A Pride Month Invitation

June is Pride month, pride can be defined as consciousness of ones own dignity…  In the LGBTQueer+ affinity group, you are invited to share your stories, the joys and sorrows of coming out - being accepted or sometimes rejected by family and findi... Read more

Developing Kindness and Contentment

Many Buddhist practitioners and meditators are familiar with the practice of Lovingkindness, or “Mettā.” In the Mettā Sutta, the teaching from which Lovingkindness practice arises, the Buddha lays the foundation for developing kindness and contentment... Read more

sea and sky

Thank You For All You Have Given

Today is the last day of May, the month dedicated to honoring the countless Pacific Islander and Asian American people who helped build America – our railroads, inventions, scientific discoveries, art and literature, cuisines, and cultures. I’ve loved... Read more

Is Life a Labyrinth or a Maze?

Do you think life is a labyrinth or a maze? I’ve recently been thinking more and more about this age-old philosophical question. Interestingly enough, I find that my answer is gradually changing from maze to labyrinth. Have you ever tried walking ... Read more

Gentle Buddha

Be Open to Wander and Wonder

Growing up in Japan where Buddhism was one of the primary religions, I had both affinity and aversion to certain traditions and rituals. Interestingly, most of my memories associated with Buddhism are funerals when we all had to sit on our knees for a... Read more

Faith, Trust, Confidence

The Pali word for faith is Saddha and is also translated as trust or confidence. It is one of the five powers in Buddhism, along with energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. When you practice mindfulness, you are developing all of these powers... Read more

The Meaning of Vesak

Many years ago when I was a resident teacher at the Cambridge Buddhist Association, I led a traditional celebration of Buddha’s birthday called Bathing the Buddha. A small statue of the Buddha stands in a bowl of sweet tea and everyone takes turns lad... Read more

The Key Benefits of Retreats

Retreat practice is the marrow of meditation. The precious privilege we sometimes have when the stars align and all the right causes and conditions of our intentions and efforts to go on retreat all seem to come to fruition. Retreat practice for m... Read more

Find Sanctuary in Community

“The sangha is an island of peace.”  Thich Nhat Hanh We cannot walk this path alone. As the famous story goes, the Buddha and his devoted attendant, Ananda, were sitting alone on a hill together, overlooking the plains of the Ganges. Feeling i... Read more