I’ve had the good fortune of studying with His Holiness the Dalai Lama for several decades. Let me tell you what it’s like to study with him. His Holiness is extremely broad-minded and inclusive, respecting all religions and doing practices from the four Tibetan...
Mariana Restrepo: You don’t consider yourself a Buddhist. However, you often talk about Buddhist concepts as well as your meditation practice. Can you tell us how you first encountered Buddhism and meditation? Ada Limón: My meditation practice changed my life. When I...
The personal pronouns I use are she/her/they/we. My use of rolling pronouns is representative of my identification with a fluid spectrum of gender expression as well as my spiritual awareness that I’m composed of both feminine and masculine qualities. The “we” is a...
In 1979, for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s first-ever visit to the United States, the Episcopal priest James Morton invited him to the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City. The cathedral that day was full, not just with Westerners, but also with...
While he has earned many accolades, ask the Dalai Lama who he is and he’ll offer a modest answer: “I am a simple Buddhist monk, no more, no less.” His Holiness’ humility is a testament to his uniqueness as a world leader. Despite his global influence and remarkable...
The first time I tried to meditate, I didn’t like it. It was long. It was difficult. Worst of all, I felt bad at it. I was a college student attending a meditation talk and practice session. During the practice, I couldn’t experience anything but my default thought...
His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, is a living testament to the power of resilience and compassion. His Holiness’ path has not been easy, and yet, despite challenges and the loss of his homeland, his love for all beings has never wavered. His...
Three Years on the Great Mountain: A Memoir of Zen and Fearlessness (Shambhala Publications) is an inspirational call to practice. As a young adult, author Cristina Moon protested for human rights in Burma. She attended her first meditation retreat as a way to prepare...
I think what makes Buddhism unique — what makes it Buddhism — is its diagnosis of what causes suffering, which is called the second noble truth. Looking at the other noble truths, most religions acknowledge the pervasive reality of suffering, that it can end (if not...
As a Zen Buddhist, my starting point is: do not be sure. If I think I know the answer, I’ve fallen into a trap. If I think I “know” what spirituality is, or if I think I can say what it is, then I am no longer in touch with spirituality. The map is not the territory....