Category Archives: John
Images taken on the Camino path from St Jean to Orisson.
All photos by the author.
Coming Down is Harder
After climbing up a whole mountain I was hoping for a certain cliche to appear before me. Actually, I was praying for that cliche, longing for it! Which is dangerous, as cliches are the core of bad writing and sloppy … Continue reading
“So, lemme ‘esplain, no, there is too much, lemme sum up.” or, Why Buddhists are Annoyingly Quiet.
“So, lemme ‘esplain, no, there is too much, lemme sum up.”—that’s one of my favorite quotes from ‘The Princess Bride”, a film I might unfriend you for not liking. It’s near the end of the film when a thick accented … Continue reading
Seeing the Albergues the ‘Right’ Way.
As we have discussed before, despite being on a pilgrim path, I was not Pilgrimming. I was not in the act of Pilgrimation. I was not a Pilgrim. Unirregardless of this redundancy, I figured I should study some Buddhism since … Continue reading
St. Jean Pied de Port, the Camino Begins.
15,000 hours of improv and I lose it with a stick salesman. Continue reading
So, What’s in the Bag?
There are two main questions about preparing for the Camino: What will I need while walking everyday for two months across Northern Spain? First, let us unpack the concept of packing. The fact that it is even a concept is … Continue reading
Hey, what’s your problem? Oh. That’s your problem.
A door knocker in Basque country, 2023. Photo by author. The dharma of the Buddha loves to be a helper to its students. And it does so by being precise. Very precise. Extremely precise. Now, can we be honest and … Continue reading
Faith: It’s Not for the Weak
I have no reason to expect a simple solution. The answer will need to handle all the convolutions that our psyche will fling to avoid it. Problems are strong, pain is powerful, and the world is built on a foundation of suffering that feeds on itself and attacks us every day. Continue reading
Buzzkill Buddha
Recently an ancient Suttra, or sacred writing, of early 2nd century Buddhism was discovered on the Saraguptaskilihil Province in the Eastern Southwestern part of India. The Suttra contains the precepts and teachings of an Avatar of the Buddha who is … Continue reading
buddha meets jesus 