Acharya Samaneti
Acharya Samaneti is a prison chaplain, philosopher, a lover of the written word, and truth seeker. The contemplative life called him early in his life; an only child, Samanetti found comfort in silence, reflection, and personal inquiry. Samaneti is interested in bearing witness to the oneness of suffering and the loving actions that awaken hearts; this mission draws him to work with the incarcerated and other marginalized populations.
A Heavy Heart in the Wake of Violence (Again) at the Penitentiary
By Acharya Samaneti As spiritual care providers, we observe many incidents of suffering and violence that is witnessed by us alone most of the time. This reality can be very isolating and may make us hesitant to share with those who do not understand our work...
Two Tone Bodhisattva
By Acharya Samaneti I usually write about prison, the dhamma, or how the two intersect. Today I feel inspired to write about one of the great Bodhisattvas in my life, Mr. Terry Hall. When most people think of a Bodhisattva, they think about a great monk or an...
Radical Empathy: Healing Trauma and the Frightened Squirrel
By Acharya Samaneti What do we need to be able to heal? To be able to work through our traumas? What is essential? I have been thinking about this a lot these days. I have been involved lately in a “team intervention” lately for what most would say is a lost...
The Five Remembrances are Enough
By Acharya Samaneti I feel overwhelmed this morning. One of my teachers has been admitted to palliative care, an inmate that I used to meet with has passed this weekend, and my partner is suffering with COVID (so we are now living in separate rooms with masks...
Letting the Heart Breathe
By Acharya Samaneti I pull into the parking lot and take a moment to watch the sunrise. I see the sunrise everyday, I reflect on how lucky I am to see the sun greet me each morning. I look at the colours bounce off the clouds: bright orange, purple, pink. I take a...
Collateral Damage of a Mass Shooting
By Acharya Samaneti {trigger warning: gun violence} Imagine watching the news one evening, a mass-shooting has happened. A man has entered a school and killed 14 women and then took his own life after this heinous unthinkable act. You sit in your living room in...
Strength in the Broken Pieces
By Acharya Samaneti I feel things deeply. It seems I have always been like this. I have consistently been quick to cry when I felt sadness or pain; the connection to my heart has always been very strong and is integral to who I am. I am confident most people...
This Community is My Community
By Archarya Samaneti I am on vacation, visiting a dear friend who is also a Buddhist chaplain in a maximum security penitentiary. This friendship is of great value to me as a chaplain, a Buddhist, and as a human being. So what does a chaplain do while on vacation?...
The Dhamma of Football (Soccer)
By Acharya Samaneti The UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Euro brings European nations and its diaspora together. Yes, it causes many a broken limb and tear, yet the spirit the competition ignites in people from all walks of life is undeniable....
When You Greet Me I Bow: Notes and Reflections From a Life in Zen {Book Review}
By Acharya Samaneti I love books. Those who know me know that I have my nose in a book most of the time, and I love books about Buddhism the most. When I started on my Buddhist path I read a lot of books from different schools, one could say that I was shopping for...