Archives: LR Articles
Children Carry Vesak Forward
Mihiri Tillakaratne reflects on her temple’s unusual Vesak celebrations, and how giving youth the space to share their understanding of the dhamma can create a new generation of Buddhists
Coming Home to My Mother’s Love
We don’t always recognize love in the forms it takes. In this intimate reflection, Sister Tue Nghiem comes to see the quiet care her mother offered as the deep tenderness it truly was.
Greed: When Enough Never Feels Like Enough
Marvin Harada reflects on how the desire for “just a little more” manifests as everything from car envy to addiction—and how the act of giving calms the wanting mind.
Truth in Fiction
Pico Iyer loves reading spiritual books, but he’s found just as much good dharma in the books of three favorite novelists.
Chop Wood, Carry Water, Care for Your Mother
Francis Sanzaro explores the complex feelings of frustration that arose while caring for his mother at the end of her life.
Where Compassion Becomes Action
Palestinian activist and mindfulness practitioner Ghadir Shafie calls on us to embody compassion through our daily actions. By doing so, we awaken to the thread that connects our own choices to the lives of people we may never meet.
Take Your Seat, Wherever You Are
Meditation practice doesn’t end when we rise from the cushion. Discover how Cabin Cushion and Centered Life are creating space for stillness, wherever you take your seat.
The Five Remembrances
To change your life now and prepare for the inevitable, says Pamela Ayo Yetunde, regularly contemplate these five home truths.
How to Step Out of Your Stories and Into the Present
Leslie Gossett shares the power of creating and changing your own story.
The Sunlight of Awareness
Shine the warm light of awareness on your thoughts and feelings, says Thich Nhat Hanh.
Wisdom for Caregivers
Drawing on Shin Buddhist teachings, Rev. Dr. Mutsumi Wondra explores caregiving as a path of compassion and insight.
Lion’s Roar Is Hiring a Copy & Story Editor
Lion’s Roar is seeking a thoughtful, skilled Copy & Story Editor, with a focus on advancing and integrating Asian American voices.
The Antidote to Greed, Hatred & Ignorance
Buddhism teaches that the three poisons — greed, hatred, and ignorance — are the root causes of all suffering, yet through practice we can learn to recognize these forces and respond with clarity and care. Rev. Marvin Harada, Karen Maezen Miller, Alisa Dennis, and Pamela Ayo Yetunde explore ways to cultivate inner peace, break free from harmful cycles, and create a more compassionate world.
She Who Removes All Fear
Lama Döndrup Drölma introduces the first seven of Tara’s twenty-one emanations, showing how each helps us meet whatever arises with courage and compassion. Illustrations by Lasha Mutual.
You Are Already a Buddha
In this, the first of a three-part series on tantra, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche presents the three stages of meditation. Meditation, he says, is the process of recognizing your buddhanature, then nurturing that recognition.
Your Deepest Questions
Koan practice isn’t limited to formal Zen inquiry. It can also be carried into the unresolved places of ordinary life—into grief, uncertainty, ethical crossroads, and love itself. Lisa Ernst explains.
Michael Pollan Wants You to Rethink Consciousness
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.
Books in Brief: May 2026
Jessica little reviews a new lineup of books for the May 2026 issue.
Ethics are the Heart of Spiritual Practice
Genuine awakening depends on grounding our practice in nonviolence, compassion, and self-honesty, says Anam Thubten.
The Wisdom of Animals
Kate Siber on the wild teachers who show us how to let go and persevere, listen deeply, and begin again.