Category: Interfaith

How Do I Tell Them I’m Buddhist?

How Do I Tell Them I’m Buddhist?

Posted by | Aug 16, 2017 | , , , ,

  By Daniel Scharpenburg   A Reader Says: My family is fundamentalist Christian and I’ve embraced Buddhism. I’ve been practicing for a couple years now. I’m afraid of telling them, but I want to be who I am, I don’t want to hide. What can I do? How do I tell them?   Whew. This is a tough question. But it is also a really important one. I live in the United States, where approximately 70% of the population is Christian—although it certainly ranges from deeply devout to casual. In plenty of places in this country the idea of...

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Steeped in Spirituality: My Journey to India {Part 3}

Steeped in Spirituality: My Journey to India {Part 3}

Posted by | Aug 12, 2017 | , , ,

  By Marcee Murray King “When you get to the bus station, and the station is behind you, cross the green bridge on your left,” were the instructions given to me from my Alapatt Homestay. Green-ish would have been a better way to describe it. In fact, some spots where the green still clings would have been more accurate, still. Either way, I didn’t see a bridge and it took me a bit to find someone who spoke English well enough to point me in the right direction. It was where he said, but I needed to walk just...

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Stop Trying to Make Life Spiritual (It Already Is)

Stop Trying to Make Life Spiritual (It Already Is)

Posted by | Jul 18, 2017 | , , , ,

  By Debbie Lynn When we quit trying to make life spiritual, it becomes spiritual. Fairies and unicorns, ashes to ashes, we always want a shamanistic spark to enhance our routine so we wait. We wait and wait and lay the responsibility on the mythical, when the truth is: All creatures great and small are here to gently remind us our own super-power that lies within. Yes, it is in us—the onus is ours. It’s a huge freedom really, as we finally understand that all the gods—whether it be God, entities, aliens, or gurus—that we long to know are...

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God Speed

God Speed

Posted by | Apr 13, 2017 | , , ,

  By Debbie Lynn Last week, my husband was seriously wounded in a head-on crash in the Caribbean, (Turks and Caicos). His injuries were critical enough that the E.R. doctor strongly advised that he be life flighted to the U.S. Of course, I complied. And although his wounds were life threatening and painful, I am happy to report the worst is now over. Overwhelmed with emotion (and without much detail) I put I plea out on Facebook for positive vibes and/or prayer. The outpouring was mind-bending, heart-felt and sublime. But mixed in with all the love, was an undertone...

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Zen Encounters in The Bible Belt

Zen Encounters in The Bible Belt

Posted by | Apr 4, 2017 | , , ,

  By Deb Avery   At 8:00 AM the waiting room of the local clinic in my small town was sparsely populated—an elderly couple, one lady in her 30’s, and myself being the sole occupants. Usually I find a quiet corner and read until I’m called back, but this morning, while leaving in a hurry, my book was left on the kitchen table. Having thumbed through any and all of the halfway interesting, old magazines on previous visits, I simply sat and waited my turn. The other occupants were busily engaged in small talk about various subjects. And as...

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