To Practice Mindfulness Is to Return to Life

Thich Nhat Hanh says that mindfulness shows us the suffering of life and connects us with compassion.

Mother and children sitting cross-legged meditating.

Meditation for Kids

Even young children can learn to tune into themselves and the world with curiosity and wonder. Vanessa Zuisei Goddard offers step-by-step instructions for teaching them.

Collage of book covers

March 2025: Books in Brief

Jessica Little reviews “The Story of the Buddha” by John Tarrant, “The Empty Path” by Billy Wynne, “Happy Relationships” by Kimberly Brown, and more.

Memories of Thay

This week marks the third anniversary of the passing of Thich Nhat Hanh, the influential Vietnamese Buddhist teacher and founder of the Engaged Buddhism movement. Here, a selection of Buddhist teachers and thought leaders share their tributes and memories.

bell hooks thich nhat hanh

Building a Community of Love: bell hooks and Thich Nhat Hanh

In this conversation, bell hooks and Thich Nhat Hanh reflect on the enduring legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., and discuss how we can build a community of love.

A family member holding a elderly woman’s hand by hospital bed.

How to Help When Death Is Near

Those who are dying and their families need compassionate support. Drawing from Pure Land Buddhism, Rev. Michael Tran explains how to provide that support.

Lessons from a Wildfire

When his community’s beloved retreat center burned to the ground in 2016, Anam Thubten took it as a teaching on impermanence.

Breaking Free from Addiction

The dharma can help people wake up to the truth of their substance abuse and find a way to get—and stay—sober. We present four true stories of recovery.

A Professor’s Dilemma

Jan Willis on teaching Buddhism in an academic classroom, and what kind of Buddhist understanding her students are receiving.

The Koan in the Refrigerator

All he wanted was an egg. Instead Sam Guthrie got a close-up look at his compulsive need for order.

The Clarity Aspect

Emptiness without wisdom can lead to nihilism, explains Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. That's why we have the teachings on buddhanature.

7 Life and Death Questions

Michael Hebb, founder of Death Over Dinner, offers some important questions to guide your contemplation of mortality.

Working with Holiday Loneliness

Many people are feeling lonely this pandemic holiday season. Lisa Ernst shares how the dharma can help.

Matthieu Ricard: The Path to a Compassionate Society

In this video interview, Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard joins Lion’s Roar editor-in-chief Melvin McLeod to discuss compassion as a transformative force for addressing the challenges of our time. Drawing on his decades of humanitarian work with Karuna-Shechen, he shares how altruism can help build a more compassionate and hopeful society.

What to Do When You’re Lonely

The holidays are supposed to be a time of togetherness, but what if it’s the time of year you feel most alone? Therapist Harry Um offers advice. 

Calligraphy of a man cutting a cat.

Quick! Who Can Save This Cat?

Zoketsu Norman Fischer's commentary on Mumonkan Case 14: Nanchuan's Cat.

The Ultimate Gift

Mushim Patricia Ikeda’s parents gave her baby sister to an aunt living an ocean away. This act of generosity changed the way she thinks about giving.

The Joy of Interbeing

Gather around the table, says Allyson Pimentel. A holiday meal can fill your belly and heart — and even give you a taste of enlightenment.

Liftoff

Realizing emptiness, realizing no-self — it’s as freeing as flight, says Hokuto Daniel Diffin Osho.

Everything Is Our Teacher, Even Death

Tremendous healing can occur during the dying process, both for the dying person and for their family and friends. Barbara Rhodes on how to awaken to life, even as we die.