While this will publish according to normal schedule, I've written this a few days early as I'll be on vacation by the time you read this. So, there's only about ten days' worth of content to catch up on. But there's been some great stuff during this time that I can't let go unmentioned here. … Continue reading Culture Roundup (November 1, 2025): Seasonality in Reading
We’ve all seen it: a new convert gets super excited and does everything their new faith has to offer only to burn out after a few weeks; or conversely the person who’s been on the outskirts of the community for years and decades but who hasn’t seen any change in their life of faith. This … Continue reading The Eightfold Path, Part 6: Right Effort
Last time, we looked at the fourth piece to the puzzle of a fulfilled life free from unhealthy attachments, according to the Buddha’s teaching: right action. Its focus is on avoiding actions that will negatively impact ourselves and others, and actively seeking actions that work to the freedom and benefit of all. We also saw … Continue reading The Eightfold Path, Part 5: Right Livelihood
[Here's a confession: When I was planning my Summer series on the Parables, I checked to make sure the parables from Matthew's Gospel weren't coming up soon in the lectionary, but failed to do so for the parables from Luke, which has left me a bit caught out this Fall! At any rate, today's Gospel … Continue reading The Parable of the Tax-Collector and the Pharisee [Re-Post]
So far in our journey through the Buddha’s Eightfold Path, we’ve looked at worldview, thoughts, and speech. It should come as no surprise that the fourth element of the path is action, completing the ‘thought, word, and deed’ triplet we all know so well. Once again I’ll introduce the idea within its Buddhist context before … Continue reading The Eightfold Path, Part 4: Right Conduct
Matthew Root 