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Taking Responsibility for the Mind: When Meditation Gets Difficult

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Artist — Lim Chung Hee When we sit in meditation, thoughts arise. That’s not a problem—it’s natural. Thoughts, feelings, and sensations are the raw material of our practice. They are not interruptions; they are the very field in which mindfulness and insight develop. Often, a practitioner has a session that feels clear, balanced, even luminous. There may be a sense of accomplishment, ease, or emotional release. Then, perhaps the very next day, the mind shifts. A wave of negative emotions appears—anger, jealousy, anxiety, irritation, or despair. The contrast can be jarring:  “Yesterday I was calm. Today I feel poisoned.” And then comes the fork in the path. The Habitual Move: Projection For many, the default response is projection. Instead of meeting these inner states directly, we unconsciously look outward for a cause. The discomfort is disowned and relocated onto someone or something else:  “It’s because of her.” “He made me feel this way.” “They are the problem.” This is no...
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Buddhism Without Meditation in the Age of Appearances

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Mushin  "no-mind" In an era of collapsing attention spans and spiritual branding, it has become common to hear people claim the title of “Buddhist” while disavowing or bypassing the core practices of the Dharma. Meditation is often seen as optional. Dharma quotes adorn social media posts alongside self-help slogans. “Mindfulness” is marketed like a weight-loss product. But can someone truly be called a Buddhist if they do not meditate? Is compassion alone enough? The Threshold: What Makes Someone a Buddhist? In traditional Buddhism, one becomes a Buddhist by taking refuge in the Three Jewels: the Buddha (teacher), the Dharma (teaching), and the Sangha (spiritual community). This act is a conscious turning of one’s life toward liberation. In this view, practice may begin small, and perfection is not the measure — sincerity is. So yes, a person who has taken refuge, who aspires to walk the Path and live ethically — even without formal meditation — can be considered a Buddhist. ...
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Shinjin: Entrusting in the Awakening That Already Is

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Courtesy of Nembutsu Art   Introduction: Trust Beyond Effort What if awakening wasn’t something to strive toward—but something already here, waiting to be realized? In the Pure Land tradition of Buddhism, this realization is known as  shinjin  ( 信心 )—a profound, transformative “true entrusting” that opens the heart to boundless compassion. More than belief, more than feeling,  shinjin  is the awakening of trust beyond self-effort. What Is Shinjin? At its core,  shinjin  is not about believing in a distant deity or reciting mantras for favor. It’s about  awakening to a truth that is already true : that Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow encompasses all beings, without exception. For Shinran Shōnin,  shinjin  was not a result of effort ( jiriki ), but a realization of  other-power  ( tariki ). It arises when we awaken to the truth that we are already grasped, never to be abandoned. “Shinjin is itself enlightenment.” —  Tannishō Moder...
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