Author: Michael Stevens

Lomatium Lullaby

I know, I know, it is still winter. But that will not keep us wildflower enthusiasts from searching for the first spring blooms. Tarn and I took a Losar wander into the wilds in...

Tossing the Ego’s Playbook

It only takes a cursory scan of world history to see a number of stubborn recurrences. Inequitable economies, divisive political ideologies, religious wars, and dictatorships—these fill volumes of history. I think we could write...

Out of Nothing

Twenty-two degrees with bright sun in a cloudless sky—there is nothing better than this on a cold winter’s day. I am standing with my back to the white garage door. It reflects the sun...

Shoveling Dharma

Dharma is a word that has many levels of meaning. From a Buddhist perspective, dharma with a small ‘d’ simply means phenomena; everything we see and experience in the realm of form. Dharma, when...

Hair Raising Commitment?

During the Buddhist refuge ceremony, the rite of commitment to the path, I cut a small piece of hair from the crown of a participant. The hair is taken only directly from the crown,...

Breath Inside the Breath

…the present is the leaky palm of water that we skim from the swift, silent river slipping by…—Dana Gioia We often talk about being in the moment as if it is an actual place...

Promises and Vows

Have you ever made a promise? Have you broken a promise? What does it take to follow through on a promise? A vow is like a promise made from the depths of our hearts....

Silly Dancing

The notes of a Strauss waltz, emanating from stereo speakers, bounce around our small home, and we are enticed to engage the rhythm. Our 72-year-old bodies don’t seem to be as light on the...

Too Simple

This morning I awoke to see a strong wind blowing nearly horizontally, throwing a mixture of snow and rain into a chaotic fury. An hour later, the weather transitioned into a sparkling display of...

Samsara Blues and Ho! Ho! Ho!

I want to write something uplifting for the season, but I made the mistake of listening to the news earlier. It was very depressing; children playing with the bones of human remains in the...