Basic Information on Buddhism
Buddhism for Beginners (Tricycle Magazine comprehensive introductory resource)
Overview of Mahayana and Theraveda Schools of Buddhism
Zen Buddhism (a school of Mahayana Buddhism)
Meditation Resources
How to Meditate (Basic Breath Meditation)
Insight Timer (An App with meditation timer [great bells!] and extensive library of guided meditations)
Dharma Seed (free [really!] audio recordings of classes and meditations led by trained Insight Meditation teachers across the country)
Free Online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course
Sounds True: Books and Online courses by teachers such as Eckhart Tolle, Jack Kornfield, Pema Chodron, Tara Brach and others
Regional Retreat Centers
Many people find that retreat experiences bring important insights and signficantly strengthen their practice. These (relatively) nearby organizations offer a schedule of meditation retreats that include day-long or weekend and up to a week or longer.
Bhavana Society (Buddhist monastery), Hamilton County, WV
Insight Meditation Community of Charlottesville, Charlottesville, VA
Insight Meditation Center of Washington (DC)
Southern Dharma Retreat Center, Hot Springs, NC ( 1 hour from Asheville)
Books, Audio Books, Podcasts and Articles
Click title to access online version
There are many, many wonderful books on Buddhism, Buddhist practice, and meditation. Those below are merely a small sampling.
Meditation in Plain English, by Bhante Gunaratana of Bhavana Society
The World of Tibetan Buddhism: An Overview of its Philosophy and Practice and other books by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy and Liberation, and other books by Thich Nhat Hanh
Tricycle Staff’s top Buddhist books of 2017 (It was a really good year!)
Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong, and other books by Norman Fischer.
Awakening Compassion, and other books by Pema Chodron
Books, Audio, etc., by Jack Kornfield
More Books, Audio Books, Podcasts and Articles
Vasubandhu’s “Three Natures”, book by Ben Connelly
“The power of integrating early Buddhist psychology with the Mahayana emphasis on collective liberation.”
Nurturing a Relational Mindset, article by Paul Condon
“Compassion for each other is the basis for more authentic human connection—and can be cultivated through meditation.”
Nagarjuna’s Verses from the Center, article by Stephan Batchelor
Classic Batchelor on Nagarjuna and Emptiness. He describes Emptiness as “not a state, but a way.”
The Development of Wisdom article by Bhikkhu Bodhi
The famed translator on Concentration and Wisdom.
Friends and Neighbors
Williamsburg Unitarian Universalist congregation, birthplace of our sangha and ongoing supporter.