Archives: LR Articles
The New Buddhists
Review of Democracy’s Dharma: Religious Renaissance and Political Development in Taiwan by Richard Madsen.
The Mind that Suffers
Recognizing suffering is the first step on the Buddhist path. By understanding suffering we can see the difference between pain and our reaction to it.
What is Dukkha?
Dukkha or suffering is pervasive and can range from sickness, aging, or death to vague feelings of anxiety and dissatisfaction.
Glimpses of Awakening
In the gaps we notice moments of clarity, wakefulness, and peace. Enlightened mind turns out to be very ordinary and present, says Judy Lief.
Beyond Carrot and Stick
The question we all face is, what will make our journey genuine dharma and not another spiritual fantasy or creation of ego?
Surprises on the Way
Is there a way we can extend and deepen these moments of awakened mind that coexist with our confusion? Or even just notice them when they occur? That’s the point of Buddhist meditation, which is never about doing or creating anything. We simply rest in everything as it is. It sounds so easy, yet nothing is more profound or mysterious.
We Think, Therefore We Are
Review of The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently . . . and Why, by Richard E. Nisbett.
Higher Powers
Review of Faith in the Halls of Power by D. Michael Lindsay and From Pews to Polling Places: Faith and Politics in the American Religious Mosaic edited by J. Matthew Wilson.
This Very Mind, Empty and Luminous
We can see awakening in the world around us, but we can also turn the telescope inward and look directly at our mind.
Melody vs. Meditation
There are two sides to singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls: the “just sitting” meditator and the crazed composer.
Rethinking Ritual
Review of Zen Ritual: Studies of Zen, Buddhist Theory in Practice, edited by Steven Heine and Dale S. Wright.
Profile: Birken Forest Monastery
David Kirk profiles the Birken Forest Monastery in British Columbia.
Phrases and Spaces
Zen practitioners don’t "work on" koans. Koans work on them. Norman Fischer offers a poet’s take on the phrases and spaces of Zen practice, including his favorite: “Who is sick?”
Mindfulness of Mind
Dispassionately observing what goes on in our mind is one of Buddhism’s central practices, a technique being used to work with mental health.
The Mind-Body Story
Review of The Cure Within: A History of Mind-Body Medicine by Anne Harrington
Jack’s Blues
Review of Why Kerouac Matters: The Lessons of On the Road (They're Not What You Think) by John Leland
