In Japan, I will be visitng many temples and shrines. As a westerner, all the statues can be confusing for someone raised in a different cultural context. But, rest assured, everything has meaning. For example, when a Buddha statue depicts the hand in a downward position, it typically symbolizes the act of “earth touching” or …
Above is the live ceremony at Chion-in Temple in Kyoto ringing in the new year with 108 strikes of the bell. Chion-in Temple is a significant Buddhist temple located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the headquarters of the Jodo-shu (Pure Land) sect of Buddhism and is known for its grand gate, the Sanmon, which is …
Thich Nhat Hanh, the Zen teacher, died today at age 95. His teachings have been influential in my life for many years, from first seeing his mindful walking practice in Los Angeles, to visiting the temple where he trained in Vietnam, to reading the the latest work inspired by his teachings, “Happy Teachers Change the …
Today marks 76 years since the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and killed 100,000+ civilians. It will not be recognized at the olympic games, but a small ceremony will take place in Hiroshima. In New York City, it is possible to see a statue that survived the bombing, just 1.5 miles from …