This is interesting. I’ve always thought that a commitment to social justice was at the core of Christian (as well as other) spiritual teaching. At least that’s what Thomas Aquinas seems to point out in his writing. Perhaps Beck has something on Aquinas....

Q & A: How Can I Best Do This Practice?

Question: How does one go about dedicating their life to this practice? I’m 25 and don’t have many responsibilities, so I have more flexibility and time to give to it. Answer: It’s like that old Nike slogan: just do it. There are ways of going about...

Q & A: Meditation Techniques

Question: I’ve got a nuts-and-bolts question about meditation.  There are so many varieties:  following the breath, paying attention to whatever arises,  focusing on something particular (like a prayer), Tonglen, etc.  After years of teaching and practice, which...

When Peace is an Incomplete Response

I was asked recently after giving a talk on engaged politics, what I thought of peace as a political orientation. What came out of my mouth made me laugh. “I’m pro-peace,” I said. The young man just stared. I then went off a little bit on how an...

Don’t Plants Deserve Life, Too?

Here’s an argument that I’ve danced with for years: where do we draw the line on the Buddhist precept of not killing. Having just gone through a round of anti-biotics, I knowingly killed lots of things in my body.  The name of the drug regimen...

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