Health | Wellness | Yoga

This blog is about the idea there is no-self or in Sanskrit anâtman .  What goes into forming such an idea?  Why should anyone uphold such an idea and fight for it?  What in my character or disposition requires that I invest in such an idea?  These, and other questions arise when we begin to look at the idea there is no-self. It is remarkable that many Western Buddhists, before they decide to become Buddhists, are very much open to the idea that there is no-self or soul—so much so that they are willing to champion this idea; further believing the self or the ego , as they prefer to call it, is the main cause of suffering.  And then they find Buddhism! When Westerners become Buddhists, whatever the Buddha said in his discourses, that he asked his followers to abandon what is not the soul instead of the soul (P., attâ ), has no impact when it should.  It's dismissed.  The idea is deeply stuck in their minds that there can be no such thing as a soul and even if there is, of what

Early Morning Stress Reduction Inspiration - 7/1/2013 "Anyone can practice some nonviolence, even soldiers. Some army generals, for example, conduct their operations in ways that avoid killing innocent people; this is a kind of nonviolence. To help soldiers move in the nonviolent direction, we have to be in touch with them. If we divide reality into two camps - the violent and the nonviolent - and stand in one camp while attacking the other, the world will never have peace. We will always blame and condemn those we feel are responsible for wars and social injustice, without recognizing the degree of violence in ourselves. We must work on ourselves and also with those we condemn if we want to have a real impact. It never helps to draw a line and dismiss some people as enemies, even those who act violently. We have to approach them with love in our hearts and do our best to help them move in a direction of nonviolence. If we work for peace out