Dharma & Society

Michael Pollan, whose new book tackles the mystery of consciousness, sits down with Andrea Miller to explore why our usual assumptions about the mind fall short and how new research is reshaping the way we understand awareness itself.

Ben Connelly recounts how faith leaders and neighbors in Minneapolis practice presence, care, and nonviolent action. Their example illuminates the heart of Buddhist practice in a time of crisis.

Rod Meade Sperry introduces the May 2026 issue of Lion's Roar.

Roshi Joan Halifax reflects on the lasting impacts of war, the hidden wounds it leaves behind, and how we can face the violence in today's world with compassion and equanimity.

Roshi Joan Halifax of Upaya Zen Center looks at the notion of bodhisattva-based, socially engaged, participatory community — and how it could make a real difference in our world today.

First published in 2017 and newly introduced for today’s political climate, Mushim Patricia Ikeda shares a small piece of Buddhist history that she’s never forgotten, and that she hopes we’ll always remember, too.

For over a thousand years, mostly monks performed the sacred cham dances of Vajrayana Buddhism. Then in 2014, the 17th Karmapa made a significant move by inviting nuns to learn and perform these dances before a crowd of over ten thousand. Karen Greenspan spent four years following these pioneering practitioners, revealing a story of tradition, transformation, and the ongoing movement toward gender equality in Tibetan Buddhism.