Friendship transcends mere companionship to reach a more elevated goal - that of a shared vision or a common question.
Category: Book Excerpts
Dear Oblivion – The Very Practical Matter of Faith
How do we pray if we can't be sure what we're praying to even exists? Christian Wiman explores faith and what it really means to not know.
We Are Meaning-Seeking Creatures: Karen Armstrong on Myth
Mythology through the ages has not been a placeholder for science, rather a rich and profound way of engaging with the world and exploring the human condition.
Why is a Buddhist Monk So Interested in Science?
In this excerpt from his spiritual autobiography, the Dalai Lama sets out why science has always been so interesting to him, and how in his mind, the scientific method and goal are in fact very close to the Buddhist one.
When the Sun Disappears
An extract from Annie Dillard's essay Total Eclipse in which she describes her experiences of watching solar eclipses and the radical moments of transition they brought on.
What is True Freedom?
Jiddu Krishnamurti on the imperative of true freedom and what that really means.
Rebecca Solnit’s Blue of Distance
Solnit pays tribute to the color that fills the space between herself and the object of her longing, and reflects on how this blue can in some ways be understood as love itself.
Wandering in the Desert: This is our Life
Charlotte Joko Beck was an American Zen teacher who insisted that Zen training must directly address our conditioned reactions, and that meditative awareness was the key to understanding the emptiness of ego. She also underlined the value of bringing practice insights into daily life by living compassionately and with recognition of the interconnectedness… Continue reading Wandering in the Desert: This is our Life
On Falling in Love – James Baldwin
For activist and writer James Baldwin, falling in love was, 'Not merely the key to my life, but to life itself.' In this excerpt he talks about falling in love, a powerful event that shaped him and how he interacted with the world.
Am I Conscious Now?
"What does it mean to ask a question? Is there some magic in the inquisitive brain?" Susan Blackmore's lifelong investigation into consciousness encompasses Zen practice and the recurring question: Am I conscious now?