In the recent election we chose leaders who will be required to stand with us through perhaps the most difficult period, for humans, in planet Earth’s history. No matter how much faith we might have in the country’s new leadership, our anxiety about the situation is understandable, because we know that no matter what we do we cannot avoid the karma that is coming—especially the [...]
About Alice Walker
Suffering Too Insignificant for the Majority to See
In this groundbreaking talk to participants at the first-ever African-American Buddhist retreat, Alice Walker describes the great toll, both personal and societal, of racism in America, and how Buddhism has helped her heal its wounds. This was not an area of large plantations, since the land is hilly with some bottoms of rich soil. Whites usually had small or medium-sized [...]
The Days I Like Best Have Meditation, Lovemaking, Eating Scones in Them
May 23, 1999 There is nothing To say I am content. Zelie On her blue bike Has gone off To feed The dogs. The Writer’s Life During those times I possess the imagination to ignore The chaos I live The writer’s life: I lie in bed Gazing out The window. To my right I notice My neighbor Is always painting And repainting His house. To my left My other [...]
Good Medicine For This World
Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön and novelist Alice Walker on how tonglen meditation practice opens our heart, expands our vision, and plants the seeds of love in our lives. From an evening of discussion at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts Theater. Alice Walker: About four years ago I was having a very difficult time. I had lost someone I loved deeply and nothing seemed to [...]