The teachers are asked how a meditator deals with episodes of depression.
Ask the Teachers: What kinds of personal changes can we reasonably expect from Buddhist practice?
Sebene Selassie, Rose Taylor Goldfield, and Guo Gu respond to the question “It seems that Buddhists are just as reactive and narcissistic as anyone else. What kinds of changes can we reasonably expect from Buddhist practice?”
Ask the Teachers: As a Buddhist, should I support the pro-choice view on abortion?
Pictured: Zenkei Blanche Hartman, Narayan Helen Liebenson, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Photos by Barbara Wenger, Janine Guldener, Mary Lang.Three teachers respond to the question: How would you counsel someone who is considering getting an abortion?
What does ‘dedicating merit’ really do?
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, photo via DGL nunnery. Nikki Mirghafori, photo courtesy Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Gyokei Yokoyama, photo courtesy the author.Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Nikki Mirghafori, and Gyokei Yokoyama answer the question: “We are encouraged to dedicate the merit of our practice to all beings. It’s a beautiful idea, but what effect, if any, does it really have? And can you offer something you’re not sure you even have?”
Ask the Teachers: Are there types of work that are incompatible with Buddhist practice?
From left: Konda Mason, photo by Scott R. Kline. Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel, photo by Bronya Agasto. José Shinzan Palma, photo by Joan Halifax.Konda Mason, Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel, and José Shinzan Palma discuss the difficulty of aligning our work lives with our Buddhist values.
Does nonviolence always mean taking a passive approach?
Pictured: Zenkei Blanche Hartman, Narayan Helen Liebenson, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Photos by Barbara Wenger, Janine Guldener, Mary Lang.The teachers are asked whether nonviolence necessarily means a passive or non-reactive approach.
How can a Buddhist strive to “save all beings” without inflating their ego?
From left to right: Rebecca Li, Kakumyo Lowe-Charde, Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin. Photos by Andrew Merz, Genko Rainwater, Kim Winton.Rebecca Li, Kakumyo Lowe-Charde, and Myokei Caine-Barrett answer the question “How can one practice for the sake of all beings without inflating their ego?”
How do I know if I’m having a moment of realization?
Pictured: Zenkei Blanche Hartman, Narayan Helen Liebenson, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Photos by Barbara Wenger, Janine Guldener, Mary Lang.The teachers are asked “How do I know if I’m having a moment of realization or if I’m just deluding myself (still in ego)?”
Ask The Teachers: How I should balance practice and study?
Pictured: Zenkei Blanche Hartman, Narayan Helen Liebenson, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Photos by Barbara Wenger, Janine Guldener, Mary Lang.I am relatively new to Buddhism and I’ve been struggling with the balance between study and practice. Is there an ideal balance between the two?
Ask the Teachers: How do I know whether to avoid or accept something that causes me distress?
In Buddhadharma’s Ask the Teachers section, Sestuan Gaelyn Godwin, Larry Yang, and Dungse Jampal Norbu discuss relating to obstacles and difficult emotions.