Paths of Practice: Conversations on Journeys into Buddhism

Paula Arai, PhD, was raised in Detroit by a Japanese mother and did Zen training in Japan. She obtained her PhD in Buddhist Studies from Harvard University in 1993 and is now the Eshinni & Kakushinni Professor of Women and Buddhist Studies at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, California. She is the author of Bringing Zen Home: The Healing Heart of Japanese Women’s Rituals, Women Living Zen: Japanese Soto Buddhist Nuns, and Painting Enlightenment: Healing Visions of the Heart Sutra. For more information about Dr. Arai and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the links below: https://www.shambhala.com/authors/a-f/paula-arai/of-mud-and-lotuses.html https://www.zenhealing.org/ https://www.shin-ibs.edu/ We discussed: *Friendship in scholarship, Dogen and “One Bright Pearl,” and understanding the Tathāgatagarbha as "Buddha womb" *Pregnancy as an expression of Buddhist practice, motherhood, and the importance of taking time to recognize the contributions made by women throughout Buddhist history *The Blood Bowl Sutra, misogyny, and the impact of writing empowering narratives *Imagination, scholarship, and creative histories *And the reminder to be kind to yourself and acknowledge your place in benefiting others along the path

Bidisha Mallik, PhD, is an Associate Teaching Professor of Social Sciences in the Department of School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington Tacoma. Dr. Mallik is the author of Legends in Gandhian Social Activism: Mira Behn and Sarala Behn: Addressing Environmental Issues By Dissolving Gender And Colonial Barriers. For more information about the resources mentioned in this episode, please see below: https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/https://www.amazon.com/Legends-Gandhian-Social-Activism-Environmental/dp/3030954307/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fgFqbelrBOW_HwCwCua40A.tnkZLuujlNEvqauJZVal8_wM8sGg8mtRS3K3HJQAbQM&dib_tag=se&qid=1783028669&refinements=p_27%3ABidisha&s=books&sr=1-1 We discussed: *Ahimsa, nonviolence vs. non-violence, as well as Gandhian and Buddhist philosophy and their connections with ecology *Interbeing, capitalism, creativity, and making concrete examples of the world you want to live in *Mira Behn (Madeleine Slade), Sarala Behn (Catherine Mary Heilman), and the Chipko movement *And the importance of investigating the self and approaching actions through the lens of nonviolence

Rev. Syd Yang, MDiv (they/them) is a mixed race/Taiwanese American queer trans/non-binary lay Buddhist Minister, movement chaplain, spiritual counselor and writer who engages decolonial possibilities for shared liberation through their practice, Blue Jaguar Healing Arts. Syd’s work finds its resonance in the stories we each hold at the intersection of memory, body, sexuality and mental health. Syd works primarily with queer and trans individuals of color, as well as regularly facilitates community based practice spaces for wellbeing + healing justice, with a specific focus on grief, sexuality + spirituality, body liberation and recovery. If you are in the Los Angeles area, you can sit with them, in person, at the monthly Queers Who Sit at Black Being, in Inglewood CA. Some of their recent writing can be found in Lion’s Roar (Bodhi Leaves), Emergent Dharma: Asian American Buddhist Feminists on Practice, Identity and Resistance, Q+A: Voices of Queer Asian America, Chrysanthemum: Voices of the Taiwanese Diaspora, and Bloody Hell! Adventures in Menopause from Around the World. Syd is also the co-author of Bloody Transitions: A Menopausal Anthology of Asian, Black and Latine Voices, which is set to be released in November 2026 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. For more information about Syd and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: *Blue Jaguar Healing Arts ( https://bluejaguarhealingarts.com/ ) *The Dharma of Loneliness podcast ( https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dharma-of-loneliness/id1875305695 ) *Black Being ( https://blackbeingla.org/ ) We discussed: *Loneliness and the origins of The Dharma of Loneliness podcast *Embodiment, belonging, and our bodies relationship with the Earth body *Menopause, impermanence, transformation, and co-authoring Bloody Transitions *And the importance of understanding that Buddhist practice involves investigating the mind and body and remembering that bodhisattvas have chosen to stay embodied to help us

