Tricycle | Awake in the World

Do you know the Dalai Grandma? Otherwise known as Jeanne Desy, she's the blogger behind the Dalai Grandma, one of my favorite Buddhist blogs. Refreshing and unpretentious, she writes on her blog about "the reality of an ordinary old age in America, deeply influenced by a Zen cat." Today she muses on a common problem for Buddhist practitioners: what do you do if you don't live near enough to a center to be involved in a sangha? Zen Out in the Cold More »

I had the great honor to interview Pema Rinzin, whose art is located in Rita Gross's article "Buddhist to Buddhist" in the Spring 2012 issue. We talked for two hours at his Tibetan Art Studio in Brooklyn, New York over a range of topics. He has  many important things to say, and his enthusiasm for Tibetan culture and for art is inspiring to hear. As soon as he began speaking, I was immediately engaged and couldn't set up my recording gear fast enough. Pema mentioned frequently that in Tibet, talking about art and actually finding books on art was a 'luxury'. We tend to forget how important books are (and how far away art is from day-to-day necessity), especially when so many of us are reading solely on electronic devices. More »

By way of Danny Fisher and Rod Meade Sperry at Shambhala SunSpace, some news comes our way: Pick up your Sioux City Sarsparilla or White Russian (Caucasian) and mosey on over to take a gander at this: More »

All right all ye professional, budding, and smart phone-wielding videographers out there. Now is your chance to bully all your friends into just one more artistic project and make some solid money in the process. All you have to do is create a film—5 minutes or less—that explores the question, "what does it mean to be awake in the world?" Tricycle is partnering with BuddhaFest Film Festival to bring you a Short Films Showcase competition with a top prize of $1,000...and the bragging rights that you are officially the one who knows best of all what it means to be awake in the world. (Kidding about that last.) THE PRIZES: If you enter: A free one-year membership to Tricycle! Worth it. Totally worth it. More »

We hope you are enjoying the first week of Lewis Richmond's Tricycle Retreat, Aging as a Spiritual Practice. Starting Monday, Lew's second teaching will be posted on the retreat page. Here is a preview of what's to come. Tricycle Retreats are available to Tricycle Community Supporting and Sustaining Members. More »

We made it!  After a wonderful trip through Lumbini and Shravasti, we have returned to Delhi and the group has gone their separate ways. It was a bittersweet good-bye as the bonds that were created were very strong. More »

Today's guest post is by Andrew Titus, a Canadian Soto Zen Buddhist and an English literature professor at St. Thomas University. In his piece "What's On Your Mind? Facebook, Suffering, and Letting Go," he explores what the use of Facebook means to a Buddhist practitioner. In the end, let us know what you think—is Facebook a "nefarious temptation to continually assert our false sense of self" or can it be something more? And of course, if you so desire, don't forget to give the piece a More »

At the beginning of our trip, our teacher, John Peacock suggested the we set our intentions for friendliness and generosity to our fellow pilgrims. This reflection is on generosity. The Buddha said Generosity is the gift of material things, the gift of fearlessness, and the gift of the dharma. Material things have presented themselves for gifting to my friends, family and myself all along this trip – beautiful wool, cotton and silk shawls, carved Buddha images in all positions and sizes, a street urchin with her hand out asking for dana. I have indulged for my friends and family, the beggars, and myself, even fulfilling a request from a friend for a Thangka from an artist trained at the Tsering Art school. It has been fun and a real lesson in guarding the sense doors, sensual pleasure, and craving. More »

The current issue of Tricycle includes a feature article by author, dharma teacher, and professor of religious studies Rita M. Gross. In "Buddhist to Buddhist," Gross writes about the importance of Buddhist practioners learning about traditions other than their own. Buddhists from different traditions around the world conversing with one another, she argues, could set the stage for a "new period of flourishing of the buddhadharma." But in order to achieve this historic newel, Gross says we must put aside our sectarian judgements and approach other traditions with empathetic contemplation. More »