In the spirit of this still being a relatively new year, I thought that I would talk about what are perhaps the most essential teachings of the Buddha: the beginning teachings. I was wondering, where do you start?
So I researched the way the Buddha tau... Read more
How Generosity Opens the Heart
When we think about Buddhism, we often think about meditation—sitting, being mindful, contemplating. But that’s only part of the perspective. These teachings also have a lot to do with relationship: how we relate, how we manifest ourselves in the world,... Read more
The Happiness of Generosity
Dear Sangha,
The Buddha called dana—generosity—the first perfection of the heart and the beginning of the path. He taught that when we give with a joyful mind, free of expectation, something extraordinary happens:
We loosen the grip of greed and f... Read more
True Generosity: The Gift of Letting Go
The practice of generosity takes us out of the acquisitional paradigm of happiness that most of us get — particularly if you grew up in a Western culture — that your happiness and well-being will ripen when you get that degree, that job, that house, tha... Read more