How to Step Out of Your Stories and Into the Present
The article explains how repetitive mental narratives—"if only" stories—trap us in dissatisfaction and isolation. By recognizing these stories as fleeting mental events, we can shift attention to the present moment, where inner peace and abundance already exist. The author advocates compassionate self‑attention and mindfulness as tools to dissolve self‑criticism and foster genuine connection with others. Ultimately, stepping out of the story invites a kinder, more present way of living.
The Sunlight of Awareness
Thich Nhat Hanh’s essay "The Sunlight of Awareness" reframes mindfulness as a gentle illumination rather than a battle against thoughts. He advises practitioners to shine non‑judgmental awareness on restlessness, emotions, and habits, allowing them to merge with the observing mind....
Wisdom for Caregivers
The author recounts becoming the primary caregiver for her husband after multiple foot surgeries, drawing on her own experience caring for her mother decades earlier. She applies Shin Buddhist teachings—such as the poisoned‑arrow parable, the harp analogy, and the Four...
Lion’s Roar Is Hiring a Copy & Story Editor
Lion’s Roar, a Buddhist media outlet, is hiring a full‑time Copy & Story Editor to strengthen storytelling and integrate Asian American perspectives across its platforms. The role will oversee the Bodhi Leaves initiative, which showcases Asian American Buddhist writers and...
You Are Already a Buddha
In a personal essay, Mingyur Rinpoche recounts how his father taught him the principle of buddhanature—that all beings share the same awakened nature. He describes his initial skepticism, rooted in anxiety and panic attacks, and explains how Vajrayana Buddhism offers...
Your Deepest Questions
A Zen practitioner recounts a week‑long, highly ritualized retreat where strict protocols forced constant attention. The teacher assigned a seemingly simple koan—“When you see the stick, where is God?”—that ultimately led the author from intellectual guessing to a non‑conceptual breakthrough....
May 2026: Books in Brief
May 2026’s Lion’s Roar roundup spotlights a wave of new Buddhist titles, from Margaret Cullen’s *Quiet Strength* that re‑centers equanimity, to Bodhipaksa’s 28‑day habit builder *Sit*. It also features Reb Anderson’s Zen parable collection, the Hases’ partnership guide, Roy Remer’s caregiver...
Ethics Are the Heart of Spiritual Practice
The article argues that ethics is the essential foundation of any Buddhist or spiritual practice, emphasizing non‑violence (ahimsa) toward all beings. It warns that advanced non‑dual teachings can tempt practitioners to abandon moral restraints, leading to ego‑driven misuse of spiritual...
The Wisdom of Animals
The Lion’s Roar article weaves Buddhist practice with observations of five animal species—bears, snakes, owls, salmon and eagles—to illustrate mindfulness principles. Each creature’s natural behavior is presented as a concrete reflection on rest, letting go, deep listening, perseverance and resilience....
What to Do When Panic Attacks
The article outlines practical, Buddhist‑inspired techniques for managing panic attacks, emphasizing mindfulness, breath control, narrative reframing, multisensory grounding, and TIPP skills. It explains how simple practices like box breathing and sensory cues can interrupt the physiological surge of cortisol and...
Finding My Higher Power in the Ten Thousand Things
The author recounts a decade‑long sobriety journey that merged Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with Zen Buddhism, highlighting how the AA Big Book eventually recognized Buddhist members. He explains that the Buddhist Eightfold Path mirrors AA’s Twelve Steps, allowing both frameworks to...
How to Find Your Middle Way
The article explains the Buddhist concept of the "middle way," tracing its origins from the Buddha’s rejection of both self‑indulgence and extreme asceticism to the Mahayana Madhyamaka school’s philosophical emphasis on emptiness. It illustrates how the Buddha’s first turning of...
The Five Remembrances
The article revisits the five remembrances from the Upajjhatthana Sutta—aging, illness, death, separation, and karmic consequence—and describes how the author uses them in Buddhist chaplaincy work. Personal anecdotes from a hospice setting illustrate how confronting these truths fosters authentic presence...
One Stitch at a Time
The author recounts sewing an okesa, the traditional Zen ordination robe, as a meditative practice where each stitch serves as a mantra. The painstaking, collaborative effort mirrors the challenges of collective activism and personal resilience amid social upheaval. By intertwining...
Are You an Artist If No One Sees It?
The essay asks whether an artist remains an artist when unseen, weaving personal experience with meditation practice. It argues that true artistic worth stems from internal recognition rather than clicks, likes, or external validation. The author describes how the tension...