Mushim Ikeda says it's not enough to help others. You have to take care of yourself too. At the end of January, one of my close spiritual friends died. A queer Black man, a Sufi imam “scholartivist” (scholar–artist–activist) and professor of ministry students, Baba Ibrahim Farajajé died of a massive heart attack. He was sixty-three, and I’m guessing he had been carrying [...]
How to Practice Metta for a Troubled Time
Mushim Patricia Ikeda teaches us how to generate loving-kindness and good will as an antidote to hatred and fear. Illustrations by Tomi Um. Metta meditation is not a magical spell you can cast on the population of the U.S. in order to produce a state of utopian bliss. It is not a cure-all for oppression and the unequal distribution of power and privilege. Metta meditation [...]
It’s All Workable
Mushim Patricia Ikeda, one of three teachers leading this year’s Lion’s Roar Retreat, “Facing Life’s Challenges,” on finding your way through tiny successes, step-by-step. After my husband had suffered through a deep depression for over a year, he announced that he wanted a divorce and moved out. This was in 2008, when the U.S. economy was in recession, so I was [...]
Let’s Talk About Burnout
Each Friday, we share three topical longreads in our Weekend Reader newsletter. This week, Buddhist teacher Mushim Patricia Ikeda shares her tips to avoid burnout. Sign up here to receive the Weekend Reader in your inbox. There’s avoidable burnout, and there’s non-avoidable burnout. If you’re going through non-avoidable burnout — perhaps you’re a low-income single parent, [...]
Where Everyone Can Thrive
East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland is a leader in developing dharma for people who don’t feel welcome elsewhere. Lindsay Kyte explores EBMC’s focus on respect, safety, and the joy of being seen for who you are. In a society where many fight to be seen and heard, Mushim Ikeda sees a great need for well-being for the oppressed through spirituality and community. “For [...]
Buddhist figures, communities respond to Orlando massacre
After the news of the early-Sunday morning mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Buddhist teachers and communities began to share their grief and support for and with the LGBTIQ community. Here's a sampling of what they had to say. Note: this page has received several updates. Most recently added comments appear first. Soto Zen Buddhist [...]
