Josephine Nolan
Josephine Nolan is an editor and contributing feature writer for several online publications, including EDI Weekly and Buddha Weekly.
The glorious story of Milarepa: evil, revenge, redemption, ordeals, doing what’s right — the grand epic of Enlightened Sage Mila “The Cotton Clad”
Tantra, Vajrayana
Milarepa's history is an epic story of grand scope — the essence and beauty of his story remain undiminished by time. With themes of evil and redemption, perseverance, and doing what’s right, Milarepa’s story grips both devout Buddhist ...
15 Miracles and 15 Days: Chotrul Duchen, the Day Buddha’s Great Miracles: Buddha, reluctant to use miraculous powers, displayed 15 miracles to help correct the errors of six prideful teachers
Buddha, Buddhist Practices, Mahayana, Special Days
The first moon of the New Year (Lunar) is Chotrul Cuchen (Chunga Choepa) the Day celebrating Buddha's Miracles — often celebrated with a butter lamp festival. The festival of Buddha's fifteen miracles actually begins on Losar (New Year), ...
Tsog dates 2023: Happy Dakini Day — Introducing the Wisdom of the Female Enlightened Dakinis
Dakini, Dakini Wisdom
Dakini Day, celebrated on the 25th day of each lunar month in Vajrayana Buddhist traditions, celebrates the feminine energy of wisdom. (DATES FOR 2023 Tsog updated below.) Devoted Buddhists will celebrate with a Tsok (Tsog), a feast including ...
“Mind Jewel” Green Tara – a Highest Yoga Tantra practice of Chittamani Tara (Cittamani)
Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Deities, Mahayana, Tantra, Tara, Vajrayana, What the Buddhist Teachers Say
"Tara is the mother of all the Buddhas; when you practice Tara you become closer to Tara; you feel her motherly love. If Tara is good enough to be the mother of all the Buddhas, then she can ...
“Torches That Help Light My Path”: Thich Nhat Hanh’s Translation of the Sutra on the Eight Realizations of the Great Beings
Buddhist Living, Sutras & Sutta
"When I was seventeen and in my first year of novice studies at a Buddhist monastery in Vietnam, I had to memorize the Sutra on the Eight Realizations of the Great Beings. Over sixty years have passed and ...
Refuge is the Ultimate Protection from Dangers: The Maha Samaya Sutta — The Great Meeting Sutra
Dharma, Sutras & Sutta
The Maha Samaya Sutta is often chanted as a daily practice in Pali — and often at weddings and dedications of new buildings — and is considered a "protective blessing" as much as it teaches doctrine. The core ...
The Science of Reincarnation and Rebirth? The research into verified past lives claims
Scientific Buddhist
Have you ever wondered about what happens after we die? Some believe that our souls reincarnate — or are reborn — into other beings or come back to Earth in another form. Others think that we simply disappear ...
Shabkar’s Song of Practice: the entire path, from refuge to generation to completion in one song by one of the great sages of Tibet
Buddhist Practices, Deities, Dharma, Meditation, Tantra, Teachers, Vajrayana
Only a true visionary Yogi could distill a path that fills lifetimes and books into a single song. Such a Yogi is the great Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol, an emanation of the great Milarepa. Both were famous for their ...
Not Yours! “Whatever is not yours: let go of it.” — letting go of past, letting go of future: Na Tumhaka Sutta
Dharma, Sutras & Sutta
One of the most popular short Suttas, often presented as a "must read" to new Buddhists is the famous "Not Yours" Sutta or what I like to call the "Letting Go" Sutta. Although Na Tumhaka Sutta is really ...
Settling the Mind or Activating the Mind — which meditation works, why and how? One’s good for health, the other for mind, and…
Meditation
Meditation is an important practice in virtually all schools of Buddhist thought, and in one form or another, most Buddhists practice it. But did you know there are two main types of meditation? From formal Chan practice, such ...
Targeted Calm-Abiding Meditation: Dalai Lama and Lama Tsongkhapa teach how to target the main affliction for a more precise meditation result
Buddhist Practices, Dalai Lama, Lama Tsongkhapa, Meditation, Mindfulness, What the Buddhist Teachers Say
His Holiness the Dalai Lama presented a profound and brilliant method to "target" your meditation on the affliction, in his powerful commentary on Lama Tsongkhapa's Great Exposition of Secret Mantra. When we think of calm-abiding meditation, we might ...
Zazen is “good for nothing” — the journey to Enlightenment starts with “just sitting” — and it’s good for your health, stress or anxiety (studies)
Meditation, Mindfulness, Zen • Chan • Seon
Zazen is a type of meditation that is central to Zen Buddhism, and first taught by Shakyamuni Buddha as an insight practice — and it's good for nothing! Just sit. That is all. Don't get us wrong, it's ...