Auction closed!

Norman Fischer writes that, if you think about it, “it seems that giving is the whole of the Buddha way.” The Shambhala Sun auction is a chance to give a little more.

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[Update: The Shambhala Sun Foundation Auction is now closed and was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who donated, bid and shared.]

We’re on the last day of the Shambhala Sun Foundation Auction, closing tonight at midnight, EST. The auction is a chance to support an organization dedicated to compassion while buying meaningful gifts for those you care about. Because we’re celebrating compassion this month, in print and online, here’s a selection of items that get to the heart of it.

Many of the hundreds of items in the Auction are unique celebrations of compassion in themselves, like Soha’s “Compassion Starts with Me” bracelet set. Which is a reminder of compassion for yourself, and comes with an extra to give to a friend.

Inward Bound’s mindfulness retreat for teens or adults, and Pema Chodron’s “Good Medicine: How to Turn Pain into Compassion” are opportunities to help cultivate compassion. Give someone you love a kindness that won’t fade along with their New Years resolutions.

Or—give a stranger a seat. Nic Taylor, from FreeMeditationBench.com, will unleash a meditation bench into the wild, in your name. He builds benches and leaves them at bus stops, libraries and hiking trails for passersby to stumble upon and take pause.

But when you get down to it, in a flurry of decorative lights and wrapping paper, the most important compassion is that which is embodied in those few, simple gifts—for loved ones, coworkers, frenemies and family. If you’re not a fan of holiday shopping, take some solace in knowing that all of our auction items are donated to the Shambhala Sun Foundation by friends and partners whose work we admire and respect. It is all, after all, in the spirit of compassion.

For teachings on compassion, see our post on the current issue of the Shambhala Sun, with links to some great articles to keep you warm on the inside while it’s frickin’ freezing outside.

Lion s Roar Staff

Lion’ s Roar

Lion’s Roar is the website of Lion’s Roar magazine (formerly the Shambhala Sun) and Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly, with exclusive Buddhist news, teachings, art, and commentary. Sign up for the Lion’s Roar weekly newsletter and follow Lion’s Roar on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.