beings are relieved of sickness, then my sickness will be mended. Why? Because the bodhisattva for the sake of living beings e

Marijuana and Meditation- A Buddhist Perspective

I did something a little different for New Year's Eve in 2017. Instead of partying with friends or sitting quietly at home, I took part in a 6-day silent meditation retreat at Buddhist Insights in Rockaway Beach, NY. The practice was led by Bhante Suddhaso, a Theravadan monk, and it was incredible. For 6 days I didn't speak, use my cell phone, or eat more than two meals a day. Instead, I did work practice, meditated for 6 hours a day, and listened to Bhante give lectures on Buddhist sutras. It was a challenging and awe-inspiring experience. But the biggest challenge I've faced now that I'm home is trying to explain it to others. Case in point, I was talking with some friends about it the other day, and one of them replied, "You should just smoke weed instead." That really pissed me off. I don't smoke weed for the same reason that I don't drink alcohol ; I see it as a violation of the fifth precept. But not everyone is me

The Same Old Zen

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