Best Of
Re: All Squares Are Rectangles...
Reminds me of
With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil, that takes religion.
~Steven Weinberg~
At times, religion can override a person’s natural sense of morality. People who are otherwise kind and decent may commit harmful acts if they believe their faith commands or justifies them. This is especially evident in the United States today, where some have weaponised the Bible to condemn and control others.
Shoshin1
Re: Buddhist quotes
"Since we were born, we have let our mind do what it likes, like a spoiled child, and we have to admit that nothing really positive has come of it. To take control of it is indispensable. That is something worth spending time on, even if it is just a little bit each day."
JIGME KHYENTSE RINPOCHE (b. 1964)
marcitko
Re: For the coming year
I’m finding some days my breath feels kind of ‘open to the elements’, and then I am better off breathing high in the chest and the nose, other days I take the breath deeper. I usually connect better to the breath in the morning or in the evening.
Usually in the first few seconds I find I can just observe.
I approach the breath with friendliness, as if it were a skittish animal.
Then usually it melts away and I find myself in control.
I breathe in a less shallow way then.
Jeroen
Re: Seven Factors of Awakening
Ajahn Sona was my second Buddhist teacher! I still tune in Birken Monastery Livestream from time to time. Thanks. I will re-watch 
Kotishka
Re: Seven Factors of Awakening
For anyone interested, here is a full playlist of an English-language virtual retreat on the Seven Factors of Awakening - both talks and Q&As.
The speaker is Ajahn Sonna, the Abbot of Birken Thai Forrest Monastery in Canada.
For those audio-only inclined, the same content is available on Spotify and iTunes.
I've been relatively obsessively listening to his various talks, during walks, in bed, and at other times, and can definitely recommend.
marcitko