Category Archives: Asia
Refuge in Laos
As part of preparing for my recent trip to Laos I read a series of mysteries that take place there in the mid-1970’s, just after the communist Pathet Lao came to power. The main character is the delightful Dr. Siri … Continue reading
Elephants
While in Laos, my friends and I spent the day at an elephant rescue camp. These were elephants who had worked in logging camps, where they are routinely pushed to the point of exhaustion, unable to reproduce. To replenish their … Continue reading
Finding Refuge
Siem Reap, Cambodia, January 19. Tonight I watched a dozen talented artists paint, play music, dance, and do amazing circus routines as they told the story of their country’s descent into genocide and its ongoing recovery from those horrors. These … Continue reading
Quiet Mind, Open Heart
As we approach this important election, like many people I find myself nervous and stressed. Last week I enjoyed photos of the Hindu festival of lights, which I was fortunate to attend in India and Nepal. In Nepal people make … Continue reading
Sacred Waters
Last week on a meditation retreat I was inspired to swim in Lake Tahoe at dawn under the full moon. Joined by my friend Christy (if she hadn’t said yes to my invitation, I might have slept in instead!), we … Continue reading
Hope
I think Anne Frank said what is in my heart this week: “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, … Continue reading
Five Daily Recollections
Recently, inspired by the meditation retreat she had just attended, our beloved yoga teacher Angela recited the Five Daily Recollections given to us by the Buddha in one of his sermons. There were two typical types of responses: “wow, that’s … Continue reading
Excitement
When I was twelve, my father took us to an amusement park and I went on a large roller coaster for the first time. I opened my mouth wide and screamed from the first descent to the very end … Continue reading
The Grief
Stephen Levine, insight meditation teacher and author of several books, including Who Dies and A Year to Live, has worked with grief for decades. Like the Buddha, who pointed out that we will inevitably suffer if we are born into … Continue reading