A few weeks ago, I went on a cycling trip with a friend across Scotland, from west coast to east coast. There’s a pleasing simplicity and clarity about these trips: you start at A and finish at B. The tradition … Continue reading →
“When all the living see, at kalpa’s end The conflagration when it is burning, Tranquil is this realm of mine, Ever filled with heavenly beings, Parks, and many palaces With every kind of gem adorned, Precious trees full of blossoms … Continue reading →
Where I’m from in South Carolina, churches often have billboards out by the road. Many of the billboards have quotes on them that are often funny or witty and they almost always point to some religious teaching that takes place … Continue reading →
There is a saying that, “When the student is ready the teacher appears.” Unfortunately a number of people take this as something magical: that somehow the teacher knows, and is just waiting for you to be ready, then they will … Continue reading →
Last fall I attended a four-day silent retreat at Pine Mountain Temple. It was quite wonderful. The weather was perfect, the people attending were nice, and, of course, the food was good. I had been on retreats before and was … Continue reading →
One day a farmer’s donkey fell into the well. It began crying out for help. The farmer tried all he could to work out how to retrieve the poor animal. He finally thought that as the animal was old, and … Continue reading →
Sometimes unexpectedly, and perhaps in times of need, extraordinary individuals may appear in our lives. Such an individual showed up in my life recently and helped make it possible for my husband and I to attend a retreat at Shasta … Continue reading →
One summer morning I was on my usual drive to work. Leaving my driveway that day I turned left, rounded a bend and was slowed to a crawl by the vehicle ahead; a small, red pickup truck of fifties vintage. … Continue reading →
Since as early as aged ten, I remember I struggled with the question of what is the purpose of life in general, and then my life – and how extraordinary it was that the world moved as if there was … Continue reading →
In the last issue of the Journal we learned from the Throssel news of the deaths of three of the UK’s long-time lay sangha within just nine weeks: Brenda Birchenhough, Vajira Bailey and Pat Oldham. Our deepest sympathies go to … Continue reading →