Studying Buddhist teachings is different from learning other subjects. Judy Lief shows you how to read the dharma so that it really changes you. Illustrations by Carole Hénaff How do we become one with the dharma, the Buddhist teachings? One way is through meditation practice, another is through study, and a third is through our behavior. This trio of meditation, study, and [...]
About Judy Lief
How to Transform Anger in 4 Steps
Using the traditional metaphor of the poison tree, Judy Lief teaches us four Buddhist techniques to work with our anger. According to Buddhist psychology, anger is one of the six root kleshas, the conflicting emotions that cause our suffering. Its companions are greed, ignorance, passion, envy, and pride. Anger can be white hot or freezing cold. Anger can be turned outward [...]
How Not to Freak Out
You're not alone if you despair about the present and fear for the future. If you find all the bad news overwhelming, Buddhist teacher Judy Lief has some meditations to help you relieve your socio-political pain. It’s not as if times of fear and despair are anything new. People have fought wars, struggled to survive, faced injustice, experienced loss, dealt with violence [...]
How to Read Buddhist Teachings
No matter where you begin, says Judy Lief, or whether you are an independent practitioner or affiliated with a particular tradition, all you have to do is to dive in. Thanks to the efforts of translators, practitioners, and scholars, we have access to an abundance of magazines, journals, books, articles, videos, podcasts, and websites about Buddhism in all its diverse forms. [...]
The Dharma of Distraction
It goes a lot deeper than how many times a day you check your phone. According to Buddhist teacher Judy Lief, distraction is the very foundation of ego, the way we protect ourselves against both the pain of life and the open space of awakened mind. You could even say that letting go of all distraction is the path to enlightenment. Distractions are everywhere, all the [...]
Death: The Greatest Teacher
The Buddha said the greatest of all teachings is impermanence. Its final expression is death. Buddhist teacher Judy Lief explains why our awareness of death is the secret of life. It’s the ultimate twist. Whether we fight it, deny it, or accept it, we all have a relationship with death. Some people have few encounters with death as they are growing up, and it becomes [...]
Is It All My Karma?
When something bad happens to you, it isn’t necessarily the result of your own actions. Judy Lief offers a nuanced understanding of karma. Question: A recent issue of Lion’s Roar said, “If you want to know your past karma, look at the state of your life now. And if you want to know your future karma, look at the state of your mind now.” I found it upsetting to read this. [...]
How to Be a Bodhisattva
It may seem like an unattainable ideal, but you can start right now as a bodhisattva-in-training. All you need is the aspiration to put others first and some inspiration from helpful guides like the Buddhist teachers found here. Everyone Is Your Guest Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche on your life as a future bodhisattva Many Mahayana scriptures speak of inviting all sentient [...]
Commentary: Why I’m Still Hopeful After the US’s Paris Exit
Buddhist teacher Judy Lief, who was present at 2015's Paris climate conference, takes a step back for some perspective. In December 2015, I witnessed firsthand an outpouring of inspiration at the Paris COP21 climate conference. Over one hundred countries sent representatives to talk about how to respond to the changing climate and its impact. In parallel to diplomatic [...]
Fear and Fearlessness: What the Buddhists Teach
So much of our suffering—as individuals and as a society—is caused by fear. In fact, according to Buddhism, fear is at the very root of ego and samsara. Four outstanding Buddhist teachers discuss the vital practice of working with our fears. Starting on the Path of Fear and Fearlessness By Judith Lief It helps to explore how we can work with fear from the point of view of [...]
