Category: Bodhi Leaves
The Seeds I Water
Tony Koji Wallin-Sato’s relationship with his father was marked by absence, addiction, and suicide. Through practice, he discovers how to stop growing the seeds of suffering.
Deepen Your Love with Equanimity
We so often strive to remove every discomfort. Let go of that impulse, says Gullu Singh, and discover a steadiness that needs no fixing.
The Creative Force: In Conversation with Novelist Ruth Ozeki
Nancy Chu talks to Ruth Ozeki about her creative process, the power of grief, and what it’s like growing up mixed-race in America.
We’ve Been Here All Along
Funie Hsu says it’s time we recognize Asian American Buddhists and address the racism that marginalizes their ongoing role in the dharma in the West.
Self-Care for Liberation
The new book Emergent Dharma (North Atlantic Books) is a ground-breaking collection of Asian American feminist Buddhist voices. In this excerpt, the book’s editor Sharon Suh says Asian American women need to prioritize self-care to liberate themselves from shame culture, stigmatization, and the Model Minority stereotype.
Bhutan’s Prime Minister on Enlightened Leadership
In an exclusive interview at the Global Peace Prayer Festival in Bhutan, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay reflects on how wisdom, courage, and compassion inspire his decision-making.
The Myna Bird Knows Her Name
Named after a songbird that learns by listening, Sarika S. Gupta reflects on how mispronunciation and marginalization became invitations to reclaim her voice.
What Nature Teaches Us About Mindfulness
In the natural world, nothing is out of place, Cara Lai reminds us. Mindfulness invites us to see our thoughts and feelings the same way.
How to Find True Refuge in an Uncertain World
We all want security, yet too often we look for it in the wrong places. Br. Phap Huu on a safety that does not depend on circumstances.
Elephant Wisdom
Animals are forced to live in a man-made world. Andrew Lam on the colonization of the wild.
Wings of Contemplation
Noel Alumit visits the Ryosokuin Temple in Kyoto to experience Taiji Terasaki’s latest art exhibition.
Recognizing Clarity: A Dzogchen Meditation
Dzogchen master Tsoknyi Rinpoche shares a meditation to encourage clarity of mind.
Bring Mindfulness to Your Movement Practice
Mindful movement isn’t limited to yoga or tai chi. Dawn Mauricio on bringing your awareness to lifting, dancing, running, and more.
The Samsara of “Severance”
The surreal Apple TV+ series not only shows us the workings of karma and suffering, says Kim Thai, it also hints at liberation.
Help Map the Field of Buddhist Chaplaincy in North America
Are you a Buddhist chaplain or chaplain-in-training in North America? Take a short survey to help map the future of Buddhist chaplaincy.
Best Practices for Parents of Grown Children
Parenting grown children requires a middle path, says Ellen Hamada Crane sensei. They need you to keep nurturing them and to let them go.
Right Understanding
Anam Thubten on how to understand both ultimate and relative reality — and why this is so important today.
Beyond Moral Rules
In this excerpt from the book “Becoming Yourself: Teachings on the Zen Way of Life,” the late Shunryu Suzuki reflects on how Buddhist precepts can become a path of freedom — not restriction.
Mom’s Final Lesson for Me
Jeanne Kumagai reflects on the emotional complexities of caring for a loved one with dementia—and the life lessons that endure.