Pema Khandro Rinpoche recites a prayer to awaken bodhicitta

Pema Khandro Rinpoche offers a recitation from the Vajrayana tradition to awaken bodhicitta, or enlightened mind.

Compassion Has No Enemy

In the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, Buddhist teacher Guo Gu explored human violence through the lens of the three poisons.

Bassist.

How to Get Lost — and Found — in Music

Playing shows, writing songs, recording albums, and most of all, listening to music—it’s all a huge part of my life. I think a lot of this came from my mom. She seemed to always be singing, or playing piano or percussion, or dancing. From an early age, because of her, I saw just how much…

The Fleeting Feeling of Joy

A few months ago, I went out for a night of dancing in the Castro district of San Francisco. Gay men danced amongst queer women, who danced amongst gender-queers. Dancing in a circle, we sang along to the music of Adele, Beyonce, and Lady Gaga — music filled with words that encouraged us to love…

bell hooks and Pema Chodron.

Cultivating Openness When Things Fall Apart

Isn't that the kind of teaching we need these days, that difficult circumstances can be the path to liberation. That's news you can use.

How can a Buddhist strive to “save all beings” without inflating their ego?

Rebecca Li, Kakumyo Lowe-Charde, and Myokei Caine-Barrett answer the question "How can one practice for the sake of all beings without inflating their ego?"

Review: “Divine Gardens”

We review "Divine Gardens" by Mayumi Oda and The San Francisco Zen Center.

Sad woman sitting in meditation

How could meditation feel peaceful after a mass shooting?

Colin Beavan, a senior teacher in the Kwan Um School of Zen, looks at the meaning of meditation in light of unbearable tragedy.

Candle burning in the dark.

Two Practices for Times of Tragedy

Tibetan Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön and Zen teacher Bernie Glassman offer three-step meditations to help work with tragedy.

Review: “Long Strange Journey”

We review "Long Strange Journey: On Modern Zen, Zen Art, and Other Predicaments" by Gregory P. A. Levine.