I walked into a jewelry store in Rishikesh on a whim, Inter World Gems and Handicrafts. The owner was laying down on a couch and I asked him if I could see a ring in the case he had put outside. He handed me the keys to the cases and said, “Make yourself at home.” I...
Arriving in Rishikesh, it’s readily apparent that you’re stepping into the yoga capital of the world. Rishikesh is home to what feels like hundreds of yoga studios and thousands of yogis and yoginis. Rishikesh is an oasis for all that is yoga. As a sacred city, it is...
Anchalii, Wantha, Aphiwaat is a Buddhist prayer. At Wat Pa Tam Wua Forest Monastery, we closed every meditation practice with this short form of prayer and respect. The monks said it was an a way to illustrate the practice of mindfulness. I...
There are two main types of mindfulness meditation, Samadhi (also referred to as Samatha) and Vipassana. These two types of meditation work in conjunction with one and other to bring the individual towards tranquility and the highest, absolute wisdom. Samadhi is...
What I appreciate the most about Buddhism is that its pillars are kindness, humanity, and equality. It is completely tolerant as it excludes absolutely no one. It also does not seek converts and never expects blind belief. A confidence in the Buddha as a guide on the...
I spent eight days at the Wat Pa Tam Wua Forest Monastery in Northern Thailand. My time there was spent in meditation, practicing and learning about Vipassana and Samadhi meditation techniques and about Buddhism.