Dr. Nicole Wordlaw is a clinical psychologist, a longtime practitioner of Buddhist meditation, a lover of Spirit, and the daughter of a white mother and a Black father. She completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at Stanford University, graduating with honors and distinction in 1992, and then earned a Masters and Doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1999. She is passionate about helping those she serves notice and follow their own inner guide. She is the author of Waking Up Alone: Navigating the Narrow Passage Through Master-Slave Narratives. For more information about Nicole and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://www.nicolewordlaw.com/ https://substack.com/@nicolewordlaw https://sentientpublications.com/products/9781591813736_waking-up-alone We discussed: *Trauma, learning how to not take things personally by recognizing our conditions, and writing Waking Up Alone *Vipassana and Zen, breathwork, and practicing in the wilderness to connect with our true nature *Spiritual teachers, misconduct and accountability, and how to become a lamp unto yourself *And the importance of remembering that awakening is ongoing and unfolds as a process

Bhante Mangala, born and raised in northeastern Massachusetts, started to take an interest in Buddhism while in high school. He began taking that interest more seriously in his mid 20’s and started to practice meditation with small groups and at home. Seeing results early in life, he grew to want to learn more and came to visit the Bhavana Society for a retreat in 2009. Bhante began living at the Bhavana Society full time in 2012, ordained at the Bhavana Society as a novice in 2013 and received full ordination in 2014. For more information about Bhante Mangala and the Bhavana Society, please visit the following link: https://bhavanasociety.org/ We talked about: *Ordination, the grand opening of the Bhante Henepola Gunaratana Heritage Center, and receiving a visit from the Walk for Peace monks *Taking an interest in religion at a young age, first experiences with meditation, and being drawn to the brutal honesty of Theravada *Heading to West Virginia after Googling the Bhāvanā Society, Bhante G, and visiting Sri Lanka *And the importance of being kind to yourself and remembering that "patience is a meditation"

Muichi is a Cuban-American Mahayana Buddhist layman and Wikipedian currently residing in Florida. Muichi's Buddhist refuge name is Abhayajñāna (originally given in Tibetan as Yeshe Jigme), which means "Fearless Wisdom" (Ch: 無畏智 Wúwèi zhì, Jp.: Muichi). Muichi's contributions to Wikipedia are mainly in the fields of Buddhist Studies, Asian History and Eastern philosophy. Muichi's knowledge of these fields is mainly self taught, having no formal education in these particular subjects. Muichi mostly studied Greco-Roman history and languages while receiving a B.A. in History from Florida International University and later began to study Eastern philosophy and Buddhist studies as an autodidact. For more information about Muichi and the resources mentioned in this episode, please visit the following links: https://sites.google.com/view/abhayajana/home?authuser=0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Javierfv1212 https://www.youtube.com/@FearlessWisdom We talked about: *Dharanis, moderating the PureLand subreddit, and contributing to Buddhism-related Wikipedia articles *Studying philosophy as a lived experience, Western philosophical materialism, and developing space for Eastern religious thought and practice *Pure Land Buddhism, collective translation and re-translation efforts, providing open source study guides and FAQs, and The Fearless Wisdom podcast *And the importance of studying Buddhism broadly and how Mahayana Buddhism is all about love

