I am the middle child of five to a single mom who grew up in a small village in Quebec, Canada. We did not always have our basic needs met, but every summer and winter holiday was spent at my grandmother's in Toronto. It was hard to see other kids with new clothes and...

‘Dukkha: Literally souring, often translated as suffering or unsatisfactoriness. Dukkha is experienced when we are unaware, unawakened.’ Everyday Buddhism

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson Ever since I was about four years old, I knew I was different from the other kids. I was always on the outside looking in. As I...

‘Once you see, after clarifying your true nature, all words return to the self like waves by the thousands returning to the sea.’ Bassui Tokushō

I was in my late 30s. I had finally finished my undergraduate degree but lived in an isolated community. I had graduated but had no personal transportation. Then I lost my apartment. My family was not in a position to help me. My mother cried when she realized my only...

To live in grace and gratitude is to see the world with different eyes. It has been my desire to write a story on gratitude since the time I downloaded the Gratitude App, so first of all, I am thankful for this opportunity. My journey on this path of expansion and...

A decade and a half of substance abuse has taught me the value of resilience. At my lowest point, I discovered a spark of hope and chose to turn it into a flame. With four children counting on me, I made the empowering decision to confront my addiction head-on,...

‘Many monks who practise in meditation halls often just settle down in such places. Thus out of ten practitioners eight or nine are unable to pierce through the barrier of the patriarchs.’ Kusan Sunim

‘We see the insights we encounter not as ends in themselves but as part of a greater awakening — a path that leads to the unfolding of compassion, wisdom, and liberation.’ Everyday Buddhism