The more you practice the three trainings of ethics, meditation, and wisdom, the more difficult it will become for you to act in a way that is contrary to an ethical, compassionate attitude. Ethics arise naturally out of contemplating the three trainings. — Buddhist Teaching People ask me all the time why I read the…
Common Enemies
There can be no happiness for any of us until happiness is won for all. — Gandhi When we see our leaders and our prospective leaders doing all they can to pit one group of humans against another group I am reminded of Gandhi’s words. Humans are not the enemy. Poverty, ignorance, violence, and indifference are the common…
Meditation
Meditate on that which is beyond words and symbols. Forsake the demands of the self. By such forsaking you will live serenely. — Sutta Nipata I can’t tell you how many times I enter prayer or meditation overwhelmed by personal needs and concerns. The Buddhist truism puts me in my place. In…
Losing Heart
The greatest test of courage on Earth is to bear defeat without losing heart. — Robert Ingersoll As a former athlete I know a lot about defeat, and how important it was in any game we played to “walk out the locker room door with our heads held high” no matter what the final score. At…
A Radford, VA. Nugget
One of the benefits of being a published author is that on occasion you get invited to book fairs and book clubs, where you not only get to get feedback on your writing, but you also get to hear about other books. For me a bookstore, especially the old-fashion kind, is like a candy store.…