Some early Buddhist texts denounced music. Claiming it was nothing more than a sensory distraction pulling practitioners away from their meditation practice. Theravada Buddhist precepts prohibit monastics from singing, dancing or even listening to music. In spite of these ancient rules, there have been countless songs inspired by the ancient…
Tag: Meditation
Video Games
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Loving-Kindness: Dalai Lama’s RF Switchbox for Compassion and Life XP
Sshhhhksshhh! If your birth year starts with “19” you’re probably familiar with this iconic sound. It’s the soft hiss of channel 3 on a CRT TV before you fire up your retro gaming console of choice. For those of you born in this century, before HDMI cables, you had to…
Lifestyles
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Forest Bathing: Modern Shinrin-yoku in the Digital Age
You’ve probably heard the term “Forest Bathing” being tossed around on TikTok or your social media platform of choice lately. But what you might not know is that it’s a relatively modern term that originated in Japan in the 1980s. It has since been rebranded, repackaged (you can almost say…
literature
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Buddhism Made Simple: The Best Books for Curious Newcomers
Are you interested in learning about Buddhism but don’t know where to start? Have you tried reading about Buddhism in the past but were intimidated or confused by verbose and overly-wordy antiquated texts? Then this list is for you! The philosophy and beliefs of this 2,500 year old religion are…
Film and TV
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Netflix and Chan: The Best Buddhist Shows on Netflix
In today’s modern world there are an endless number of ways to absorb the Dharma. There are the classic ways: attending services at your local temple or reading sutras. Conversely, there are more contemporary ways, such as listening to a podcast while hitting the gym or kicking back on the…
Home and Garden
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The Best Part of Waking up is The Buddha in Your Cup
It’s Saturday morning. You roll out of bed and wipe the sleep from your eyes. You stumble to the kitchen and fire up your trusty Mr. Coffee machine. The aroma of coffee fills your kitchen as the anticipation of your first cup O’joe drips closer and closer to completion. That’s…
Home and Garden
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Samu and Soil: Finding Mindfulness in Your Garden
In today’s modern world your meditation practice can take a backseat to the demands of everyday life. At times it can feel nearly impossible to find the time for a traditional sitting practice. Work, school, family and the tasks of everyday life are sometimes so overwhelming that carving out 15…
Film and TV
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The Compassion Of Tonglen Meditation In The Green Mile
What is Tonglen Meditation? Tonglen Meditation is sometimes referred to as “taking and sending” meditation. “Tong” is translated as “giving or sending” and “len” is translated as “receiving or taking”. Its goal is to reverse the human tendency of avoiding suffering and seeking out pleasure. A practitioner of this form…
Film and TV
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Is Lisa Simpson The Most Famous Buddhist of All Time?
Short answer: No. Of course not! There are far more famous, talked about, and recognizable figures in the history of Buddhism. Siddhartha Gautama, Ānanda, the Dalai Lama and even Hollywood Actor Orlando Bloom. It’s not fair or accurate to say she’s the the most famous Buddhist of all time, but…
Sports
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Chanting Is the Best Way To Unite Buddhists and Sports Fans
Chanting is a universal practice among all sects of Buddhism. The various schools of Buddhism have their own rituals, mantras, and melodies that go along with the practice. While the act of chanting can be varied there are some core themes that span across all sects. The most plain-to-see being…