Reverend Katsuya Kusunoki is the Head Minister of the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple. Sensei was born in Nagasaki, Japan, the second son of a temple family. Today his older brother Naoya is the 17th generation of their family to serve their family temple. Sensei is a graduate of Miyazaki University where he majored in primary education and his hobby is to watch and play baseball and softball. While a college student he took a break and spent almost two and a half years in a Japanese volunteer program similar to the Peace Corps in America coaching baseball in Zimbabwe before returning to Japan to complete his studies. After graduating he spent three years teaching 3rd and 6th grade classes before deciding to become a minister. Sensei’s advanced training includes the Hongwanji-ha Rituals course for leaders (Gonshiki). He is a Hongwanji-ha certified Special Rituals Minister, a certificate only he and our former minister Rev. Sala Sekiya hold within the Buddhist Churches of America. Sensei’s first assignment in America was to the Lodi Buddhist Temple in 2010 and he was transferred to Seattle in April of 2017. Sensei and his wife Ayano have a son, Yuiya, who was born in September 2016. For more information about Rev. Kusunoki and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://seattlebetsuin.org/ https://www.youtube.com/@SeattleBuddhistTemple We discussed: *Rennyo Shonin, holding service in a gymnasium vs. the Hondo, and the Seattle Betsuin’s recovery from arson *Becoming a certified Special Rituals Minister and feeling a powerful energy during service at Nishi Hongan-ji *Growing up in a temple family, coaching baseball in Zimbabwe, and becoming a Jodo Shinshu minister in Lodi, California *Ritual as as expression of gratitude, baseball, and throwing the first pitch at a Mariners game *And the importance of exploring different Buddhist traditions and finding helpful people to guide your interest in Buddhism

Kyle Neo aka Dharma Kueen and Facilitator of Rainbodhi SG creates safe spaces where Buddhism and queerness meet with compassion. He blends study, practice, and storytelling to make the Dharma inclusive, accessible, engaging and transformative. For more information about Kyle and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://substack.com/@kyleneo https://www.dharmakueen.com/ https://rainbodhisg.com/ https://kusalamag.com/ Instagram handle is @DharmaKueen We talked about: *Celebrating Vesak at Bangkok Pride, interdependence, and interfaith dialogue *Growing up in a Buddhist household, briefly ordaining as a monk, and sharing the dharma through temple tours *The Care and Share Dharma Study Group at Rainbodhi Singapore, developing Dharma Kueen, and exploring the gender neutrality of Avalokiteshvara *And the importance of making yourself available to the present moment by not taking yourself too seriously

An ordained Zen Buddhist priest, Zengyu Paul Discoe studied art history and philosophy as an undergraduate in the United States and Buddhist temple design and construction in Japan. He became a student of Suzuki Roshi at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in California, and, after four years, Suzuki sent him to Japan to train under a traditional master builder for five years. Upon returning, Discoe founded Joinery Structures in 1988. His projects include the Kojin-an Zen temple in Oakland for Akiba Sensei, the founder's hall and kitchen at Tassajara, the Lindesfarne guesthouse and Wheelwright Center, and the abbot's house at Green Gulch, as well as several prestigious homes and projects internationally. His current project is Chop and Carry Farm, an emerging Soto Zen practice center based in Hawaii and guided by the teachings of Dōgen Zenji and Suzuki Roshi, with its practice structure modeled on the early days of Tassajara. For more information on Zengyu Paul Discoe and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://www.chopandcarry.org/ https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/4855014-zen-architecture We discussed: *The recent fire at the zendo of the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, using what’s around you, and building without blueprints *Zen as an action, Genjōkōan, and dependent co-arising *Hachi Dainin Gaku, attention to detail without gaining, and the difference between building new structures and maintenance *Developing a cardboard zendo, repurposing discarded materials, and creating a ecologically harmonious Soto Zen retreat center in Hawaii *And the importance of finding a teacher and developing a practice to address your karma.

John Tarrant, Roshi is a Zen teacher, poet, and founder of the Pacific Zen Institute. He is interested in Zen as a way that transforms the mind, and in the dance between innovation and tradition in both teaching and practice. Tarrant Roshi is the author of books such as Bring Me The Rhinoceros: And Other Zen Koans That Will Save Your Life, The Light Inside the Dark: Zen, Soul & the Spiritual Life, and The Story of the Buddha. For more information about Tarrant Roshi and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://tarrantworks.com/ https://www.pacificzen.org/ We talked about: *Meditation, fear, and viewing your mind like a national park *Early experiences with Tibetan lamas in Australia, independent study of koans, and learning from Robert Aitken, Roshi in Hawaii *Poetry, exploring koans in group settings, and Mu *San Francisco Zen Center figures like Issan Dorsey, Philip Whalen, David Chadwick, and the place of koans in Soto and Rinzai Zen *And the importance of sincerely taking the step of turning your heart towards the dharma and finding support in kind mentors and companions

