In the relative chaos of the past two years, my job has been mercifully stable. I work for a Silicon Valley tech company, and I honestly feel lucky to be here. The company was founded with a mission I care about. The people I work with are smart and diverse and awesome, and I can … Continue reading Constant Change
Category: Buddhism
Bagel? Googly Eye?
Kurt Vonnegut was the first writer to make me really feel nihilism where I lived. Cat's Cradle is an early novel of his most famous for the form of its world's destroyer -- ice-nine, a form of water that freezes at room temperature. But what makes it linger in my mind after reading it 20 … Continue reading Bagel? Googly Eye?
The Balancing Dance
I've always wanted to be a more conscientious person -- the kind of rabbit who sends "thank you" cards when someone's done him a good turn; or surprises his friends, neighbors, and regular acquaintances with a thoughtful gift on a birthday or holiday; someone who remembers the names of coworkers' children or pets, and asks … Continue reading The Balancing Dance
Zen Check 2022: Samadhi
I like to set my intention through this first week of 2022 by reviewing my understanding of the Noble Eightfold Path, being a Zen Buddhist and all. On Monday I went over the first of the Threefold Division, sila (or ethics). That blog post was unforgivably dry reading it over — sorry about that. I’m … Continue reading Zen Check 2022: Samadhi
Zen Check 2022: Sila
Happy New Year, everyone! I thought I would start the blog this year by doing a gut check on a few fundamentals. I identify as a Zen Buddhist, meaning that I adhere to the principles of both Zen AND Buddhism. Especially in the United States, Zen has become its own discipline — a way of … Continue reading Zen Check 2022: Sila
Kwanzaa 2021: Kuumba (Creativity)
Facing the challenges of the next 20 years is going to require some ingenious creativity on our part. The government’s response to climate change, pandemics, wealth inequality, crippling debt, institutional racism, and revitalizing urban blight has sent a clear message we should embrace going into 2022: we’re on our own, and it’s up to us … Continue reading Kwanzaa 2021: Kuumba (Creativity)
Kwanzaa 2021: Nia (Purpose)
What is your purpose here? Even if you’ve thought a lot about the question and have an answer locked and loaded, there’s no denying it’s a heavy thing to ponder. What are any of us doing here, really? Why do we exist, and have the faculties to wonder about our existence? There is no objective … Continue reading Kwanzaa 2021: Nia (Purpose)
Kwanzaa 2021: Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
The Fantastic Mr. Fox opens with the titular hero plucking an apple fresh from the tree beneath a clear golden sky, listening to a song about the King of the Wild Frontier. It ends with Mr. Fox admiring the artificial stars on the genetically-modified apple glinting in the fluorescent light of the supermarket that has … Continue reading Kwanzaa 2021: Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
Kwanzaa 2020: Ujima
Habari gani, fam? 2020 has made me keenly aware of my place within my community, and how important my relationships are to me. When George Floyd was murdered by police officers and the collective frustration of millions of Americans bubbled over into street protests, it meant a lot that folks checked in on me because … Continue reading Kwanzaa 2020: Ujima
Kwanzaa 2020: Kujichagulia
Habari gani, fam? Today we focus on the principle of kujichagulia, or self-determination. Any people that have struggled to throw off the legacy of slavery and institutional racism fundamentally struggle for the right to determine who they are themselves, instead of accepting the role the dominant culture pushes on them. As Black Americans, we deal … Continue reading Kwanzaa 2020: Kujichagulia
From the Desk of Jakebe T. Rabbit 