Author Archives: EricKVanHorn

Basic Kindness

Posted on September 18, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

When I first moved to New Mexico I attended a meditation group here. They have a people of color program there. This has become popular lately in some Buddhist organizations, to try and attract people of color and people from … Continue reading →

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Beacons in the Darkness

Posted on August 18, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

There continues to be a lot of angst about the current political situation, particularly after the events in Charlottesville last weekend. Charlottesville holds a special place in my heart because when I was in the fourth grade, my family took … Continue reading →

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Serenity, Insight, and Lovingkindness

Posted on August 13, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

Credit for this story goes to Ajahn Brahm. There are two people who decide to go for a hike up Meditation Mountain. One of them is named “Samatha” and the other one is named “Vipassana.” They take with them their … Continue reading →

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The Dance of Existence

Posted on July 30, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

I think one of the hardest things to wrap your mind around in the Buddha’s teaching is that everything is a process. There are no “things.” A “thing” is just a momentary manifestation of current conditions. In the physical world … Continue reading →

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Saṃsara, Nirvāṇa, and Saṃvega

Posted on July 1, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

I would like to discuss three (Pāli) words that I think are often misunderstood in the Buddha’s teachings. These are saṃsara, nirvāṇa, and saṃvega. They are closely related. Saṃsara is sometimes defined as a place. It literally means “wandering” or … Continue reading →

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The Way in to the Fortress

Posted on June 18, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

I have been working my way through all of the books that I have written, reviewing what I wrote, double checking everything with what the Buddha taught, making minor stylistic changes to make everything uniform, and making occasional content changes … Continue reading →

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The Allure

Posted on June 7, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

It is always amazing to me how nuanced meditation is, and it gets more nuanced the deeper your meditation practice gets. That is why a) you have to keep at it, and b) it is very important, I think, to … Continue reading →

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This Just In!

Posted on May 30, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

I know someone – in fact, I know quite a few people – who are very upset with the political situation in the United States right now. And that is understandable. I don’t know that I can put that to … Continue reading →

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Dress Rehearsal for Rebirth

Posted on March 22, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

I recently went to a short retreat with Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. The subject of the retreat was “awakening.” At the retreat, Ṭhānissaro described the death and rebirth process. Ṭhānissaro was almost electrocuted when he was 35 years old, so he had a … Continue reading →

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Scholarship and Practice

Posted on February 16, 2017 by EricKVanHorn

I have written about this before, but it has come up again, and I think some of the points bear repeating. It has to do with scholarship vs practice in the Buddhist world. I recently started to read an interview … Continue reading →

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