Frank Olivier is a three-time world juggling champion with a comedy act that’s been seen on the Tonight Show, HBO's Just for Laughs, and America’s Got Talent. He’s entertained two presidents, British royalty, and for Fortune 500 companies as well as performing comedy live onstage with Bill Murray, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Jim Belushi and Dana Carvey. He's toured as a national headlining comedian, and he's clean enough that Disney trusted him for a live televised special. These shows, companies and people bring Frank in not only because of how funny he is, but even more so for the sense of play and fun he instills in an audience in any venue. And if he's available he'll come astonish and delight your group as well. He has been practicing meditation since age 11, and at 25 learned mindfulness practice from Thich Nhat Hanh. For the past 7 years, he’s been focused on the topic of happiness, blending his spiritual journey with over 40 years of spreading laughter and delight as a professional comedian juggler. For more information about Frank and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://www.funnyfrank.com/ https://happinessminute.com/ https://www.trickstohappiness.com/ https://mendosuficamp.org/ We discussed: *Transcendental Meditation, walking practice, and juggling on a unicycle to earn money for meditation instruction *Loss, grief, wailing, laughter, and techniques to find the light in the cracks that shines through *Gratitude practices, Happiness Minute, and developing Tricks to Happiness as way to invite others to welcome more joy into their life *Sufism, Samuel Lewis (Sufi Sam), Thich Nhat Hanh, and smiling practice *And the importance of consciously letting in greater happiness and to express our gratitude

Pema Khandro, PhD, is a scholar-practitioner and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. She is the founder of the non-profit organization Ngakpa International and oversees its projects: the Dakini Mountain Retreat Center, the Buddhist Studies Institute and the Yogic Medicine Institute. Pema Khandro’s academic work specializes in the history of Dzogchen, women in Buddhism, and Tibet’s Buddhist yogis. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, a Master’s degree in Religious Studies specializing in Tibet, and a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Virginia. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Buddhist Studies and she studies English, Tibetan and Chinese languages. For more information about Dr. Pema Khandro and the resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://pemakhandro.org/ https://buddhiststudiesinstitute.org/ www.DakiniMountain.org www.YogicMedicineInstitute.org We talked about: *Being first introduced to meditation and Buddhism at five years old and recognizing a teacher’s lesson that was 30 years in the making *Dharma friends and finding community in the solitary nature of the path *Pursuing scholarship as a practitioner, Dzogchen, and studying women in Buddhism *Momo-la, divine feminine energy, and the inspiration to forgo an ordinary life and see how "a life could be like a living poetry of dharma" *Dakini Mountain, expanse, and the benefits of practicing in the wild *And the importance of studying the classical traditions on their own terms as well as the lived Buddhist experience

Rev. Gigen Mark Hollingshead has been studying Zen for over 25 years. He began training at Middlebar Monastery in Stockton, California. Twelve years ago he moved to Santa Cruz and began practice at Ocean Gate Zen Center. In 2017 Gigen went through the Jukai ceremony to officially become Daijaku Roshi’s student, and in 2023 went through novice priest ordination (Shukke Tokodo). Gigen holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from California State University, Sacramento. For more information about Rev. Gigen and other resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://oceangatezen.org/ https://www.youtube.com/@CrankyZen https://www.youtube.com/@markhollingshead5096 We talked about: *Finding stability, balance, and meditation at an early age in martial arts training *Middlebar Monastery, MacDonough Roshi, and practice without pretension *Ocean Gate Zen Center, Jukai, and the decision to ordain *Zazen, Fudōshin or "the immovable mind," and recognizing stillness in motion *And the importance of getting out of your own head and comfort zone and to practice with others

