What is the Universal Mind?
I once heard Tsoknyi Rinpoche comment that terms for the unconditional – such as “Buddha nature” or “unborn awareness” – need to be updated…
What is “Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior”? Part I
As many no doubt know, Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior is not an idea but a book, authored by Chogyam Trungpa. In the past…
What is the Subtle Body?
This is the second of five periodic articles reviewing some of the “best books on mediation.” Here, we take up an examination of “the…
Meditation & Divination: A review of The Taoist I Ching
This is the first of five periodic articles reviewing some of “the best books on mediation.” The I Ching might seem an odd choice…
What is the Bardo? Part I
The Tibetan word bardo has begun to enter common usage in the West. Bardo means “gap,” “in between” or “intermediate state.” In Buddhism, bardo…
What is the Unconscious in Buddhism?
In examining the Buddhist view of the unconscious we might first look at our most prevalent contemporary notions of this term. Sigmund Freud is…
What is Karma? (Part 2)
The Sanskrit word Karma means action, work, or deed. The word has its roots in the ancient Vedic teachings of India and concepts derived…
What is the Middle Way?
Your hand opens and closes, opens and closes. If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralyzed. Your deepest…
What is Karma? (Part 1)
It is impossible to build one’s own happiness on the unhappiness of others. This perspective is at the heart of Buddhist teachings. – Daisaku…
How to Bring The Monastery Into Your Kitchen
I recently staffed a four-week meditation retreat, called dathun (which in Tibetan means “moon-month session”). Dathun was designed by Chogyam Trungpa in the early…
