“You are not stuck with the brain you have. You can make it better.” ~Dr. Daniel Amen  At the beginning of the year, I had this whole list in my head about the benefits of dry January: drop a few pounds, sleep better, get those bright white eyes everyone raves about....

‘It is simply that when ordinary people hear a true discourse, because of their ignorance, there are a thousand variations and ten thousand distinctions. It’s like squinting your eyes to make one moon appear as two.’ Bassui Tokushō

Growing up in Jammu for twenty-four years, Ananya was a fiercely independent child who preferred the peace of her own inner world over the heavy societal expectations. As the eldest daughter in a family where both parents worked in the government sector, there was a...

Several months ago, I asked permission to ordain as a priest at the Berkeley Zen Center. To become a priest has been a lifelong dream of mine — or at least one that I’ve dearly held in my heart for the last thirty years of my adult life. When my teacher said “yes” to...

“I used to tolerate a lot because I didn’t want to lose people. Now I set boundaries because I don’t want to lose myself.” ~Anonymous I used to feel stretched and depleted in my own life, drained by obligations, and confused about why I felt overwhelmed even when...

I want to share a story, one that I think is important for us to recall at this time in our country. For as my friend Rebecca Solnit reminds us, our memory of the past provides us with the ingredients for insight into what might serve the future.  It is the story of...

‘May all those lost in the pain of jealousy find delight in the success of others’ Everyday Buddhism

“Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” ~Louise L. Hay There it was—glaringly obvious on the page. An embarrassing typo stared back at me from the backside of a brochure I’d...

For a long time, Jillian lived a life that was "pretty good." Nestled among the mountains of Northern Utah, she was happy and had known about gratitude for years. But back then, her thankfulness was silent. She figured that as long as she thought she was grateful, it...