Monica C. Mann-Wrobel, PhD, is a licensed psychologist located in Chapel Hill, NC. Monica specializes in providing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for a range of aspects of the human condition including but certainly not limited to anxiety, depression, life transitions, family challenges and trauma in adults. Monica also works with couples, offering Emotion Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT). Monica is an experienced meditator and enjoys infusing mindfulness into all aspects of her clinical work and believes strongly in the value of this approach to the human condition. Monica grew up in small towns in the Western Piedmont of North Carolina and then spent 8 years with her husband Mike in Maryland, outside Wasington, DC, going to graduate school and post-doc for clinical psychology. Monica has had a steady meditation practice for about 20 years and recently completed a two-year mindfulness teacher training program, so she enjoys occasionally teaching at Mindful Families of Durham (MFD). She and her family have been members of MFD since 2018 and this community has helped them really integrate mindfulness into their family routines and rituals. It's been especially joyful for Monica to watch her children learn to be more mindful and kind towards themselves, others, and all beings. For more information about Monica and other mentioned resources, please visit the following links: http://www.drmann-wrobel.com/ https://www.mindfulfamiliesofdurham.org/ https://triangleinsight.org/ We discussed: *The Walk for Peace and reflecting on dharma talks with family members *Finding mindfulness in graduate school, clinical psychology, and the impact of applying mindfulness techniques in clinical work with veterans *The Triangle Insight Meditation Community, Mindful Families of Durham, and the experience of creating and sustaining a model for families to participate in mindfulness communities together *And the importance of remembering that change happens over time and that practicing mindfulness can be a radical act of self-love

Jeremy David Engels, Ph.D., is the Liberal Arts professor of Communication and Ethics at Penn State University. He is also a longtime teacher of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga and since undertaking a pilgrimage to walk in the footsteps of the Buddha in India and Nepal in 2018, a student of Thích Nhất Hạnh. He is an award-winning teacher and scholar, and has published numerous books and articles about democracy, community building, deliberation, and peace. He lives in State College, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife Anna run a community yoga and meditation studio called Yoga Lab. Jeremy joyfully joins the Plum Village Beloved Community in practicing mindfulness as “the practice of peace.” For more information about Jeremy and other resources, please visit the following links: https://jeremydavidengels.com/ https://zenandtheartofdemocracy.substack.com/ https://www.parallax.org/product/on-mindful-democracy/ https://www.statecollegeyogalab.com/ We discussed: *The Walk for Peace, deliberation, and the need for and the impact of Beloved Community *Tech awareness, teaching mindfulness to university students, and the invitation to be our own anthropologist *Interdependence, a Buddhist pilgrimage in India, and the miracle of our life *Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnam, and how to go about embracing our mud *And the importance of remembering that we are not alone on the Buddhist path and to exercise kindness to ourselves

Daisy Lin is an Emmy Award–winning journalist whose work has been published by NBC News, Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and more. She is a longtime member of the Caretaking Council of Los Angeles Compassionate Heart Sangha and a student at the Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Check out the following link for Daisy's blog, Dharma Diaries: https://www.dharmadiaries.com/ For Daisy's recommended resources, please visit the following links: https://lachsangha.wixsite.com/breathe https://www.mountaincloud.org/ https://limitlesshorizonsixil.org/ We talked about: *Service, equanimity, koans, and supporting the development of girls schools in Guatemala *Finding Buddhism during a time of personal crisis and learning how to tend to yourself at the Los Angeles Compassionate Heart Sangha *Mu and the impact of finding a teacher at Mountain Cloud Zen Center *Accepting and loving your “knot” as well as acknowledging your ancestors *And the importance of looking inside to find the jewels in your jacket and discovering that you are a wellspring

Rev. Jokan Ono is the 43rd Abbot and Head Priest of Fugenji Temple (Tendai School), Fuchu City, Tokyo. Born in Tokyo in 1986, he is a graduate of Waseda University and also studied at Lewis & Clark College in Oregon, USA. During his university years, he completed the Tendai ascetic training, Shido Kegyo, on Mount Hiei. After working in corporate consulting and the IT sector, he founded “Kechien Kikaku,” a project aiming to strengthen the bond between temples and communities. He later completed the first 100 days of the Kaihōgyō on Mount Hiei. He became the Head Priest of Fugenji in 2020. In 2023, he spoke as one of Japan’s representatives at the International Sangha Forum in Bodh Gaya, hosted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Rev Ono’s aspiration is to become “an international monk who connects the Japanese Buddhism of harmony with the world." For more information about Fugenji, please visit the following link: https://www.fugenji.com/ We discussed: *Ordaining at the age of ten, training at Mount Hiei, and becoming the 43rd abbot of Fugenji *Returning to Mount Hiei after living in the secular world and working in business *Kaihōgyō, Sennichi-e, and engaging with practices around emptiness and interdependence through nature *Fudō Myō-ō and practicing the Goma fire ritual *Tendai, meditation, and the Threefold Contemplation in a Single Mind *Cafe Terrace Fugenji and supporting an online sangha *Toei Tama Cemetery and impermanence *and the importance of letting your motivation for awakening serve as your compass along the Buddhist path

