Become An Everyday Buddhist

What if the thing blocking your spiritual growth... is trying too hard? Janet Anwyl explores why faith feels effortless — and why getting there is anything but.

Incense is not simply something burned during rituals. It carries a long cultural, artistic, and spiritual history. This article invites you to appreciate the history and varieties of kō, even its surprising use in contemporary cooking, before turning to Shinran Shōnin’s beautiful teaching of the “fragrance of Nembutsu.”

Think about something that disturbed you. Maybe it was a critical comment, an unexpected change, a person who gets under your skin. Our typical impulse is to analyze the situation. What happened? Who's to blame? How do I fix it? But Buddhism suggests turning the gaze around. What story did you tell yourself? What did you assume? What does your reaction reveal about you?

As a Jodo Shinshu convert, it sometimes takes me a while to fully appreciate the depth and beauty of certain Japanese traditions—especially Obon and Hatsubon. When I first joined the Vista Buddhist Temple sangha, I made a simple commitment: just show up, join in, and trust that understanding would come in time.

Our past experiences are like threads in a tapestry, creating the personal story we carry with us. This tapestry isn't just about sharing where we've been—it's also about guiding where we're headed. Where is your story taking you?

Instead of the practitioner reaching toward enlightenment, enlightenment reaches toward the practitioner. Instead of climbing out of samsara through effort, one is embraced within it. Liberation is no longer something you manufacture. It’s something you receive.