Archive for January, 2010
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
Q & A: How Can I Best Do This Practice?
Question: How does one go about dedicating their life to this practice? I’m 25 and don’t have many responsibilities, so I have more flexibility and time to give to it.
Answer: It’s like that old Nike slogan: just do it. There are ways of going about “doing the non-doing” but in the most basic terms, one [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Writing by Michael McAlister
Monday, January 11th, 2010
Interview with Buddhist Geeks: The Mountain of Spirit
Had this enjoyable conversation with Vince Horn of the Buddhist Geeks a while back. Hope you like it.
This week we’re joined by Zen-inspired dharma teacher, Michael McAlister. Michael is the leader of the Infinite Smile sangha, just east of Berkeley, in what Michael calls, “the hard edge of suburbia.” After many years of [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Podcast by Michael McAlister
Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
Attachment Alert: When Newsanchors Proselytize…
It’s hard to take much of this too seriously, but I still think two things are amazing:
Brit Hume’s views on what Buddhism does and doesn’t offer speaks to a significant lack of understanding, and
He does his best to play the martyr here even though an apology might have been the most “Christian” thing he could [...]
No Comments » - Posted in People, Politics by Michael McAlister
Friday, January 1st, 2010
Q & A: Meditation Techniques
Question: I’ve got a nuts-and-bolts question about meditation. There are so many varieties: following the breath, paying attention to whatever arises, focusing on something particular (like a prayer), Tonglen, etc. After years of teaching and practice, which methods have proven most helpful to you and your students? Is it useful to try different types of [...]