John Fraser is the principal teacher of the Glasgow Zen Group and received Shiho or dharma transmission from Michael Eido Luetchford in 2006. John is also a somatic sex therapist & sex coach, working in Edinburgh, Scotland, with individuals and couples. The Glasgow Zen Group was established in 1990 within the auspices of the International Zen Association, and has operated as an independent fellowship of practitioners since 2000, practicing within the broad Soto Zen tradition. For more information about John and the Glasgow Zen Group, please visit the following links: https://www.loveandsexcoaching.co.uk/ https://glasgowzengroup.com/ We discussed: *Dharma transmission as the freedom to be your full self as a teacher *First happening upon Zen in a ski chalet and the origins of the Glasgow Zen Group *Authenticity, sexuality, dance, and embodiment *And the importance of finding a practice that makes the most sense for you and that it’s not about being remembered, it’s about being useful

Euna is a multicultural, unaffiliated renunciate dedicating their life to the Dhamma (Laws of Nature) as taught by Buddha. Cave yogi-poet who loves exploring diverse, inclusive, and fun routes to awakening. Enthusiastic about ascetic training in caves and wilderness, nervous system theory, and Brahma-Vihara practices. Primary focus is on Cittanupassana and Hwadu. Formally trained in Vipassana & Samatha meditation (Myanmar Theravada and Korean Seon lineages), and monasticism at Mahapajapati Monastery. Completed BA in Ethnic Studies: Race, Gender, and Power at Mills College. Currently, board secretary at Mahapajapati Foundation, resident steward at Mahapajapati Monastery, and Registered Behavior Technician. Learn more about their adventures at scoby.substack.com. For other resources mentioned in the episode, please visit the following links: https://mahapajapatiinfo.wordpress.com/ https://dharmatreasure.org/ We talked about: *Recovery Dharma at San Francisco Zen Center and developing a meditation practice *Daehaeng Sunim, Mahapajapati Monastery, and dharma in the wilderness *Cave meditation, renunciation, and learning what feels good and what doesn't *Cooking at a Korean monastery, identity, and poetry *Leading meditation and the excitement and fulfillment of facilitating queer retreats *And the importance studying your role models and safely jumping into your practice.

Ananda Mahinkanda is an accomplished Accounting and Finance professional and Business Administrator with a Doctorate in Humanity. His life journey has taken him across South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and North America, giving him a rich multicultural perspective and a deep appreciation for the diversity of human experience. A lifelong animal lover, Ananda is deeply committed to ahimsa and to promoting compassion toward all beings. He actively advocates for a plant-based lifestyle, recognizing its profound benefits for animal welfare, human health, and the protection of the environment. Ananda is also a serious meditation and Dhamma practitioner. His spiritual path includes a period of temporary ordination, and he continues to maintain a dedicated practice grounded in mindfulness, insight, and ethical living.He is the founder of Samahitha Nature Foundation, USA, and serves as the International Advisor to the Sri Lanka Non-Violence Society. For more information about Ananda and the Samahitha Nature Foundation, please visit the following link: https://www.youtube.com/@Samahithanaturefundation We talked about: *Mahinda, growing up Buddhist in Sri Lanka, and right action *Meditation and receiving temporary ordination in Burma *Mindfulness and the joy of interconnection *No-self, ahimsa, and the benefits of a plant-based diet *And the importance of observing your mind and taking time to think about how you want to live your life