Author name: Dale Berkebile, Jr

I am on a lay leader path to get ordained in the Order of Interbeing. I am studying and practicing Buddhism in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh and Plum Village. I am just an everyday person working to heal myself and all sentient beings.

What is Spiritual Bypassing?

What Is Spiritual Bypassing? How to Recognize and Heal It in Your Practice

Leave a Comment / Overcoming Suffering, Practice / By

Spirituality and mindfulness are meant to help us heal, awaken, and live more deeply. But sometimes, even with the best intentions, our practice can slip into something called spiritual bypassing. Spiritual bypassing happens when we use spiritual ideas or practices to avoid facing difficult emotions, trauma, or responsibilities. Instead of bringing us closer to truth […]

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3 Jewels Sangha - five mindfulness trainings

What Is a Dharmacharya? Meet Terry Cortés‑Vega, Plum Village Dharma Teacher

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In the Plum Village tradition inspired by Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh, a Dharmacharya (or Dharma Teacher) is a qualified practitioner who has received the Dharma Lamp Transmission, a formal passing of the mindfulness light that fosters continuity of the teachings. It’s not only a title, but a living embodiment of mindful presence, ethical clarity, compassionate

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Public-domain mural of the Buddha walking calmly ahead of Angulimāla in the forest. Part of the story of Angulimala.

The Story of Angulimala: Serial Killer to Saint Lesson on Transformation

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My Introduction to The Story of Angulimala It is kind of funny how the universe works. Sometimes it seems lessons are presented to you multiple times until you explore them deeper and maybe learn the lessons. I think in 2017, I read my first Thich Nhat Hanh book titled FEAR. I was doing some research

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Dharma blogging for spiritual growth and as a writing dharma practice.

Dharma Blogging: Could Buddhist Writing Deepen Our Practice and Support Others?

Leave a Comment / Practice, Mindfulness, Noble Eightfold Path, Sangha Building / By

Introduction: Dale’s Dharma Blogging? Let me start this article by saying I am a novice with a beginner’s mind and a heart to help others but also learn and practice the dharma as deeply as I can. That being said… be aware that anything I share in this or any blog article, the intent is

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No Mud, No Lotus: Resolving Sangha Conflict Mindfully

No Mud, No Lotus: Resolving Sangha Conflict Mindfully

Leave a Comment / Sangha Building, Mindfulness, Nonviolence, Overcoming Suffering, Practice / By

Introduction: The Reality of Sangha Conflict in Spiritual Community Even in Buddhist sanghas devoted to mindfulness and compassion, conflict inevitably arises. Differing personalities, expectations, and interpretations of practice or misaligned expectations can lead to misunderstandings and tension. The 8th Mindfulness Training reminds us: Aware that lack of communication always brings separation and suffering, we are

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Walking the path of True Love including mindful sex.

Mindful Sexuality and True Love: Living the Mindfulness Trainings in Real Life

Leave a Comment / Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings, Five Mindfulness Trainings, Mindfulness, Practice / By

Introduction: A Real-World Journey of Love and Integrity In a world flooded with mixed messages about love, sex, and relationships, those of us walking the path of mindfulness are often quietly wrestling with profound questions: How do I relate to my sexual energy in a way that honors my spiritual commitments? What does “True Love”

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Facing Your Demons: Sitting with Mara in Meditation

Facing your demons and sitting with Mara. Overcomming fears, delusions, & suffering.

Leave a Comment / Overcoming Suffering, Basics of Buddhism, Practice / By

Facing Your Demons: Sitting with Mara in Meditation When we are hurting, overwhelmed, or afraid, it’s easy to run—from our emotions, our memories, even from ourselves. But the Buddhist path invites us to do something radical: stop running. Turn inward. Sit still. And face what we fear most. In the story of the Buddha’s enlightenment,

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A Buddhist practitioner bowing with palms together, expressing humility and mindfulness from a buddhist bowing practice.

The Art of Buddhist Bowing: Understanding Respect

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3 years ago I attended my first Buddhist silent retreat. Bowing is a regular practice that I found very interesting and joyful. Buddhist bowing is something we often overlook sometimes, but I thought it might be good to discuss this a bit and share the historic background, Buddhist basics, but also a bit of my personal

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What is Satyagraha? What are the similarities within Buddhism?

What is Satyagraha? What are the similarities within Buddhism?

Leave a Comment / Nonviolence, Mindfulness, Practice, Satyagraha / By

I’ve been curious about Satyagraha for many years. Want to explore it with me? Gandhi has been one of my heroes and so I’ve always been curious about his thoughts on nonviolence and how he applied these ideas. Somewhere I ran across Satyagraha and this has been a seed planted many moons ago and I

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